Why are Omega-3 fatty acids good for us? They are healthy fats that are supposed to support heart health, lower triglycerides, improve blood vessels, aid the immune system, and do good things in the brain. What are Omega-3 fatty acids? They are not just one fat. There are 11 different types altogether. When we are […]
#959 Why are Omega-3 fatty acids good for us? Read More »
Why can animals jump higher and farther than us? They have more muscles, more elastic joints, tails, more speed, and they can impart more power into the ground. Note, I am going to look at mammals, not insects, which can jump many times their own body length. The highest a human can jump is 2.45
#956 Why can animals jump higher and farther than us? Read More »
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
#953 When does a seed start growing? Read More »
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,
#951 Do piranhas eat meat? Read More »
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
#946 How high can birds fly? Read More »
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
#945 Is cocaine natural? Read More »
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
#943 How is silk made? Read More »
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
#941 Why can grasshoppers jump so high? Read More »
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
#937 How do polar bears find enough food? Read More »
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
#931 How does anthrax kill? Read More »
