Martin Fone

Curious Questions: Who invented the lawnmower?

Martin Fone delves into the history of the lawnmower and discovers a link to weaving machines.

Curious Questions: What is a weed?

They're the bane of gardeners' lives, but do they even exist, at least in any consistent and logical sense? Martin Fone takes a step back to think about which plants are and aren't weeds — and how the mystery of fast adaptive evolution means that the 'wrong plant in the wrong place at the wrong time' definition isn't quite enough.

Curious Questions: What was the world’s greatest sea rescue?

Eighty-three years after it was founded, the RNLI made its largest rescue off the coast of the Lizard, in Cornwall.

Curious questions: Did the modern Olympics really start in Much Wenlock?

Martin Fone traces the history of the Olympics and examines the contribution of Shropshire doctor William Penny Brookes.

Curious Questions: What was the first ever televised sporting event?

Over 20 million people have been tuning in to watch England's stirring exploits at Euro 2020, and the huge numbers look only set to get bigger as the summer goes on. It's a far cry from the first ever televised sporting event, almost a century earlier, as Martin Fone explains.

Curious Question: Do goldfish really have a three-second memory?

Martin Fone wonders whether everyone's favourite pet fish has greater cognitive abilities than we give it credit for.

Curious questions: How do you swat a fly?

Houseflies are a health hazard, but attempts to swat them have to contend with the insect's exceptional defense mechanism, finds Martin Fone.

Curious Question: Where is the world’s shortest street?

Curious Questions: When was the world’s first motor show held?

May 9 marks the anniversary of what many have regarded to be the first motor trade show; but was it really the first motorcar show, wonders Martin Fone?

Curious Questions: How does a bumblebee fly?

Scientists only discovered the humble pollinator's secret in 2005, says Martin Fone.

Curious Questions: Is the chocolate side really the top of a Jaffa Cake?

Martin Fone discovers nothing is quite as it seems in the world of Jaffa Cakes — including whether they are a biscuit or a cake or whether chocolate sits at the top.

Curious Question: Could the world’s smelliest fruit soon charge your phone?

Martin Fone dives into the world of pongy fruits and discovers why durian could be at the charging end of your mobile's battery.

Curious Question: Do dogs go through a stroppy teenage stage?

Martin Fone investigates the behaviour of dogs as they grow up and reminds prospective owners that a dog is a lifetime commitment.

Curious Question: When was the first census held?

As the UK prepares to compile this decade's census, Martin Fone retraces its history.

Curious questions: Who first classified the clouds?

Martin Fone investigates the scientists so intrigued by cloud formations that they decided to sort them out into different types.

Curious questions: Who administered the first vaccination?

If you thought it was Edward Jenner, think again: Martin Fone discovers that the practice of inoculating against the smallpox disease has much older origins than you'd have believed possible.

Curious Questions: How fast do snowflakes travel?

Martin Fone examines the science behind snow and explores the history of snowfalls in the UK.

Curious Questions: Did Mark Twain really invent the bra strap?

Samuel Clemens Leghorn — better known as Mark Twain — was a man of many trades besides writing, and one of his inventions is still with us today. Martin Fone explains more.