NewScientist The Last Word - Tag 'unanswered' details

Tag 'unanswered' details

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Fly catcher The fungus in the photo (left) appeared on rotting, chopped-up trees used as mulch in our garden. It is about 10 centimetres in diameter and appears to feed on insects, and so has an appropriate stink of rotting flesh. What is it?Ted Webber, Buderim, Queensland, Australia
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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-10-29 18:00:01

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Categories: Animals, Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: human body, animals, unanswered, plants.

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Foxy tale From a slow-moving train I saw a fox standing with its tail resting on the ground while two magpies repeatedly took turns to peck the tip of the tail, before running off. The fox merely flicked its tail each time. What were they all doing?Sue Murdochs, Marton cum Grafton, North Yorkshire, UK
(1 vote) average rating:4 There are 17 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-10-08 18:00:00

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Categories: Animals.

Tags: animals, unanswered, plants.

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This week's questions Readers have often contacted us to ask whether there is anything Jon Richfield - a prolific answerer of Last Word questions - does not know. Well, it seems there is. See below - Ed.
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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-10-01 18:04:01

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Categories: Unanswered.

Tags: unanswered, plants.

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Fowl play

This guineafowl feather (see Photo, left) embodies a challenge to embryologists. How does the bird grow pigmented cells in patterns of spots that must change as the feather grows in order to maintain the pattern?These patterns also overlie a separate and independent pattern contained throughout many feathers, whose tissues cannot possibly react to the pigmentation in neighbouring feathers as they grow. So how is the overall pattern retained on the whole bird?Jon Richfield, Somerset West, South Africa

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-10-01 18:02:00

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Categories: Animals.

Tags: animals, unanswered, plants.

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Dead in space During long voyages in space it is possible that people will die, either from illness or because of an accident. What plans are there for disposal of the corpses?Jessica Franklin (age 12), London, UK
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Asked by damian
on 2008-09-24 18:02:00

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Categories: Transport, Technology.

Tags: animals, unanswered, technology, transport.

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Snakes alive

On 22 September my wife and I were on the shingle beach at Dunwich in Suffolk, UK, when we spotted a snake wriggling along the water's edge. It was about 50 centimetres long and light olive-brown. Behind its head was a bright yellow, delta-shaped marking which pointed forwards. As we watched, it entered the water and swam strongly out to sea.Is this how a grass snake might behave - albeit one with atypical markings - or has climate change brought a sea snake north of its usual habitat? The weather was windy and it was neither warm nor sunny. Is it relevant that this occurred about 2 kilometres north of the warm water outlets of the Sizewell B nuclear power station?Dave Parker, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, UK

Editorial status: In magazine.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-09-03 18:00:01

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Categories: Animals.

Tags: animals, unanswered.

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Tomato attack

Every time I collect tomatoes in the garden, my hands end up covered with an invisible substance with a pungent smell. It seems to come from the tomato leaves and branches. When I wash my hands with soap, the substance becomes a very bright yellow-green - almost fluorescent - and it stains my soap, towel and wash basin. However, if I don't use soap to wash the substance off, it remains invisible. What is it?Alex Saragosa, Terranuova, Italy

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2008-08-28 10:48:27

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Categories: Domestic Science, Human Body, Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science, plants.

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High-fibre mousse

I found a strange substance growing between a pile of plastic sacks containing bark mulch and a wall in my garden (see photo, left). It was July and the sacks had been piled against the wall for some weeks. At first I thought it was a piece of foam plastic, but when I touched it the stuff had the consistency of mousse. You can see the reddish mark where I prodded it.The second photo is a close-up of one of the holes and the surrounding fibrous structure. The patch was about 17 centimetres long and during the course of the day it dried, went crumbly and turned more pink. Does anyone know what it is?Alistair Scott, Gland, Switzerland

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Asked by greenknees
on 2008-08-27 18:01:00

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Categories: Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: animals, unanswered, plants.

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Bags of sleep Why do dark circles appear under your eyes when you are tired?Tammy-Ann Sharp, New Romney, Kent
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Asked by damian
on 2008-07-03 15:03:56

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Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, weather.

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Count the rings My partner's father was born in Cameroon before proper records were kept. He would like to know how old he really is. Is there any way to determine the exact age of a living human being?Peter White, Cardiff
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