In the same manner that Gemini and most constellations were not discovered, Saturn has no known discoverer, either. Saturn and the rest of visible and partially seen space objects have been known by man since prehistoric times.  Saturn’s rings were not seen, until the telescope was invented. On a clear night Saturn is easily visible in the sky. The ancient Greeks named planet Saturn after their god of time and agriculture. Saturn’s rings were not […]

Potassium is represented by the symbol K, from the Latin word kalium. Its atomic number is 9. Potassium was first derived from potash. It is quite easy to spot natural potassium because it is soft and silvery. It is an alkali metal that rusts fast when exposed to air and water. Potassium is found in nature as ionic salt. There is a large amount of potassium in seawater. Minerals have potassium, too.The cells in our […]

Pi is a strange number. It is an irrational yet real number that is equal to 3.14159. According to Euclid, 3.14159 is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. No matter how many decimals you bring Pi to, it never repeats a number sequence. Earliest calculators of Pi Pi has been known and used for thousands of years.   The ancient mathematicians of Babylon were using Pi as early as the 19th BC. Pi’s […]

Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell. You can say supplies electricity the cell.  Mitochondria are organelles in the cells that have special functions: They make ATP (adenosine triphosphate) that keeps the cells in good running condition. Other than that,   mitochondria are responsible for cell reproduction and cell death. Earliest studies on the mitochondria The first recorded study ever made in the mitochondria was made by Richard Altman in 1840. He came to know about […]

The earliest record about planet Mercury is found in Babylonian and Sumerian writings about 3000 years ago. There is also mention of Mercury in ancient China, India, and in the tombs of Egypt. The evidence dates back to 1500 years BC. Mercury is hard to see because it does not go far from the sun. This was the same problem that ancient astronomers faced. Ancient Greeks called Mercury by two names: Apollo and Hermes. The […]

Mars is the fourth planet from the sun. It is also called the Red Planet. Mars  turns red because of huge iron dust deposits on its surface. Mars’ many names in the past In the old days Egyptians called Mars as “Har Deucher” (The Red One). The Babylonians called Mars as “Nergal” (The Star of Death).  The Greeks named Mars after Ares, the god of war. The Romans gave Mars its present name. Scars on […]

Magnets are magical objects that can hold things together without hands. It is because a magnetic object has a magnetic field. The field attracts metallic bits and pieces such as pins, clips, hair, and a host of others.   Who discovered magnets As to who discovered magnets first, it looks like the ancient Greeks are the strongest contenders. It is said the Greeks first observed lodestone attracted iron bits. Another version of the story goes […]

You can look at the DNA as a set of codes. These codes contain information that we have inherited from our mother and father. The DNA contains protein codes that decide how tall or dark you will be, or how long you will live. Well, almost. Who discovered the DNA DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid. The discovery of DNA came about as the high point of James Watson’s and Francis Crick’s research. Another important […]

To discover Earth, you have to be coming from outside the planet. So far no one has come out and say Earth had been discovered by aliens. The fact is, Earth has been here for the longest time. The planet has been here far longer than humans have. Earth according to the ancients Earth being the third planet from the sun is said to have been known by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Sumerians. Ancient […]

Unless you have an enlarged heart, your heart is as big as your fist. The heart is a major organ that pumps blood throughout the body. The normal heartbeat is 70 times a minute. Heart-related diseases kill thousands around the world everyday. It is not only humans who suffer heart diseases. Animals can have cardiac arrests, too. Earliest studies on heart diseases The human heart has been studied for thousands of years. The earliest medical […]