Body and Brain | Ask Dr. Universe | Washington State University

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Dr. Universe: Why are there different blood types? - Sarah, Tacoma, Wash.

August 28, 2017 rcwebber

Dear Sarah,

At this very moment, several quarts of blood are circulating through your body at nearly 4 mph. But as you’ve pointed out, not everyone’s blood is the same.

Your question made me wonder exactly what we mean when we talk about blood types. I decided to ask my friend Amber Fyfe-Johnson, a researcher at Washington State University who studies cardiovascular diseases--diseases of the blood vessels-- in kids.

Why do people grow hair under their nose? Why does it grow down instead of up? –Riley, 11, Prior Lake, MN

July 10, 2017 rcwebber

Dear Riley,

Humans have hair all over their bodies, including above the upper lip. Of course, not all hair is quite the same. A lot of people have very fine hairs on their faces. Others can sprout a thick beard or mustache.

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.

How do viruses affect animals? -Gianni, 10, Cayman Islands

May 3, 2017 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.

Why do we have blood? Where does it come from? –Norelle, Olympia, Wash

April 17, 2017 rcwebber

Dear 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.

Does science get harder every year or is that just me? -Keegun, 8th grade, E. Wash.

March 27, 2017 rcwebber

Dear Keegun,

We’ve got about three pounds of brain in our heads that help us look for answers and solve all kinds of problems. But it isn’t always easy. Sometimes an experiment doesn’t go the way I expect or I get stuck on a particularly tricky science question.

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

March 20, 2017 rcwebber

Dear 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 … » More …

Why do we have water in our bodies? –Angelika, 12, Cathedral City, CA

February 27, 2017 rcwebber

Dear Angelika,

Believe it or not, we are mostly water. Of course, you may have noticed we aren’t sloshing around and spilling everywhere.

Dear Dr. Universe: How do our ears work? -Aryana, 11, Ohio Dear Aryana,

February 10, 2017 rcwebber

The chirps of birds. The squeaks of mice. The barks of dogs. In a world full of different sounds, our ears take in almost everything. But it takes more than just our ears to hear.

Why do cows burp methane? -Silas, 10, Seattle, WA

January 9, 2017 rcwebber

Dear Silas,

There are more than a billion cows on our planet and they all need to burp. Just like us, they burp to get rid of extra gas in their stomachs.