Kids ask big questions: from fish smells to the meaning of life

Nine-year-olds are relentlessly curious, and podcast host Molly Oldfield’s ‘Everything Under the Sun’ tackles their most perplexing inquiries head-on. This week’s episode dives into a fascinating range of topics – from the surprisingly limited sense of smell in fish to the elusive meaning of ‘six-seven’ and the physics behind why veins appear blue.

Decoding the deep: fish and smell

Surprisingly, fish don’t smell much in the water. Their olfactory systems are primarily designed to detect scents outside their aquatic environment. It’s a clever evolutionary adaptation, almost a self-preservation mechanism, preventing them from being overwhelmed by their own potent chemical signals.

This highlights a fascinating disconnect – something we humans take for granted: the ability to perceive our surroundings through smell.

The meme mystery of ‘six-seven’

Martha, at eight years old, zeroed in on the internet meme ‘six-seven.’ The numbers, she asked, what did they mean? The answer, it turns out, is steeped in numerology and a dash of superstition. ‘Six-seven’ adds up to 13, traditionally considered unlucky in Western cultures. And the sum of 6 multiplied by 7 equals 42 – a number often touted as the answer to life, the universe, and everything, thanks to Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

It’s a playful reminder that meaning isn’t always fixed; it’s often a construct, shaped by cultural narratives and, occasionally, a good dose of fiction.

Veins: blue illusions

Toby’s question about why veins appear blue when blood is red reveals a trick of the light. Blood itself is red, a vibrant hue resulting from the oxygen it carries. However, when blood flows through veins, the way light interacts with the skin’s tissues causes it to scatter blue wavelengths, creating the illusion of blue veins.

A scientific sleight of hand, demonstrating how perception can be profoundly influenced by what’s happening beneath the surface.

The heat of the universe

Sam, at six, wanted to know what’s the hottest thing in the universe. The answer isn’t a single object, but rather the solar flares erupting from stars – colossal releases of energy. Alternatively, the incredibly hot core of the Earth, or even the sun itself, offer contenders. And then there's quark-gluon plasma, a state of matter existing only for fractions of a second after the Big Bang, boasting temperatures exceeding 100 billion degrees Celsius.

These extremes showcase the boundless energy and dynamic processes shaping our cosmos.

Orbiting the sun

Mireya’s question about why planets orbit the sun, and not each other, gets to the heart of gravity. The sun, with its immense mass, exerts a significantly stronger gravitational pull than any other planet. This fundamental difference dictates the planetary orbits, creating a cosmic dance governed by force.

It’s a simple yet profound truth: mass dictates dominance, shaping the very structure of our solar system.

Explore these fascinating questions and more with Molly Oldfield’s ‘Everything Under the Sun’ podcast and her accompanying books. Discover the wonders of the world, one inquiry at a time.