Dear Dr. Universe, Do kids' brains work better in the morning or in the afternoon? -Grace, Spring, TX
rcwebberDear Grace,
Hang on tight because the human brain keeps you on a 24-hour roller coaster.
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Ask Dr. Universe
Body and Brain
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 ...How are bones made? -Oscar, 10
rcwebberDear Oscar,
A couple months before you were born, your skeleton was soft and bendy. It was made out of cartilage, the same material that’s in your nose and ears now. But when certain cells in your body called osteoblasts and osteoclasts began to work together, new bone started to form.
Read More ...Are we getting lazier? -Aaryan, 9, Timber Ridge
rcwebberDear Aaryan,
We cats have a reputation for being lazy. We sleep a lot. But the truth is when I got your question, I didn’t know much about laziness. So, I decided to talk about it with a couple of psychologists here at Washington State University.
My first stop was the Psychology of Physical Activity Lab. That’s where I met up with my friend, Professor Anne E. Cox.
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 ...Why is yawning contagious? -Grant, 10, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Grant,
When I got your question, I met up with my friend Hans Van Dongen, a scientist at Washington State University in Spokane. He works in a research lab where they study sleep. As a cat who appreciates naps, it’s one of my favorite places to visit.
Read More ...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 ...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: 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 ...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 ...I hate sleeping. Do I really need to sleep? - Diedrich
rcwebberDear Diedrich,
Like most cats, I enjoy curling up for a quick snooze by my sunny office window. But I know that some people don’t love sleeping. They want to go go go without a break.
I talked about that with my friend Greg Belenky. He runs the Sleep and Performance Research Center at Washington State University’s Spokane campus.
He told me that we need to sleep. Without it, we can’t do basic or complex things.
“All you have to do is look at behavior,” he said. “Somebody who’s sleep deprived for 84 hours can hardly do anything. They’re docile and easily led. They … » More …
Read More ...Will I ever like Brussels sprouts? - Susan
rcwebberDear Susan,
Cats aren’t usually big veggie-eaters. But working with humans means that I get to taste all kinds of new delicacies—like Brussels sprouts.
I talked about food preferences with my friend Carolyn Ross. She’s a chemist and food scientist at Washington State University.
She told me that some people are extra sensitive to how foods taste. They’re called supertasters.
“Supertasters actually have more taste buds,” Ross said. “We’ve found that people who are supertasters are particularly sensitive to bitterness.”
Bitterness really strikes at a supertaster’s fungiform papillae. Those are the mushroom-shaped lumps on your tongue that house your taste buds. Because of … » More …
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