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Do babies open their eyes when they are in their mom's tummy? – Neela, 6, Washington state

April 11, 2024 melissamayer

Dear Neela,

My litter mates and I were born with our eyes closed. It takes a week or more for newborn kittens to open their eyes and see the world. But newborn humans can open their eyes and look around right away.

I talked about your question with my friend Cindy Brigham-Althoff. She’s a nurse midwife and professor at Washington State University.

She told me that whether unborn babies can open their eyes depends on their fetal age, or how close they are to being born.

Most babies are ready to be born after about 38 weeks of growing and developing. (Or 40 … » More …

Dr. Universe: Why are dogs important to humans? Stephani R., 9, Washington State

August 8, 2019 rcwebber

Dear Stephani, Dogs are important to humans in all kinds of ways. The connection between the two goes back thousands of years. A long time ago, wolves would trail along after humans on hunting trips and eat any scraps they could find. Eventually these wolves evolved into dogs that helped protect the hunters and gatherers. Read More ...

Dr. Universe: Why do we have five fingers and five toes? -Eli, 11, Edinburgh, Indiana

December 14, 2018 rcwebber

Dear Eli, While humans may be one of the few animals that can give a high five, they are one of many with five fingers and toes. Humans are part of the primate family, which also includes monkeys, apes, and even lemurs. As a member of the family, you also have fingernails instead of claws and pads on your fingertips that help with your sense of touch. Read More ...

Why do we have different feelings? - Charan and Aishwarya V., 10 & 8, Rutherford, New Jersey

June 5, 2017 rcwebber

Dear 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.

Why is there iron in my cereal? Is there iron in other food? -Phillip, 11, Pullman, WA

April 27, 2016 rcwebber

Dear Phillip,

Iron is found in buildings and skyscrapers. It makes up most of the Earth’s core. It’s even found in the Sun and stars. And yes, it’s also in a bowl of cereal.

Dear Dr. Universe, Why do we age? -Logan, 12, Pullman, WA

March 14, 2016 rcwebber

Dear 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.

Dr. Universe, How do you have a bake sale? -Aoife, 7, Omagh, Ireland

July 20, 2015 rcwebber

Dear Aoife,

It took more than a hundred bakers to pull off the biggest bake sale in history. They made 14,534 cakes, sold out their supply in eight hours, and made it into the Guinness World Records.

Can you grow stuff like thread, cloth, silk, and most importantly, clothing? -Jay, Colorado

March 23, 2015 rcwebber

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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.