Yearly Archives: 2018

Cats eat grass because it's a good source of certain nutrients, may help their digestive system, and simply because they enjoy it. (Ethan Weil) — Why do cats eat grass? The answer is that it offers some health benefits. Cats are obligate carnivores, which simply means they need to eat meat to satisfy their nutritional needs, yet wild cats naturally ingest some grass with prey. Both wild cats (e.g., bobcats, lions, and tigers) as well […]

Why Do Cats Eat Grass?

This entry was posted on June 18, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on September 17, 2025)

Elements found in nature — There are 118 elements on the periodic table, but how many of these elements can be found in nature? There are 98 elements that occur naturally. The other 20 elements only exist when they are synthesized. Of the 98 naturally-occurring elements, 10 only occur in trace amounts. Some of the […]

What are the Naturally Occurring Elements? Elements Found In Nature

This entry was posted on June 12, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on October 16, 2024)

Wild Cats Wordsearch — Do you know your wild cat species? This wild cats word search contains 24 different wild cat breeds. Find the words from the list forward and backward in vertical, horizontal, and diagonal directions. The puzzle is optimized to fit on a standard 8.5″x11″ sheet of paper, but it fits nicely […]

Wild Cats Word Search

This entry was posted on June 9, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on May 10, 2021)

How to Fix Dry Nail Polish — Use science to fix dry nail polish. Learn what works, what doesn't, and how to keep your polish from drying out in the first place.

How to Fix Dry Nail Polish

This entry was posted on June 4, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on June 14, 2021)

Why Do You See Your Breath on a Cold Day — Learn why you see your breath when it's cold outside. Explore the relationship between temperature and condensation.

Why Do You See Your Breath When It’s Cold?

This entry was posted on May 28, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on May 30, 2026)

Abundance of Elements Earth Crust Periodic Table — Get the abundance of elements in the Earth's crust periodic table and list. Discover facts about element abundance in the crust.

Abundance of Elements in Earth’s Crust – Periodic Table and ...

This entry was posted on May 23, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on May 21, 2025)

Microwave pizza with a glass of water to keep the crust from getting tough or soggy. (Michał Kubalczyk) — When you microwave pizza to reheat it, you run the risk of turning the best food in the world into a chew toy fit only for Fido. Microwaving melts the cheese and reheats the toppings, but toughens the crust. But, it doesn’t have to be that way! You can nuke […]

Why You Should Microwave Pizza With a Glass of Water

This entry was posted on May 21, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on May 20, 2025)

Seawater Element Abundance — Earth’s oceans cover 71% of the surface of the planet. Even a casual inspection will tell you there is more to seawater than just water. You would expect the two most common elements to be water itself, hydrogen and oxygen. What else is found in Earth’s oceans? These tables answer […]

Abundance of Elements in Seawater – Periodic Table and List

This entry was posted on May 20, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on May 25, 2021)

The smoother your skin and flatter your belly, the less likely you are to get belly button lint. (Pietro Zuco) — Whether you call it belly button lint, navel fluff, or navel lint, if you find a furry little ball in your belly button, you’ve got it! Doctors and scientists have examined the fluff balls, so their cause, composition, and potential health risks are known. The Cause and Composition of Belly […]

What Is Belly Button Lint?

This entry was posted on May 16, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on May 10, 2021)