Fire

Fire

Charred remains of ebikes and scooters outside a building in Chinatown.

Ebikes could soon have double the power. Can we expect more fires?

With fires increasing at an alarming pace, will bumping up the power of batteries make them more dangerous?
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Australian wildfires: is there anything that can be done to stop the world burning? © Getty Images

Is the anything that can be done to stop the Australian wildfires?

Devastating wildfires have spread across eight and a half million hectares of land in Australia. How can we stop it from happening again?
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Wildfires: the science behind the burn © USDA Forest service

The science behind the burn

Experts believe that with drier, hotter weather becoming the norm, even more wildfires could rage in the future. That’s why scientists are using the latest technology to monitor intentionally ignited fires.
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Firefighters watch a back burn during the Mendocino Complex fire in Upper Lake, California, 31 July 2018 © Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

Wildfires: past, present and future – Prof Andrew Scott

Geologist Prof Andrew Scott on our complex relationship with wildfires.
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Do crashed electric vehicles pose a fire or electrocution risk? © Getty Images

Do crashed electric vehicles pose a fire or electrocution risk?

Zap! Sizzle! Lithium batteries can become dangerous if damaged.
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Is fire a solid, liquid or gas? © Getty Images

Is fire a solid, liquid or gas?

Most flames are made of hot gas, but some burn so hot they become plasma.
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How effective are planes in fighting wildfires? © Getty Images

How effective are planes in fighting wildfires?

Aerial firefighters use helicopters and aeroplanes to drop fire-retardants or water on forest fires.
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Are fireworks bad for the environment? © Getty Images

Are fireworks bad for the environment?

Though beautiful, fireworks pollute the atmosphere so may not be the most green choice of entertainment.
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This Samsung Galaxy note 7 has seen better days... © crushader/imgur

Why do batteries explode?

The exploding batteries on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 have caused a huge recall and a red face for the South Korean smartphone giants.
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NASA just started the biggest fire in space © NASA

NASA just started the biggest fire in space

Saffire experiment aims to understand how fire spreads ahead of potential missions to Mars.
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Can sunlight through glass objects really cause house fires? © Getty Images

Can sunlight through glass objects really cause house fires?

It’s not just magnifying glasses that you have to focus on when it comes to protecting yourself from house fires.
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Do fires ever happen deep underground? © Getty Images

Do fires ever happen deep underground?

Fire in the hole!
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Could any creature evolve to breathe fire, like a dragon? © Getty Images

Could any creature evolve to breathe fire, like a dragon?

Move over, Komodo and Bearded dragons: the Bombardier Beetle is the closest we've found to a fire-breather.
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The thought experiment: How fast would I have to run to catch fire? © Raja Lockey

The thought experiment: How fast would I have to run to catch fire?

Essential reading for The Flash.
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