Language & Literature

Tarragon: the Snake in your Kitchen

Even if you are not a budding chef, you might have heard of this herb. It can be used in all sorts of ways in cooking, especially with chicken, eggs and fish. And if you are fortunate enough to have tried French cuisine, you may have had it in Bearnaise sauce.
 But where did the name come from? You might think it looks very English, but in fact, this word has had quite a journey to reach us in the form it is today in English.

 

“Tarragon” first appeared in this form in the 1530s, but it came from an earlier English form; taragon. This was formed from the Middle French term targon, which came from Medieval Latin tragonia. But the story doesn’t end here. There is an intriguing twist in the tale.

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Science, Nature and Tech

Winter Wonderings – Are Snowflakes Really All Different?

 

It’s a common belief that no two snowflakes are the same, and in a way this is true. No snowflake can ever be completely identical to another, because when you get down to the molecular level they will have slightly different kinds of water molecules, different electrons and different traces of other materials such as specks of dust.

However, if we’re talking only about the appearance and shape of a snowflake, then yes it is possible that some will have duplicates. Snow crystals can vary from fairly simple, hexagonal structures to the more complex and delicate shapes that we commonly think of as snowflakes.

The simple flakes have far fewer molecules than their larger cousins and so it’s entirely possible that you could find two that appeared identical when viewed through a microscope. The more complex structures, however, can have more than a hundred different features and each feature can form in a number of different ways. This makes it highly unlikely that you would ever find two large snowflakes that looked the same – but you could have fun trying!

For a more detailed explanation of the science behind the forming of snowflakes, check out this video

 

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School & Career, Written By You

Social Hierarchy in Schools – Vive le Petit Revolution! – Written By You

What does ‘social hierarchy in schools’ mean? It means the status of each person in the school.
You know how some kids are the ‘cool kids’ and some are the ‘nerds’ or the ‘geeks’. The hierarchy means the levels of ‘cool’. Our contributor Madeleine decided it was time to shake things up a bit.

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Home, Health & Style, Written By You

The Cage of Society

What do you do when you see someone being bullied? And what happens when the bullies are your friends? These were the questions that were occupying the mind of 11 year old Kirsty. Here’s her story.

Not so long ago the only thing on my mind at school was to fit in with my friends and to feel like part of a group.We were a very close circle and I was positive that they were the most loyal, kind and caring friends I could wish for. However, there was one thing that concerned me, their behaviour towards a boy named Ryan.

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