Each month Wired’s chemist Dr John Emsley, author of nine books and 110 research papers, deconstructs an everyday product. This month: Cillit Bang cleaner. Sulfamic acid (chemical formula HSO2NH2) Included in Cillit Bang because it’s good at cleaning metals and dissolving limescale. Sulfamic acid is used on a large scale by industry for these same reasons, but more importantly it is involved in...
Like many of the best animated series, Smiling Friends revels in adult darkness while looking like it was made for kids. Even its name could sound creepy or wholesome depending on your mood. The Adult Swim show, which is airing a special episode tonight, follows two Smiling Friends employees—sunny Pim and cynical Charlie—who, at the behest of their boss, Mr. Boss, are given a simple task: Make...
Researchers at the Large Hadron Collider have confirmed the existence of The Force. And no, those caps aren’t there in error. This is the Force, the binding, enveloping metaphysical framework of Star Wars fame. Midi-chlorians and all. Unfortunately given the date — April 1, in case you haven’t noticed — and its traditional associations with “hilarious” nonsense, we’re not allowing ourselves to...
The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art is just about the last place you’d expect to see a pair of concept Air Jordans. And yet there they are in a glass case, where they’ll sit all summer, just down Camellia Walk and not far from the Rose Garden and Waterlily House in Kew Gardens. The Nike Air Jordan 3 RTNA – ‘retna’/retina – is getting a very early preview by its usual standards. The...
Bleach is used for all kinds of things, not least for cleaning and brightening dirty clothes. The disadvantage that sometimes comes into play is that too much bleach can ruin a perfectly good dark shirt by making it too light. But if you can control the bleaching process and lighten only certain parts of it, an artistic effect can be achieved. What you’ll need You’ll need a shirt that’s a 50/50...
From fitness trackers like FitBit and Jawbone to the numerous available smartwatches, wearables have become an important part of many people’s daily routines. It’s easy to see why — they’re functional, convenient and often aesthetically pleasing. But how can you bring wearables closer to the people that wear them? Chaotic Moon, a technology start-up, think they have a (rather literal) answer...
Alex Holliman had a difficult decision to make when he decided to bring some sense of pre-Covid normality to his digital marketing agency, Climbing Trees. He felt that staff cherished time together, with the ability to bounce ideas off each other – but also knew that they wanted to work from home for most of the week. “Some are ambivalent about coming back, some nervous, and some younger team...
With the men’s grooming market exploding to the tune of $23m in 2020, things are very much on the up for the best beard trimmers around. But, beard trimmers are like pets, phones and childhood sweethearts: your first one probably wasn’t a keeper. You need to find the right one and, thankfully, there’s plenty of choice now. Even the most cost-effective trimmer can come with a swell of peripherals...
Why ayurvedic? “It’s a system of traditional Indian medicine that gives you insight into your health in relation to the environment,” says practitioner Sebastian Pole of pukkaherbs.com. Ayurvedic toothpastes contain few of the whiteners, abrasives, sweetening agents and sugars present in Western pastes. And let’s face it – minty freshness gets a bit tedious after a while. \1. In a bowl, blend...
Luca Brecel booked his place in the final of the UK Championship before revealing he had almost missed his fourth-round match against Anthony Hamilton due to being stuck in the toilet of his rented flat. The Belgian swept in four centuries plus two more breaks of more than 80 to defeat Kyren Wilson 6-4 and will now face the Chinese rising star Zhao Xintong, who beat the former world finalist...