BRAINDUMP Amazing answers to your curious questions
Did you know?
Wolves can eat nine kilograms of meat in one sitting
Why don’t dogs act like wolves?
Riaz Hood
Humans first formed a relationship with wolves more than 30,000 years ago. That’s the blink of an eye in normal evolutionary terms, but selective breeding has sped up the process. Over generations we’ve chosen the calmest, friendliest dogs, slowly breeding out the most wolfish behaviours. We’ve changed everything from where they live to what they eat. Dogs are also dependent on people, rather than a pack. They lack a wolf’s problem-solving skills because they don’t need them for survival.
VW
Dogs have even evolved the ability to understand different human emotions
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MEET THE EXPERTS
Who’s answering your questions this month?
Jo Elphick
History and forensic science
Andy Extance
Chemistry, tech and science
Andrew May
Space, transport and science
Victoria Williams
Animals, the environment and science
CAN PEOPLE REALLY ‘WHISPER’ TO ANIMALS?
Elora Mendoza
There’s no evidence that ‘animal whisperers’ have any sort of psychic or telepathic abilities. However, it’s possible to gauge how some animals are feeling – and to communicate with them – using body language.
VW
WHY DO ROCKETS LAUNCH IN STAGES?
Kaci Sullivan
A rocket has to lift its own weight as well as the payload it carries. This weight can be reduced by jettisoning stages when the fuel in them has been used up.