What causes stomachaches? -Autumn, Austin, Texas
rcwebberDear Autumn,
Stomachaches happen for lots of reasons, but they can often be traced back to tiny invaders in the human body: germs.
Read More ...
Ask Dr. Universe
rcwebber
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 ...Dear Dr. Universe, Do animals have the same types of bones and muscles as humans? -Lydia, 8
rcwebberDear Lydia,
The short answer is yes, said my friend Leslie Sprunger, a veterinarian and professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University. But, as always, there’s a catch.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe, Please answer this question: Do animals dream? What dreams do they get? I humbly request you to answer these questions. BYE! Or should I say MEOWY! -Prahlad R.
rcwebberDear Prahlad,
After a quick catnap and a stretch, I went to visit my friend Marcos Frank, a scientist at Washington State University who studies animal sleep.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: We read that it is very cold in space. Why is that? -Tri-County Second Graders, Minnesota
rcwebberDear Tri-County Second Graders,
You heard right. It is very cold in space, but it wasn’t always that way.
Read More ...What exactly are greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect? -Andres, 10, Bolivia
rcwebberDear Andres,
If it weren’t for greenhouse gases, Earth would be an extremely cold, deserted planet. Plants couldn’t grow and animals like us wouldn’t be able to survive.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: I want to know how my family car works. How does the gas reach the engine and go? How does the steering wheel make the car turn and how do the brakes help us to stop? -Jordan, 6, Queens, New York
rcwebberDear Jordan,
As a cat, car rides can sometimes make me feisty. But as a scientist, it’s fascinating to learn about the mechanics, engineering, and chemistry fueling the cars humans drive every day.
Read More ...What happens under a volcano? -Graylon W., 6, Milton, Ontario
rcwebberDear Graylon,
Your question takes us on a journey deep into the Earth. Figuratively speaking, of course. It’s really hot under Earth’s surface. It’s so hot it can melt rock. This melted rock is known as magma. And anything that erupts magma is a volcano.
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 ...What color was a T. Rex? -Jack H., 7, Taunton, England
rcwebberDear Jack,
When we dig up fossils from the Earth they can tell us a lot about life in the past.
Read More ...How do you make the best chocolate chip cookies in the universe? -Ms. Lori and students, Bismarck, ND
rcwebberDear Ms. Lori and students,
You’ve got to know your dough. Whether you want chewy cookies or crispy dunkers, it’s all about chemistry. Especially, when it comes to the flour.
Read More ...If mollusks have such heavy shells to drag around with them, how have they spread all over the ocean? -Michel W.
rcwebberDear Michel,
Mollusks, from land snails and slugs to oysters and mussels in the sea, have a few things in common. They have a head. They have a soft middle part that holds their organs. Then, some have a muscle that’s known as a “foot.”
Read More ...Dr. Universe, How are magnets made? -Andrea, 8, Berkeley, CA
rcwebber
Dear Andrea,
When I saw your question, I headed straight for the Magnetics Lab and met up with my friend John McCloy. I found out the word “magnet” comes from a Greek word for the region of modern-day Turkey we once called Magnesia. That’s where people found magnets in nature.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Are aliens real? -Lily, 10, New York City, NY Is there life on other planets? -Heidi, Cincinnati, OH
rcwebberDear Lily and Heidi,
Well, we don’t know for certain. Looking up to the stars at night, I’ve often wondered if alien cats are out chasing alien mice or taking naps on other planets.
My imagination aside, your questions are like those scientists are asking, too. And it’s no wonder we are so curious.
With billions of planets in our galaxy, including small Earth-like worlds, the possibility of life out there is an exciting thought to many people. So, humans have set out to look for planets that might support life.
In fact, this month scientists announced the Kepler spacecraft’s discovery of … » More …
Read More ...The Science of Baseball
rcwebberAt the WSU Sports Science Lab, a team of engineers tests out all kinds of baseballs and bats. In the lab, canons send baseballs flying up to 585 mph. That’s nearly five times faster than the fastest human pitch on record.
They use their expert knowledge on energy, force, and speed to find out what happens when a bat and ball collide. They measure how the equipment performs and make sure the equipment is safe for athletes to use during the game.
You could be an engineer one day, too. Stay tuned for more from the Sports Science Lab. In the meantime, check out videos from the lab on their » More …
Read More ...Dr. Universe, How do you have a bake sale? -Aoife, 7, Omagh, Ireland
rcwebberDear 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.
Read More ...Dr. Universe, Is Pluto a planet again or not? :) -Heidi, Cincinnati, OH
rcwebberDear Heidi,
It’s a big week for Pluto as NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft gets a close-up look at the distant, icy world. But first, the answer to your question: Pluto is not a planet.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: What is something a lot of people might not know about sharks?
rcwebberIt’s Shark Week, so I made a visit to my friend Jon Mallatt. He’s a Washington State University biologist who has studied the jaws of ancient sharks.
Jon Mallatt: Some of them, such as tiger sharks, cat sharks, and even great white sharks, have quite large brains—relative to their body weight— and are intelligent. They are not “primitive” animals. The shark relatives, Manta rays and devil rays, have even larger brains than any shark.
Dr. U: How long have sharks been around, anyways?
JM: At least 420 million years and maybe 460. It is … » More …
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: What materials would you use to make a rocket -Freya, Scotland
rcwebberDear Freya,
Whether it’s a model rocket you build in the backyard or one that launches a space shuttle, there are lots of materials you could use. So, when I saw your question I grabbed my lab coat and safety goggles, and zoomed over to my friend Jake Leachman’s lab. He’s a rocket scientist and engineer at Washington State University.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How did the first drop of water ever happen on Earth -Ash, 6, SeaTac, WA
rcwebber?
Dear Ash,
We’ve learned a lot about how water supports life on the blue planet, but the first drop is a bit mysterious. Scientists have a few theories about how it happened.
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 ...Dr. Universe: What's a microchip, how does it work, and what is it used for -Brook E., Doncaster, England
rcwebberDear Brook,
Microchips are smaller than your fingernail and packed with itty-bitty electronic parts. These parts are hundreds of times thinner than the hairs on your head, but sometimes you’ve got to think small to think big.
Read More ...Dr. Universe, My fourth grade students and I want to know: What is wind? East Alton, IL
rcwebberThank You!
-Ms. Flores,
Dear Ms. Flores and 4th graders,
There’s wind in the Alton, Illinois, forecast this week, so it’s prime time for an answer. In fact, it looks like there’s wind all around Earth and even some gusts out on other planets.
Read More ...What are the cookies used on gadgets? -Lydia, 8, Essex, England
rcwebberDear Lydia,
A cookie is a tiny file of text that gathers information about you as you browse the web. You might be familiar with cookies if your computer has ever asked if you wanted to turn them on or off.
Read More ...Why do people and animals get cancer more than they used to? -Michael, Ceres, CA
rcwebberDear Michael,
A hundred years ago, human beings only lived to be about 50 years old. Now people are living longer, so there’s more time for cancer to develop in their bodies. That’s what I learned from my friend David Liu who researches cancer at Washington State University.
Read More ...Why do we get jealousy? I can feel it sometimes, too, but I don't know why. -Hailey, 10, London, Ontario
rcwebber/b>
Dear Hailey,
Cats love attention, but we don’t get jealous like humans do. It’s one of those emotions that set human beings apart from other creatures in the animal kingdom. But I can’t imagine it’s the most pleasant. The poet William Shakespeare once called jealousy a green-eyed monster. Still, it’s an emotion that can help you navigate the world.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why did people invent movies? -Danielle, Latrobe, Tasmania
rcwebberDear Danielle,
Movies not only took the ideas and inventions of people, but also the work of a horse. Her name was Sallie Gardner and the debate of her day was whether or not horses ever had all four hooves off the ground during a gallop.
Read More ...Why do stars blink? -Xitan, Philippines
rcwebberDear Xitan,
Look up to the twinkly stars and you’ll witness starlight traveling from deep space to your eyeballs. That twinkling you see is the light taking lots and lots of detours.
Read More ...How do I make a diary? -Nimra, Kitchener, Ontario
rcwebberDear Diary,
Oh, I mean...Dear Nimra,
Making a diary is like creating your own top-secret book. So, I headed straight for a Washington State University library where there are more than a million books.
My friend Linnea Nelson was working with some of the books from the special collections when I went to visit her in the lab. She is a conservator, so part of her job is to repair and re-build old books. It preserves their history.
Some of the books had an old smell that wafted up into my little nose. The smell comes from different chemical compounds that escape into the air, including one similar to vanilla. The compounds are in the ink, paper, and other materials used to keep the pages together. And one way to keep the pages together is to bind them with thread.
Read More ...Will electricity ever run out? -Zoe, WA
rcwebberDear Zoe,
Scientists could see and feel electricity in nature long before they discovered how to make it. Maybe you’ve seen it during a powerful electrical storm or felt a little shock from static electricity.
It happens because of tiny parts of atoms. They’re called electrons and they are everywhere.
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 ...Why are ripe fruits sweet and why is it so important? -Alexa, Schenzhen, China
rcwebberDear Alexa,
My friend Kate Evans said the answer really depends on whether you want the perspective of a person, a plant, or even a cat. Evans is a plant scientist at Washington State University in Wenatchee, where she investigates fruit in the Apple Capital of the World.
She explained how long ago, wild apples actually grew in forests. Without farmers around to plant them in orchards, trees had to scatter their own seeds to survive.
For some trees, the key to survival is growing sweet, ripe fruit.
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 ...Where does dirt come from? -Brian, Pullman, WA
rcwebber
Where does dirt come from? -Brian, Pullman, WA
In just a word, the story of soil goes something like this: “CLORPT!" It’s fun to say, and it helps explain how tough rock turns into the soft soil farmers need to grow food and feed the world. Read More ...
Where do cheetahs live? -Lydia
rcwebberWhat if gravity pulled up, instead of down? -Kyle, Cedar Lake, IN
rcwebber
Our universe would look so different, Kyle. You might not recognize it even if you could be here to see it. Unfortunately, there probably wouldn’t be a whole lot to see.
I learned about this from Washington State University professor and physicist Matthew McCluskey, who studies the material world. He explained how gravity pulls together dust, gas, and little particles floating around space to make massive clumps of matter that form stars and planets.
For example: planet Earth. Every particle in the Earth is pulling on you at this very moment--every single one. Read More ...
Why do stars blink? -Xitan, Philippines
rcwebberWhy do scientists use Latin when they name organisms? -Arielle, New York
rcwebberWhat's a baby crocodile called? -Alexandra, Wisbec, England
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe, I hate sleeping. Do I really need to sleep? -Diedrich
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe, Will I ever like Brussel sprouts? - Sincerely, Susan
rcwebberDear Susan,
Before I answer this question, I must ask that you abandon your normal eating routine over the next three days in favor of Brussels sprouts.
Yes, for every meal.
Do you like them yet?
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe, If there were a black hole between the Earth and moon, what would we see? -Steven Raabe
rcwebberDear Steven,
Donuts in the sky. That's the easy answer. The more difficult, and probably much more painful, answer depends on your view.
Read More ...Do bats have habits? -Elliot
rcwebberDear Elliot,
You are onto something. Quick, to the bat-lab! That’s where I met up with my friend Christine Portfors, a scientist at Washington State University who studies fruit bats.
Portfors explained that while bats don’t quite have habits like humans, they do have behaviors.
Bats are nocturnal. They sleep during the day and wake up in the early evening. The first thing they’ll do when they wake up is fly around and around their caves for a while.
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 ...Dear Dr. Universe, I wanted to know if there is something lightning won't come near. I just wanted to know so I could protect myself against lightning. -Thanks, Philip
rcwebberDear Philip,
If you’re thinking of making a suit of rubber, forget it. It won’t work. There is nothing lightning won’t come near. It is unpredictable and very powerful, so just get that rubber suit out of your head.
Read More ...What was the largest dinosaur? -Carlos, Visalia, California
rcwebberAbout 85-feet long (half a football field) and 65 tons (about 7 T-Rexes), the largest dinosaur scientists know about is Dreadnoughts. She was a plant-eater and with her 37-foot-long neck probably had no problem reaching the leaves at the top of trees.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe, Do bugs have hearts and brains? -Nick
rcwebber
Take a look inside a bug and you’ll find one brain in its head and other little brains called “ganglia” along its whole body. These tiny control centers help insects see, taste, and smell. They also help them quickly escape threats, like other bugs.
“If you had little brains everywhere else, you would also be much quicker,” says bug expert Laura Lavine. Read More ...
“If you had little brains everywhere else, you would also be much quicker,” says bug expert Laura Lavine. Read More ...