Why do chickens have two legs and why does ice crackle in water? The kids’ quiz

1. Conrad, 6, asks: why do chickens have two legs?

   1. They’re related to humans

   2. They’re evolved from two-legged dinosaurs

   3. They have four, but we call two of them “wings”

   4. They copied humans

2. Francis, 5, asks: where did the meteor that killed the dinosaurs come from?

   1. It was sent by aliens

   2. A bit of the moon fell off

   3. From an ancient volcano

   4. From the outer regions of the solar system

3. Chloe, 11, asks: why do children ask so many questions?

   1. They need to hear themselves talk so their brains can grow

   2. They’re secretly testing adults on their knowledge

   3. They’re trying to empty their brains of knowledge

   4. They’re curious to learn about the world and about how things work

4. Felix, 7, asks: why does ice crackle when you put it in water?

   1. The ice is screaming because it’s too cold

   2. Water molecules fight against the ice molecules

   3. The temperature changes cause stress on the ice, which cracks

   4. It’s the air escaping

5. Elise, 8, asks: how do people make sure that mushrooms are edible?

   1. The UK’s chief mushroom tester tastes them all

   2. Some mushrooms can kill you! So experts study the plants very carefully

   3. There’s no way to tell if they’re poisonous

   4. They’re all edible if you cook them long enough

Solutions

1:B - Chickens evolved from two-legged dinosaurs called therapods. Two legs help them move efficiently while staying upright, and their wings help them to balance., 2:D - The meteor that caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs is believed to have originated from the outer regions of the solar system, from asteroids found beyond the orbit of Jupiter., 3:D - Children are full of curiosity, and asking questions helps them learn about the world, feel safe and secure, develop critical thinking and understand how things work., 4:C - Ice crackles when put in water due to rapid changes of temperature. The outer layer of the ice warms up and expands faster than the inner layers, creating stress and causing cracks., 5:B - Some wild mushrooms are very toxic, so only experts in identifying mushrooms can tell if they’re edible – often the deadly ones and edible ones look very similar! Experts study the mushroom’s physical characteristics, habitat and spore prints, and consult field guides or other experts in mycology (the study of fungi).

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 podcast answering children’s questions. Do check out her books, Everything Under the Sun and the new Everything Under the Sun: Quiz Book.