Why do lizards do pushups? What will happen if the Earth’s magnetic field reverses? How does water get from the roots to the tops of trees? Why and how do stars die? Is there really such a thing as the green flash? In Curious Folks Ask 2: 188 Answers about Our Fellow Creatures, Our Planet, and Beyond, gifted science explainer Sherry Seethaler presents 188 of the most fascinating new questions real people have asked about science–together with answers that are clear, accurate, honest, and a pleasure to read. Like her previous book, Curious Folks Ask, the Q&As in this book are collected from Seethaler’s popular weekly column in the San Diego Union-Tribune. From the Earth’s strangest lifeforms to the deepest reaches of the universe. Seethaler introduces exciting areas of research, cuts through myths, offers real insight into what science has learned–and reveals the continuing mysteries scientists are still working to understand. Written in Seethaler’s trademark style, Curious Folks Ask 2: 188 Answers about Our Fellow Creatures, Our Planet, and Beyond presents sophisticated science in a lighthearted, amusing way. Seethaler’s answers will help rekindle the wonder of science in readers of all ages and backgrounds–and help them intelligently interpret the latest news about science and medicine for years to come.

This is the eBook version of the printed book. Why do lizards do pushups? What if the Earth’s magnetic field reverses? How do stars die? What causes goose bumps, earwax, dandruff, headaches? Whether it’s healthy to crack your knuckles, drink decaf, eat chocolate? What it costs to run all those LED lights around your house? These are just a few of the fascinating science and health questions real people have asked top science writer and San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Sherry Seethaler. This collection brings together 350 of her best answers–all crystal-clear, accurate, quick, and a pleasure to read. Seethaler is one of this generation’s best science explainers, and it shows: Every answer is accurate, fun to read, and distilled to a single page or less!

This download is a chapter from Curious Folks Ask: 162 Real Answers on Amazing Inventions, Fascinating Products, and Medical Mysteries (ISBN: 0137057385) by Sherry Seethaler. Available in print and digital formats. Read the following excerpt from the Preface: Inquiring minds want to know. What’s the big deal about low-carb diets? What causes muscle aches when you get the flu? How did the ancient Egyptians build the Giza Pyramids? Does it matter what brand of gasoline you buy? Could adult stem cells have as much promise as embryonic stem cells? Is a horsepower really the power of one horse? Does chocolate cause acne? What makes glue sticky? How is it possible to design bifocal contact lenses? What causes dandruff? And sometimes, inquiring minds ask questions that other inquiring minds did not even realize they wanted to know. Why do we get skin cancer from sun-damaged skin when damaged cells are continually sloughing off and being replaced? What causes out-of-body experiences? Is the Star Wars lightsaber possible? Are there beneficial viruses, just as there are beneficial bacteria? Why do some people have second toes that are longer than their big toes? Is increased environmental noise leading to increased violence? With their unwieldy number system, how did the ancient Romans engineer their magnificent buildings? These are some of the 162 questions compiled in this science Q&A anthology. The questions come from real people who range in age from high schoolers to octogenarians (and probably even younger and older folks too). Some of them are scientists, and others tell me, “I’m not a science person, but I’ve always wanted to know...” What they share is a deep curiosity about the world around them. The questions and answers in Curious Folks Ask can rekindle the natural wonder about science and the world around us that we all shared as children but that frequently gets pushed aside in formal education settings. To continue reading, download this Preface & Chapter 3. The full book is also available for sale in print and digital formats.

This is the eBook version of the printed book. This Element is an excerpt from Curious Folks Ask 2: 188 Real Answers on Our Fellow Creatures, Our Planet, and Beyond (9780137057399) by Sherry Seethaler. Available in print and digital formats. Animal mysteries solved: why lizards do pushups, how kangaroos clean their pouches, and much more! Why do lizards do “pushups” while sunning themselves? They are displaying athletic flamboyance, just like their human counterparts at Venice Beach. Depending on the nuances, lizard pushups may convey “I’m too tough to mess with” or “Hey, ladies, check me out.” Body language is a rich form of communication for lizard jocks and jockettes...

This is the eBook version of the printed book. This Element is an excerpt from Curious Folks Ask 2: 188 Real Answers on Our Fellow Creatures, Our Planet, and Beyond (9780137057399) by Sherry Seethaler. Available in print and digital formats. Inside hurricanes, cyclones, and tornadoes… and do toilets really drain the opposite way in the southern hemisphere? Computer models show it is theoretically possible to weaken or reroute hurricanes. One suggested method is to use an array of orbiting solar power stations that would beam microwaves to heat and perturb sections of a storm. Another idea: to cool the ocean surface or cover it with biodegradable film to reduce evaporation, starving the storm of energy…

This is the eBook version of the printed book. This Element is an excerpt from Curious Folks Ask 2: 188 Real Answers on Our Fellow Creatures, Our Planet, and Beyond (9780137057399) by Sherry Seethaler. Available in print and digital formats. Spiders, flies, butterflies, and beyond: why insects are way more fascinating than you ever imagined! Just as we humans have individual, sometimes unusual, tastes–such as liverwurst, Jell-O with shredded carrots, and stinky cheeses–our eight-legged friends have theirs. Although spiders mostly dine on whatever prey comes their way, some find mosquitoes particularly tasty. One species, from East Africa, seems to have a special preference for female mosquitoes that have recently dined on blood...