Isothiocyanate
The stuff that causes the burning sensation in your nose when you have a bit too much mustard or horseradish (what I’ve now learned is called a pungent taste) is called an isothiocyanate.
Notes
Torness Nuclear Reaction Complex
In 1989, Scotland opened a nuclear reaction complex called Torness, designed in the 1970s as “ the UK's bid to build an export-earning civil nuclear power system”. Charles Stross describes it as a “colossal collision between space age physics and victorian plumbing” in a spectacular article about a recent visit.
Martian time
Matt Webb wrote a post about the time difference between Earth and Mars. The Martian day is just 39 minutes longer than an Earth day, which makes communication between the two planets surprisingly tricky.
Thinking yourself to death
There’s something called psychogenic death, which occurs when you’re so demoralized you enter a depression spiral, go beyond apathy, and shut down and die.
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