Science & Mathematics Questions & Answers

How many times have you been told not to read in bed and how often have you been ticked off for reading in poor light? Probably quite a few times if you are an avid book-worm. Now you can cast away your small flashlights and get rid of your reading lamp, for there are specially designed books that create their …

It is probably sate to say that some of the largest animals that have ever lived on the surface of this planet are members of group of animals which have been collectively called dinosaurs. These ‘terrible reptiles’, as their name means, have excited the imagination of men ever since bones of the first dinosaur were discovered in rocks of Upper …

In this question, the word ‘danger’ does not refer to the danger to which individuals of any species may be subjected. Danger in this case means the danger to which a whole species is liable. In other words, species may be in danger of becoming extinct, and disappearing for ever from the face of the planet. Of course, we can …

In contrast to the acrobatic antics of the monkeys and apes, sloths move about the tree tops in very slow motion. They hang underneath the branches from hooked claws of both the fingers and toes, and spend most of their lives in this upside down position. They eat, sleep, mate and even give birth to their young upside down. There …

Some readers may think that this the easiest question in the book. Surely everyone knows that the answer is Mount Everest, which rises 8,848 m (29,028 ft) above sea level! But what about mountains that rise from the sea floor? If you take them into account, then Mauna Kea, Hawaii, is 1,355 m (4,446 ft) higher than Everest. Mauna Kea, …

The baobab tree is to be found in tropical Africa. It is a most strange-looking tree. Its barrel-like trunk can reach 30 feet or more in diameter, although its height is not proportionately great. It is a large gourd-like, woody, fruit containing a pleasant, cool tasting juice. A strong fibre obtained from the bark is used in Africa to make …

Pearls come from mollusks-a group of animals, which includes squids, clams, and oysters. Under its shell the mollusk has a mantle, or outer-skin. When a particle of dirt, or tiny marine creature gets stuck in this mantle, a hard substance forms around it. This makes the pearl. It is formed of the same material as the mollusk shell-nacre or mother-of-pearl. …

The breadfruit tree is found in the South Pacific islands and, to a lesser degree, in other parts of the tropics. It is an extremely handsome tree, growing up to 60 feet high. The oval leaves are a pleasant, glossy green and quite large. There are two distinct forms of breadfruit, one seedless and the other containing many seeds which, …

Water will boil anywhere, but it boils at different temperatures in different places. For example, it will boil at a lower temperatures up a mountain that at sea level. The boiling point of water is the temperature at which its vapour pressure becomes equal to the outside atmospheric pressure. As the atmospheric pressure is always changing so the boiling point …

In the beginning our universe was a mass of white-hot vapours and molten materials whirling about in space. Our world was formed from this. Astronomers believe it took millions of years for the cloud to cool, contract and begin to turn into molten rock. Modern astronomers think that many millions of years ago there was a huge explosion in space. …