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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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Glass for all
When and where was glass first used?
Varunika Arulanandan , Chennai, Tamil Nadu
View AnswerNaturally occurring glass, such as volcanic glass obsidian, has been used by Stone-Age man to make weapons, ornaments and money. Syria was one of the original centres of glass-making. Ancient Phoenicians traded in glassware. Egypt was also known for glass-making since an early time. It is believed that the earliest glass object was created around 3500 B.C. in Egypt and Eastern Mesopotamia. After 1200 B.C., the Egyptians learned to press glass into moulds. In the first century glass-blowing was discovered by Syrian craftsmen. And, because of this, glass was made available to all, not just the wealthy.
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Merry tunes
Why can’t astronauts whistle on the moon?
Niranjana Menon , Secunderabad, Telangana
View AnswerWhen astronauts are out in space, it’s not that they can’t whistle or talk. They can, inside their own spacesuit, but the other astronauts would not hear the noise. This is because, the middle of space is quiet. Sound travels in waves, and it moves at different speeds through air or water or other materials. But it has to have something to travel through or it won’t go anywhere at all. As there is nothing out in space (like an atmosphere), the sound waves from one astronaut’s whistling can't travel over to the other astronaut’s ears. That's why the astronauts use radios to communicate — even if they're floating in space right next to each other.
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When CO2 is solid
Why is solid carbon dioxide called dry ice?
S. Akshit Rikhil , Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu
View AnswerSolid carbon dioxide is called dry ice because it resembles ice. Carbon dioxide does not exist in liquid form. It sublimes straight from solid to gas. Hence, it is called dry ice. It sublimes at –78°C, becoming an extremely cold gas. It is often used in theatres for special effects and looks a bit like smoke.
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In matters of rotation
How does day and night occur?
Purvi Manoj , Chennai
View AnswerThe earth rotates on its axis and it takes 24 hours to complete one rotation. This rotation causes the day and night. One day consists of 24 hours — the time taken for the Earth to rotate. The side which faces the sun is lit and experiences day while the other side is dark and has night.