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TopClicks
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Curiosities, Wonders & Interesting Facts
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Why???
Ask Dr. Universe - Do frogs sleep? Why are flowers colored the way they are? Why does electricity shock? These are some of the questions answered by a cat named Dr. Universe. She hunts down the answers to questions from people all over the world. Many times she has to pounce on a University expert to help her understand the question as well as the answer! The results of her labors are here.
Ask Science Theatre Archive - Why does ice float? Where does helium come from? Why do we lose our tans in the winter? How does a match work? These are just a few of the hundreds of questions answered at this site, sponsored by Michigan State University.
Color Matters - Red means "stop" and green means "go"--everyone knows that without giving it much thought. But did you know that color can affect the way you feel? It can make you feel relaxed or jumpy. It can make you feel interested or bored, even make you feel warmer or colder! And color sometimes means different things in different countries: for example, black is the color of grief and mourning in the U.S., while in some Asian countries the appropriate color is white. Find out more about the fascinating world of color here.
Dreams: An Exploration into the Subconscious - In this corner Sigmund Freud, reigning psychoanalyst. And in this corner, the challenger, Carl Jung. Whose theory of dreams do you support? Learn what we know about the science of dreams and sleep. Visit the gallery to look at some dream-inspired and surrealistic artworks; then wander into the Interpretation area and have a go at figuring out what your own dreams mean. Maybe they just mean you should make your restless dog sleep on the floor. This site was created by students for the ThinkQuest competition.
Earth and Sky - is a daily radio feature about science, heard on 950 stations around the world. The topics range from deep-ocean vents to the farthest-flung star nurseries in deep space. It also answers intriguing listener questions, some of which have been collected on this Web site. Why is the sky blue? Are soap bubbles round in weightless conditions? Why do leaves change color in the fall? Earth and Sky knows!
Fish FAQ's - NMFS annually answers thousands of questions about the oceans and the life that thrives within them. On the basis of a canvass of experienced marine scientists in the Fisheries Service done in 1973, more than a hundred questions have been chosen as most representative. These are the Most Frequently Asked Questions containing some fascinating facts about fish.
How Stuff Works - Have you ever wondered how your television set works? Or how cell phones get a message from here to there without any wires? And CDs--how does all that music get written onto those shiny discs? Don't forget those See `N' Say toys--how do they keep talking without using batteries? And while we're at it, let's look at How Airplanes Work, and How Toilets Work. There's a lot here to know about, but if you still have questions, go ahead and ask in the Question of the Day area. There's an archive of questions that have already been answered, so check there first.
How Things Work - Have you ever questioned some aspect of the science of physics? A professor of physics at the University of Virginia has listed answers to many questions, some of which are part of the basic physics courses he teaches at the university. A guide lists previous questions as well as a place where you can ask a new question. The Search button will help you find if one of the previously asked questions is one you might also pose.
OMSI Science Whatzit! - You name the topic, the Oregon Museum of Science has the info. Is there wood so dense it won't float? Why is Earth round? How many stars are out there? How do fireflies light up? If you have a question, see if it's been answered at this site. If not, go ahead and ask it here.
Seeing, Hearing and Smelling the World - Trying to make sense out of your senses? Visit this site, from the Howard Hughes Medical Center. Discover how we see color, why we have two ears, and the differences in brain scans as we see a word or hear it. Amazing!
Smart Stuff with Twig Walkingstick - Did you ever wonder if fish have ears? Why rabbits like carrots? Where the water goes during low tide? What causes heartburn? This Twig guy has the answers to these and a lot more questions in a wide variety of topics. Check it out, and, among other things, you'll learn why the sea is blue in some places and green in others.
The Skinny On... - This site offers "the skinny on" a lot of unusual subjects. Why does bright light make you sneeze? How do sonic booms work? Why do you twitch sometimes when you're falling asleep? Why does eating beans give you gas? What color is snow (the answer will surprise you!)?
The Why Files - Your coach has really gone crazy this time. He's climbed to the top of the backboard, and he's dropping a round basketball and a flat basketball (with no air in it) at the same time. Which one will hit the floor first? Everybody guesses one or the other, but the answer is that they will strike the floor at the same time. Why? The answer is at this site, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. You'll also find current science news for kids, as well as archives of past whys (and wise) answers.
Why Do Cat's Eyes Glow in the Dark? - At night, if you shine a beam of light into a cat's eyes, they seem to glow back at you. You can also get this effect if you take a flash photo of a cat's face. What gives the eyes this spooky appearance? Find out at this site!
Why Is the Ocean Salty? - You could describe seawater as being a very diluted soup of pretty much everything on Earth: minerals, organic matter, even synthetic chemicals. Here's the strange thing: the ocean has the same degree of saltiness everywhere. There isn't one place that is saltier than another. Where did the salt come from? If freshwater rivers and streams keep flowing into the sea, why doesn't the sea become less salty? Find out here!
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