Curious Questions

Why has it been a bumper year for British berries?

The sunny, yet wet summer might have been a dampener at the time, but the resulting autumnal berry haul is a feast for mice and men, says John Lewis-Stempel.

How to win at conkers

Few games rival conkers for sheer excitement. Simon Lester ponders the merits of round-topped nuts versus flat-sided cheesers and exposes the nefarious tricks some use to win at all costs.

How London nearly had its own Eiffel Tower

England and France competed fiercely for bragging rights in the 19th and early 20th centuries — but no version of France's most famous building ever came to fruition. That wasn't for the lack of trying, though, as Martin Fone discovers.

How the Leyland Cypress went from botanical accident to taking over the world

The near-ubiquitous Leyland Cypress — or leylandii — is an evergreen with an extraordinary back story. Martin Fone explains.

Curious Questions: Did English ladies really have a secret 'language of fans'?

Did ladies' fans in 18th and 19th century England carry hidden meanings? Many at the time certainly seemed to think so, and Martin Fone delves in to the history books and discovers that 'so shall each passion by the fan be seen, from noisie anger to the sullen spleen.'

Curious Questions: Why do leaves change colour in Autumn? And why do some go yellow while others are red, purple or brown?

The riotous colours on the trees around us are one of the highlights of the year — but why do leaves change colour in Autuumn? Mark Griffiths explains.

What is a garden hermit?

Martin Fone takes a look at the curious history of the hermits who spent years living happily in the grounds of country houses, perhaps the ultimate garden folly.

What is the Stone of Scone?

Shrouded in myth and mystery, the unremarkable-looking Stone of Scone — the ancient symbol of Scottish sovereigns — still plays a significant role in the coronations of British monarchs, says Matthew Dennison.

Curious Questions: Why was absinthe banned?

Absinthe is almost unique among alcoholic spirits for having been outlawed in even some of the world's most liberal countries — but how did that happen? Martin Fone traces back the story to find the tales of debauchery, hallucination and even murder that once gave the drink its bad name — and looks at how it's returned to prominence.

Why John Nash, London's greatest architect, was despised in his own lifetime and for decades afterwards

John Nash is the man responsible for London's most beautiful buildings — yet he was once as reviled as he is now revered. Carla Passino retraces his life to see how his star rose, fell and rose again.

Curious Questions: What is Linnaeus’s Flower Clock?

Martin Fone takes a look at one of the most ingenious uses of plants ever imagined by mankind: Linnaeus’s Flower Clock.

Curious Questions: Who came up with Gentleman’s Relish?

Martin Fone takes a look at one of the all-time great toast toppers: Gentleman's Relish.

Why are there so many magpies?

Magpies seem to be flourishing, so much so that seeing 'one for sorrow' is more often closer to '11 for a football team'. Martin Fone looks at why these hugely intelligent birds are thriving, and considers why they're so often at the centre of our superstitions.

Curious Questions: What is Worcestershire sauce’s secret ingredient?

The world-famous Worcestershire sauce owes a great deal to a product that comes a very, very long way from Worcestershire itself, as Martin Fone discovers.

Curious Questions: Who dislodged Britain's most famous balancing rock?

A recent trip to Cornwall inspires Martin Fone to tell the rather sad story of the ruin and restoration of one of Cornwall's great 19th century tourist attractions: Logan Rock at Treen, near Land's End.

Curious Questions: Do Panama hats actually come from Panama?

As supple as an Olympic gymnast and as uncrushable as the bulldog spirit, the Panama hat has long been a staple of the British gentleman’s summer attire. Harry Pearson takes a look at them, and answers the burning question: do Panama hats come from Panama?

Are heat pumps worth it? Meet the homeowners who say it 'changed our lives' and is 'the best thing we ever did'

Mention heat pumps and you'll get a decidedly mixed reaction — but do the sums actually add up? Lucy Denton investigates.

Why do stars twinkle?

'Twinkle twinkle little star' isn't just a nursery rhyme: it's an astronomical phenomenon. But what causes it? Martin Fone takes a look at why stars twinkle.

What is an aspidistra? Why do you never see them any more? And will they ever fly again?

The aspidistra was once the most popular of all houseplants in Britain, but these days they're barely seen. Why did that happen, asks Martin Fone, and can it make a comeback?

Curious Questions: How did garden gnomes take over the world — and even The Queen's private garden?

Vertically challenged, bearded and rosy-cheeked, cheerful gnomes might make for unlikely cover stars, but — says Ben Lerwill — they’ve long graced books, album covers and even The Queen’s private garden.