How many colors can we see? -Andrew P., 12
rcwebber-
Dear Andrew,
The human eye can see millions and millions of colors. But believe it or not, some colors exist in our world that the human eye can’t see.
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Ask Dr. Universe
Academic Subjects
What is the smallest insect on Earth? -Laurenz, 8, Molino, Philippines
rcwebberDear Laurenz,
When I saw your question, I set out to explore with my bug net and a magnifying glass. I was searching all around for tiny insects when I ran into my friend Laura Lavine, a Washington State University scientist who studies bugs.
She said there are nearly a million different kinds of insects on Earth. The smallest of all the known ones are called fairyflies.
Read More ...What is the deepest spot in the ocean? -Lawrence, 11, Philippines
rcwebberDear Lawrence,
Deep underwater, not too far from Guam, lies a crescent-shaped canyon called the Mariana Trench. It is home to the deepest known spot in the ocean: The Challenger Deep.
Read More ...Hi, Dr. Universe! When I was eating breakfast today, I came up with this question. Why does crispy rice make a popping sound when I pour milk over it? It makes me curious as a cat! -Allison, 11, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Allison,
My ears perked right up when I got your question. Like you, I’ve heard the sounds crispy rice cereal makes. But the truth is, I wasn’t entirely sure why it happens. There was only one way to find out.
Read More ...Are there creatures on Earth with one eye? -Elena, 7, Vancouver, Canada
rcwebberDear Elena,
The animal kingdom is full of amazing eyes. And yes, there are actually creatures on our planet that have just one.
Read More ...How do plants hold dirt? -Gordon, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Gordon,
The other day, I wandered into a Washington State University greenhouse and ran into my friend Mechthild Tegeder, a professor and expert on plants.
She gently dug a small plant out of a pot so we could take a closer look. When she lifted it up, I pawed at the clumpy soil hanging from the bottom to reveal some stringy roots.
Read More ...Why is the sky blue? -Lanie, 10, St. Louis, MO
rcwebberDear Lanie,
Just the other day I looked up and wondered the very same thing. The sky is certainly blue, I thought. But on second thought, it isn’t always blue. Sunsets burst in pink and orange. The night sky is black.
Read More ...Why does soda fizz? -Emily, 9, Florida
rcwebberDear 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.
Read More ...What is the Kuiper Belt? -Zaara A., 7, Deep Bay, Australia
rcwebberDear Zaara,
You might say the Kuiper Belt is the frozen frontier of our solar system. Out beyond Neptune’s chilly orbit, this saucer-shaped region is home to Pluto, billions of comets, and other icy worlds.
“The Kuiper Belt is really the edge of knowledge,” said my friend and astronomy professor Guy Worthey when we met up in the Washington State University planetarium.
“Out there it’s a little dim,” Worthey said. “We are pretty far from the Sun.”
In fact, it’s about 3 billion miles away. Even at the speed of a jet airplane, it would take more than 680 years to travel from Earth … » More …
Read More ...Why is there iron in my cereal? Is there iron in other food? -Phillip, 11, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Phillip,
Iron is found in buildings and skyscrapers. It makes up most of the Earth’s core. It’s even found in the Sun and stars. And yes, it’s also in a bowl of cereal.
Read More ...Why is the ocean salty? -Alysin, 10, Ruston, La.
rcwebberDear 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.
Read More ...Why do we have earwax? -David, 10, Albany, Oregon
rcwebberhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as4TWgC4xxA
Dear David,
The other day I was scratching my ears when I noticed some yellowish-brown gunk on my claw. It was pretty gross, but it also made me very curious.
Read More ...What is Dr. Universe's favorite experiment? -Garrett, 8th grade, Eastern Washington
rcwebberDear Garrett,
You know, your question reminds me of a couple other science questions from curious readers. Evangeline, age 7, wants to know why her hair is black. Sureya, age 8, wants to know why some people have curly hair.
It just so happens that one of my favorite science projects explores our questions about what makes us unique. It has to do with our DNA, or the blueprint for life.
Read More ...Why do we get brain freezes -Hannah, 9, Monroe Elementary
rcwebberDear Hannah,
You’re enjoying some ice cream, when suddenly you feel a pain in your head that hurts a whole lot. It’s like it came out of nowhere, and in a matter of seconds, it’s gone.
Read More ...Dear Dr. Universe, Why do we age? -Logan, 12, Pullman, WA
rcwebberDear Logan,
It’s usually later in life that we see the more dramatic signs of aging, like gray hair, wrinkles, and lots of birthday candles on our cake. But we really start growing older from the time we are born.
Read More ...Why is Pi 3.1415...? What if it was just 3? -anonymous
rcwebberDear 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.
Read More ...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 ...What is fire? -Anish P., 10, Nepal
rcwebberDear Anish,
There’s nothing like taking a little catnap by the fireplace, feeling the heat, watching the flames, and listening to crackling sounds. But until you asked, I wasn’t entirely sure what this mesmerizing thing was or how it works.
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 ...Dear Dr. Universe, How does a chameleon change colors? -Jasmine B. 12, Nepean, Canada & Marie F., 11, Ghana
rcwebberDear Jasmine and Marie,
There’s something about a chameleon’s darting eyes, long tongue, curled tail, and ability to climb that makes it a fascinating animal to watch. Especially when it’s changing colors.
And the latest research on your question suggests that how a chameleon changes has more to do with light than scientists once thought.
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 ...How does snow form? -Susan, 8, Lake City, South Carolina
rcwebberDear Susan,
It just so happens that when I looked out the window here in Pullman, Wash., everything was covered in glittering snow. I watched it fall from the sky and wondered how exactly it formed, too.
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 ...How far can monarch butterflies fly? -Roarna, 9, New Zealand
rcwebberDear Roarna,
When cold winters come around, thousands of monarch butterflies begin a long journey in search of warmer weather. Some will fly more than 2,200 miles to find it.
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 ...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 ...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 ...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 ...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 ...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: 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: 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 ...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 ...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 ...
Why do scientists use Latin when they name organisms? – Arielle, New York
rcwebberDear Arielle,
Language changes all the time. Words get new meanings. New words get made up.
I talked about it with my friend Rich Zack. He’s an insect scientist at Washington State University. He does taxonomy. That’s the science of naming and classifying living things.
The way language changes is amazing—and skibidi. It’s neat that language morphs as we use it. But that can limit how well we understand each other. Some readers might see “skibidi” and think I passed out and hit random keys.
That’s the main reason scientists use Latin or ancient Greek to name things. They’re dead languages. Nobody uses … » More …
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 …
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.
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