The AnswerBank Articles

Why don't penguins' feet freeze

This is an intriguing question posed by Henryn. Read The Answerbank's in depth discussion below or click here to see Homer's answer. Q. What adaptations have penguins made to keep their feet from01:00 Mon 26th Mar 2001

Are humans unique in being able to see things in colour

asks homer A. A few animals, including humans and the other primates, fish, amphibians, and some birds can see colour. But only a small group of primates, including humans, can see the full range of01:00 Mon 19th Mar 2001

Why did Dumbo have big ears

A. A recent study shows that Dumbo's wouldn't have used his big ears just to fly, they were also essential for losing the extra heat from his body that flying would have created and so stopped him01:00 Mon 19th Mar 2001

What does adopting an animal involve

A. Normally you just pay an annual fee, which can either be for a share or a whole animal. It's fun and a lot less labour intensive than looking after an animal yourself and can make a great present.01:00 Mon 19th Mar 2001

Do animals dream

A. Dreams aren't fully understood even in humans, but where experiments have been carried out, the answer seems to be: yes, animals do dream. Q. Why do animals and people dream A. No one knows for01:00 Mon 12th Mar 2001

What is camouflage

A. It's the ability to blend into natural surroundings, employed by many animals to protect them from predators. Q. Why don't predators see through camouflage A. Because of the way they01:00 Mon 12th Mar 2001

Your animals and nature questions and answers

WE may belong to the same kingdom, but the differences between us and other animals has obviously been one of your concerns lately. Homer wanted to know if, unlike humans, other animals were colour01:00 Mon 12th Mar 2001

How and why do cats purr

How and why do cats purr, asked Cardiac. Thanks to DrPig for this answer. The AnswerBank investigates further. Q. How do cats produce a purring noise A. Experiments have shown that01:00 Mon 05th Mar 2001

Mythical animals, do they really exist

Dempster recently asked whether the Loch Ness monster really existed. The question got us at The AnswerBank thinking about mythical creatures from the natural world. Is there any evidence that they01:00 Mon 05th Mar 2001

Tell me about the basking shark

A. Unlike the more famous great whites, basking sharks are harmless and are often described as the gentle giants of the sea. They feed only on plankton, which they catch by swimming along with their01:00 Mon 05th Mar 2001

How do whales and dolphins respond to captivity

by Lisa Cardy A RECENT question from fizz asked what happened to the killer whale at Windsor Safari Park. The answer, posted by Henryn, revealed that Winnie, as she was called, had to be sold to01:00 Mon 26th Feb 2001

How do I train my new puppy

by Lisa Cardy A NEW puppy can be enormous fun. But they're also mischievous and need training to avoid growing into a difficult dog. Here are some key points to help you train your puppy. How do01:00 Mon 26th Feb 2001

Why do endangered fish need park protection

by Lisa Cardy Is any sealife at risk of extinction Many species of fish and other marine animals could become extinct unless they are protected by special reserves. What is being done to protect01:00 Mon 26th Feb 2001

Sabrinah asked: How marine mammals avoid 'the bends

by Lisa Cardy SABRINAH wanted to know why marine mammals, such as whales, don't get the 'bends'. Here The AnswerBank provides a detailed explanation: Marine mammals, which evolved on land and01:00 Mon 19th Feb 2001

Pearls: Nature's precious gem

by Lisa Cardy PEARLS have a long history of being prized by humans. They form naturally in oysters when a foreign object, such as a parasite or grain of sand, becomes lodged in the animal's soft01:00 Mon 19th Feb 2001

Your questions and answers

by Lisa Cardy IT'S something you should tell your best friend, especially if it's mans best friend: how do you cure bad dog breath Hgoldup and Maggie had some refreshing suggestions for silver,01:00 Mon 12th Feb 2001

T rex is back

by Lisa Cardy Press AssociationTYRANNOSAURUS rex is being brought back to life: at The Natural History Museum in London. The animatronics animal is almost too close to the real thing for comfort.01:00 Mon 12th Feb 2001

Ancient origin of song

by Lisa Cardy NEXT time you're out in your garden listen closely to the birds singing, is it a tune you recognise When whales, birds and humans all sing they do so in a very similar way,01:00 Mon 12th Feb 2001

England s green and very pleasant National Parks

by Lisa Cardy SAY 'National Parks' to most people and they usually think of the outdoors of North America. But there are 11 outstanding National Parks right here in Britain, all within easy01:00 Mon 05th Feb 2001

Naturally, you ask away

by Lisa Cardy IT'S been a week of extremes at The AnswerBank. You all wanted to know, what's the oldest, the slowest, and the biggest. Silver wanted to know which species of fish lived the01:00 Mon 05th Feb 2001