Curious Kids
Do we need to worry about the Sun becoming a black hole?
“Do I need to worry about the sun turning into a black hole?” — Anonymous, age 7, Chicago, Illinois At the end of their lifespans, some massive stars collapse under their own weight until they turn into a black hole that sucks up everything around it. It’s a dramatic conclusion to a star’s billions of …
Why is Venus hotter than Mercury, when Mercury is closer to the Sun?
“Why is Venus the hottest planets, whereas Mercury is closer to the Sun?” — Sejal M., age 7, Bangalore, India When the solar system had just formed, 4.5 billion years ago, Venus was probably a tropical paradise. Oceans of water likely covered its surface, and puffy clouds dotted its skies. At that time, Mercury, the …
Are there thunderstorms on Mars?
“Are there thunderstorms on Mars?” — Cade, age 7, Houston, Texas Mars is a very dry planet with very little water in its atmosphere and hardly any clouds, so you might not expect it to have storms. Yet, there is lightning and thunder on Mars – although not with rain, nor with the same gusto …
Is the whole universe just a simulation?
“Is the whole universe just a simulation?” — Moumita B., age 13, Dhaka, Bangladesh How do you know anything is real? Some things you can see directly, like your fingers. Other things, like your chin, you need a mirror or a camera to see. Other things can’t be seen, but you believe in them because …
Could we create a black hole in a laboratory on Earth?
“Can anyone make a black hole in a laboratory?” — Sohini B., age 13, Kolkata, West Bengal, India A black hole is an object so massive and dense that even light cannot escape its gravity. They occur in space when extremely dense objects, such as the centers of stars, collapse. All the black holes observed …
How do scientists hunt for dark matter?
“Can we generate a way to interact with dark matter with current technology?” — Leonardo S., age 13, Guanajuato, Mexico That’s a great question. It’s one of the most difficult and fascinating problems right now in both astronomy and physics, because while scientists know that the elusive substance called dark matter makes up the majority …
Are multiverses real? It depends on how you define ‘real’
“Are multiverses real? If so, what do they look like? How do you get there without disturbing time?” — Emily, age 9, Pune, Maharashtra, India The idea of a multiverse – a hypothetical collection of all possible universes – is one that science fiction fans love to explore. But does the multiverse actually exist? To …
Why is space so dark even though the Universe is filled with stars?
This age old question has been dubbed Olbers’ paradox. Credit: John Colosimo/ESO “Why is space so dark even though the Universe is filled with stars?” — Nikhil, age 15, New Dehli People have been asking why space is dark despite being filled with stars for so long that this question has a special name – …
What is the smallest thing in the Universe?
“What is the smallest thing in the Universe that actually exists?” — Mimi, age 12, Abeokuta, Nigeria To find an answer, we asked physicist Omololu Akin-Ojo, who teaches this subject. A physicist is someone who studies physics. Physics is the science of energy, forces and particles. We study physics in order to be able to …
How do atoms – the building blocks of everything – form?
“How do atoms form?” — Joshua, age 7, Shoreview, Minnesota R ichard Feynman, a famous theoretical physicist who won the Nobel Prize, said that if he could pass on only one piece of scientific information to future generations, it would be that all things are made of atoms. Understanding how atoms form is a fundamental …