What determines the color pattern of a cat? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Charli!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer Cats inherit combinations of pigment genes (black or orange), dilution genes (for shades like gray or cream), spotting genes (for white patches), and pattern genes (for tabby stripes), which all combine to determine what a cat looks like. ๐ The long answer When a...
7 days agoย โขย 9 min read
Longtime readers of Today You Should Know may recognize this question โ it's a repeat! I'm working on a newsletter that is causing me to relearn genetics topics I haven't studied since I was 14, so it's taking a bit of time to put together. Side note: It also will include many cat pictures, so I hope it'll be worth the wait. ๐ All my best, ๐ Caitlin Why do paper cuts hurt so much? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Rodrigo!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel...
14 days agoย โขย 5 min read
Is the โfive-second ruleโ legitimate? ๐ The short answer While time is a factor for how many bacteria contaminate dropped food, the five-second rule is not a legitimate food safety guideline. Bacteria transfer almost immediately on contact, and dropping food on wet or flat surfaces increases the chances of contamination. ๐ The long answer You may have heard that if you pick up dropped food within five seconds after it hits the floor, itโs still safe to eat. But is there any truth to this rule...
21 days agoย โขย 4 min read
Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Aunt Erin!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer Parkways were named for the parks they passed through, not for parking. Driveways were named for the driving people did on these private roads to reach a barn or a house, before many driveways became too short for driving. ๐ The long answer The English...
28 days agoย โขย 5 min read
Why did the Tour de France start? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Mom!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer The Tour de France grew out of the Dreyfus affair, a scandal over the wrongful treason conviction of a Jewish French army officer. The scandal divided France so deeply that anti-Dreyfus advertisers left the pro-Dreyfus sports paper Le Vรฉlo to start a rival, LโAuto. To boost...
about 1 month agoย โขย 6 min read
Why does the mouth heal so fast? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Rodrigo!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer The mouth heals quickly because oral tissue is already primed for repair, has a calmer immune response that reduces scarring, and stays bathed in saliva full of wound-healing molecules. SPONSORED BY TINGGLY One Gift. A World of Experiences. Give experiences to your loved...
about 1 month agoย โขย 6 min read
Why do we feel secondhand embarrassment? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Aastha!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer Secondhand embarrassment happens because our brains are built for empathy: we can imagine another personโs awkwardness so vividly that we feel some of it ourselves. ๐ The long answer Secondhand embarrassment, or vicarious embarrassment, is the feeling of being...
about 2 months agoย โขย 4 min read
Why do dogs tilt their heads when you talk to them? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Kim!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer Dogs probably tilt their heads when we talk to them for a mix of reasons: to hear you better, to see you better, to signal that they're paying attention, and to receive praise. ๐ The long answer For at least 15,000 years, dogs have lived alongside humans....
about 2 months agoย โขย 5 min read
How does a thermos work? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Duncan!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer A thermos keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold by blocking all three types of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. It does this with a vacuum between its double walls (which eliminates conduction and convection) and a silvered inner surface (which reflects...
2 months agoย โขย 5 min read