Home Science Experiment - Blue Dye and Daffodils

I almost never have fresh flowers at home (this is the first time I've used this vase). So I couldn't miss the opportunity to give this idea a go. I remember from my school days doing this with celery. 

In terms of the final colour outcome, it depends on the colour of the flowers. So for a true final colour you might want to find some white flowers. However, Daffodils are a really cheap idea for Spring. 

The flowers absorb water through capillary action up tiny little 'pipes' within the structure. To add the additional colour all you need to do is add about 20ml of food colouring. It doesn't have to be expensive, just find a cheap one on the shelf at a local hobby store or supermarket. 

DAY 1

The daffodils came from Tesco's (2 x £1).  

Make sure you buy ones that are unopened otherwise it won't work as well. 

I had the food colouring in my kitchen drawer. 

Day 2

Came downstairs to find the daffodils had opened up over night. Some of the daffodils have started to absorb the dye. 

Day 3

Some more of the daffodils have started to open. Creating a really funky colour mixture. 

My kitchen is looking more and more like spring. 

If you are also looking for an Easter experiment this is super easy. 

Please ping me an email if you have a go at this :) 

9 Feb - What I Found on Facebook Today

1)

Pay per minute, not per drink, at Manchester's new coffee shop - by Lauren Davidson 

Once I read this article I had to share it with you. The article is looking at a social space cafe. You can use everything in the space for free - including the consumption of food and drink. Instead you pay for the time you spend there. The organiser's aim is not to make money - it's the creation of social space cafe. 

I would love something like this in my local area. Personally, I love this concept. I work really well in a social space and it would be great to have something like this go to that opened late. The trouble with traditional concept of a coffee shop is it does not open late. Pubs, which are usually full of drunks and loud groups of people in the evening, are just not a great place to work. 

2)

Daffodils must be kept away from vegetables in case people think they're onions, shops told - by Faizah Malik

I honestly read this article and nearly wet myself. In my personal opinion, if you cannot tell the difference between daffodils and onions.... seriously you have problems. 

Although I had never wanted to eat daffodils, but until I read this I hadn't realised that they were poisonous. 

3)

Autism Group Urges Parents To Vaccinate Children: 'Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism' - Robbie Couch

Ever since the publication of the paper in the Lancet in 1988 by Andrew Wakefield there has been parents afraid of vaccinating there children (1) . This study was proved to be fraudulent. It was done on a tiny number of children in a tiny time frame. The whole thing was completely bias towards proving that their was a link. 

What this complete idiot obviously didn't realise was the consequences of his actions. The concern of parents not wanted to risk their children 'getting autism' has out off a significant number of parents getting their child vaccinated. This was linked to an outbreak of Measles (one of the infections protected by the MMR vaccine) in Swindon (2013). 1200 people fell ill - although luckily there was only 1 fatality. 

Ref

(1) 

(2)

4)

Game of Thrones endings: George RR Martin letter from 1993 reveals what might have been - by Jess Denham

Have you watched the TV series or read the books? I have watched the entire TV series and thoroughly enjoyed it. Off the back of this I have picked up the first book in a charity shop. I'm about a 3rd of the way through and finding it is taking more effort to motivate me to read it. 

The article is really worth a look at. Basically, the original typewriter typed letter to G. R. R Martin's publishers before he had properly written his first book. I won't try and explain it is much more interesting to read the article. But it's always interesting to see the inner workings of another aurthor's mind. You will also notice that the characters that he writes of are still important characters in the tale - although some elements of their plot may be slightly altered. 

5)

If Taylor Swift Lyrics Were About King Henry VIII - by Hannah Jewell and Luke Bailey

Personally I love this bit of history. It's such an interesting time politically and just generally interesting. If you are a fan this period of history check out Wolf Hall on the BBC IPlayer - all the episodes so far were up at the time of writing. 

This is why I love the internet! So much content and I don't have to leave the house. 

Did you find some interesting articles this week?

Comment below!