How do millipedes control their legs? Millipedes use a direct-wave gait. That means the legs move from the back to the front in a wave pattern, moving the millipede forwards. Millipedes are invertebrates, which is a cold-blooded animal with no backbone. They have an exoskeleton and they are made of multiple segments. They come from […]
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Why do fingernails keep growing? So that we always have them. If they didn’t keep growing, they would get worn down and be of no use. How do nails grow? Nails are made of keratin, which is the same substance our hair is made of. Keratin is a fibrous protein that is very tough and
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Why is a broken neck fatal? It isn’t always fatal. It depends on the break. Breaking a neck is a very broad term. There are 33 bones in the spine of the average person. 7 of those bones are in the neck. They are called cervical vertebrae and they have three main jobs. The first
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How do some animals walk up walls? They do it thanks to either tiny hairs on their feet or sticky pads. Animals that can walk up walls tend to divide into two categories: sticky feet or hairy feet. They all also rely on the Van der Waals force. Animals that walk up walls have to
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What is hyperthermia? It is an abnormally high body temperature. The average body temperature is between 36.5 ˚C and 37.5 ˚C. Under 35 ˚C and you have hypothermia. Between 37.5 ˚C and 38.3 ˚C you have fever. Over 38.3 ˚C, you have hyperthermia. Our body has various systems to keep us cool. All of these
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Is a photographic memory real? It has never been conclusively proven, but there are some people who come close. Memories are vital evolutionarily. They let us know who is in our pack, where to find food, how to get home, and so many other things in life. There are a lot of animals that have
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Why do insects have an exoskeleton? To stop them drying out, for protection, for support, and to help them sense their surroundings. An exoskeleton is a hard skeleton that covers the body of an insect. Animals that have an internal skeleton, like us, have an endoskeleton. An exoskeleton is made of chitin, which is a
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Why do eyes get worse with age? It happens because the lenses of the eye become less flexible and it becomes difficult to focus the light. How does the eye work? Light photons come from the sun, or any other light source, bounce off an object and go into our eye. The light enters through
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What causes narcolepsy? There are several possible causes. It could be a lack of the chemical hypocretin in the brain, but there are other possible causes as well. Narcolepsy is a brain disorder that makes people unable to stay awake for long periods at a time. They become very drowsy and can fall asleep suddenly.
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How strong is armadillo armor? Extremely strong, but not strong enough to stop a bullet. Armadillos are native to the Americas and their name means “little armored ones” in Spanish. They have short legs and very long claws that they use to dig up insects to eat or to burrow. They can run extremely quickly,
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