Things you always wanted to know the answer to [Vol. 3]

[Roofless Toothless]

How do they get the stripes into toothpaste?

[mart 63]

227bhp said:

mart 63 said:

Why do flies circle in the dead centre of a room?

Around the light fitting maybe?

No centre light fitting or carpets

[mart 63]

Roofless Toothless said:

How do they get the stripes into toothpaste?

The toothpaste is made out of 2 different substances and not mixed together.

[jkh112]

mart 63 said:

227bhp said:

mart 63 said:

Why do flies circle in the dead centre of a room?

Around the light fitting maybe?

No centre light fitting or carpets

Body under the floorboards.

[glazbagun]

Ayahuasca said:

227bhp said:

mart 63 said:

Why do flies circle in the dead centre of a room?

Around the light fitting maybe?

Coriolis effect, in the southern hemisphere they fly the other way around.

Could it just be that they can't hover and have rubbish eyesight so think they are going somewhere till they meet a wall?

[Pommygranite]

In commercial/industrial fire extinguisher systems there is a little glass vial of liquid above the pipe and the glass it to break in the event of a fire - what's the liquid?

[john2443]

mart 63 said:

Roofless Toothless said:

How do they get the stripes into toothpaste?

The toothpaste is made out of 2 different substances and not mixed together.

https://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A1047836

About 40 years ago, before we could look stuff up on the web, my dad interviewed someone who had worked for Colgate so he asked her, Can't remember if she got the job or not, but she knew the answer!

[Redmax]

I get why running up an actual hill is harder than running on the flat, increasing potential energy and all that.

But why on earth is running on an inclined treadmill harder than running on a horizontal treadmill? Surely it's just like running but at an angle? Where's the equivalent of the potential energy you get on a real hill?

[Einion Yrth]

Redmax said:

I get why running up an actual hill is harder than running on the flat, increasing potential energy and all that.

But why on earth is running on an inclined treadmill harder than running on a horizontal treadmill? Surely it's just like running but at an angle? Where's the equivalent of the potential energy you get on a real hill?

You're still climbing a hill. It's just that the bloody thing turns the potential energy you've gained into heat and dumps you back at the bottom, stride by wearying stride.

[SpeckledJim]

Redmax said:

I get why running up an actual hill is harder than running on the flat, increasing potential energy and all that.

But why on earth is running on an inclined treadmill harder than running on a horizontal treadmill? Surely it's just like running but at an angle? Where's the equivalent of the potential energy you get on a real hill?

As far as your inertial frame is concerned, you are higher at the end than you were at the start.

If you had stood still instead of running, you would have lost potential energy.

[popeyewhite]

Redmax said:

But why on earth is running on an inclined treadmill harder than running on a horizontal treadmill? Surely it's just like running but at an angle? Where's the equivalent of the potential energy you get on a real hill?

Not sure I understand you here. If you run on an incline treadmill you have to push upwards as well as forwards. Same as a hill. Well, nearly.

[glenrobbo]

Why do ice cream vans play the "Popeye the Sailor" jingle?
What on earth has Popeye the Sailor Man got to do with ice cream??

I felt like going out to the van and asking the bloke for two tins of spinach.

[Truckosaurus]

glenrobbo said:

Why do ice cream vans play the "Popeye the Sailor" jingle?

Indeed, what is wrong with the traditional 'Greensleeves' ?

I believe there are specific regulations covering ice cream van chimes (volume and length etc.) so perhaps there is only a limited set-list of tunes they can use.

[227bhp]

Truckosaurus said:

glenrobbo said:

Why do ice cream vans play the "Popeye the Sailor" jingle?

Indeed, what is wrong with the traditional 'Greensleeves' ?

I believe there are specific regulations covering ice cream van chimes (volume and length etc.) so perhaps there is only a limited set-list of tunes they can use.

We have the music from Benny Hills TV show here, I keep expecting to see scantily clad young ladies chased to the van by middle aged old balding men asking for a 69 with juice.

[Shakermaker]

MartG said:

jet_noise said:

Bluedot said:

Rebew said:

How do rain sensing wipers on cars work? How do they know that the screen is wet?

On mine there is a little sensor at the top of the screen (think it might even be built in?).
When my windscreen had to be replaced, afterwards, the guy licked the end of his finger and put it on the sensor to check they worked ok!

But what does the sensor sense?
Light, dear Lisa, light.
Water on the screen changes the reflective properties of the glass surface. Sensor fires infrared at it and measures how much is returned,

regards,
Jet

Are you sure they aren't resistance or capacitance sensors ?

Depends on the car, both systems have been in use - either an infra red sensor that can tell when the screen is obstructed by water, or with resistance sensors such as you mention.

[daddy cool]

How is it that footballers who have scored a goal can run along, slam down on their knees (surely one of their most important bits) and slide for about 12 feet, when in any other situation something that causes them to end up on the grass will have them crying and belming and clutching some part of their body?

[Shakermaker]

daddy cool said:

How is it that footballers who have scored a goal can run along, slam down on their knees (surely one of their most important bits) and slide for about 12 feet, when in any other situation something that causes them to end up on the grass will have them crying and belming and clutching some part of their body?

Celebrating a goal vs a tactical ploy to win favour with the referee to gain possession of the ball for their team?

[SpeckledJim]

Shakermaker said:

daddy cool said:

How is it that footballers who have scored a goal can run along, slam down on their knees (surely one of their most important bits) and slide for about 12 feet, when in any other situation something that causes them to end up on the grass will have them crying and belming and clutching some part of their body?

Celebrating a goal vs a tactical ploy to win favour with the referee to gain possession of the ball for their team?

That's the right answer. It's not an answer that will get you any points on Mock the Week, but it is correct.

[Willy Nilly]

daddy cool said:

How is it that footballers who have scored a goal can run along, slam down on their knees (surely one of their most important bits) and slide for about 12 feet, when in any other situation something that causes them to end up on the grass will have them crying and belming and clutching some part of their body?

I won't defend diving. However, if you watch the replays of fouls that injure players that we now get in HD and slow motion, you can see why they go down clutching their leg. When you are running at full speed and at full stretch and someone kicks your legs from under you it will do damage. You can see very clearly when they get kicked or just loose their footing, that human joints are not supposed to bend and twist in those directions.

When they dive across the grass to celebrate a goal, it's a controlled fall. When they dive to win a free kick,they should be kicked in the teeth.

[Sheets Tabuer]

Kissing, whats the point?

I realise I'm getting old when my initial view of the two women snogging at the pub I went to for lunch for was what the hell is the evolutionary point of that and not phwoarr a la Rik Mayall .