Jissu Saikia, Class X, St. Mary’s High School, North Lakhimpur

Question: Is somewhere in the space present a universe like ours as a parallel universe?

Answer: The observable universe accessible with the existing technology is believed to have a diameter of around 92 billion light-years and probably contains around two trillion galaxies. However, the real dimension of the universe may be much bigger than what is observable with the available technology today and probably be infinitely large. According to the Parallel Universe Theory, there is a possibility that the universe contains an infinite number of separate universes that may form a grand multiverse. 

Nimisha Pathak, Class X, St. Mary’s High School, North Lakhimpur

Question: Why is the blood red?

Answer: Blood is red because of the red blood cells it contains. The red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin which is made up subunits called hemes that give blood its red color. The hemes can bind iron molecules, and the iron molecules bind oxygen. The blood cells appear red in colour due to the interaction between iron and oxygen. 

Koushik Saikia, Class X, Don Bosco English School, North Lakhimpur

Question: Why are flowers colourful rather than colourless?

Answer: Flowers have become colourful through the process of evolution. It is believed that most of the earliest flowers were pale whitish or a little yellow and a little green in colour. They were pollinated by wind; the pollen in those flowers would just blow on the wind to the next flower and pollinate it. However, as in the process of evolution, bees, butterflies and other insects started acting as pollinators, flowers began to develop colour. Bees, butterflies and many other insects can see colours. Bees, in particular, can see blues and reds really well. They also can see polarized light and ultraviolet light. Hence, to attract such pollinators, flowers began to evolve beautiful colors so that they can spread their pollen and reproduce.

Angshuman Kashyap, Class X, Don Bosco English School, North Lakhimpur         

Question: What is the complex form of carbohydrate?

Answer: Complex carbohydrates are called polysaccharides. They are made of multiple sugar units called monosaccharides. Examples of complex carbohydrates are starch, glycogen, and cellulose. They are found in foods like whole grains, pulses, starchy vegetables, and fruits. They cannot be digested quickly and usually take a little longer for the body to digest than simple carbohydrates.