Well it’s not been a good week for penguins has it? And we’re not talking about the weather either. New Scientist reported that decades after most countries stopped using the insecticide DDT, frozen stores of the chemical are now dripping out of melting Antarctic glaciers - and into penguins.

And there’s worse... a king penguin found itself on the receiving end of the misguided amorous intentions of a young fur seal . Fortunately the penguin wasn’t harmed but we suspect it’ll be seeking therapy for quite some time.

The line-up this week:

1. Gimme Five – facts about nettles
2. SciCast Awards
3. Stump the Scientist: how do hair detanglers work?
4. Activity of the Week: Very Berry Lipgloss
5. Mouses at the Ready: Royal Society Junior Book Prize shortlist
6. Noticeboard: FYI
7. Recommended websites of the week
8. The Winners’ Enclosure
9. Joke of the Week

Eek! Ouch! Oh no! Pass us a dock leaf would you, mate? Bloomin’ nettles! Oh, hang on, we didn’t mean that. Oh sweet nettle... or may we call you ‘stinger’? We’re so pleased to celebrate National Be Nice to Nettles Week (14 - 25 May) 2008 and just to prove it, here’s a feature dedicated to you our painful pals...

Nettles

1. Nettles growing on land where bodies are buried will reach a foot higher than those growing elsewhere.
2. Nettle rash (also known as urticaria) is composed of reddish itchy weals or swellings in the skin similar to those resulting from contact with stinging nettle. Urtica dioica is the Latin word for nettle.
3. Nettles are packed full of vitamin C and new shoots are often used to make tea.
4. The latin name of the plant dioica means 'two houses' - this refers to the fact that the male and female flowers are normally carried on separate plants.
5. The nettle supports over 40 species of insect including some of our most colourful butterflies.

These facts came from nettles.org.uk

Last week’s question came from Michelle Kovack who asked

“How do hair “detangler” sprays work?”

Hoorah for Nigel Bowen (currently on a year’s teacher exchange in Australia!) who answers

“I had a look at the ingredients on some shampoo that claimed to also detangle hair, and found the following:

cationic surfactants
humectants
acidifiers
colourants and fragrances.

Cationic surfactants are positively charged. They are mainly used in deodorants, mouthwash, and hair care products. Cationic surfactants attach onto the negatively charged surfaces such as hair and skin. This neutralizes the electrostatic charges on the hair and make hair easier to comb.

Humectants are chemical compounds which are attracted to water. Humectants can hold and absorb moisture from the air. When humectants are applied to hair as a conditioner, they penetrate the cuticle and stabilize the moisture content within the hair shaft. This softens and swells dry brittle hair and results in shiny smooth looking hair.

Acidifiers are commonly found in most hair conditioner products. Acidifiers are able to dissolve the soap residue on the hair and at the same time it eliminates the greasy, sticking feeling that is caused by air pollution.

Colourants obviously bring out the colour in your hair, by making it reflect more light - and the fragrances make it smell nice!!

There's a lot of chemistry in hair!!”

Thanks for that, Nigel. On this occasion the scientist was NOT stumped!

If you can help or have a burning question of your own then send us an email with STUMP THE SCIENTIST in the subject line to planet-science.news@nesta.org.uk

Very Berry Lipgloss

Make a gorgeous lip gloss from yummy honey and other natural ingredients. Protect sensitive lips with this simple yet rich lip balm. Delightful to wear alone or on top of your lipstick for extra shine! Makes a great home-made gift too.

You will need:

• 1tbsp sweet almond oil
• 10 fresh raspberries
• 1tsp honey
• 1 drop Vitamin E oil (optional)
• A sieve or a tea strainer
• A small portable plastic container or tin
• Decorative stickers, gift box and tissue paper (if you're making it for someone else)

What you do

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for two minutes or until the mixture just begins to boil.
2. (If you don't have a microwave, place the bowl on top of a pan of water on a stovetop and then boil the water. This will take longer and you have to be careful not to let the water boil over into the mixture. If you are doing it this way you should get an adult to supervise you.)
3. Stir well and gently crush the berries.
4. Cool mixture for five minutes.
5. Strain through a fine sieve or tea strainer to remove all the fruit pieces.
6. Stir again and set aside to cool completely.
7. When cool, transfer into your container.
8. Apply a small amount onto your lips and remember to smile!
9. (If you're making this as a gift, you could decorate your container with stickers and put in a gift box lined with tissue paper.)

What's going on?

The miracle ingredient in this lipgloss recipe is the honey. It acts as an antioxidant, moisturizer and gloss. Antioxidants like Vitamin C or green tea extract are key ingredients in many expensive skincare products. They are not absorbed into your skin, but they might protect your skin on the outside from damage by sunlight and pollution.

Scientists think the antioxidants in honey are probably the molecules called flavinoids, which give honey its great taste.

Honey is also hygroscopic, which means it absorbs water from the air, so it helps to maintain the natural balance of water in the cells in your lips. The almond oil forms a protective layer to stop the water evaporating.

Together, the honey and the oil fill in all the crevices in your lips and make them look smooth and glossy. The berries add natural colour and flavour. Add all this together for lips that look, smell and taste gorgeous!

Try different berries (strawberries, cranberries or blueberries) or other soft fruits (peaches or plums) for different colours and flavours.

This activity was taken from the Little Book of Experiments.

Wow! Have we got a great giveaway for you! The Royal Society Prizes for Science Books celebrates the very best in popular science writing for adults and children. We have the shortlist for the 2008 Junior prize to give away! Thanks Royal Society!

The Junior Prize shortlist

The six books selected by the Junior Prize judging panel are:

• Ask Dr K Fisher about animals, by Claire Llewellyn, Kingfisher Publications (ISBN: 9780753413852)
• How the incredible human body works, by the Brainwaves, written by Richard Walker, illustrated by Ralph Lazar and Lisa Swerling, Dorling Kindersley (ISBN: 9781405321747)
• It's elementary!, by Robert Winston, Dorling Kindersley (ISBN: 9781405318570)
• Serious Survival: How to Poo in the Arctic and Other Essential Tips for Explorers, by Marshall Corwin, Collins (ISBN: 9780007262007)
• The big book of science things to make and do, by Rebecca Gilpin and Leonie Pratt , Usborne (ISBN: 9780746080382)
• Why is snot green? Science Museum question and answer book , by Glenn Murphy, Macmillan Children's Books (ISBN: 9780330448529)

For more details see the Royal Society page.

If you’d like to win it (and let’s face it – who wouldn’t?) then email us with your name and address, and the words ‘BOOK BONANZA’ in the subject line, to planet-science.news@nesta.org.uk.

The draw will take place at 5pm on Wednesday 14th May.

This week we’d like to invite you into the Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom.

Do you know your Arsenopyrite from your Elbait? The first is a sulphide whilst the other is a tourmaline of course. But you knew that didn’t you? No? In that case you’ll be needing your A-Z of minerals then.

And never be caught out again!

There’s a comprehensive virtual gallery of online mineral images plus a section on gemstones. Did you know that the colour of diamond is graded on an alphabetical scale ranging from D to Y? Most peculiar. This scale measures the colour saturation, ranging from absolutely colourless to deep yellow (or yellow-brown).

By the way, if you’ve got a good website to recommend then send it along to us

at planet-science.news@nesta.org.uk with RWW in the subject line. Thank you very gladly.