A Formica ant suspends a drop of aphid honeydew between her mandibles (which bristle with 7 or more teeth), as she drinks it. 
		Photo courtesy of Alex Wild, copyright, used with permission.WonderQuest:  On the web since 1997...      

Home   Top 10    Newsletter   Answer a question    Site Map                                    
Solving mysteries
WonderQuest

with April Holladay
New!  WeatherQuesting
 
Google
 
Web www.WonderQuest.com

     
RSS Add to Google

Answers About:  

   Animals
   Humans  
   Astronomy 
   Physics
   Mathematics 
   Evolution/Genetics
   Earth 
   Technology
   Plants
   Airspace 
   Sky
   Art, TV, music...  
   Food 
   Oceans/climate 
   Chemistry
   Computers
   Microcreatures

Special Features:  

   Current Column
   Teachers' corner
   Newsletter
   Science book reviews
   Game reviews
   Tech talk
   Answer a question
   Forum
   Interact with nature

Question for readers to answer:

Macaque monkey,  Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) in Lopburi, Thailand.  Photo courtesy of 'Chris huh' and Wikipedia.

If a human yawns in front of a monkey, will the monkey yawn?

Deadline:  June 4.  We will publish the best answers on June 9.

You get the credit.

Click here to give me your answer: Answer the question.


Interacting with nature by K:

How to Offer Wild Birds Shelter in the Winter

Not all birds migrate south for the winter.  Winter is a hard season for birds, and many risk freezing to death at night. It doesn't take much effort or money to provide shelter for them, and it can make a huge difference to the little feathered guys!

More Articles >>

 

 

Teflon®: the slipperiest synthetic solid

Q: If Teflon® is so slippery that nothing sticks to it, then how does it stick to the metal on cookware? --Brad K., Loma Linda, CA

A: It's a nifty trick. The latest technique at DuPont, maker of Teflon®, is their "smooth technology".

DuPont added a sticky molecule to the non-stick Teflon® molecule to create a stickier bottom coat or primer. A frying-pan maker applies the non-stick to a pan in layers: primer first, then a couple of layers of Teflon®. The primer bonds as the pan bakes and chemically locks to the smooth metal. How? Trade secret.

By the way, in 1938, Roy J. Plunkett discovered Teflon®-- by accident-- while testing DuPont's refrigerant gas, Freon®. He made a mistake that allowed the gas molecules to bond and form an extremely slippery substance. He eventually developed the white-powder mess into Teflon®.

(Answered Aug. 23, 2002)

Further Surfing:

David Kennedy: Uses of Teflon® (skating?)

Xcel Plus: Teflon and pans by Hannah Holmes

MIT: Inventor of the Week

 

 

Site Map

Question Archive Features Info
Animals Sky ▪  WonderQuest's ▪  Correspondents' Contributors
Humans Art, TV, music   Ask a question   Interact with nature About April
Astronomy Food   Top 10 questions   Book reviews April's blog
Mathematics Oceans & climate    Forum   Game reviews Newspapers with WonderQuest:
Evolution & genetics Chemistry   Answer the question   Tech talk   Globe and Mail
Earth Computers   Newsletter     Happy News
Technology Microcreatures   Further reading     Corrales Comment
Plants     Fast answers    
Aerospace USA Today      

Copyright 2008 by April Holladay