One of the most common questions I get from non-scientists is, “Why can’t we live off sunlight like plants?” It seems like a weird question at first. After all, what do you mean “like plants”? Plants are clearly alive. But let me explain why this question actually makes sense. Plants have a superpower: they can turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into food! We call this process photosynthesis. How do they do it? Well, it starts…
How you say hello in Cherokee depends on your relationship with the person you are greeting. With friends and family, you would say “O’siyo,” which is pronounced oh-SEE-yo. For elders or anyone with whom you want to show respect, you would say “Yo’gogiin,” which is pronounced yo-GOH-geen. For people who are older than your grandparents, it’s also appropriate to use the term “Yo’gogiin.” The Cherokee language belongs to the Iroquoian language family. The Cherokee language…
How do we know the Earth orbits the Sun? It’s a simple question. And yet, it’s kind of hard to answer. You might think you know because your teacher said so, or because that’s what a science textbook says. But if you ask yourself why — I mean really deeply ask yourself why — you quickly get into some very difficult questions about how we know anything at all in science. When I say “the…
Rabbits have many of the common, cuddly characteristics of a pet. For example, they’re soft and fluffy to pet, they make adorable noises, and they play with their feet when they’re happy. But rabbits also have an origin that may surprise you. Rabbits and hares have been associated with magic and fertility since ancient times. In ancient times, rabbits were associated with magic and fertility. For example, in Celtic mythology, rabbits were considered to be…
For example, if the body is exposed to extreme heat or cold, it will experience a physiological change called “homeostasis.” When homeostasis occurs, the body has to work extra hard in order to maintain its normal temperature. In this process, it may even expend more energy than it normally would. For example, when a person is exposed to extremely hot temperatures for an extended period of time, his or her body will begin producing more…
Welcome to our guide on snow formation. If you’re wondering how it’s formed, then you’ve come to the right place! To understand how snow forms, you need to understand what it takes for water vapor to condense into liquid or solid form. Condensation requires two things: A temperature below freezing, so that the air can cool down and become saturated with water vapor Enough additional energy (in other words, heat) to overcome this saturation point…
The highest body temperature of any living animal is the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), which can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). What has the highest body temperature? The answer to this question depends on whether or not you’re talking about a mammal or an insect. If you’re talking about mammals, then the answer is humans (with a body temperature of 98.6°F). But if you are talking about insects, then it’s the…
When you think about a shape on a flat surface, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the shape itself. But there’s another important part of that image: what’s not there. Positive space refers to all of the parts of an image that are actually in it, while negative (or empty) space describes all those parts that are not. Negative space can be used to create new shapes or designs when it is…
Salt is a mineral, made up of sodium and chloride. It’s found all over the world, but it usually occurs in warm water environments where evaporation can take place. That’s right: salt isn’t just in your pantry or sprinkled on your food. The ocean is full of salt! This makes sense because oceans are huge bodies of water that cover 75% of Earth’s surface! The Dead Sea is another place where you can find salt—it…
The human body is made up of trillions of atoms. Each atom has a positive charge called protons, which are balanced by negative charges called electrons. When atoms combine with each other, they form molecules and compounds that make up the matter we see around us. The number of naturally occurring elements on Earth is approximately 118. However, there are more than 115 known isotopes that have been artificially created in nuclear reactors or particle…