Dr. Universe: What are cells made of? – Lela, 10, Bogart, GA
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we have to blink? - Michael and Virgil, 3 and 5, in Sioux Falls, SD
rcwebberWhy are people most commonly right-handed? Who/what deicides if we are left-handed or right-handed? Are you left-handed or right-handed? Mya, 8, Alexandria, VA
rcwebberHey, Dr. Universe: Why do we humans get sunburns when we are out in the sun too long? - Gavyn, 13, Indiana
rcwebberDr. Universe: How do trees give us air to breathe? – Jamar, 11, Vineland, New Jersey
rcwebberDr. Universe, How do birds know where to migrate? - Jasmine, 10, Gainesville, Florida
rcwebberDear Jasmine,
There are all kinds of different birds on our planet, and they migrate to different places.
My friend Heather Watts, a researcher at Washington State University, is really curious about bird migration and told me more about how birds know where to go.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Do flying squirrels really fly? - Gwendolyn, 9
rcwebberDr. Universe: What are bees’ wings made of? -Natalia, 13, Kennewick, WA
rcwebberDr. Universe: What gives leaves their shapes? Please reply back. Thanks a ton! -Pronoy, 9, San Jose, CA, USA
rcwebberDr. Universe: What creature has lived on Earth the longest and is still alive until today? -Tracie, 12, Singapore
rcwebberDr. Universe: How can bees fly? - Christopher, Kansas
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we have spines? - Jessie, 10, Covina, Calif.
jaime.chambersDear Jessie,
Your spine is more than just a long line of bones. It’s the secret to jumping for joy, the base for all your best dance moves. Every time you run, climb, walk, and play, your spine is right there with you.
“Without a spine, our ability to move would be completely different,” Edward Johnson said. Johnson teaches Human Anatomy in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University. He is very curious about how all the parts of your body work together.
All creatures with spines are called “vertebrates,” including humans. They get this name from their vertebrae: the special bones that make up the spine. Your vertebrae are different shapes and sizes, but they all connect together.
Read More ...How are seashells formed? And why are they different colors? Can seashells live or die? - Caroline, 9, Crestwood, Ky.
jaime.chambersDear Caroline,
Seashells come in an astounding variety. Some are curved and round, others long and tube-like. Some are smooth, others bumpy. Some are large, others small. Plus, they come in a rainbow of colors: red, green, brown, purple, pink, and more.
All that variety comes from the same source: little animals called mollusks, with a mighty muscle called a mantle.
I found out all about them from my friend Richelle Tanner, a scientist at Washington State University. She is very curious about the ocean and knows a lot about mollusks, a type of animal with a soft, moist body.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do people have different fingerprints? - Mary, 12, South Carolina
jaime.chambersDear Mary,
Did you know even identical twins have different fingerprints? It can be hard to tell twins apart, but a close look at their fingertips can reveal who’s who. The reason lies partly in their genes, but mostly from the unique way everyone’s skin grows before birth.
That’s what I learned from my friend David M. Conley, a professor at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.
“The reason fingerprints are unique is the same reason individual humans are unique,” Conley said. “Variation is the norm, not the exception.”
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why are brains mushy? – First Graders, Waller Road Elementary, Puyallup, Wash.
jaime.chambersDear First Graders,
You’re right, brains are quite mushy. It turns out the three-pound organ between your ears is mostly made up of water and fat.
I found out all about brains from my friend Jim Peters, a neuroscientist at Washington State University.
“It’s gooey. It really is squishy,” he said. “When it is warm, it is kind of like butter.”
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do we have a tailbone? -Tyler, 15, East Liverpool, England
rcwebberDear Tyler,
At the very bottom of the human spine is a bone that sticks out a bit called the coccyx (cox-ix). We sometimes call it the “tailbone,” but it is actually made up of several different spinal bones.
In some animals that actually have tails, those different bones at the bottom of the spine help them move their tail around. But in humans, those bones partially fused together.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: How do we talk? – Emmy, 7, Wash. State
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe: Why does it hurt when we pull a muscle? -Dakota, 12
rcwebberDear Dakota,
Our big, strong, stretchy muscles can help us run, jump, and play. But sometimes these muscles stretch a little too far and it can really hurt.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: What can I do to help stop ocean pollution? -Hailey, 10
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe: Why do flowers smell so nice? – Miles, 5
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we get morning breath? -Stephanie, 10
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we have five fingers and five toes? -Eli, 11, Edinburgh, Indiana
rcwebberWho 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 ...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 ...How do grasshoppers survive the winter? –Lucy, 9
rcwebberDear Lucy,
There are a lot of different grasshoppers living on our planet. In fact, scientists have discovered more than 11,000 species. Exactly how these grasshoppers spend their winter depends on what kind of winter they experience.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: I would like to find out how ants are so strong. How is it possible that they can carry weight that is heavier than themselves? –Anita, 11
rcwebberDear Anita,
Ants are pretty good little weightlifters. My friend Rich Zack, a scientist at Washington State University who studies insects, knows a lot about ants. One kind of ant that he has studied can carry up to 20 times its own weight.
Read More ...What do astronauts eat in space? –Rhemi, 12, St. Louis, Mo.
rcwebberDear Rhemi,
Astronauts eat all kinds of different foods up in space. The food is often similar to what we have here on Earth. But in space, there's very little gravity. There’s very limited refrigeration, too. On the International Space Station, the refrigerator is only about half the size of a microwave. That means scientists who prepare and package astronaut food have to do it in ways that take up very little room and don’t need to be kept cold.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: Why do snakes shed their skin? - Kalitia, 12, Zimmerman, Minn.
rcwebberDear Kalitia,
Believe it or not, pretty much all animals shed their skin. Some animals make it a bit more obvious than others. Snakes, and some other reptiles, will often shed all at once.
Read More ...Why do we have different feelings? - Charan and Aishwarya V., 10 & 8, Rutherford, New Jersey
rcwebberDear Charan and Aishwarya,
Imagine you are playing a game of soccer and your best friend is on the opposing team. The sun is out, you are having a great time, and you score the winning goal. You’d probably feel pretty happy and so would your team.
Read More ...How do animals get to islands? -Jax, 8, Wash.
rcwebberDear Jax,
Animals make their journeys to islands in different ways. Some float. Some fly. Others will swim.
Read More ...How do turtles live so much longer than other animals? -8th grader, Lewiston, Idaho
rcwebberDear Reader,
You’re right, turtles and tortoises live a lot longer than most other animals. If you were a turtle, you might live for more than 150 years. One giant Galápagos tortoise named Harriet even lived to be more than 170 years old, said my friend Donna Holmes.
Read More ...How do viruses affect animals? -Gianni, 10, Cayman Islands
rcwebber
Dear Gianni,
Our planet is home to more than seven million amazing animal species. While we have our differences, we also have something in common: We are all made up of a bunch of cells.
Read More ...Why do we have blood? Where does it come from? –Norelle, Olympia, Wash
rcwebberDear Norelle,
Our bodies have many living parts, like skin, muscle, brain and bones. Blood helps keep these parts alive and healthy. The system that moves our blood around the body is sort of like a city’s postal service, said my friend Astrid Suchy-Dicey.
Read More ...How do ladybugs survive the winter? Are ladybugs we see in spring several years old or did they just hatch? Are they worms before they are beetles? – Tanya, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Tanya,
You know it’s springtime when animals start coming out of hibernation. That includes ladybugs that crawl out from their cozy winter hiding places.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: Do you know how human and animal interactions help our mind grow? Does it help us? Does it do nothing? This has fascinated me for a very long time. - Gabby G., 11, Berlin, VT
rcwebberDear Gabby,
Our brains are pretty busy. They are constantly thinking, feeling, and sensing our world. One thing that can help some people relax is spending time with an animal friend. You might play fetch with a dog, sit with a cat, brush a horse, or even watch a goldfish zip around its bowl.
People who spend a lot of time with animals might tell you that something special seems to be going on here. But scientists are looking for evidence and want to find out for certain just what is going on. They want to know … » More …
Dear Dr. Universe: Why are plants green? – Nadia, 8, Australia
rcwebberDear Nadia,
A lush tropical rainforest, a field of sunflowers, a garden in your neighborhood. Our Earth is home to all kinds of plant life. From trees to catnip, there are thousands of different species of plants. Most of these plants are green, but not all of them.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: Is it possible that we are growing every second? - David, 9, Camas, Wash.
rcwebberDear David,
When I was a kitten, I used to keep track of my growth. Every now and then, I’d make a little pencil mark on the wall right above my ears.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: How do spiders make silk? Also, sometimes spiders hang down from the ceiling, when they climb back up, where does the silk go? –Johnny, 8, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Johnny,
Spiders can do some amazing things with their sticky, stretchy, and super-strong silk. Us cats are pretty curious about these little silk-spinning machines, too.
Read More ...Why do we hear the sea in a seashell? -Steve, Minnewaska School, Minnesota
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Dear Steve,
Whenever us cats go to the beach, we tend to keep a safe distance from the water and like to explore the shore. I once stumbled upon a big, beautiful pink and white seashell.
Read More ...Why do we feel pain? -Sara, 11, Moscow, Idaho
rcwebberDear Sara,
Pain is unpleasant, but we need it for survival. Just the other day I was out exploring when I stubbed my paw and let out a big meow. My nervous system was doing its job.
Read More ...What is the smallest insect on Earth? -Laurenz, 8, Molino, Philippines
rcwebberDear Laurenz,
When I saw your question, I set out to explore with my bug net and a magnifying glass. I was searching all around for tiny insects when I ran into my friend Laura Lavine, a Washington State University scientist who studies bugs.
She said there are nearly a million different kinds of insects on Earth. The smallest of all the known ones are called fairyflies.
Read More ...What is the deepest spot in the ocean? -Lawrence, 11, Philippines
rcwebberDear Lawrence,
Deep underwater, not too far from Guam, lies a crescent-shaped canyon called the Mariana Trench. It is home to the deepest known spot in the ocean: The Challenger Deep.
Read More ...How do plants hold dirt? -Gordon, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Gordon,
The other day, I wandered into a Washington State University greenhouse and ran into my friend Mechthild Tegeder, a professor and expert on plants.
She gently dug a small plant out of a pot so we could take a closer look. When she lifted it up, I pawed at the clumpy soil hanging from the bottom to reveal some stringy roots.
Read More ...Why do we get brain freezes -Hannah, 9, Monroe Elementary
rcwebberDear Hannah,
You’re enjoying some ice cream, when suddenly you feel a pain in your head that hurts a whole lot. It’s like it came out of nowhere, and in a matter of seconds, it’s gone.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe, Why do we age? -Logan, 12, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Logan,
It’s usually later in life that we see the more dramatic signs of aging, like gray hair, wrinkles, and lots of birthday candles on our cake. But we really start growing older from the time we are born.
Read More ...What are boogers? -Taryn, 9, Seattle, WA
rcwebber
What exactly is a booger and is it harmful to eat? -Concerned grandpa
Dear curious readers,
When I went to visit my friend Susan Perkins, an instructor of nursing at Washington State University, she shined a tiny light in my nose. Sure enough, she found some crusty little boogies.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe, How does a chameleon change colors? -Jasmine B. 12, Nepean, Canada & Marie F., 11, Ghana
rcwebberDear Jasmine and Marie,
There’s something about a chameleon’s darting eyes, long tongue, curled tail, and ability to climb that makes it a fascinating animal to watch. Especially when it’s changing colors.
And the latest research on your question suggests that how a chameleon changes has more to do with light than scientists once thought.
Read More ...What are fingernails made of? -Amy, 8, Seattle, WA
rcwebberDear Amy,
My claws can come in quite handy when I need to scratch my ears or climb trees. I bet you’ve found that your own fingernails can be useful tools, too. Perhaps you’ve used them to pick up a penny or peel an orange.
Read More ...How far can monarch butterflies fly? -Roarna, 9, New Zealand
rcwebberDear Roarna,
When cold winters come around, thousands of monarch butterflies begin a long journey in search of warmer weather. Some will fly more than 2,200 miles to find it.
Read More ...Why do bees make hexagons in their hives? Why not any other shape? -Aditya, 10, New Delhi, India
rcwebberDear Aditya,
When bees make hexagons in their hives, the six-sided shapes fit together perfectly. In fact, we’ve actually never seen bees make any other shape. That’s what I found out when I visited my friend Sue Cobey, a bee researcher at Washington State University.
Cobey showed me some honeycombs where the female bees live and work. Hexagons are useful shapes. They can hold the queen bee’s eggs and store the pollen and honey the worker bees bring to the hive.
When you think about it, making circles wouldn’t work too well. It would leave gaps in the honeycomb. The worker bees could use triangles or squares for storage. Those wouldn’t leave gaps. But the hexagon is the strongest, most useful shape.
Read More ...Do spiders have good eyesight? -Kathryn, Comfort, Texas
rcwebberDear Kathryn,
Most spiders have quite a few eyes, but they usually can’t see very well. Then again, seeing isn’t everything.
Read More ...Can frog babies hear their mothers croaking underwater? -Ella, 9, Seattle, WA
rcwebberDear Ella,
Baby frogs go through some pretty big changes to become grown-up frogs. They start out as tiny tadpoles with just a head and a tail to help them swim. They have an inner ear and can hear some sounds.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Is the puffin a descendent of the dodo -Samykutha, Chennai, India
rcwebberDear Samykutha,
The dodo bird isn’t with us anymore, but if you visit a city park you’ll likely see one of its very close relatives walking around. It might even be nibbling on a French fry. Dodos were a pigeon, said my friend Michael Webster.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do musicians use both sides of their brains? -Rohan
rcwebber?
Dear Rohan,
The left and right side of the brain each have unique abilities, so when they come together, it’s a kind of brain duet.
Read More ...I saw a caterpillar and a butterfly in the neighbor's yard. So my question is, what exactly happens inside the little sack they're in while they transform into a butterfly and HOW exactly do they do it? -Eston
rcwebberDear Eston,
Springtime sets the stage for one of the greatest transformations in the natural world.
“It’s the construction of a butterfly or moth from caterpillar soup,” said my friend David James, an entomologist at Washington State University. James studies the science behind metamorphosis, or how a creature transforms.
Read More ...Can you grow stuff like thread, cloth, silk, and most importantly, clothing? -Jay, Colorado
rcwebberv
Dear Jay,
We can use all kinds of animal, bug, and plant materials to make cloth. Even some of the tiniest living things on the planet can make cloth, too.
I heard about this from my friend Hang Liu, a Washington State University professor who studies the science of materials we use and wear every day.
Read More ...Why do bees have stuff that looks like hair? The hair on their legs looks like a real hassle, what with all the crud that sticks to it.*-Elliot
rcwebberThat crud is their food, Elliott. That’s what I learned from Steve Sheppard. He studies bees here at WSU.
Read More ...