Animals
Besides showing happiness, why do cats purr?
To comfort or heal themselves or their owners
Besides its coloring, how can we tell if there is oil in water?
Oil and water don't mix- the oil will form bubbles at the surface of the water
What are 2 key differences between Earth and all other planets in our Solar System?
It is the only planet with liquid water and thus is also the only planet with life
Mountain lions are known by many names. Identify one of them
Cougars and pumas
What is "gravity"?
A force on Earth that brings things down/keeps things from floating up
Which animal did sailors think was a mermaid?
Dugong or manatee
How is crude oil formed, and how do we get to it?
It is formed when ancient plant/animal matter is crushed and liquified over millions of years; oil rigs dig underground
Where are Pluto and most of the other dwarf planets located?
The Kuiper Belt
Only 4 kinds of big cats can roar. Name 2 of them
Lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars
Besides lizards, identify two other creatures that can regenerate body parts
Deer (antlers), slugs (whole body), axlotls (most body parts), starfish (whole body)
What kind of rabbit can be found in desert, tundra, AND forest regions?
Cottontails
Identify the 4 steps of the clean-up process for an oil spill IN ORDER
1. Contain it
2. Skim it/Scoop it
3. Absorb it
4. Disperse it
5. Eat the rest
Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet?
It is too small, and thus does not have enough gravitational force to clear the area around its orbit
Without phones or the internet, how did different countries and cultures all over the world all know about "mermaids"?
They traveled the world on boats and spread information from port to port as they went
The International Space Station (ISS) is in orbit around the Earth. What does "international" mean, and what does that tell us about the people living on the ISS?
"between nations" - this means that the astronauts on the ISS are from different countries all over the world
A platypus is a mammal, but it looks like a bird with its bill. Name one other feature/ability the platypus has that is more avian than mammalian
It can lay eggs, instead of giving live birth
Why aren't har mats used on a wider scale during major oceanic oil spills?
The hair absorbs both oil and water- it gets heavy and sinks to the bottom, spreading the oil there; they are difficult to recover
Why can't astronauts spit when they brush their teeth on the International Space Station?
Because the water/spit will float away in globs, since the lack of gravity makes things float, and water in space tends to stick to itself and to other objects
Soap, such as Dawn dish soap, is often used in the cleanup of oil spills - why is that?
Soap is a dispersant that separates oil from water; it is non-toxic and can safely be used to clean oil off of affected wildlife
What are the 3 criteria necessary for a celestial body to be considered a "planet"?
It must be spherical, orbit the Sun, and have a strong enough gravitational pull to clear the area around its orbit
Platypi have an extra sense that allows them to identify electrical impulses. Name one other animal that has a sixth sense
Sharks (electrical impulses) and snakes (heat sensors)
Identify one positive and one negative effect of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on wildlife and the natural landscape
Negative: birds can't fly because they are covered in oil, Brown Pelicans become endangered, many fish die, Cat Island is destroyed
Positive: money put into rebuilding islands, conservation efforts help stranded sea creatures
Name one food/drink item that is banned on the ISS and why
bread/chips- crumbs go everywhere and can clog the machines; pop/soda- carbonation causes wet burps
What is the name of NASA's moon-based mission? What is its goal?
Artemis; to circumnavigate, explore, and/or colonize the moon
How are stem cells different from other cells? When did we, as humans, have stem cells?
Stem cells can become any cell in the body, while other cells are specialized and can only become one kind of cell; we had them when we were growing as fetuses in our mothers' wombs