Dr. Universe: How do earthquakes happen? -Aescli E., 10, Utah
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we have five fingers and five toes? -Eli, 11, Edinburgh, Indiana
rcwebberWhy does caffeine make us stay up longer? -Cooper, 12
rcwebberHow is chocolate made? -Lydia, 6, Bedfordshire, England
rcwebberDear Lydia,
A few thousand years ago, humans discovered that beans inside the bright green pods of cacao trees could be made into a real treat.
Read More ...How many suns are in the universe?
erik.solvesonHey cool cats, I’m Dr. Universe, here to answer your baffling science questions like this one. How many suns are in the universe? The sun is actually a star, our nearest star, but there are lots of stars out there. Maybe you’ve tried counting them before. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven stars make up the big dipper. Astronomers estimate that the human eye could spot about 9,000 stars. Of course, the Earth blocks our vision so we only see about half of those in the night sky. If we use binoculars, we could see even more stars, about 200,000 of them. A small telescope can help us see more than 15 million stars and even more powerful telescopes can help us look for other galaxies which are home to even more stars. Have you ever been stargazing? What did you see in the night sky? Tell us about it sometime at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu.
Why do bees make hexagons in their hives?
erik.solvesonHey cool cats, I’m Dr. Universe, here to answer your baffling science questions, like this one. Why do bees make hexagons in their hives? When bees make hexagons in their hives, the six-sided shapes fit together perfectly. You know, if you think about it, other shapes wouldn’t work quite as well. Circles would leave gaps in the honeycomb. Squares and triangles wouldn’t leave gaps, but the hexagon works even better. The hexagon uses the least amount of material to hold the most weight. Bees can use these hexagons to store things. The queen bees eggs, pollen, and honey. For having never done a day of math homework in their lives, bees use some pretty creative geometry and engineering to build their headquarters. You can send your own science question to Dr. Universe at Washington State University. Visit AskDrUniverse.wsu.edu.
Do plants get sunburns?
erik.solvesonHey cool cats, I’m Dr. Universe here to answer your baffling science questions. Like this one, “Dear Dr. Universe, Why don’t plants get sunburns?” That’s a great observation. For as much time as plants spend outside, we don’t see too many with a sunburn. Plants need sun to grow, but not too much sun. Since they can’t move into the shade, put on a hat or sunscreen, they have their own way of staying safe in the sun. They make their own kind of sunblock. Of course, it isn’t much like the sunscreen you and I might use. Plants make their sunscreen out of a special combination of building blocks called molecules. They join together to make a compound, and block out ultraviolet light from the sun. It’s the kind of light that can cause damage to skin, or other living tissues. The compound still allows other kinds of sunlight to come through. That way, the plant can live and grow without getting fried in the sun. Send me a science question of your own at stage.web.wsu.edu/askdruniverse.
What is slime?
erik.solvesonHey, cool cats. I’m Dr. Universe here to answer your baffling science questions like this one. What is slime? Our world is full of slime makers. Slugs make gooey trails. Bacteria create slippery slime in pipes. Slime in your joints helps protect your bones. Slime is between a solid and a liquid. It’s a non-Newtonian fluid. You can make it right at home. Dissolve a teaspoon of borax in a cup of water. In another bowl, mix together half a cup of liquid glue and half a cup of water. Then combine everything. The glue contains long chains of molecules. We call them polymers. You might think of them like cooked spaghetti noodles that are all tangled up. If we let the noodles dry out a bit, we’d see they’d start sticking to one another. What was once a free flowing liquid is now thickened by polymers, a fun slime you can mold, bounce, twist and stretch. Send me a science question of your own at AskDrUniverse.wsu.edu.
Why is the ocean salty?
erik.solvesonHey cool cats, I’m Dr. Universe, here to answer your baffling science question. Like this one. Dear Dr. Universe, why is the ocean salty? If we took all of the salt from our oceans and spread it over Earth’s surface, it would be almost 500 feet high. It all starts with rocks and dirt on land. Salt is one of the many minerals in rocks. A lot of it is the kind you might sprinkle on food, sodium chloride. As you might guess, it’s made up atoms called sodium and chlorine. Water is really good at dissolving salt. You can see this in action, just by adding a little salt to a cup of water. The chemical reaction in water, pulls different parts of salt away from each other. Streams and rivers help dissolve the salts from the rock and carry it into the ocean. But not all salt stays in the ocean. Find out where it goes. Or send me a science question of your own at AskDrUniverse.wsu.edu.
Why are apples red?
erik.solvesonHey cool cats, I’m Dr. Universe. Here to answer your baffling science questions. Like this one. Dear Dr. Universe why are apples red? In nature different colors sometimes send a message to different plants and animals. The message might be don’t eat me as is the case of some brightly colored poisonous frogs. Other times it might be a chameleon using it’s colors to attract a mate saying hey look over here. But scientists think the apples red color might just be a way of telling hungry animals we’re delicious. Long before humans were shopping for apples at the supermarket bears were scavenging for fruit in forests. One idea is that bears are particularly attracted to red. A color that really pops against green leaves. When bears see the red fruit they eat it digest it and poop out the seeds. That way new generations of trees can grow and produce even more apples. Send me a science question of your own at AskDrUniverse.wsu.edu.
Why do feet smell?
erik.solvesonHey cool cats, I’m Dr. Universe here to answer your baffling science questions. Like this one. Dear Dr. Universe, why do feet smell? We live in a world filled with all kinds of smells. Take off your tennis shoes after a long day and you might even get a whiff of something pretty stinky. You can blame it on your bacteria. Millions of these tiny things live on your feet. While bacteria are too small to see without a microscope, sometimes you can simply smell them doing their job. They like dark, damp warm places where they can eat dead skin and drink sweat. Inside your shoes and socks for example. There are more glands that produce sweat on your feet than on any other part of the human body. As bacteria eat there, they also turn your dead skin and sweat into chemical products that can really reek. It might just make you wanna plug your nose, but at least you’ll know the system that helps you smell, your olfactory system, is working well. Got a science question of your own? Send it in at AskDrUniverse.wsu.edu.
Why do animals hibernate?
erik.solvesonHey cool cats, I’m Dr. Universe, here to answer your baffling science questions like this one: Dear Dr. Universe, why do animals hibernate? Animals survive winter in different ways. Some penguins huddle together in groups to create heat. Lots of birds fly south to warmer weather. Maybe you put on mittens and a coat. Then there are the hibernators. Bears, bats, frogs, and salamanders for example. Hibernation is a kind of deep long winter sleep but it isn’t exactly the same kind of sleep these animals would normally have at night. During hibernation these animals have slower heartbeats, a lot of them can go without food for months at a time, and many don’t even have to wake up to go to the bathroom. All of these things help them survive the season. While some animals hibernate in winter, others estivate during hot, dry seasons. Can you think of some things animals might need to survive in these conditions? You can submit a science question of your own at AskDrUniverse.wsu.edu.
Why do we have ear wax?
erik.solvesonHey, cool cats. I’m Doctor Universe, here to answer you’re baffling science questions. Like this one. Dear Doctor Universe, why do we have earwax? Just the other day I was scratching my ears when I found some earwax. It was pretty gross, but it also made me very curious. We have earwax for many of the same reasons we’ve got boogers in our nose. Earwax helps invaders like bacteria and dirt from getting deep into our ears. It also protects our inner ears which connect to important nerves that we use for balance and hearing. The outer ear is an earwax factory. It’s where special glands under your skin produce the sticky, wet wax. When it comes to keeping our ears clean and fresh, it’s best to just dab our ears with a towel after a bath. And remember, don’t ever stick anything smaller than your elbow in your ear. You can submit a science question of your own at AskDrUniverse.wsu.edu.
How Do Bones Form?
Danial BleileHey cool cats, I’m Dr. Universe, here to answer your baffling science questions like this one. How do bones form? Most humans have 206 bones. But did you know, you are actually born with about 300? Before you were born, your skeleton was soft and bendy. Then when you were a baby, some of those bones started to fuse together to become bigger bones. Meanwhile, cells in your body were helping make your bones even stronger. We all have bone-eating cells and bone-building cells that work in a big cycle. Since the day you were born, your skeleton has been in a way always remaking itself. Send me a science question of your own at askdruniverse.wsu.edu.
Dr. Universe: Why do owls rotate their heads? -Kaitlyn, 8th grade
rcwebberDear Kaitlyn,
Take a look around. Maybe you can turn your head to the left and right and move it up and down. You can move your eyes around in a bunch of different directions, and perhaps you can even cross them.
Read More ...Who created the very first chocolate bar? – Emma, 11, USA
rcwebberDear Emma,
For most of human history, people have enjoyed chocolate in a spicy, bitter drink. But when people discovered how to turn chocolate into a solid, it opened up a whole new world of possibilities.
That’s what I found out from my friend Omar Cornejo, a scientist at Washington State University who is very curious about the history and life of the cacao tree. Chocolate comes from the seeds of leathery fruits that grow on the tree.
If we cut open the fruit, we would find about 20 to 60 seeds on the inside. In ancient times, people would grind up the seeds … » More …
Read More ...Why do you grow new taste buds? I read in a book once that you grow new taste buds every week. I started wondering how and why? I'm hoping you can help me with my question. -Tyra, 10, Jacksonville, NC
rcwebberDear Tyra,
You read it right— taste buds can have a lifespan of anywhere from one to two weeks. That’s what I found out from my friend Charles Diako who researched food science at Washington State University. Before he explained exactly how and why we grow our taste buds, he told me two important things about them.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What makes a pepper hot? -Christian, 12
rcwebberDear Christian,
If you’ve ever eaten a chili pepper, you know it can make you feel really hot. You might start sweating, get a runny nose, or even cry.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How is wasabi made and where does it come from? – Christian, 12
rcwebberDear Christian,
When you think of wasabi, you might think of that hot green paste people serve up with sushi. Some restaurants put a bit of wasabi on your plate, but it’s usually not real wasabi. It’s actually a mixture of horseradish, mustard, and green dye. Real wasabi is a lot different.
That’s what I found out from my friend Thomas Lumpkin, a plant scientist who studied wasabi as a researcher at Washington State University. Wasabi is a plant that mainly grows in Japan in the cool, running water of mountain streams and springs.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What is venom? -Callum, 9
rcwebberDear Callum,
A lot of different animals, like wasps, spiders, snakes, jellyfish, and scorpions, make venom. Animals like the cone snail, the blue-ringed octopus, and centipedes do, too.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: How did we discover allergies? -Zion, 8, Australia
rcwebberDear Zion,
Before humans even came up with the word “allergy,” they observed how some people would get rashes, sneezes or become really, really sick from different things in their environment. Historians even noted how people in ancient civilizations talked about something called “plant fever,” which gave people runny noses.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: Why do we have funny bones and why does it hurt so much when we hit that spot on our elbows? - Ms. Hundley and students
rcwebberDear Ms. Hundley and Students,
The human body is made up of 206 bones with different names. There’s your skull, or cranium. There’s your finger and toe bones, or phalanges. There’s also your kneecap, or patella. But it turns out, the bone we call the funny bone isn’t really a bone at all.
Read More ...What would happen if we had three hearts and one of them stopped? From, Marko, 8, Melbourne, Australia
rcwebberDear Marko,
It’s hard to say exactly what would happen if you had three hearts and one of them stopped. Humans, and cats, have just one heart, so we have no experience with this. Octopuses, on the other hand, do have three hearts.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do we have eyelashes? -Rebekah W., 12
rcwebberAcross the animal kingdom, we see all kinds of eyelashes. They come in different sizes, shapes and textures. They also come in different colors, though most fall somewhere between black, brown, and blonde. All of them are actually hairs and the scientific term is “cilia.”
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do French fries taste so good? – Emma, 8, Alaska
rcwebberA good French fry starts with the right potato. My friend Rick Knowles is a potato researcher at Washington State University and told me all about the spuds.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do people like to listen to songs over and over? -Daniel, 13, Richland, WA
rcwebberDear Daniel,
We don't just use our ears to hear music. A big part of hearing also has to do with our brains. Our ears certainly are necessary to help us hear, but it is our brain that helps interpret the sounds in our environment.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How do people know things and how does it stay there? -Shayli, 9, Moab, UT
rcwebberDear Shayli,
Maybe you’ve heard a little voice in your head say “ba-da-ba-ba-bah, I’m lovin’ it!” when you saw a sign for McDonald's or thought “snap, crackle, pop” when you crunched on a spoonful of Rice Krispies cereal.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do animals have whiskers? – Addi, 5, Yakima, WA
rcwebberDear Addi,
As a cat, I’ve often wondered the same thing about my whiskers. I asked my friend Jennifer Slovak about it. She’s an Assistant Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine at Washington State University who knows a whole lot about whiskers.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Can the sound of rain help us sleep? – A reader
rcwebberAll around the world, people fall asleep to different sounds. Maybe you hear a snoring dog, whooshing waves, noisy traffic, chirping crickets, a soft lullaby, or raindrops.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do cats like lasers? -Izzy, 10, MD
rcwebberNot only do I enjoy answering science questions from kids, but I also like naps, tuna fish sandwiches, and chasing lasers. I wasn’t entirely sure why I like chasing those little red dots. I asked my friend Leticia Fanucchi, a veterinarian at Washington State University.
“Cats like lasers because they are predators and like to chase or hunt anything that moves fast around them,” Fanucchi said.
A zipping red light that quickly switches directions might have a similar motion to a mouse or other critter. The light sort of mimics an animal scurrying around to escape its prey. Even though we cats know the … » More …
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How did people in ancient times filter water from rain? - Richard A., 11
rcwebberEvery day people around the world get their water in different ways. Some get water from a well, others turn on a tap, go to the store, and some walk many miles to a river. But no matter how we get our drinking water, it almost always starts with rain.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How does land affect the weather? – Isaac, 7, Baltimore, MD
rcwebberThe surface of the earth is covered in all kinds of landforms. We have tall mountains, deep valleys, wide canyons, and scenic shorelines—I bet you could think of a few others, too. A little less than a third of our planet is land and the rest is mostly ocean. Both affect the weather, said my friend Nic Loyd, a meteorologist at Washington State University.
We get different weather patterns depending on a few conditions, such as how much sun the land gets, if the land is near mountains or ocean, and how air circulates through the atmosphere.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Did dinosaurs actually roar? – Susan, Spokane, Wash.
rcwebberIn the movies, we often hear dinosaurs let out big, scary sounds. If you’ve ever played with toy dinosaurs, maybe you’ve also made your little Tyrannosaurus rex roar.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How do some trees survive after being burned in a wildfire? -S.P., Quilcene, WA
rcwebberWhile it might seem like wildfires only cause destruction, they are actually a natural and important part of keeping forests healthy. After many years, trees have adapted to their homes. Some are pretty invincible when it comes to surviving a wildfire.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Where do bees sleep? -Annalisa, 10, Middletown, NJ
rcwebberDear Annalisa,
Sleep is important for lots of the animals on our planet. Just like you need a good rest, so do bees. But, bee sleep is different than human sleep.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: How does sand stick together? -Kamrin, USA
rcwebberDear Kamrin,
Sand is actually made up of lots of different things. When we look at it under the microscope, we can see cooled lava, coral, seashells, and other kinds of wonderful, colorful rocks.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why does music give us chills? -Nicole, 11, Spokane, Wash.
rcwebberDear Nicole,
It turns out that the experience of getting chills when we listen to music actually has a scientific name: frisson. That’s what I found out when I met up with Washington State University brain scientist Steve Simasko.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why does music give us chills? -Nicole, 11, Spokane, Wash.
rcwebberDear Friends,
If you are anything like me, maybe you’ve suddenly felt a chill while listening to music. Perhaps, you got goosebumps and saw your arm hairs stand on end. Maybe you even teared up.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: What is happening when we sleepwalk? -Daniel, 11, Easton, CT
rcwebberDear Daniel,
Our brains work hard to help us move, talk and think. They also help us sleep. When we rest, some parts of our brain are active. When we are up and moving around, parts of our brain are actually at rest.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What food is sweet and good to eat? – Sophia, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Sophia,
There are quite a few foods that are sweet and good to eat. A lot of them are fruit, said my friend Pablo Monsivais. He’s an associate professor at the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.
Read More ...Why do lizards lose their tails? -Bailey, Inwood, Iowa
rcwebberDear Bailey,
Our planet is home to all kinds of lizards. Maybe you’ve seen one climbing up the wall, scurrying through the grass, or at the pet store. Just the other day I saw a big green iguana when I visited the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in search of an answer to your question.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What is a glacier? – Addison, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Addison,
When snow piles up and compresses into a thick mass of ice, we call it a glacier. But a glacier is really more than ice and snow.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do stink bugs stink? – Lily Z., 11, Oregon
rcwebberDear Lily,
You’re right, stink bugs give off quite a stink. To find out exactly what that smell is all about, I visited my friend Elizabeth Beers. She’s a researcher at Washington State University who works with insects, including a kind of stink bug.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How do bees make honey? – Nisi, 10, Nampa, Idaho
rcwebberDear Nisi,
All around the world bees are busy turning nectar from flowers into sweet, golden honey. That’s what I found out from my friend Brandon Hopkins, a honey bee researcher at Washington State University.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: How do puffer fish puff up? Do they fill with water or air? Why do they get so big? Thank you. - Ben, 6, Madison, WI
rcwebberDear Ben,
You’re right, a puffer fish can get pretty big. In fact, some of them can even inflate to the size of a balloon or a beachball.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do dogs have wet noses? – Molly, NY
rcwebberDear Molly,
While we might not know all the reasons dogs have wet noses, I was able to sniff out a couple answers for you. I couldn’t have done it without some help from my friend Katrina Mealey, a veterinarian and researcher at Washington State University.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How do cacti survive in such hot and dry environments?
rcwebber-Ravin, 11, London, England
Dear Ravin,
All plants need water to survive. Those that live in places where water is scarce use some interesting strategies to stay alive.
That’s what I found out from my friend Charles Cody, who manages one of the greenhouses at Washington State University. When I went to visit the greenhouse, he pointed out a few different cacti.
One was tall and cylindrical with big spines. Another was small and round with what looked more like little hairs. A rainforest cactus hung on the wall like a vine.
Cody explained that if … » More …
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: Why do worms come out when it rains? -Courtney, Moscow, ID
rcwebberDear Courtney,
That’s a great observation. When it rains, worms sometimes leave their home in the soil and wiggle their way up to the surface, where we see them on sidewalks and roads.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What happens to the world’s garbage? -Presley, 8, Spokane, Wash. How do you recycle an object into another object? -Brianna, 12, New York
rcwebberDear Presley and Brianna,
So far, we’ve investigated how recyclables like plastic, aluminum, and paper can end up in the trash. If our clothes get damaged, or we simply outgrow them, we might toss them in the trash, too. Or send them to a thrift shop. Either way, they often end up buried in a landfill.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What happens to the world’s garbage? -Presley, 8, Spokane, Wash. How exactly do you recycle an object into another object? -Brianna, 12, New York
rcwebberDear Presley and Brianna,
While a lot of our trash goes in a landfill, we can also recycle all kinds of stuff on our planet. Depending on what the object is made of, we might grind it up, mix it up or melt it down before we turn it into something new.
Let’s start with paper. When you recycle paper, it usually ends up at a recycling center where it gets washed with soapy water and mixed into a huge, thick slurry.
Sometimes we add a few other ingredients if we want a specific kind of product, like cardboard or printer paper. The slurry is … » More …
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What happens to the world’s garbage? -Presley, 8, Spokane, Wash.
rcwebberDear Presley,
If you’re anything like me, maybe one of your weekly chores is helping take out the trash or making sure all your tuna cans get into the right recycle bin. The truth is, I wasn’t entirely sure where the garbage goes either, so I decided to ask my friend Karl Englund.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: My daughter is asking, why do bees have pointy behinds? -Asma, Pakistan
rcwebberDear Asma and Friends:
Lots of bees have pointy behinds, but not all of them. The ones that do have a pointy behind, or a stinger, can use it to help defend their homes, food, and fellow bees. That’s what I found out from my friend Megan Asche, a graduate student at Washington State University who studies honey bees and takes super close-up photos of insects.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: Where did the first nerves come from? – Max, 4, Pullman, Wash.
rcwebberDear Max,
Clap your hands. Stomp your feet. Blink your eyes. Every time you move, the brain and body send messages to each other. Under your skin, your nerves stretch out like a network of wires across the body. They help carry these messages from one part of the body to another.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How come broccoli is good for you? -Zack, 10, San Lorenzo Valley
rcwebberDear Zack,
You aren’t alone if you’ve ever heard someone at the dinner table say, “you’ve got to eat your broccoli.” Broccoli is one of nature’s superfoods, so it’s no wonder we are often encouraged to eat those little green trees.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: Why are animals symmetrical? – Theo, 10, Rupert, British Columbia, Canada
rcwebberDear Theo,
That’s an excellent observation. If we drew an imaginary line straight down the middle of the human body, it would look pretty similar on each side.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Do you have any experiments you can recommend? Thanks! -Etta, 7, Milwaukee
rcwebberDear Etta and Friends:
You can try all kinds of fun experiments at home. It really all depends on what you are curious about. Lately, I’ve seen some really great sunsets and started wondering what gives them their colors.
I decided to ask my friend Tom Johnson, who leads fun physics demonstrations for kids visiting Washington State University. I asked him if he had any simple ideas for an experiment I could try out in my lab, or even the kitchen. One idea he had was to create a sunset in a cup.
Maybe you can try it, too. You’ll need a flashlight, a … » More …
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How do we get our personality? - Jamie, 11
rcwebberDear Jamie,
Everyone is different. Maybe you are adventurous, shy, outgoing, funny, or kind. Before you were even born, your unique personality was beginning to take shape.
Read More ...Why do cows moo? -Sam, 11, Gahanna, Ohio
rcwebberDear Sam,
If you’ve ever been near a herd of mooing cows, it might have sounded like all their moos were the same. But just as each person’s voice is a little different, so is each cow’s moo.
Read More ...Can video games help us learn? - Isaac, 12, Clyde, N.Y.
rcwebberDear Issac,
All kinds of games can help us learn, including some video games. They can be a fun and useful way to help you remember what you learn, too.
Our brains work hard each day to take in and process information. Ever since video games were invented, people have been asking if and how they might change our behavior and brains.
For example, people once thought that video games left players with poor eye-sight and poor attention. Some scientists decided to actually test out these ideas. Their studies have shown that some video game players … » More …
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: Why does hair turn gray? –Darae, 10
rcwebber[caption id="attachment_2942" align="alignleft" width="592"] Dr. Universe examines a gray hair.[/caption]
Dear Darae,
Hair comes in lots of different colors. There’s black, medium brown, auburn, light brown, strawberry blonde, and copper, to name just a few. But in the end, almost everyone will have hair that’s gray or white.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do we get a fever when we are sick? – Marcelina, 11, Ovid, N.Y.
rcwebberDear Marcelina,
Lots of warm-blooded animals get sick, including cats. I’ve had a fever before, but I wasn’t entirely sure why we warm up when we get sick. I decided to ask my friend and professor Phil Mixter at Washington State University.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: How does a light bulb work? When one bulb in a string of lights goes out, why do they all go out? – Molly, 8
rcwebberDear Molly,
Just the other day I was taking down a string of lights from my lab, when I discovered the bulbs were burnt out. I visited my friend Aaron Crandall, an engineer at Washington State University, to see if I might get them working again.
Crandall explained when you plug in a string of lights to a power source, like an outlet, an electrical charge flows into the wires. A lightbulb works when an electrical current runs through thin metal wires in the bulb and electrical energy gets converted to heat and light. We can get this current of electricity to follow different paths, … » More …
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do some animals live in groups? – Mrs. Rubert’s students, Foothill Knolls STEM Academy of Innovation, Upland, Calif.
rcwebber
Dear Mrs. Rubert and Students,
Fish swim in big schools. Baby ducks waddle in a straight line. Ants and bees divide up labor. The world is full of animals that live in groups and they do it for a few different reasons.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How is glass made? And, what is it made out of? What about thick glass like they are putting up on the Space Needle? – Tali, almost 8 years old, Seattle, Wash.
rcwebberDear Tali,
We can make glass in factories and we can find it in nature. Some volcanoes make glass. When they spew out lava, it often cools into obsidian, a black glass. Glass can also form on sandy beaches. Small tubes with smooth glass on the inside may appear after super-hot lightning strikes the sand.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How do planes fly? -Tahira, 12, India
rcwebberDear Tahira,
Planes are very heavy, yet they stay up in the air kind of like a bird in the sky. They can get us across the world in less than a day. Humans went from learning how to fly a plane to putting a man on the moon in a little over 60 years.
But the answer to your question goes even further back. It goes all the way back to the 1700s and actually started not with air, but with water.
That’s what I found out from my friend Michael Allen, a physics and astronomy professor at Washington State University. He thought you … » More …
Read More ...Hello Dr. Universe, may I ask how fish breathe? - Nghi, 11, Vietnam
rcwebberHello Nghi,
Cats, humans, and fish all breath for the same reason. We need oxygen. Oxygen is one of the things our bodies use to make energy.
Just like the hungry feeling you get when you haven’t eaten, your body uses oxygen to keep everything running. Unlike the breaks you take between meals, the breaks you take between breathes are much shorter. Most people take about 12 breaths per minute.
While it may seem like we breath only oxygen, there are lots of other gasses in the air. When we breath in, our lungs fill up with all this gas. The lungs take the oxygen … » More …
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do birds have feathers? –Karthikeya, 7
rcwebberDear Karthikeya,
Bird feathers are interesting. There are so many types, shapes, and colors. My friend Daniela Monk is a Washington State University professor who studies avian ecology, or the study of birds.
She told me about why the birds we know today have feathers and how they got them. Researchers believe that birds evolved from dinosaurs a very long time ago.
“One lineage of dinosaurs gave rise to birds,” Monk said.
Researchers around the world are finding dinosaur fossils that contain feathers. A fossil is the remains of a very old animal or plant that is preserved in a rock. From these fossils they … » More …
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do we get tired? – Ellie S., 11, Maryland
rcwebberDear Ellie,
Sleep is one of the most important functions of our body. It helps us feel rested and gives us energy. Getting a good night’s sleep is important for our health. But when we don’t get enough sleep, or haven’t slept in a long time, we feel tired.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Do all animals pass gas? Do cats fart? - Hasandi, 11, Jeddah; Harrison, 10, Albany, Ore.
rcwebberDear Hasandi and Harrison,
If you’ve ever been near a cat or dog when they tooted, the smell might have sent you running right out of the room. A lot of animals pass gas. But believe it or not, some animals do not.
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