Ask Dr. Universe
@askdruniverse.bsky.social
Dr. Universe & friends @WSU answer #STEM questions from kids. A
weekly column, monthly podcast & @NWPBroadcasting video series. askDrUniverse.wsu.edu
weekly column, monthly podcast & @NWPBroadcasting video series. askDrUniverse.wsu.edu
Got milk? 🥛 Animal genomics expert Kimberly Davenport of
@wsucahnrs.bsky.social says dairy cows are genetically moo-tivated to produce it, unlike beef cows 🐄 askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2026/01/29/d... #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu
@wsucahnrs.bsky.social says dairy cows are genetically moo-tivated to produce it, unlike beef cows 🐄 askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2026/01/29/d... #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu
Why do dairy cows produce so much milk compared to beef cows?
Dear Kristen, This answer is fueled by coffee with a splash of milk from a dairy cow. I asked my friend Kimberly Davenport why my morning milk doesn’t come from a beef cow. She’s an expert in cow gene...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
January 29, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Got milk? 🥛 Animal genomics expert Kimberly Davenport of
@wsucahnrs.bsky.social says dairy cows are genetically moo-tivated to produce it, unlike beef cows 🐄 askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2026/01/29/d... #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu
@wsucahnrs.bsky.social says dairy cows are genetically moo-tivated to produce it, unlike beef cows 🐄 askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2026/01/29/d... #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu
Why did the phone go to science class? To cell out its secrets! 📲 Tune into my latest podcast with @pullman.wsu.edu's Ben Belzer as he explains the waves and codes that let your messages fly. 🎙️📡 www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis... #GoCougs #STEMeducation
Your Paw-some Question | How do cell phones work? - Ask Dr. Universe
Cosmo and I learn how cell phones send texts, images and calls from phone to phone—thanks to our friend, electrical engineer Ben Belzer. Resources you can use:Learn more about binary code with Cr...
www.buzzsprout.com
January 22, 2026 at 9:41 PM
Why did the phone go to science class? To cell out its secrets! 📲 Tune into my latest podcast with @pullman.wsu.edu's Ben Belzer as he explains the waves and codes that let your messages fly. 🎙️📡 www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis... #GoCougs #STEMeducation
@wsuanthropology.bsky.social PhD student Haden Kingrey told me evolution and domestication made house cats from wild cousins. I guess you could say humans cat-alyzed the change 🐈⬛ askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2026/01/15/b... #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu
How did big cats change into house cats?
Dear Morgan, Like me, lions and tigers have sharp teeth and retractable claws. They sometimes use those fierce claws to knead or make biscuits. They enjoy a nap and good grooming sesh. That’s not surp...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
January 15, 2026 at 7:29 PM
@wsuanthropology.bsky.social PhD student Haden Kingrey told me evolution and domestication made house cats from wild cousins. I guess you could say humans cat-alyzed the change 🐈⬛ askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2026/01/15/b... #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu
🪐 How do scientists weigh in on planets in our solar system or light-years away? @wsucahnrs.bsky.social's Katie Cooper explains how experts size up distant worlds ⚖️📏 #GoCougs #STEMeducation askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2026/01/08/s...
How do scientists know the mass and size of planets?
Dear Lucy, When I go to the veterinarian, they measure how big I am. They use a scale to check my weight. They find my length and height with a measuring tape. But nobody can put a planet on a scale. ...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
January 8, 2026 at 5:59 PM
🪐 How do scientists weigh in on planets in our solar system or light-years away? @wsucahnrs.bsky.social's Katie Cooper explains how experts size up distant worlds ⚖️📏 #GoCougs #STEMeducation askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2026/01/08/s...
This week @wsucahnrs.bsky.social's Katie Cooper told me all about volcanoes above and below the ocean. 🌋 Don't let this hot topic lava you behind—get the full scoop here: askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/12/11/m... #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu
How many volcanoes are in the world?
Dear Garrett, On very clear days, I can see five volcanoes from my campus. They’re Rainier, Hood, Adams, St. Helens and Baker. That’s…a lot. I asked my friend Katie Cooper about it. She’s a geophysici...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
December 11, 2025 at 6:30 PM
This week @wsucahnrs.bsky.social's Katie Cooper told me all about volcanoes above and below the ocean. 🌋 Don't let this hot topic lava you behind—get the full scoop here: askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/12/11/m... #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu
Ever wonder why humans have fingerprints? My friend Katherine Corn of @pullman.wsu.edu digs into how those tiny ridges help us grip, feel textures, and make each of us paw-sonally unique. 🐾https://askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/12/04/why-do-we-have-fingerprints/ #GoCougs #STEMeducation
December 4, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Ever wonder why humans have fingerprints? My friend Katherine Corn of @pullman.wsu.edu digs into how those tiny ridges help us grip, feel textures, and make each of us paw-sonally unique. 🐾https://askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/12/04/why-do-we-have-fingerprints/ #GoCougs #STEMeducation
I had a blast talking @wsuextension.bsky.social with Tim Waters 🧅🥔 Come for the land-grant info; stay for 1918 jackrabbits and lightning strikes in veggie fields. Check out How Do You Science | Meet an Extension Vegetable Specialist at www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis... #GoCougs #STEMeducation
How Do You Science | Meet an Extension Vegetable Specialist - Ask Dr. Universe
Love veggies? Me, too. And so does my friend Tim Waters, regional vegetable specialist at WSU Extension.In this episode, you'll hear:What Extension isWhat it was like for Extension agents back in 1918...
www.buzzsprout.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:50 PM
I had a blast talking @wsuextension.bsky.social with Tim Waters 🧅🥔 Come for the land-grant info; stay for 1918 jackrabbits and lightning strikes in veggie fields. Check out How Do You Science | Meet an Extension Vegetable Specialist at www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis... #GoCougs #STEMeducation
A whole month in space? My friend Erica Crespi of @pullman.wsu.edu helped me investigate how humans handle life beyond Earth. It’s a fur-midable cosmic challenge! 🚀 #GoCougs #STEMeducation
askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/11/26/c...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/11/26/c...
Can humans live in space for a month?
Dear Maya, I mostly keep all four paws on the ground. It’s hard to imagine living out in space. I asked my friend Erica Crespi about it. She’s a biologist at Washington State University. She studies ...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
November 26, 2025 at 8:33 PM
A whole month in space? My friend Erica Crespi of @pullman.wsu.edu helped me investigate how humans handle life beyond Earth. It’s a fur-midable cosmic challenge! 🚀 #GoCougs #STEMeducation
askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/11/26/c...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/11/26/c...
My pal Daryl DeFord of @pullman.wsu.edu says math is about poking at what “doesn’t quite make sense.” It’s a fur‑midable puzzle! 🧮 #GoCougs #STEMeducation askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/11/20/w...
What’s the hardest math equation in the world?
Dear James, There weren’t calculators or computers in medieval Europe. But there were math duels. Mathematicians would gather in public squares and pose tricky math problems to each other. Then they r...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
November 20, 2025 at 7:15 PM
My pal Daryl DeFord of @pullman.wsu.edu says math is about poking at what “doesn’t quite make sense.” It’s a fur‑midable puzzle! 🧮 #GoCougs #STEMeducation askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/11/20/w...
My friend Xiuyu Wang of @wsuvancouver.bsky.social helped me unfold why paper is a fur-midable leap in history 📜 #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/11/13/w...
Why did they invent paper?
Dear Sofia, Every week my column gets printed on paper. Sometimes I use paper to dry my paws. Or clean up after I use the litterbox. I asked my friend Xiuyu Wang who invented paper—and why. He studies...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
November 13, 2025 at 4:54 PM
My friend Xiuyu Wang of @wsuvancouver.bsky.social helped me unfold why paper is a fur-midable leap in history 📜 #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/11/13/w...
@pullman.wsu.edu’s Chris Barry takes me to the heart of purr-plexing human behaviour—and teaches me about the power of empathy.🐾 #GoCougs #STEMEducation @wsusystem askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/11/06/h...
Why do some humans like to do bad things?
Dear Leonel, I’ve met some naughty cats. I’ve also known some misunderstood ones. I asked my friend Chris Barry why humans are sometimes like that, too. He’s a psychologist at Washington State Univers...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
November 6, 2025 at 7:43 PM
@pullman.wsu.edu’s Chris Barry takes me to the heart of purr-plexing human behaviour—and teaches me about the power of empathy.🐾 #GoCougs #STEMEducation @wsusystem askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/11/06/h...
How do cats scale trees so gracefully? It’s all in the glutes and claws, says Steve Lampa from @wsuvetmed.bsky.social. I guess we really claw our way to the top! 🐈⬛🌳 #GoCougs #STEMeducation @wsusystem askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/10/30/h...
How do cats climb?
Dear Jake, Sometimes, when I’m working on a tricky question, I scale the tree outside my office. It helps me focus. I asked my friend Steve Lampa how cats like me do that. He teaches small animal anat...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
October 30, 2025 at 6:31 PM
How do cats scale trees so gracefully? It’s all in the glutes and claws, says Steve Lampa from @wsuvetmed.bsky.social. I guess we really claw our way to the top! 🐈⬛🌳 #GoCougs #STEMeducation @wsusystem askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/10/30/h...
Carrots stash sugar so they can plant seeds next year. :🥕🌱 Thanks to veggie expert Tim Waters of @wsuextension.bsky.social for sharing the sweet secret #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/10/23/w...
Why do carrots have sugar?
Dear George and Samuel, Roasted and soft. Raw and crunchy. Baked into a cake. I love eating all kinds of carrots. I asked my friend Tim Waters why those orange veggies are so tasty. He studies vegetab...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
October 23, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Carrots stash sugar so they can plant seeds next year. :🥕🌱 Thanks to veggie expert Tim Waters of @wsuextension.bsky.social for sharing the sweet secret #GoCougs #STEMeducation @pullman.wsu.edu askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/10/23/w...
Cosmo and I dive deep into what happens if you get eaten by a shark🎙️🦈 Spoiler: you’re not on the menu — the shark would probably spit you out faster than you can say cat-astrophe #GoCougs #STEMeducation @wsuvetmed.bsky.social www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis...
Your Paw-some Question | What happens if you get eaten by a shark? - Ask Dr. Universe
Dooooo-doo, Dooooo-doo. 🦈 Today Cosmo and I learn about sharks and their rad digestive systems—all thanks to my friend, Dr. Nora Hickey, fish veterinarian at Washington State University. Want to ...
www.buzzsprout.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Cosmo and I dive deep into what happens if you get eaten by a shark🎙️🦈 Spoiler: you’re not on the menu — the shark would probably spit you out faster than you can say cat-astrophe #GoCougs #STEMeducation @wsuvetmed.bsky.social www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis...
@pullman.wsu.edu's Ed Johnson told me that a growling stomach is borborygmus—the sound of muscles moving gas and liquid around your empty belly. It's just a little meow-sic to get you ready for food. 🐾🎶 askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/10/16/t... #GoCougs #stemeducation
Why does my tummy rumble when I’m hungry?
Dear Jules, Sometimes my stomach growls so loudly that other people can hear it. It’s pretty awkward in meetings. I asked my friend Ed Johnson why that happens. He teaches classes about the human body...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
October 16, 2025 at 6:19 PM
@pullman.wsu.edu's Ed Johnson told me that a growling stomach is borborygmus—the sound of muscles moving gas and liquid around your empty belly. It's just a little meow-sic to get you ready for food. 🐾🎶 askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/10/16/t... #GoCougs #stemeducation
Why do we age? My friend Jiyue Zhu of @pullman.wsu.edu told me it’s still a mystery. But science is starting to explain how time catches up to us—one cell at a time. 🧬 askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/10/08/w... #GoCougs #stemeducation
Why do we age?
Dear Ines, I have gray fur. But sometimes I think it’s getting grayer—like my human friends’ hair does as they get older. I asked my friend Jiyue Zhu about that. He’s a biochemist at Washington State ...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
October 9, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Why do we age? My friend Jiyue Zhu of @pullman.wsu.edu told me it’s still a mystery. But science is starting to explain how time catches up to us—one cell at a time. 🧬 askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/10/08/w... #GoCougs #stemeducation
🐸 Ever wonder what it’s like to give a turtle a pedicure, bathe froglets, or backpack frogs through a forest? My friend @wsuvancouver.bsky.social's Ryan Wagner does it all—for science! 🐢🎒
🎧 Check out the toad-ally awesome podcast here: www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis... #GoCougs #STEMeducation
🎧 Check out the toad-ally awesome podcast here: www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis... #GoCougs #STEMeducation
How Do You Science | Meet a Wildlife Biologist - Ask Dr. Universe
In this episode, I learn all about wildlife biology from my friend, Ryan Wagner. He told me about clipping turtle toenails and bathing froglets—all for science. And he recounted his recent adventure b...
www.buzzsprout.com
October 6, 2025 at 6:26 PM
🐸 Ever wonder what it’s like to give a turtle a pedicure, bathe froglets, or backpack frogs through a forest? My friend @wsuvancouver.bsky.social's Ryan Wagner does it all—for science! 🐢🎒
🎧 Check out the toad-ally awesome podcast here: www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis... #GoCougs #STEMeducation
🎧 Check out the toad-ally awesome podcast here: www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis... #GoCougs #STEMeducation
I may love peanut butter + tuna sandwiches, but allergies are no joke! Today Travis T. Denton of @wsuspokane.bsky.social explains how epinephrine works during anaphylaxis. 🥜💉 #GoCougs #stemeducation askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/10/02/h...
How does epinephrine work?
Dear Annabelle, I love a peanut butter and tuna sandwich. But when I was a kitten, my school outlawed peanuts. My classmate was super allergic to them. So, we had a rule to keep our friend safe. I pac...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
October 2, 2025 at 3:27 PM
I may love peanut butter + tuna sandwiches, but allergies are no joke! Today Travis T. Denton of @wsuspokane.bsky.social explains how epinephrine works during anaphylaxis. 🥜💉 #GoCougs #stemeducation askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/10/02/h...
Ever spotted the moon in the daytime sky? You’re not imagining things! Thanks to my friend Michael Allen of @pullman.wsu.edu for illuminating why 🌕🌔🌙@wsu #stemeducation #GoCougs askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/09/25/c...
Why can we sometimes see the moon during the day?
Dear Eli, I love to go for a walk with my dog roommate. Sometimes we see the moon in the sky—even though it’s daytime. I asked my friend Michael Allen why that happens. He’s an astronomer at Washingto...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
September 25, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Ever spotted the moon in the daytime sky? You’re not imagining things! Thanks to my friend Michael Allen of @pullman.wsu.edu for illuminating why 🌕🌔🌙@wsu #stemeducation #GoCougs askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/09/25/c...
🐞 How do ladybugs cycle their way through life? Rich Zack at
@pullman.wsu.edu @wsucahnrs.bsky.social helped us bug out about their 4 life stages! askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/09/18/l... #GoCougs #stemeducation
@pullman.wsu.edu @wsucahnrs.bsky.social helped us bug out about their 4 life stages! askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/09/18/l... #GoCougs #stemeducation
What is the life cycle of a ladybug?
Dear Rachel, Every spring, I see spiny bugs that look like tiny alligators. They spend all day chomping up other insects outside my window. I asked my friend Rich Zack about them. He’s an insect scien...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
September 18, 2025 at 5:13 PM
🐞 How do ladybugs cycle their way through life? Rich Zack at
@pullman.wsu.edu @wsucahnrs.bsky.social helped us bug out about their 4 life stages! askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/09/18/l... #GoCougs #stemeducation
@pullman.wsu.edu @wsucahnrs.bsky.social helped us bug out about their 4 life stages! askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/09/18/l... #GoCougs #stemeducation
🧫🔬 Forget poison frogs and jellyfish—Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium hanging out in soil, water, and even your kitchen, produces the most potent toxin on Earth. askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/09/11/p... #FoodSafety #GoCougs #STEMeducation @wsuextension.bsky.social
What is the most poisonous thing in the world?
Dear Macmillan, There are some amazing deadly things out there. Like a frog that oozes poison from its skin. Or a jellyfish that uses itty bitty hooks to inject venom into its prey. But it turns out t...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
September 11, 2025 at 5:11 PM
🧫🔬 Forget poison frogs and jellyfish—Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium hanging out in soil, water, and even your kitchen, produces the most potent toxin on Earth. askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/09/11/p... #FoodSafety #GoCougs #STEMeducation @wsuextension.bsky.social
Dogs walk on their toes—like invisible high heels! 👠🐾 That’s digitigrade locomotion. Read the full column 👉 askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/09/04/d... @wsuvetmed.bsky.social @pullman.wsu.edu #GoCougs #stemeducation #stemeducationforkids
Why do dogs have pads on their feet?
Dear Izzy, My coworkers sometimes forget that I’m a cat—until I reach out a paw to shake their hand. At first glance, cat and dog paws seem very different from human hands and feet. I talked about tha...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
September 4, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Dogs walk on their toes—like invisible high heels! 👠🐾 That’s digitigrade locomotion. Read the full column 👉 askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/09/04/d... @wsuvetmed.bsky.social @pullman.wsu.edu #GoCougs #stemeducation #stemeducationforkids
I'm so pleased to hand the mic(robe) to @wsuvetmed.bsky.social's Eric Lofgren for this week's science question 🦠 #GoCougs #STEMeducation #stemeducationforkids askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/08/29/w...
Why do we have germs on our hands?
Dear Prince, Germs are tiny organisms—also called microbes. They’re so small you have to zoom in with a microscope to see them. They can be bacteria, viruses, fungi or other teeny things. Some microbe...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
August 29, 2025 at 10:06 PM
I'm so pleased to hand the mic(robe) to @wsuvetmed.bsky.social's Eric Lofgren for this week's science question 🦠 #GoCougs #STEMeducation #stemeducationforkids askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/08/29/w...
Talking about medications and technology with my friend Damianne Brand-Eubanks was out of this world✨Check out the latest podcast episode: How Do You Science | Meet a Pharmacist www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis... #GoCougs #STEMeducation #stemeducationforkids
August 25, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Talking about medications and technology with my friend Damianne Brand-Eubanks was out of this world✨Check out the latest podcast episode: How Do You Science | Meet a Pharmacist www.buzzsprout.com/1338544/epis... #GoCougs #STEMeducation #stemeducationforkids
Thanks to my friend @wsuvetmed.bsky.social's Nora Hickey for taking a huge bite out of this question 🦈 #GoCougs #STEMeducation #stemeducationforkids askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/08/21/h...
What happens if you if you get eaten by a shark?
Dear Prince, When I was a kitten, I saw a movie about shark attacks. It made me nervous to go into the water. I talked about that with my friend Nora Hickey. She’s a fish veterinarian at Washington St...
askdruniverse.wsu.edu
August 21, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Thanks to my friend @wsuvetmed.bsky.social's Nora Hickey for taking a huge bite out of this question 🦈 #GoCougs #STEMeducation #stemeducationforkids askdruniverse.wsu.edu/2025/08/21/h...