Why do we​ ​get pimples and how old is the Earth? Try our kids’ quiz

Illustration: Hennie Haworth/The Guardian

1. William, 6, asks:​ ​why do we​ ​get pimples?

   1. We get pimples​ ​when our hair follicles​ ​get blocked

   2. We get pimples​ ​from bedbugs

   3. We get pimples​ ​when we’re allergic​ ​to things

   4. We get pimples​ ​when we spend too​ ​long looking at​ ​our devices

2. Yerin, 8, asks:​ ​which river runs​ ​through the South Korean​ ​capital, Seoul?

   1. Danube

   2. Han

   3. Ching

   4. Imjin

3. Anoushka, 10, asks:​ ​how old is the Earth?

   1. 2023 years old

   2. 10,000 years old

   3. 482 million years old

   4. 4.54 billion years old

4. Beattie, 6, asks:​ ​why can’t humans live​ ​under water?

   1. Because we don’t​ ​have gills

   2. Because we wouldn’t​ ​be able to swim​ ​away from predators​ ​fast enough

   3. Because we wouldn’t​ ​be able to speak to​ ​each other through​ ​the water

   4. Because we would get​ ​quite cold

5. Benji, 8, asks:​ ​what is the heaviest​ ​organ in the​ ​human body?

   1. The stomach

   2. The brain

   3. The skin

   4. The lungs

Solutions

1:A - We have tiny holes all​ ​over our skin called hair​ ​follicles, and there are​ ​glands attached to these​ ​called sebaceous glands.​ ​These produce​ ​an oily substance called sebum to stop our skin​ ​getting dry, but when​ ​they produce too much​ ​sebum, the hair follicle​ ​gets blocked and creates​ ​a pimple., 2:B - The Han River runs through Seoul. The Imjin also runs through South Korea, but not through Seoul. The Danube goes through a large part of Europe. The Ching is in south-east England., 3:D - The Earth is thought​ ​to be about 4.54 billion​ ​years old! That’s​ ​4,540,000,000​ ​in numbers!, 4:A - All the answers listed​ ​would play a part in​ ​making living under water​ ​rather difficult, but the main reason we wouldn’t​ ​be able to live there is that​ ​we need air to breathe and​ ​we don’t have gills to help us​ ​do that!, 5:C - The skin is the heaviest​ ​organ in the human body.​ ​It is also the largest! It’s​ ​a barrier between us and​ ​the world.

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 weekly podcast answering children’s questions, out now as a book.

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