When does a seed start growing? The vast majority of seeds start growing when they are exposed to enough water, which activates hormones inside them. Some seeds need sunlight or other things, but water is by far the biggest trigger. Seeds can be a very efficient way for a plant to spread its DNA over […]
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Do piranhas eat meat? They do, but not very often and they are not the carnivores that we have been led to believe. Many people fear piranhas and they have been used in movies as a plot device. In the James Bond movie, You Only Live Twice, one of the characters was fed to piranhas,
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How high can birds fly? A Ruppell’s vulture was hit by a plane at 11,300 meters. The bird was identified by the feathers after the plane landed. There may be other birds that have flown higher, but they have not been encountered, so this is probably the record. There are three things that dictate the
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Is cocaine natural? The main ingredient in cocaine comes from a natural plant, but it needs to be processed. Cocaine is a stimulant taken from the leaves of the coca plant. The Coca plant grows in South America, on the lower slopes of the Andes. Because it is such a valuable crop, cultivation has spread
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How is silk made? It is made from the cocoon of the silkworm. Silk is a natural material that has been around for over 5 thousand years. Silk was first made by the Yangshao culture in China in the 4th millennium BC. One legend has it that an Empress was drinking tea and a silkworm
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Why can grasshoppers jump so high? They can store energy in their exoskeleton and release it like a spring. Grasshoppers are not all the same. They are a small group of insects in the Caelifera family, which contains about 12,000 species. Locusts are grasshoppers and they belong to this family, and many other insects that
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How do polar bears find enough food? By having an exceptional sense of smell, a lot of patience, and a very efficient digestion. Polar bears are the largest bear species by far. An adult male can weigh close to 800 kg, and they are about 160 cm at the shoulder. When they stand up and
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How does anthrax kill? Anthrax is an infection caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. Because it is a bacterial infection, it can be treated with antibiotics if it is discovered soon enough. We may have heard about anthrax from the news, but it is a naturally occurring bacteria that has been around for a
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Why are prunes a laxative? They contain a lot of two different types of fiber, sorbitol, and polyphenols. What is a prune? Prunes are dried plums, although not all plums can become prunes. Plums also have laxative properties, but they are not as effective as prunes. In America, in 2001, some prune producing companies petitioned
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What is a zombie virus? Zombie viruses are ancient viruses that have been frozen in ice, but are being released as the permafrost melts due to climate change. “Zombie” virus is rather a dramatic name. These viruses won’t turn people into zombies and they don’t come from zombies. They are given this name because they
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