Science Q & A

After careful consideration and research, here are the answers to some of your most pressing science questions!!

Why can't all birds fly?

There are many different kinds of birds in the world. Large, like an ostrich, small like a hummingbird-they come in all shapes and sizes. Most birds have the ability to fly, but about 40 species of birds cannot. There are two important differences between birds that can fly and birds that cannot. Flightless birds have small wing bones and a small or absent keel on their breastbone. The small wing bone means bird’s wings are not big enough to allow it to fly. The keel in the bird’s chest is the place where the wing muscles are attached. When this part is small or not there at all, there is no place to attach the wing muscles, so the bird is unable to move the wings to allow them to fly.

                  

How can a dog be hypo-allergenic?

This is a question that I think many people have asked recently. Let's start at the beginning.First we discover that hypoallergenic means to have less possibility to cause a reaction. So, now we need to know what is it about a dog that can give a person an allergic reaction. One allergen (the substance that causes an allergic reaction) in dogs is a specific protein found in the dog's drool, or saliva, and is also found in dander. So, when a dog licks someone who is allergic, or even when the dog's hair touches them, it causes them to have a reaction. This can mean sneezing, runny nose and eyes, itchy throat, and more.

Now to the question-how can a dog be hypoallergenic? Some dog breeders believe they can make a dog which has less of the protein allergen. The problem is that it is impossible to completly eliminate the protein from a dog, so no dog will ever truly be hypoallergenic. If you are allergic to dogs, but still want to have one as a pet, the best you can do is get a small dog with little or no hair. This will cut down on the amount of hair the dog can leave, and also on the amount of saliva from licking.

Are there green flowers?

This is a great question, and a unique one. The answer is yes, there are green flowers. Some flowers can be "dyed" green-like carnations. These flowers are naturally white, but when placed in colored water the petals will turn the same color as the water.

There are several types of flowers which are naturally green. Here are some pictures of my favorites.

Hulk China Aster           Green Envy            Giant Lime Zinnia

Are humans really animals?

This is a great question-and the answer is YES! Many of us don't realize that humans belong to the animal kingdom. "Human" is the common name for Homo sapiens meaning "wise" or "knowing". Homo is the genus, sapiens is the species. All humans belong to the same species, no matter where they are from, what they look like, or what language they speak. Humans are in the class Mammalia, so share this name with all the mammals in the world. We are in the order Primates, so share many characteristics with other primates like monkeys, apes, and lemurs.

To sum it all up, although humans are the most advanced of all the animals on Earth, we share many common traits with our fellow members of the animal kingdom. 

Is the moon moving at night?  

Wow, did we have fun discussing the answer to this question! The answer is YES! Not only does the moon move at night, it is moving all the time. As the Earth moves around the sun, the moon is moving around the Earth-once every 29.5 days. While it is doing this, the moon is also rotating on an axis (picture a ball speared with a stick through the middle, and spinning the stick), which also takes 29.5 days for a single rotation. It is the combination of these two factors that allow us to see the same side of the moon each night, and also allows for the moon phases.

Thanks for the great questions--keep them coming!!