How Timber Works
On the HowStuffWorks show, we aim to explain the whole world -- but let's start with the basics and work our way up. Rubber, lead, water, beer -- or how about this one, from this week's episode: How Timber Works.
On the HowStuffWorks show, we aim to explain the whole world -- but let's start with the basics and work our way up. Rubber, lead, water, beer -- or how about this one, from this week's episode: How Timber Works.
Ever wonder what's involved in building a house? Or how an empty plot of land is transformed into a beautiful home? We'll tell you everything you need to know from what holds up the walls and ceilings to what keeps the rain out.
A high demand for lumber and paper can lead to deforestation, which can deplete forests, threaten wildlife and contribute to global warming. That's where the Forest Stewardship Council certification comes in.
Saving the rainforests used to be about protesting the number of trees that were cut down. But some researchers propose that reforestation could combat habitat loss and animal extinction. Can we really bring a decimated rainforest back to life?
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We humans like to trade one problem for another. We give up drinking only to take up smoking. Will we also exchange a reliance on dwindling fossil fuels for a food shortage caused by ethanol production?
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Most of us think of water as the healthiest drink in the world. But in abnormal amounts, it can actually cause death. How can a liquid you need to stay alive end up killing you?
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Some say that during a rainstorm, turkeys will stare up at the sky with their beaks hanging open, transfixed, until they drown. Is this really true?
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Espresso, cappuccino, latte, double latte, double mocha latte ... Espresso drinks have become coffee-shop staples all over the world. But how does an espresso machine work?
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Tropical rainforests are the most diverse ecosystem on Earth and also the oldest. What makes rainforests such a bountiful environment for plants and animals? And are some rainforests in danger?
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They don't have engines, brakes or accelerators. No, these amazing machines rely on physical, centripetal and gravitational forces to urge thrills, screams and that sinking stomach feeling we all love.
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