Learning can happen anywhere so they say...

At some time or other, Mic Rolph, a professional illustrator, received a The Millenium Award from The Royal Society and The British Association for the Advancement of Science. A limited number of these awards are designed to enable scientists to help advance the 'public understanding of science.' Cooperation with local institutions was mandatory, pubs were one of the examples listed, and thus the idea of science questions printed on beer mats, or the Pub Understanding of Science, was born.

Samples of beer mat science questions:

1. Put a handful of ice cubes in a pint glass. Add water till the ice floats.
   Wait until the ice melts. Will the level of the water... (a) rise (b) fall
   or(c) stay the same?


2. Alcohol is made by fermenting grapes, barley malt, sugar etc. from plants.
   But where do plants get most of theirfood? (a) out of the soil (b) out of
   manure (c) out of chemical fertilisers or(d) out of thin air?


3. Time, ladies and gentlemen, please! If you took a grandfather (pendulum)
   clock to your favourite pub on the moon ('The Half Earth Tavern'?) would it...
   (a) gain (b) lose or(c) keep the same time?


4. According to Isaac Walton (`The Complete Angler', 1653) "Hops and turkeys,
   carps and beer, Came into England all in a year". Hops are used... (a) to
   make beer bitter (b) to increase its alcohol content or(c) to preserve it?


5. In the bar of 'The Jolly Sailor' the patrons know very well that about 75%
   of our planet's surface is covered by oceans and seas. These produce vast
   quantities of seaweed and microscopic plants (phytoplankton). What proportion
   of the world's vegetation do the oceans produce? (a) three quarters (b) one
   third or(c) one tenth?


6. "Water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink". It is thought, by some,
   but maybe not the Ancient Mariner, that Neptune provided us with more water
   than our local water company does. Might they be right? Yes or no?