Dr. Universe: How can plants help rivers? - Jaydon, 9, Charlestown, Indiana
Larry Clark
Many types of plants grow around rivers and help keep rivers healthy by filtering pollutants and more. Read More ...
Ask Dr. Universe
plants
Dr. Universe: Why do trees grow so slow? – Ana, 7, Covert, MI
rcwebber
When you eat food, you get a lot of important nutrients that help you grow. The trees that live on our planet also need some nutrients to grow.
Trees use their leaves to help capture energy from the sun to make their own food. But as you may have noticed, a lot of trees lose their leaves during certain times of the year.
Without leaves, they can’t make nearly as much food, and without those important nutrients, they can’t grow very fast.
That’s what I found out from my friend Tim Kohlhauff, a certified arborist and urban horticulture coordinator at Washington State University. He is very curious about the lives of trees. Read More ...
Dr. Universe: How do trees give us air to breathe? – Jamar, 11, Vineland, New Jersey
rcwebber
Our planet is home to all kinds of different plants, and they help make a lot of the oxygen we breathe. To find out how plants make oxygen, I asked my friend Balasaheb Sonawane.
Sonawane is a scientist at Washington State University who researches photosynthesis, or the ways plants use energy from the sun and make oxygen. He said that in a way, plants breathe, too.
“They don’t have a nose or mouth,” Sonawane said. “They have tiny microscopic organs on their leaves called stomata.” Read More ...
Dr. Universe: What gives leaves their shapes? Please reply back. Thanks a ton! -Pronoy, 9, San Jose, CA, USA
rcwebber
We can find all kinds of leaves on our planet. Just think of tiny pine needles, fern fronds, ivy vines, or a big banana leaf.
My friend Eric Roalson is a professor at Washington State University who is very curious about plants. He said there are a few things that give leaves their shapes.
The shape of a leaf can depend on the family history of a plant, the group it belongs to, and the environment where it grows up. Read More ...
Dear Dr. Universe: Why do leaves change colors? -Lucy, 5, Seattle, WA
rcwebber
Dear Lucy,
Ever since I was a kitten, I’ve loved picking up big maple leaves in the fall. I’d take them home, put them under a piece of paper, and rub the side of a crayon over the top. It makes a great print of the leaf.
Read More ...Why are apples red? -Emily, 5, Seattle, WA
rcwebber
Dear Emily,
Just the other day I was biting into a crunchy, delicious red apple when I was reminded of your question. I started wondering why apples are red, too.
Read More ...Why do onions make us cry? -Kera, 5, Lawrenceville, GA
rcwebberDear Kera,
Try as we might, it can be hard to hold back tears while chopping up onions.
Read More ...Why don't plants get sunburns? -Elijah, 5, Seattle, Wash.
rcwebber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=_34991Wdq4s
Dear Elijah,
That’s a great observation. For as much time as plants spend outside in the sun, we really don’t see too many with a sunburn.
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 ...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 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 ...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 ...