Now, in a recent study, researchers from Japan found a simple and low-cost way of tuning the reflectance spectra of pencil lead samples using plasma.

But, you certainly wouldn't want to suck on a "lead" pencil if it really had lead in it. In fact, lead pencils became extinct only in the early 20th century.

It’s just such a nice little object. It’s reassuringly weighty while still light enough to carry everyday. It has one job: it ...

Besides being easier to hold when you're gloved up, it is worth noting that, given that carpenter's pencils are often used to mark-up hard, coarse surfaces, the thicker lead also makes them more ...