How did we discover blood types? Blood types were discovered by Karl Landsteiner in 1900. Humans have four blood types. We have A, B, AB, and O. They are further divided into positive and negative, giving 8 different blood types. The positive and negative refer to the Rh antigen. If you have it, you are […]
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Why are blue whales so big? Blue whales are so big because water can support their weight, it helps them stay warm in cold water, it helps them swim faster, they can carry more energy, and it makes feeding more efficient. Evolution tends to favor the size that gives an animal the greatest chance of
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Why don’t spiders get stuck in their own webs? Spiders don’t get stuck because not all of the web is sticky, they know where to put their feet, and their feet are adapted for walking on silk. There may also be chemical help from their legs, but that part is still not completely proven. Spiders
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Are all birds waterproof? No, not all birds are waterproof in the same way. Some birds are extremely waterproof, some are only water resistant, and some have feathers that are partly wettable because that helps them dive. Birds that live on water usually need very good waterproofing. Ducks are a good example. Ducks can fly
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What causes a beer belly? A beer belly isn’t so much caused by beer as it is caused by excess calories, along with hormones and genetics that dictate where your body stores the fat. Our bodies have evolved to store any excess calories that we consume as fat. We are not the only animals to
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What are electrolytes? Electrolytes are essential minerals that can carry an electric charge when they are dissolved in water. Our bodies need electrolytes because they serve a number of functions and the lack of those functions would shut us down. Electrolytes manage the flow of water in and out of cells to prevent dehydration or
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How does grass break concrete? Grass breaks concrete by widening existing cracks until the concrete falls apart. Grass can’t actually break solid concrete, but it can exploit cracks that are already there. This is due to a property of concrete. Concrete has incredible compressive strength, which means it can support an enormous amount of force
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Why does jaundice turn people yellow? Jaundice turns people yellow because a yellow-orange pigment called bilirubin builds up in the blood and body tissues. The word jaundice came into English from French. In Old French, jaune meant yellow, and that came from a Latin word meaning greenish-yellow. That is why jaundice has always been connected
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How does ivy grip walls? Ivy grips walls by using special roots that grow out from its stems. These are called aerial roots or adventitious roots, and they work like tiny natural anchors. There are many different types of plants that grow up walls, but ivy is probably one of the most well-known. Ivy climbs
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How do warning colors on animals work? Warning colors on animals work by being easy to see, easy to remember, and unpleasant enough that predators learn not to make the same mistake twice. Many animals are either trying to hide from predators or trying to creep up on prey. That is why so many animals
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