THE TECHNE LABS LIBRARY

Curiosity doesn't come with a category.

Practical guides, fascinating history, science, technology and useful things worth knowing — all in one growing collection.

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THE COLLECTION

Latest from the Lab

Can the Wrong Shower Head Damage Your Electric Shower?

Can the Wrong Shower Head Damage Your Electric Shower?

What you need to look for before changing your shower head.

21 August 2026 READ →
Your Consumer Unit Explained: What Those Switches Actually Do.

Your Consumer Unit Explained: What Those Switches Actually Do.

Confused by the switches in your consumer unit? Learn what the main switch, RCDs and MCBs actually do, and what you can safely check when your power goes off.

21 August 2026 READ →
3 Easy Ways to Stop Condensation on Windows

3 Easy Ways to Stop Condensation on Windows

Condensation causing damp, mould or misted windows? Here are three simple fixes you can try today without spending a fortune.

21 August 2026 READ →
7 Simple Car Checks Every Driver Should Know

7 Simple Car Checks Every Driver Should Know

Learn seven simple car checks you can do yourself, from opening the bonnet and checking tyre pressures to checking your oil, coolant and dashboard warning lights. A straightforward guide to understanding your car and spotting problems early.

23 August 2026 READ →
UK Plugs Explained: How They Work, Check & Change the Fuse Safely

UK Plugs Explained: How They Work, Check & Change the Fuse Safely

Understand exactly what every pin & wire does, plus safely inspect or swap a blown fuse—step‑by‑step for UK 3‑pin plugs.

23 August 2026 READ →
10 Things You Might Not Know About Julius Caesar

10 Things You Might Not Know About Julius Caesar

From being captured by pirates to conquering Gaul, crossing the Rubicon and being assassinated by his fellow Romans, discover 10 things you might not know about Julius Caesar.

26 August 2026 READ →
Dates to Remember — What to Look Up at the Sky This Year

Dates to Remember — What to Look Up at the Sky This Year

Don't miss the next eclipse! Meteor showers... what to look up and when.

27 August 2026 READ →
The Periodic Table — The Map of Everything and Its Most Surprising Facts

The Periodic Table — The Map of Everything and Its Most Surprising Facts

From a dream that revealed the pattern to elements named after planets, countries and even one that literally explodes in water — discover the story behind the map of every building block in the universe.

27 August 2026 READ →
Why the Moon Pulls the Sea — Tides Simply Explained

Why the Moon Pulls the Sea — Tides Simply Explained

The Moon is 384,000 km away — yet it lifts the oceans up and down every single day. How does it reach across all that empty space to move the waves?

27 August 2026 READ →
How Electricity Actually Works — Clearly Explained

How Electricity Actually Works — Clearly Explained

It powers almost everything we own. But what IS it? Tiny particles called electrons — pushed around in a loop — carrying energy from one place to another.

27 August 2026 READ →
Everything is Energy — and Why You Can Never Get More Than You Put In

Everything is Energy — and Why You Can Never Get More Than You Put In

Wood burns. Water flows. A battery powers a light. Everything that happens is energy changing form. But the most important rule in the universe says: you cannot get something for nothing.

27 August 2026 READ →
Where Do the Names of the Months Come From?

Where Do the Names of the Months Come From?

From January named after the two-faced god Janus to July and August renamed after Roman emperors — discover where every month got its name.

27 August 2026 READ →
The World According to Homer — Stories You Didn't Know Came From Him

The World According to Homer — Stories You Didn't Know Came From Him

The Trojan Horse, Achilles' heel, between a rock and a hard place — phrases, stories and ideas we still use today, all from poems written nearly 3,000 years ago.

27 August 2026 READ →
10 Countries That Are Not As Old As You Think

10 Countries That Are Not As Old As You Think

The land can be ancient while the country is surprisingly young.

27 August 2026 READ →
The Brothers Grimm — The Fairy Tales We Know and the Darker Versions They Wrote

The Brothers Grimm — The Fairy Tales We Know and the Darker Versions They Wrote

Cinderella, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel — we all know these stories. But the Brothers Grimm collected tales that were far older — and far darker — than the versions we read today.

27 August 2026 READ →
Wild Fungi and Plants — Identification, Law, and Critical Safety Rules

Wild Fungi and Plants — Identification, Law, and Critical Safety Rules

The UK countryside contains many plants and fungi — some edible, some medicinal, some illegal, and some deadly. This article explains what exists, what the law says, and why you must never consume something unless you are 100% certain.

27 August 2026 READ →
Keeping Slugs and Pests Away — Simple, Natural Ways to Protect Your Plants

Keeping Slugs and Pests Away — Simple, Natural Ways to Protect Your Plants

You put the work in — then slugs, snails and bugs turn up and eat your plants overnight. Here are simple, natural ways to protect what you grow — no poisons, no chemicals, just things you already have.

27 August 2026 READ →
Protein Explained — Who Needs It, How Much, and Where to Get It

Protein Explained — Who Needs It, How Much, and Where to Get It

Your body is built from it. But what actually IS protein? How much do you really need? And where can you get it — meat, eggs, beans, and plenty more — without spending a fortune?

27 August 2026 READ →
Helping Bad Knees & Joints — Walking Backwards and Other Useful Tricks

Helping Bad Knees & Joints — Walking Backwards and Other Useful Tricks

Your knees carry you every day — so when they hurt, everything becomes harder. Discover why walking backwards helps, what else eases the strain, and simple ways to look after your joints.

27 August 2026 READ →
5 Essential Herbs Anyone Can Grow — Even If You Kill Everything Else

5 Essential Herbs Anyone Can Grow — Even If You Kill Everything Else

Fresh herbs make every meal taste better — yet shop-bought goes off in days. Here are 5 herbs that grow almost anywhere, need hardly any care, and keep coming back year after year.

27 August 2026 READ →
7 Wild Foods You Can Forage — Safely and Confidently

7 Wild Foods You Can Forage — Safely and Confidently

From hedgerows to woodlands, the British countryside is full of free food. Here are 7 common, easy-to-identify wild foods anyone can find — plus the one golden rule that keeps you safe.

27 August 2026 READ →