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Curious Questions from Curious Minds!
Welcome to Curiopedia, where imagination and discovery take shape! Discover something new today with these curious questions from children. Click on the ‘View Answer’ button to find out the answer! If you want your (child’s) curious question answered and featured here, submit it now.
Month Year
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No entry, only exit
What is a white hole?
S. Dakshan , Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu
A white hole is a hypothetical region in space where nothing can enter from outside. However, light, information, energy, and matter can escape from it. It is the reverse of a black hole, which can only be entered from the outside and from which light, information, energy and matter cannot escape. In other words, nothing can be sucked into a white hole. Unlike black holes, white holes cannot be continuously observed. Their effects can be detected only around their occurrence.
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Natural selection at play
Why do giraffes have long necks?
S.Naveneshwaran , Puducherry
Some scientists believe it is a question of natural selection. Giraffes fight by beating each other with their heads and necks. Others believe long necks are a consequence competition for food; they share their habitat with multiple animals; most that are much shorter and also need to eat and subsist on many of the same plants that giraffes consume.
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Saturnalian miracle
How was Saturn formed?
Shawn Abel I J , Coonoor
Around 4.5 billion years ago, Saturn took shape when gravity pulled swirling gas and dust into a gas giant. Approximately four billion years ago, Saturn settled into its position in the outer solar system, as the sixth planet from the Sun. It is primarily made up of helium and hydrogen.
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Changing hues
How do chameleons change colour?
Thavanesh Muthu. S , Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
A chameleon’s skin has different kinds of cells. The uppermost layer of cells contains xanthophores, a yellow pigment. Eythrophores (red pigment) are mainly present in striped regions. Under this lies the iridophores that reflect different wavelengths of light. The final layer is melanophores, which have extensions that reach the skin’s top-most layer. When a chameleon is relaxed, the nanocrystals in the skin are closer to each other and reflect shorter wavelengths, like blue. When it is excited, the distance between nanocrystals increases and reflect longer wavelengths such as yellow, orange, or red. When it is time to hide, it turns to darker shades as the melanophores disperse pigments to the upper layers through their extensions.