Are mermaids real and why do bees like purple? The kids’ quiz

1. Melanie, 11, asks: are mermaids real?

   1. Yes, there are several species of mermaid in the Pacific Ocean

   2. As far as we know, they aren’t real – but they have appeared in stories all over the world

   3. Yes, they appear only on a full moon

   4. They used to be real, but now they only exist on Mars

2. Bobby, 6, asks: why do you laugh when you get tickled?

   1. You laugh because it’s such a great joke

   2. It releases little laughing fairies in your body

   3. Tickling triggers a part of your brain that makes you laugh, even if you’re not really enjoying it

   4. That’s your brain’s way of saying STOP!

3. Zoe, 6, asks: why do bees like the colour purple?

   1. Purple flowers make the best honey

   2. To bees, purple looks like the sky

   3. Purple flowers have a lot of nectar

   4. Bees can only see the colour purple

4. William, 9, asks: what is the biggest star we’ve discovered?

   1. The Sun – the centre of our solar system

   2. Sirius, the brightest star in our sky

   3. Betelgeuse, the red giant

   4. UY Scuti, a giant star

5. Charlie, 7, asks: how long have alligators existed for?

   1. About 25 years

   2. About 200 years

   3. About 200,000 years

   4. A long time – more than 150 million years

Solutions

1:B - As far as we know, mermaids aren’t real, but for a few thousand years, people have told stories of half-human, half-fish creatures. It’s possible they’re based on sea animals such as manatees or dugongs, which might look like mermaids from far off., 2:C - Tickling activates part of your brain called the hypothalamus – the same bit that reacts to surprise or danger. It’s thought to be a defence mechanism from our ancestors. That’s why you laugh, even if it feels a bit weird or you don’t like it., 3:C - Purple flowers often have the most nectar. Bees can’t see red, but they have enhanced UV colour receptors, so are drawn to purple and blue flowers., 4:D - UY Scuti is the biggest star we’ve discovered so far in terms of size. It’s a red supergiant star, in the constellation Scutum, around the centre of the Milky Way. It’s 1,708 times wider than the Sun!, 5:D - Alligators have existed for more than 150 million years, since when dinosaurs were still around. Dinosaurs became extinct, but alligators survived – scientists aren’t sure how.

Scores

1. 5 and above.

2. 4 and above.

3. 3 and above.

4. 2 and above.

5. 0 and above.

6. 1 and above.

Molly Oldfield hosts Everything Under the Sun, a podcast answering children’s questions. Do check out her books, Everything Under the Sun and the new Everything Under the Sun: Quiz Book.