What is inside the oak apples?

Although an oak apple looks like a fruit, it is actually a deformed leaf hanging by its stem or petiole on the underside of oak leaves. Gall wasps from oak apples. In summer, the female wasp injects its eggs into the leaves of oak trees. The larvae that hatch inside the leaf are small and round. As they grow, they cause a chemical... Read More »

Why do stars seems to wander across the night sky?

The stars do not ‘wander’. The apparent change in their position in the night sky is due to the fact that the Earth, and we along with it, are in a constant state of rotation. As such, our rotational movement happens below that of the stars. If one looks at the night sky in the northern hemisphere, only one star does not appear... Read More »

What is symbiosis?

Symbiosis is a phenomenon in which two living organisms live together in such a way that they are mutually beneficial to each other. For example, the colorful clownfish live in a symbiotic relationship with the sea anemones. The clownfish enjoy the protection of the poisonous nettle fibers of the sea anemone and the sea anemone survives on the left – over food of... Read More »

Why is there an interval between lightning and thunder?

The reason for this is that light travels faster than sound. The speed of light is 300,000 km per second. On the contrary, sound is slow and covers only about 330m in one second, i.e. one kilometer in 3 seconds. If we count the seconds till we hear the thunder after seeing the flash of lightening in the sky and divide this value... Read More »

What do the antelopes living in the desert drink?

Many antelopes, such as the White Oryx found in the Arabian Peninsula, have adapted themselves to a life in the desert. They do not drink water, but eat when it is cooler and when the plants are wet with dewdrops. They pass very little moisture out of their bodies because their bodies have a system of cooling the blood before it reaches the... Read More »

Why do birds migrate to the south in autumn?

Many birds such as starlings, cranes and swallows migrate to the south in autumn because they do not find enough food in winter. It is not good to feed the birds because it may disturb their regular habits of finding food for themselves. Their destination and the migratory path is the same every year. For years, scientists puzzled over the birds’ ability to... Read More »

What is the job of a monarch?

Earlier, the monarchs were the undisputed rulers of a country, but today their role is mostly that of cultural representatives. They represent the country on state visits and are an image of national unity, pride and identity. They also sign the laws passed by the parliament. Often the monarchs work for a good cause or request donations for a certain charity. Usually, they... Read More »