History and Geography | Ask Dr. Universe | Washington State University

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Dr. Universe: How do earthquakes happen? -Aescli E., 10, Utah

December 21, 2018 rcwebber

We’ve had a lot of earthquakes on our planet this year. Maybe you’ve learned about them from the news or felt one shaking up your own neighborhood. First, it is important to know a bit about the Earth’s outer layer, or crust. The crust is made of seven big pieces called “plates.” They are about 60 miles thick and sort of float on the molten rock beneath them. That’s what I found out from my friend Sean Long, a geology professor at Washington State University who knows a lot about earthquakes. Read More ...

Why can't we just print a bunch of money to make everyone rich? - Daniel, 8

July 14, 2017 rcwebber

Dear Daniel,

It sure sounds like a nice idea. Print a bunch of money and everyone gets rich. We could buy anything we wanted. Ah, if only it were that easy. It turns out printing more money would have a much different outcome than we might like to imagine.

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.

Dear Dr. Universe: How long can trees live? -Jessy, 8, Seattle, WA

November 4, 2016 rcwebber

What kinds of trees are in your backyard? Do they have pinecones? Colorful leaves? Pods with seeds? Tell us more or send a picture to Dr.Universe@wsu.edu.

Dear Jessy,

As I was hiking through the bristlecone pine forests of the Sierra Nevada recently, I stumbled upon a tree barely six inches tall.

Why does soda fizz? -Emily, 9, Florida

May 9, 2016 rcwebber

Dear Emily,

If you’ve ever had flat soda, you know a sip isn’t the same without some fizzy bubbles. We can hear them pop and feel them burst on our tongue.

Why is the ocean salty? -Alysin, 10, Ruston, La.

April 18, 2016 rcwebber

Dear Alysin,

At first, I thought the answer to your question might take us deep into the ocean. But it turns out the source of our salty seas is actually on land.

Do we drink the same water dinosaurs drank? -Sophia, 7

April 10, 2016 rcwebber

Dear Sophia,

Yes. The water on our Earth today is the same water that’s been here for nearly 5 billion years. Only a tiny bit of it has escaped out into space. As far as we know, new water hasn’t formed either.

Why is Pi 3.1415...? What if it was just 3? -anonymous

March 8, 2016 rcwebber

Dear Curious Readers,

It’s almost March 14. You know what that means: Pi Day, as in 3/14, or 3.14159265359 and so on.

I met up with my friend Nathan Hamlin, a mathematician and instructor here at Washington State University, to explore your question about this never-ending number.

We calculated Pi with some of my favorite items: yarn and a tuna can. You can try it at home, too.

Why is yawning contagious? -Grant, 10, Pullman, WA

November 23, 2015 rcwebber

Dear 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.

If mollusks have such heavy shells to drag around with them, how have they spread all over the ocean? -Michel W.

August 10, 2015 rcwebber

Dear 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.”