Six Things on

Bass Rock, southern Scotland - an avian fortress

Bass Rock, southern Scotland - an avian fortress

Bass Rock is an island in the outer part of the Firth of Forth off the east side Scotland, three miles north-east of North Berwick. It has become a paradise for seabirds and is thought to have the largest colony of gannets in the world.

Henry Cavendish, the shy scientist

Henry Cavendish, the shy scientist

Henry Cavendish was an eccentric and extremely wealthy scientist of the 1700s. He discovered hydrogen and the composition of water, and was known for his aversion to women. His female servants were warned that should he catch sight of them - they would be dismissed on the spot!

The Discovery of Graphene

The Discovery of Graphene

The "wonder" material graphene was discovered in 2004 at Manchester University. It is made of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. Being a million times thinner than a human hair, it is the thinnest object ever created.

Mind your head! - the Smallest House in Britain

Mind your head! - the Smallest House in Britain

Said to be the smallest house in Britain, this property on the quay side of Conwy harbour in North Wales might be described by an estate agent as 'compact', as it is just six feet wide, 11 feet high and just goes back a similar distance. But it does have a great view across the water. It was last occupied as a residence until May 1900 when the occupant was a six fee three inches tall fisherman named Robert Jones.

Borley Rectory - 'the most haunted house in England'

Borley Rectory - 'the most haunted house in England'

Borley Rectory, in Essex, home of a number of ghost stories, gained national fame when it was the subject of a study by paranormal investigator Harry Price in 1937. He described it as ‘The Most Haunted House in England’, a phrase which caught the imagination of the press and public.

The First Factory: the Lombe Brothers Derby Silk Mill

The First Factory: the Lombe Brothers Derby Silk Mill

Englishman John Lombe opened what is generally regarded as the first fully mechanised factory ever recorded in 1771 in Derby. It was built to manufacture silk, and resulted from a real life tale of espionage by Lombe when touring Italy, where he obtained the knowledge he needed of the best method for silk production.

Six things to delight and entertain you every day.