​​What are “Suicide Drones” and how are they changing modern warfare? “Suicide drones” are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed to destroy a target by crashing into it and detonating their onboard warhead. They are also called kamikaze drones or, more formally, loitering munitions. Unlike conventional military drones, which can return after completing a mission, these drones are generally desi…

​​What is Xenon Doping and how does it trigger the EPO hormone in the body? Xenon doping refers to the use of xenon gas (Xe) to artificially stimulate the body’s oxygen-response system, mainly with the aim of improving athletic performance. Xenon is a colourless, odourless noble gas. It has been prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as a hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-activating agent.…

​​Why are some systems based on the number 12 (dozen, 12-hour clock, 12 inches in a foot)? The repeated use of 12 is mainly due to its high divisibility and historical adoption in early civilizations. Mathematically, 12 is a highly composite number with divisors 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12, making it easier to divide quantities into equal parts compared to 10, which has fewer divisors. This property mad…

​​Do vehicles have a passport for international travel? Vehicles do not have a passport in the same way humans do, but for international road travel they require an equivalent document called the Carnet de Passages en Douane. This document acts as a “passport for the vehicle” and is recognized in many countries worldwide. It contains important details such as the vehicle’s registration number, eng…

​​Why ships are painted red below the waterline? Ships are painted red below the waterline mainly to prevent biofouling, which is the accumulation of marine organisms like barnacles, algae, and mussels on the hull. This growth increases surface roughness, leading to higher hydrodynamic drag, reduced speed, and significantly greater fuel consumption. To counter this, ships use anti-fouling paints, …