La Rambla, Barcelona

The capital of pickpocketing? 

When you step out onto the street of la Rambla is the first thing you notice the crowds of people that swarm the streets, the people clutching their bags in fear or the brightly coloured stalls lined up informally along the streets? Or is it the illegal salesman that approaches you confidently, waving his product and trumpeting the childish toy in your ear. The street is buzzing with activity. It is the type of place that would look rather like an ant's nest from above. The mixture of tourists and slightly poverished locals mingle together, browsing the stalls. The stalls are piled high with souvenirs and memorabilia with olive coloured Spaniards slumped behind. Each one is practically the same and a person is likely to make just one purchase as they walk up and down; yet despite that the sellers must get a fair few buys throughout the day with the sheer enormous amount of people. 
          Everything seems rather relaxed as people gaze up at the towering department stores that line the outside beyond the road and sip icy, fruit enriched drinks. Until the phantom pick pocketer strikes. No one ever sees it: or notices it. Not until it's happened. Only then do you realise the necessity of the armed, pacing policemen that eye the crowds suspiciously. A woman reaches to pay, realising she no longer can. Frantically she raises the alarm. Like a tidal wave the panic spreads from one person to another. But it is no good. Somewhere, distant in the gaggle, a young man is proudly fingering a designer purse. 

           In the market I casually conversed with a retired tour guide, back because she couldn't stay away, to the place she has visited thousands of times. I spoke to her with enthusiasm about my experiences of the day. Nodding with wisdom of the place in her eye she revealed in a strong Spanish accent "not once in my 45 year career did I bring a group here without something being taken." I felt quite taken aback by this statement, realising the scale of the theft that goes on here. Or do they just target the naive looking tourist? 

Word: Jovial - Where does it come from?

Jovial adj [jo-vi-al] endowed with or characterised by a hearty joyous humour or spirit of good-fellowship. 

The word can be first observed in the 1580's meaning love for the God Jupiter, who is also known as Jove and is the Roman God of the sky. The modern meaning is derived from it being believed that being born under the sign of Jupiter would give you such dispositions.

Can a candle burn in zero gravity?

Here you can see the difference between a
normal flame and a micro gravity one.

Yes it can; but the flame looks very different. It behaves as it would in space, which is quite different to how it would behave on Earth. A micro gravity flame creates a kind of sphere around the wick. Oxygen feeds the flame and carbon dioxide moves away from it. It is almost invisible and cannot be detected by ordinary cameras. There is relatively no soot or smoke due to the lack of air flow which would ordinarily create a gas exchange. 

Mars God of War

How the planet brought about much literary inspiration?

You can see the baron, rocky surface that
seems as if it could harbour no life.

Cultures across the globe have for years depicted the planet Mars as violent. There born was its reputation of being association with war. This association was so real it inspired award winning author, H. G Wells to write his majourly successful science-fiction novel about it in 1898. In those days science-fiction barely existed. So the fact that when it did the alien villains were Martians says something significant about the way we saw Mars, even then. Since that first appearance there have been many similar books, films and plays that's plot revolved similarly around the planet's evil.

        For astronomers the planet may symbolise something else. It symbolises a step we may be able to make within our lifetimes. Mars may be the first planet, other than our home, that humans will ever set foot on. So do astronomers see it as more of a friendly, hopeful figure or do they see deeper into this mythical name? Where does this association arouse from? Is it the harsh temperatures of up to 200 degrees Farenheit? The landscape is baron and dry showing the scars of old volcanoes. Much like an old battlefield, in a way. Scientists can observe how the planet was once alive with volcanic activity. Is Mars a dead hero? Scientists believe that one day in the future we could alter the conditions on the planet in order for it to harbour life. 

          And what exactly is the legend that is the namesake? Mars is from Roman mythology, often equated with the Greek god Ares. He was the second most important God (after Jupiter) and the most prominent of all the military Gods. Roman legionaries often worshipped him. Whereas the Greeks saw him as a dangerous, loathsome characters. He is often depicted in battle with Fuga and Timor the personifications of flight and fear.  His twin sons Romulus and Remus were the founders of Rome. It is said that earlier on he was associated with farming, agriculture and protection of cattle; but this soon dissipated into his new image.