Why does food spoil and do animals laugh? Try our kids’ quiz

1. Gabi, 9, asks: why does food spoil?

   1. It hates waiting to be used and spoils in a bad mood

   2. Too much sunlight makes food spoil

   3. So many reasons!

   4. It’s impossible to know why – some food goes off quickly, some stays fresh

2. Francesco, 7, asks: do animals laugh?

   1. No – only humans laugh

   2. Yes, primates, rats and even birds have been recorded laughing

   3. Only whales laugh

   4. Hyenas can laugh but no other creatures

3. Cormac, 7, asks: why do we cry tears when we are sad?

   1. Because rivers pour out of our eyes

   2. Our faces turn red, and our tears wash them

   3. Tears are the best way to cool down when we get hot and bothered

   4. Emotional tears release stress hormones and calm our bodies

4. Ivy, 10, asks: how many years did it take for humans to evolve from monkey-like beings to us?

   1. 75 years

   2. 7,000 years

   3. 7 million years

   4. We still haven’t evolved

5. Giorgia, 12, asks: why do I get electric shocks from touching another person?

   1. Static electricity causes the electric shock

   2. Because they’re touching an electrical object

   3. It means you love that person

   4. You only get an electric shock if you don’t like the other person

Solutions

1:C - Food can spoil because of microorganisms such as bacteria, moulds or yeast growing on it, and because of chemical reactions triggered by oxygen, light and enzymes in food., 2:B - We think lots of animals laugh. Researchers believe that 65 other species laugh, and possibly many more – from foxes to cows, rats to primates, and even birds!, 3:D - Emotional tears contain stress hormones and other toxins. Researchers believe tears help our bodies release stress to calm the body., 4:C - About 7 million years ago, the evolutionary path of humans split from that of our closest living relatives, chimpanzees; 3 million years ago, our ancestors were still quite ape-like., 5:A - Static electricity! When two objects with different electrical charges touch, there can be a transfer of charge. Normally objects are neutrally charged, but if you rub two objects together you can temporarily transfer some charges – leaving one object positively charged and the other negatively charged. If you then touch someone with a different level of charge, you’ll get a zap!

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.

Does your child have a question? Submit one here