Dr. Universe: How are sea animals affected by water pollution? - Natalia, 10, Florida
Larry ClarkDr. Universe: Why does the sky turn darker in winter? - Alex, 6, Cincinnati
rcwebberDear Alex,
As winter gets underway here in North America, you may notice we don’t feel the sun’s rays for quite as many hours as we did in fall and summer.
To find out why this happens, I talked with my friend Vivienne Baldassare, an astronomer at Washington State University.
She said the reason we get fewer hours of daylight in the winter has to do with how Earth rotates. As our planet goes around the sun, it is always rotating. This rotation is also why we have day and night.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: What’s the purpose of baking soda? What’s the purpose of baking powder? What’s the difference between the two? - Kyle, 9, Florida
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why does sleep feel so short? - Brooklyn, 12
rcwebberDr. Universe: What are cells made of? – Lela, 10, Bogart, GA
rcwebber
Dr. Universe: How do worms help protect the dirt? -Fisher, 7, Palouse, WA
Dear Fisher,
rcwebber
Why are people most commonly right-handed? Who/what deicides if we are left-handed or right-handed? Are you left-handed or right-handed? Mya, 8, Alexandria, VA
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe: How did people figure out how much a whole planet weighs? They could not have just put it on a scale! How did they do it? – Angel, 14, California
rcwebberDr. Universe: How do horses sense how you feel? –Taylor, 11, New Zealand
rcwebberHey, Dr. Universe: Why do we humans get sunburns when we are out in the sun too long? - Gavyn, 13, Indiana
rcwebberDr. Universe: How do trees give us air to breathe? – Jamar, 11, Vineland, New Jersey
rcwebberDr. Universe: How does toothpaste clean your teeth? -Lucy, 10, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDr. Universe, How do birds know where to migrate? - Jasmine, 10, Gainesville, Florida
rcwebberDear Jasmine,
There are all kinds of different birds on our planet, and they migrate to different places.
My friend Heather Watts, a researcher at Washington State University, is really curious about bird migration and told me more about how birds know where to go.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why does oil on the street look like a rainbow? -Jorgos, 10, Bothell, WA
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do dogs and cats spin around before they sit down? – Antonio, 10, Richmond, Va.
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe: Why do some cheeses stink? – Cody, 11
rcwebberDr. Universe: Can a shadow make a shadow? – Aven, 7, Palouse, WA
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we have seasons? -Bella, 9, North Carolina
rcwebberDear Bella,
It turns out seasons can be quite different depending on where you live. But no matter where you live, the reason for the seasons has to do with the way the Earth rotates.
To find out exactly why we have seasons, I talked to my friend Vivienne Baldassare, a physics and astronomy professor at Washington State University.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why does water in ponds not get soaked up by the dirt at the bottom? – Rocky, 11, California
rcwebberDr. Universe: How many black holes are in the galaxy and the universe? -Krisha, 9, New Jersey
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do trees have sap? -Aliyah, 8, Kirkland, WA
rcwebberDr. Universe: How do people stain glass to make it all the colors it can be? - Emily, 10, Edmonds, WA
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why does the internet go down? -Mia, 11, Sheridan, Wyoming
rcwebberDr. Universe: How do you make cider? -Julianna, 7
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do mushrooms grow in rings? We have a lot of giant ones in our yard right now! - Layne, 8, Spokane
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe: I heard a little bit about how COVID-19 started, but I don’t know much about it. What happened? - Colleen, 10, Louisa, VA
rcwebberHow does exercise help us? What is the best exercise?
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do apes walk on their knuckles? - Sam, 10, Benton, Arkansas
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we get pins and needles when we don't move for a long time? -Joycelyn, 9
rcwebberDr. Universe: With the coronavirus why is it effective to wear a mask? How does it make life safer? - Marin, age 12, in Ohio
rcwebberDr. Universe: Do robots have their own language? And is there a translator? - Hank, 8, Virginia
rcwebberDr. Universe: How many microbes are there in the world? – Jevauni, 9, Canada
rcwebberDr. Universe: What are bees’ wings made of? -Natalia, 13, Kennewick, WA
rcwebberDr. Universe: What gives leaves their shapes? Please reply back. Thanks a ton! -Pronoy, 9, San Jose, CA, USA
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why does soap get bubbly? Samuel, 9, East Peoria, IL
rcwebberHow are vaccines made? - Sibagh, 7, New York City, NY
rcwebberHow do parachutes work? - Lucas, 11, Alberta, Canada
rcwebberDr. Universe: How can bees fly? - Christopher, Kansas
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we have spines? - Jessie, 10, Covina, Calif.
jaime.chambersDear Jessie,
Your spine is more than just a long line of bones. It’s the secret to jumping for joy, the base for all your best dance moves. Every time you run, climb, walk, and play, your spine is right there with you.
“Without a spine, our ability to move would be completely different,” Edward Johnson said. Johnson teaches Human Anatomy in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University. He is very curious about how all the parts of your body work together.
All creatures with spines are called “vertebrates,” including humans. They get this name from their vertebrae: the special bones that make up the spine. Your vertebrae are different shapes and sizes, but they all connect together.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: What is inside a blade of grass and why is it green? Green is my favorite color. We really like reading your articles in our newspaper. – Luke, 5, Ogden, Utah
jaime.chambersDear Luke,
I’ve been wondering the same thing lately. Every time I go on walks, I notice new splashes of color. Watching bugs in the grass, I pretend they’re crawling through a jungle. Everything is bright and bursting with green.
When I saw your question, I knew Michael Neff would know the answer. Green is his favorite color, too. (In fact, when we talked over video, he wore a green Hawaiian shirt.) Neff researches plants at Washington State University, and he is especially curious about grasses.
If you chopped a piece of grass and looked at it with your eyes alone, you might not see much. But if you looked at it under a microscope, you’d see tiny structures containing even tinier parts.
Read More ...How does the Internet actually work? I know you can type in most anything and it just pops up and all that, but how? - Eden, 8, Oregon
jaime.chambersDear Eden,
If you wrote me a physical letter, it would take a few days to reach me. You put the letter in your mailbox. A postal worker picks it up. Then it travels between different post offices on its journey from you to me.
But within seconds of you sending this question over the Internet, it was sitting in my inbox. How can this be?
The whole Internet works like the mail system—but much faster. That’s what I learned from Adam Hahn, an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Washington State University.
Read More ...How do viruses form? Since the coronavirus has been all over the news, I've been wondering this question for a long time. - Samantha, 12, N.C.
jaime.chambersDear Samantha,
Viruses are strange things. They’re not alive like you or me. But they behave somewhat that way—spreading, growing, appearing in new forms. How can this be?
There’s a lot scientists don’t know yet about the new coronavirus. But they do know a lot about how viruses work and make people sick.
To learn more, I talked to Sylvia Omulo, a scientist specializing in infectious diseases at Washington State University.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: how do sleeping darts work? (e.g. for elephants) - Jonathan, 7, Pullman, Wash.
jaime.chambersDear Jonathan,
Some people get nervous when they go to the doctor. Maybe you’re one of them. You may not enjoy all of the visit, but you understand the doctor wants to help you. (And that a treat might await you at the end.)
But if an elephant gets sick, they can’t understand a doctor’s words. They may get confused and scared, until it’s too dangerous to help them.
That’s why sleeping darts—also known as tranquilizer darts—help so much.
“It’s safer for both the humans and the elephant because the humans aren’t right next to a wild animal, and the animal isn’t being chased to try to catch it,” Dr. Tamara Grubb said. She is a veterinarian at Washington State University who specializes in anesthesiology, drugs that make animals calm, sleepy, or unable to feel pain.
Read More ...Why do I like buffalo wings and not broccoli? - Joe, 10, New York City, NY
jaime.chambersDear Joe,
You’re not alone—cats don’t like broccoli much either. As a carnivore, I think a nice, meaty buffalo wing sounds great.
But humans are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and meat. They’ve developed a taste for all kinds of things growing and living all over the world. So where do individual people’s preferences come from?
To find out, I visited Carolyn Ross, a professor of Food Science at Washington State University. Like you, she is very curious about why people like the foods they like.
Read More ...How do you make submarines? - Luke, 5, Western Washington
jaime.chambersDear Luke,
The next time you’re in the bathtub, turn a cup upside down on the water. Push down on it as hard as you can. See if you can get it to sink below the water.
It’ll be difficult to do! The air inside the cup makes it lighter than the water. But what happens if you turn the cup on its side, allowing water to rush in? You’ll see it’s easier to push underwater.
Those same basic forces make a submarine work.
That’s what I learned from Ian Richardson, an engineer at Washington State University. He is very curious about how liquids and solids interact. He has even helped NASA work on a submarine to someday go to Titan, one of Saturn’s moons.
Read More ...How was popcorn discovered? - Jalen, 12, Benson, N.C.
jaime.chambersDear Jalen,
There’s nothing like popcorn in progress: the snapping kernels, the warm buttery smell, and the knowledge that a delicious snack will be ready in minutes. It gives you some good time to think and wonder: how did humans first start doing this?
To find out where popcorn came from, I visited my friend Erin Thornton, an archaeologist at Washington State University. Archaeologists study how humans lived in the past—including the things they ate.
To learn the story of popcorn, we have to trace the history of maize.
Read More ...What is a sinkhole? What causes one? - Kathrine, 12, Calgary, Canada
jaime.chambersDear Kathrine,
Sinkholes can be scary to think about. They don’t happen too often, but when they do, they can take people by surprise. The solid ground disappears, and a hole suddenly appears.
It might seem like sinkholes appear out of nowhere. But they actually need specific conditions to form.
To have a sinkhole, you first must have a cave.
Read More ...How are seashells formed? And why are they different colors? Can seashells live or die? - Caroline, 9, Crestwood, Ky.
jaime.chambersDear Caroline,
Seashells come in an astounding variety. Some are curved and round, others long and tube-like. Some are smooth, others bumpy. Some are large, others small. Plus, they come in a rainbow of colors: red, green, brown, purple, pink, and more.
All that variety comes from the same source: little animals called mollusks, with a mighty muscle called a mantle.
I found out all about them from my friend Richelle Tanner, a scientist at Washington State University. She is very curious about the ocean and knows a lot about mollusks, a type of animal with a soft, moist body.
Read More ...Where does the universe end? - Oriah, 8, Pullman
jaime.chambersDear Oriah,
When you look up at the night sky, it can feel like the universe is a big blanket of stars above you. But unlike a blanket, the universe doesn’t have corners and edges. Far beyond what humans can see, the universe keeps going. As far as humans know, it never stops.
When I saw your question, I went straight to my friend Michael Allen to learn more. He is a Senior Instructor of Physics and Astronomy at Washington State University.
The universe is bigger than the biggest thing you’ve ever seen. It’s bigger than the biggest thing this cat can imagine. It’s so big that even your question has more than one very big answer.
Read More ...Why are bears called bears when they can be called anything else, not just a bear? - Natallia, 8, Yakima, Wash.
jaime.chambersDear Natallia,
You’ve noticed something very important: there’s no natural reason for the words humans use. Any sound could be used to describe a big mammal that eats berries and salmon.
But people who speak English choose “bear.” People who speak Spanish use “oso.” People who speak Maricopa say “maxwet.” They’re all different, but they’re all correct.
That’s what I learned from my friend Lynn Gordon, a linguist at Washington State University.
“Why do we call bears ‘bears’?” she said. “Because we’ve agreed to.”
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why do people have different fingerprints? - Mary, 12, South Carolina
jaime.chambersDear Mary,
Did you know even identical twins have different fingerprints? It can be hard to tell twins apart, but a close look at their fingertips can reveal who’s who. The reason lies partly in their genes, but mostly from the unique way everyone’s skin grows before birth.
That’s what I learned from my friend David M. Conley, a professor at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.
“The reason fingerprints are unique is the same reason individual humans are unique,” Conley said. “Variation is the norm, not the exception.”
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why does the wind blow? -Odin, 7, Mt. Vernon, Wash.
jaime.chambersDear Odin,
When the wind blows, it can do all kinds of things. It can help pick up tiny seeds and carry them away, so plants and flowers can grow in new places. It can push a big sailboat across an ocean. We can even harness the wind to make clean energy to power our homes and schools.
That’s what I found out from my friend Gordon Taub, an engineer at Washington State University. He is very curious about wind energy and told me more about why the wind blows.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why are brains mushy? – First Graders, Waller Road Elementary, Puyallup, Wash.
jaime.chambersDear First Graders,
You’re right, brains are quite mushy. It turns out the three-pound organ between your ears is mostly made up of water and fat.
I found out all about brains from my friend Jim Peters, a neuroscientist at Washington State University.
“It’s gooey. It really is squishy,” he said. “When it is warm, it is kind of like butter.”
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Do babies have ways of communicating? –Jalen, 12, North Carolina
rcwebberDr. Universe: How do you make a snow globe? – Alexa, 10, Salem, MO
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why are evergreen trees green all year? – Emily, 10, Silverdale, Wash.
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe: How do people name continents or places on earth? Thank you. - Lila Grace, 8, Virginia
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we have nightmares? -Kourtney, California, 10
rcwebberDr. Universe: How did the first horse change into the horses of today? -Ava, 7, Kennewick, Wash.
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do people have different accents? Why do we have them and need them? -Florrie P., 9, UK
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe: How do we talk? – Emmy, 7, Wash. State
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why are dogs important to humans? Stephani R., 9, Washington State
rcwebberDr. Universe: What are shooting stars made of? – Erin, 11, Arkansas
rcwebberDr. Universe: What’s the best story ever made in the world? – Jada, 13, New Jersey
rcwebberDr. Universe: Back when cell phones weren’t a thing, how could you place a call from across the ocean? Were there wires under the ocean? -Tali, 9, Seattle, Wash.
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe: Why does it hurt when we pull a muscle? -Dakota, 12
rcwebberDear Dakota,
Our big, strong, stretchy muscles can help us run, jump, and play. But sometimes these muscles stretch a little too far and it can really hurt.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: What can I do to help stop ocean pollution? -Hailey, 10
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe: Why do flowers smell so nice? – Miles, 5
rcwebberDr. Universe: How many peas would fit in the sun? -Keegan, 8
rcwebberDear Dr. Universe: How many different types of plankton are there? Are there freshwater plankton? – Arielle, 11
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do gadgets need batteries? How do they work? -Shereen and Jasmine, 8, Florida
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we get morning breath? -Stephanie, 10
rcwebberHow do volcanoes erupt? –Miles, 10, Tampa, FL
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we have a belly button? – Jane, 9, Kennewick, WA
rcwebberDr. Universe: What is the most smelliest fruit in the world? -Tiana, 9
rcwebberDr. Universe: How do earthquakes happen? -Aescli E., 10, Utah
rcwebberDr. Universe: Why do we have five fingers and five toes? -Eli, 11, Edinburgh, Indiana
rcwebberWho created the very first chocolate bar? – Emma, 11, USA
rcwebberDear Emma,
For most of human history, people have enjoyed chocolate in a spicy, bitter drink. But when people discovered how to turn chocolate into a solid, it opened up a whole new world of possibilities.
That’s what I found out from my friend Omar Cornejo, a scientist at Washington State University who is very curious about the history and life of the cacao tree. Chocolate comes from the seeds of leathery fruits that grow on the tree.
If we cut open the fruit, we would find about 20 to 60 seeds on the inside. In ancient times, people would grind up the seeds … » More …
Read More ...Dr. Universe: Why does music give us chills? -Nicole, 11, Spokane, Wash.
rcwebberDear Friends,
If you are anything like me, maybe you’ve suddenly felt a chill while listening to music. Perhaps, you got goosebumps and saw your arm hairs stand on end. Maybe you even teared up.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: What is happening when we sleepwalk? -Daniel, 11, Easton, CT
rcwebberDear Daniel,
Our brains work hard to help us move, talk and think. They also help us sleep. When we rest, some parts of our brain are active. When we are up and moving around, parts of our brain are actually at rest.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What food is sweet and good to eat? – Sophia, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Sophia,
There are quite a few foods that are sweet and good to eat. A lot of them are fruit, said my friend Pablo Monsivais. He’s an associate professor at the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.
Read More ...Why do lizards lose their tails? -Bailey, Inwood, Iowa
rcwebberDear Bailey,
Our planet is home to all kinds of lizards. Maybe you’ve seen one climbing up the wall, scurrying through the grass, or at the pet store. Just the other day I saw a big green iguana when I visited the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in search of an answer to your question.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What is a glacier? – Addison, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Addison,
When snow piles up and compresses into a thick mass of ice, we call it a glacier. But a glacier is really more than ice and snow.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: Why do worms come out when it rains? -Courtney, Moscow, ID
rcwebberDear Courtney,
That’s a great observation. When it rains, worms sometimes leave their home in the soil and wiggle their way up to the surface, where we see them on sidewalks and roads.
Read More ...Dr. Universe: How come broccoli is good for you? -Zack, 10, San Lorenzo Valley
rcwebberDear Zack,
You aren’t alone if you’ve ever heard someone at the dinner table say, “you’ve got to eat your broccoli.” Broccoli is one of nature’s superfoods, so it’s no wonder we are often encouraged to eat those little green trees.
Read More ...How do grasshoppers survive the winter? –Lucy, 9
rcwebberDear Lucy,
There are a lot of different grasshoppers living on our planet. In fact, scientists have discovered more than 11,000 species. Exactly how these grasshoppers spend their winter depends on what kind of winter they experience.
Read More ...Where does rain go? –Finn, 8, New Zealand How does pollution affect the world’s water? – Emily, 13
rcwebberDear, Finn, Emily, and friends:
When a raindrop falls from a cloud, there are quite a few places it could end up.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: I have a question for you about ants. From what I searched on Google, an ant has a nervous system, blood, open circular system, muscles, and a brain. So, Dr. Universe, the question is, do ants or other insects get headaches? Cause they work hard. –Joseph, 14, Singapore
rcwebberDear Joseph,
If you’ve ever had a headache, it might have felt like pain was radiating right out of your brain.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What did our ancestors eat? -Bushra, 10, Kuwait
rcwebberDear Bushra,
Our ancestors weren’t very picky eaters. In fact, they ate pretty much whatever they could find, wherever and whenever they could find it.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: I would like to find out how ants are so strong. How is it possible that they can carry weight that is heavier than themselves? –Anita, 11
rcwebberDear Anita,
Ants are pretty good little weightlifters. My friend Rich Zack, a scientist at Washington State University who studies insects, knows a lot about ants. One kind of ant that he has studied can carry up to 20 times its own weight.
Read More ...Why do people grow hair under their nose? Why does it grow down instead of up? –Riley, 11, Prior Lake, MN
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.
Read More ...What do astronauts eat in space? –Rhemi, 12, St. Louis, Mo.
rcwebberDear Rhemi,
Astronauts eat all kinds of different foods up in space. The food is often similar to what we have here on Earth. But in space, there's very little gravity. There’s very limited refrigeration, too. On the International Space Station, the refrigerator is only about half the size of a microwave. That means scientists who prepare and package astronaut food have to do it in ways that take up very little room and don’t need to be kept cold.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe: What causes lightning? -Monica, 10, Costa Rica
rcwebberAnd while we’re at it, let’s answer these questions:
When lightning strikes the ocean, what happens to the fish? –Olivia, 12, Manchester, UK
Why is lightning attracted to metal objects? –Grant, 11, Pullman, Wash.
Why does lightning sometimes just happen in clouds? –Leo, 11, Cayman Islands
Dear Monica, Olivia, Grant, and Leo:
While you are probably not in the middle of an electrical storm right now, there are more than 1,000 happening at any given moment on our planet. They happen on Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter, too.
Dear Dr. Universe: Why do snakes shed their skin? - Kalitia, 12, Zimmerman, Minn.
rcwebberDear Kalitia,
Believe it or not, pretty much all animals shed their skin. Some animals make it a bit more obvious than others. Snakes, and some other reptiles, will often shed all at once.
Read More ...Why do we have different feelings? - Charan and Aishwarya V., 10 & 8, Rutherford, New Jersey
rcwebberDear 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.
Read More ...Why does meat get brown on the grill? – Christina, Seattle, Wash.
rcwebberDear Christina,
You know summer is just around the corner when the smell of barbecue is in the air. It’s a great question you ask and it leads us to the Meats Lab at Washington State University. That’s where I met up with my friend and animal scientist, Jan Busboom.
Read More ...How do animals get to islands? -Jax, 8, Wash.
rcwebberDear Jax,
Animals make their journeys to islands in different ways. Some float. Some fly. Others will swim.
Read More ...How do turtles live so much longer than other animals? -8th grader, Lewiston, Idaho
rcwebberDear Reader,
You’re right, turtles and tortoises live a lot longer than most other animals. If you were a turtle, you might live for more than 150 years. One giant Galápagos tortoise named Harriet even lived to be more than 170 years old, said my friend Donna Holmes.
Read More ...How do viruses affect animals? -Gianni, 10, Cayman Islands
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.
Read More ...