91ɫƬ

Fur-up ball

I live in a hard water area and use a stainless steel mesh ball in...

I live in a hard water area and use a stainless steel mesh ball in my kettle to stop it “furring up”. The steel mesh traps the scale that would otherwise form inside my kettle. How does it work?

“Must I absorb sunshine ‘directly’ to make vitamin D, or can it shine on me through glass windows?”

V. M. Koritsas Otley, West Yorkshire, UK

We pay £25 for every answer published in New Scientist. To answer this question – or ask a new one – visit newscientist.com/lastword. Terms and conditions apply.

Topics: Last Word

More from New Scientist

Explore the latest news, articles and features