Posts by Dr. Science:
0
Cricket Chirps
On 03/07/2014 in Question
Many people realize they can tell the temperature by counting the chirps a cricket makes. But how does the cricket know what temperature it is?
———- from Brian W. of Laramie, Wyoming
Brian, while you’re out on the veranda swatting mosquitos and complaining to your friends about how hot it is, the cricket sits in air-conditioned comfort watching the evening news. Out of bordome, perhaps, or a genuine need to give us information, the cricket communicates this weather data to you. The cricket will also click out (in Morse code) the final sports scores, national headlines and such phrases as “Now this”, “Coming up at 11,” or “Our White House Correspondent filed this report.” Some scientists call the cricket the Ted Koppel of the insect world, which is accurate but somewhat silly. After all, you’ll never see Ted Koppel rubbing his legs together. At least I hope you won’t.
Brian, while you’re out on the veranda swatting mosquitos and complaining to your friends about how hot it is, the cricket sits in air-conditioned comfort watching the evening news. Out of bordome, perhaps, or a genuine need to give us information, the cricket communicates this weather data to you. The cricket will also click out (in Morse code) the final sports scores, national headlines and such phrases as “Now this”, “Coming up at 11,” or “Our White House Correspondent filed this report.” Some scientists call the cricket the Ted Koppel of the insect world, which is accurate but somewhat silly. After all, you’ll never see Ted Koppel rubbing his legs together. At least I hope you won’t. Plant Closures
On 03/05/2014 in Question
I’m a graduate student in botany. Ever since the last recession, the papers have been full of stories about plant closures. I’m concerned. With all of these closures, will there be any plants left for me to study when I graduate?
--- Here's the answer from Dr. Science
Cream Separation
On 03/03/2014 in Question
Why doesn’t cream separate from milk in a cow’s udder?
--- Here's the answer from Dr. Science
Breakdancing
On 02/28/2014 in Question
Many doctors are now saying that breakdancing can be physically dangerous. Since I spent most of my free time in the ’80s breakdancing, can you tell me if there’s any truth to this?
--- Here's the answer from Dr. Science
Airplane Flight
On 02/26/2014 in Question
