Ecology

Mangiare in inverno

Why do we eat more in winter? What happens in the brain and body when it’s cold

The fact that in winter we tend to be hungrier and eat more is not only due to psychological, social, cultural factors, but also to one specific brain nucleus of the thalamus called xiphoid nucleus (Xi). This nucleus is activated after a long stay in the cold because the energy expenditure in our body it becomes noticeable and needs to ...

lievito di birra al microscopio immagini

How brewer’s yeast is made and how it looks under a microscope

When we think about the yeast of beerthe first image that might come to mind is that of small dry granules or a loaf soft and humiduseful for making dough rise. From a scientific point of view, brewer’s yeast is composed of colonies of unicellular fungi (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). But if we looked at it under a microscope, what would we ...

indovina citta dallo skyline quiz geopop

Can you guess Italian cities from its skyline? Test yourself in the Geopop quiz!

The skyline (in Italian translatable as “sky line”) is the profile or panoramic view of a city seen from afar, as if it were on the horizon line. From his observation one can easily derive aimage in two dimensions which, like the plant, is one of the most distinctive elements of a city, as if it were afingerprint of its ...

sale lavastoviglie

What is dishwasher salt used for? Here’s how it reduces limescale

Contrary to what you might think, the dishwasher salt It’s not meant to make plates and glasses shinier, but to avoid limescale encrustations which tend to deposit on the dishes during washing. In fact, home water contains calcium salts (especially the limestonewhich is essentially calcium carbonate) e magnesium which can form clearly visible encrustations especially on pans and pots. To ...

Lupi specie protetta

EU approves downgrading of wolf protection status: arguments for and against

The Standing Committee of the Bern Convention voted on 3 December 2024 in favor of downgrading the protection level of the wolf (Canis lupus) from “strictly protected” to “protected”. The proposal was presented by the European Commission on 27 September and the change will come into force in starting from March 7, 2025 unless at least 17 Member States object. ...

truffe prefissi pericolosi

What are the telephone numbers not to answer: the list of prefixes of account-draining scams

Over the course of the year we have warned you several times against telephone scams perpetrated using foreign prefixes, from “wangiri” scams to fake job offers to sentimental ones. In this article we provide you with a recap Of what are the dangerous numbers not to answerwhether they should contact you via phone calls or messages. But we won’t limit ...

quadri piu costosi di sempre

The 10 most expensive paintings ever sold: from Leonardo’s Salvator Mundi to Warhol’s Marilyn

Some paintingsin the history of humanity, have transcended simple aesthetic appeal to become gods true artistic and cultural icons. This is the case of paintings that we will see in this article, which are currently the ones that have been sold to highest figures in history. From the Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vincithe most expensive painting ever (450.3 million ...

perche i fiumi hanno le anse e non vanno dritti

Why do rivers curve? What are loops and how are they formed?

When we think about the rivers it is really difficult to visualize a perfectly straight stream cutting across a plain from one side to the other. On the contrary, what our brain will probably figure is a sinuous watercourse with wide curves that repeat one after the other, calls anse or meandersrecalling the image of a large snake. Sometimes, then, ...