F: A to Z Blogging Challenge

For my 2016 A to Z Challenge, I’m sharing three facts for each letter. The genres I write and love to read are mostly science fiction and high or epic fantasy. In fantasy, there is often magic associated with crystals or metals. They also used herbs both for medicine and for magical spells. Each day I will post a short description of an herb or a mineral you might find in medieval or fantasy writings. For the record, most of the herbal remedies I’ve investigated are not recommended by the FDA. Many are actually poisonous and dangerous. As tribute to my second love, I will post a scientific fact that may deal with physics, biology or health science. And because another name for a writer is wordsmith, each day I’ll share a strange word that I would probably never use in my writing, but that amuse me in some way. So enjoy my trio of quick facts. And don’t forget to visit the IWSG site where we’ll share a writer’s resource for every day of the challenge.

Furibund: Frenzied, raging

Feverfew is used by herbalists to treat asthma, fever (of course) and insect bites.

Ferrous metals are those that contain iron. Iron is important in metals because it makes them stronger. The discovery of copper around 5000 BC ended the Stone Age. When iron was discovered in 1200 BC, that ushered in the Iron Age. Since iron makes metal stronger, why use anything else? Non-ferrous metals don't rust like iron-alloyed metals and they're also not magnetic.

Did anyone make you furibund today? Have you seen feverfew as an ingredient in teas? How brilliant were those ancients who thought to alloy metals? Or was it an accident?

"Luck is an art." George Roy Hill