1

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: Z to A of Zoology and Zoological Species

« on: 27/01/2021 23:15:53 »

Aardvark

2

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: Pictures of Wildlife...the Birds and the Bees etc etc

« on: 27/01/2021 23:10:35 »

Bees.

3

Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology / Re: Where in the world?

« on: 27/01/2021 23:01:37 »

Definitely a volcano. Somewhere in Costa Rica? Maybe Europe?

4

Chemistry / Re: How long would it take for rainwater to dissolve limestone?

« on: 27/01/2021 22:47:19 »

You can add an acid to speed up the dissolving process, since by adding acid, the limestone will become soluble in water and thus be able to dissolve. Carbon dioxide can dissolve into water to form carbonic acid, which also works.

5

General Science / Re: Should We Use Clean Cutlery If Dropped On The Floor ?

« on: 27/01/2021 22:40:47 »

Just to be safe, you can wash your cutlery after it's been dropped on the floor. It's not necessary to get new cutlery.

6

Chemistry / Re: Why does a lower temperature mean a lower mercury level in a thermometer?

« on: 26/01/2021 21:45:18 »

The higher the temperature, the more the mercury (or alcohol) expands and rises in the tube. The lower the temperature, the lower the mercury goes.

7

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Does coconut water hydrate your body better than water?

« on: 26/01/2021 21:41:03 »

Scientists have found that water is NOT the most hydrating liquid around. Beverages with some sugar, fat, and/or protein actually do better at keeping us hydrated (but might not be very healthy).

8

General Science / Re: Is it possible to build a house entirely from bread, cake and sugar?

« on: 26/01/2021 21:37:24 »

I believe that it is certainly possible, but it would be gone as soon as it rained. Animals would eat it. It wouldn't be very durable.

9

The Environment / Re: Is there an environmentally friendly money alternative?

« on: 26/01/2021 21:34:13 »

Food always has an expiration date, so that wouldn't be an ideal currency to use. It might work in a famine, though.

10

Physiology & Medicine / Re: How did our gut microbiome get into our gut?

« on: 26/01/2021 01:41:40 »

According to gutmicrobiotaforhealth, "Colonization of the gut by the human microbiome was thought to begin at birth, but some scientists have reported that a mother-to-child transfer of commensal bacteria through the placental barrier may occur. The maternal oral microbiome has been suggested as the source of the first bacteria that colonize infants."

So we can be born with it and we can develop it as we grow.

11

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Could human beings hibernate?

« on: 26/01/2021 01:39:01 »

Technically, we can. Bears and even some primates are able to hibernate, which means us humans are also able to do so.

Hibernation is "a response to cold weather and reduced food availability". We don't hibernate because our ancestors  lived in warm areas where hibernation wasn't necessary for survival. Humans have only moved into colder places in the last hundred thousand years or so, so we haven't had enough time to evolve into hibernating animals.

Some humans back then actually did survive harsh winters by hibernating, but they weren't a part of the majority of the people who didn't hibernate.

12

General Science / Re: The journey to the red planet: does humanity need Mars colonisation?

« on: 26/01/2021 01:33:23 »

Not now, we don't. We've got Earth for now and until its demise, we probably won't be leaving anytime soon. So colonization on other planets is not so necessary right now.

13

Marine Science / Re: Could there be microplastics in the fish we eat?

« on: 24/01/2021 21:58:53 »

Yes, it's possible. The fish eat the plastic and we eat the fish. So we could be consuming plastic.

14

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: What was the outcome of the New Horizons probe's journey to Pluto?

« on: 24/01/2021 21:55:28 »

According to NASA, "New Horizons launched on Jan. 19, 2006; it swung past Jupiter for a gravity boost and scientific studies in February 2007, and conducted a six-month-long reconnaissance flyby study of Pluto and its moons in summer 2015, culminating with Pluto closest approach on July 14, 2015. As part of an extended mission, pending NASA approval, the spacecraft is expected to head farther into the Kuiper Belt to examine another of the ancient, icy mini-worlds in that vast region, at least a billion miles beyond Neptune’s orbit."

15

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: Viruses and Bacteria.. What's the line between living and non-living?

« on: 24/01/2021 21:53:16 »

Bacteria are cells. Some are pathogens (harmful) while some actually help us (such as the ones in our stomach that help us digest food). Viruses are capable of attacking our body cells and bacteria. They are both living things. Nonliving things do not reproduce, do not feed themselves in order to grow or thrive, and does not use energy (e.g. rocks, dead leaves, etc.)

Viruses and bacteria are alive.

16

The Environment / Re: Is there an environmentally friendly money alternative?

« on: 24/01/2021 21:45:51 »

Metal coins.

17

General Science / Re: Is White Chocolate real Chocolate?

« on: 24/01/2021 21:43:25 »

No, white chocolate is technically not real chocolate, since it contains no true cocoa particles. It is made from cocoa BUTTER plus sugar and other sweeteners.

18

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: Why is compost black?

« on: 24/01/2021 21:38:41 »

According to compostjunkie, "It is stated that due to anaerobic conditions, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide are produced which leaves a black residue in the compost." And compost is not always black.

19

General Science / Re: Which Animals That Lived In Dinosaur Times Are Still existing Today ?

« on: 02/12/2020 00:10:41 »

Birds are relatives with quite a few prehistoric animals, such as the coelurosaurs. Scientists nowadays say that birds are just like living dinosaurs in the modern era.

20

General Science / Re: Are there humorous textbooks?

« on: 02/12/2020 00:08:38 »

I believe that if you go online and search, you'll find a few. I recommend the Thing Explainer.