Social Science Questions & Answers

Social Science Questions & Answers

Why are some moths attracted by light?

Moths are attracted to lights at night because they mistake them for the light of the moon, which they use as a means of navigation. These other lights confuse the moths and make them lose their sense of direction. In trying to keep the artificial light at the same angle as the moon’s they circle it and come closer. Collectors …

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Why are many Japanese trees small?

Many Japanese trees are small because they are dwarfed by the Japanese art of bonsai. This art consists in training and growing dwarf trees as symbols of the Japanese ideals of the immersion of the self in nature. This ideal also finds expression in their poetry, the tea ceremony and flower arranging. The tiny trees express quietness, beauty of shape …

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Why are hats a rage at the races?

Fascinating hats are worn in Royal enclosures at Ascot and other horse races during Ladies’ Day when women come out in force and the venue turns into a fashion ramp. History shows that popularity of hats and kerchiefs dates back to early 1800s. Outrageous hats, generally made out of a bowl of fruits, were sported by singer/actress Carmen Miranda in …

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Why are frogs, toads and newts called amphibia?

The word amphibia comes from two Greek words: amphi meaning of both kinds and bios meaning life. Amphibia are a class of vertebrate (back-bones) animals that can live both in water and on land. They are descended from fishes that lived more than 300 million years ago. The first amphibia to crawl out of the water were heavily built, and …

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Why are crabs, lobsters and shrimps called crustaceans?

The word ‘crustacean’ comes from the Latin crusta meaning a hard covering shell or crust. Apart from crabs, lobsters and shrimps, there are thousands of different crustaceans. They live in the sea, except for a few species such as the common woodlouse. Crustaceans differ greatly in size and shape. Many of them pass through remarkable changes of form (metamorphoses) before …

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