How Do Cats Purr, and Why Do They Do It?
How Do Cats Purr, and Why Do They Do It? A cat’s purr starts as vibrations in the blood vessels of the chest, around the heart. The vibrations travel up the air...
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Why Do Dimes Have Ridges on Their Rims?
Why Do Dimes Have Ridges on Their Rims? You have probably noticed the ridges, or grooves, on the edges of such U.S. coins as dimes, quarters and half-dollars. At one...
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What Gives Opals Their Colors?
What Gives Opals Their Colors? The beautiful flashes of color given off by a precious opal as it is turned and viewed from different angles are caused by the various...
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Why Does the Leaning Tower of Pisa Lean?
Why Does the Leaning Tower of Pisa Lean? The tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the cathedral of Pisa in Tuscany, Italy. The tower, which is one of the most unusual in...
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How Did Wisdom Teeth Get Their Name?
How Did Wisdom Teeth Get Their Name? Wisdom teeth are the last four teeth to grow in your mouth. You may not start to get them until you are in your twenties. By that...
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Why Do Sikhs Celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas?
Why Do Sikhs Celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas? Bandi Chhor Divas (“Day of Liberation”) is a Sikh festival which coincides with the day of Diwali. Bandi Chhor...
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Can Snakes Hear?
Can Snakes Hear? Snakes have no ears on the outside of their heads. This means they do not hear sounds as you do. So shouting and loud noises do not perturb them. But...
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Why Does the Sun Look Red at Sunset?
Why Does the Sun Look Red at Sunset? Sunlight, before it reaches our eyes, must pass through the Earth’s atmosphere. The dust and water particles in the air...
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What Is the Difference Between Jam and Jelly?
The difference between jelly and jam is that jam is made from whole or crushed fruit, and jelly is made from the strained fruit juice only. Almost any fruit makes...
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What Is a Funny Bone?
A “funny bone” is not really a bone at all. It is actually a bundle of nerves that passes near the elbow. We call the whole bundle the “ulnar” nerve. When...
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