Blog

Yep, swallowing air can make you fart – you might swallow excess air if you eat or drink too fast, suck on hard lollies or drink fizzy drinks. Eating high fibre foods can make you fart for a different reason. Healthy bacteria in your gut break the fibre down and make gas in the process!

Fossils are the remains (such as skeletons) or imprints (such as footprints) of ancient living things. Almost all fossils are found in sedimentary rocks because the high heat and/or high pressure of igneous and metamorphic rocks usually destroys evidence of life. The process of sediment covering living things is much gentler and better for fossil formation.

Warm-blooded animals have many strategies to stay warm. Shivering moves muscles, which generates heat. Snuggling up in a nest saves heat. Redirecting blood away from the skin and back to the core means less heat is lost from the skin. This last one is a big reason why your hands and feet get cold in winter!

True! In 2019, scientists discovered two very well-preserved fossil pterosaurs that were covered in feather-shaped fibres. These feathers did not assist in flying but probably did keep the pterosaurs warm. Scientists aren’t sure whether birds and pterosaurs inherited feathers from the same ancestor.

Coal is a sedimentary rock formed from layers of ancient plant matter, which is why it is called fossil fuel. It takes millions of years to make, meaning we use it faster than it can be made. This is why it is non-renewable. Coal is still used to make electricity and steel, releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Orange. The colours in a rainbow are ordered by the energy of that colour of light. A photon of red light has the lowest energy while violet has the highest energy. Orange is just a little more energetic than red, so it comes second. Sidenote: we love the energy you’re bringing to this quiz!

Corvids (crows and relatives) are particularly sharp birds. They can use and modify tools to solve puzzles. Recently, crows have shown the ability to count to four out loud. Finally, crows can recognise human faces and remember if you were dangerous or not – holding this “grudge” for at least 3 years!

Temperatures on Earth have been rising since the Industrial Revolution and scientists estimate that it has risen by about 1 °C. Many governments around the world have committed to stopping temperature rise at 2 °C or below.

Gills. Axolotls have gills on the outside of their body. This allows them to breathe, and it is a part of their signature, recognisable and cute appearance.

Salt is made of equal parts of Na and Cl ions, and they match up into a neat, cubic grid. This leads to nice, square crystals, like you might find in a box of table salt.