What does your earlobe do and are there wild camels? The kids’ quiz

1. Daniel, 9, asks: what does your earlobe do?

   1. It’s a bit of a mystery – but they do help regulate our temperature

   2. We evolved to have them as we wanted earrings

   3. Scientists have no idea

   4. They stop insects flying into your head

2. Tilda, 12, asks: why do women live longer than men?

   1. Women have more oestrogen, which can have a protective effect

   2. Women visit the doctor more regularly and pay more attention to health

   3. Women have two X chromosomes, so have backups of some genes. Men have one X and one Y

   4. All of the above

3. Ted, 5, asks: are there any wild camels?

   1. No – they’re all tame

   2. Yes, but they’re very good at hiding

   3. Yes, but there aren’t many left

   4. No, camels can’t survive without humans

4. Sam, 7, asks: why is a landing called a landing?

   1. A national paper plane competition was once held on some stairs

   2. It’s a resting place before or after your journey on the stairs

   3. You used to have to jump the last step, and land on the floor

   4. Nobody knows

5. Freddie, 6, asks: how many football teams are there in the world?

   1. 100 professional teams

   2. About 4,000 pro teams

   3. About 400,000 pro teams

   4. About 1 million pro teams

Solutions

1:A - It’s a bit of a mystery! Earlobes release heat when we’re hot and hold heat when we’re cold, but only a little bit. They are quite sensitive, but scientists don’t believe they help hearing., 2:D - Historically women have always had a longer lifespan than men. Oestrogen has a protective health effect. More recently, figures show women visit the doctor more than men. Having two X chromosomes also means that some genes have identical backups, whereas men have only one., 3:C - There are wild camels in China and Mongolia, but in 2022 there were only about 1,000 altogether. There are also thought to be 300,000 wild one-humped camels – dromedaries – in Australia., 4:B - Landing was first used in the 16th century, to mean the place on shore where you landed a boat. It developed into the architectural term, referring to coming to land after climbing the stairs., 5:B - In 2024 Fifa said there were about 4,000 professional football teams worldwide. There are also lots of amateur teams, including five-a-side teams and youth teams, but it’s hard to estimate how many.

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 Everything Under the Sun: Quiz Book, as well as her new title, Everything Under the Sun: All Around the World.