1. Martha, 8, asks: how are snails and slugs different?

   1. Snails tend to live longer than slugs

   2. Slugs dry out more easily than snails

   3. Slugs are more flexible

   4. All of the above

2. Ruaridh, 8, asks: if all rivers lead to the ocean, why are rivers freshwater and oceans saltwater?

   1. Rivers transport salt to the oceans, but unsalty rain replenishes the rivers

   2. The sea has its own salt-making factory

   3. Ocean fish produce salt, river fish don’t

   4. More sand in the ocean makes it saltier

3. Aariya, 7, asks: why do Komodo dragons have a poisonous bite?

   1. It’s a myth – Komodo dragons don’t bite anything

   2. They’re antisocial – it keeps other dragons away

   3. The poison means they can catch and kill large prey, like water buffalo

   4. They want to be able to show off about their poison

4. Aurora, 7, asks: what do whales eat?

   1. The salt in the ocean

   2. Shipwrecks

   3. Fish

   4. It depends on the species

5. Muna, 13, asks: when people inhale helium, why does their voice sound high-pitched and funny?

   1. Helium makes your tongue larger, which makes your voice higher

   2. You’re just imagining it!

   3. Helium is less dense than air, causing the sound waves to travel faster

   4. Helium makes your vocal cords shrivel up

Solutions

1:D - Apart from that snails have shells, there are a few less obvious differences. In dry, exposed spaces, snails can survive more easily by retreating into their shell, whereas slugs can’t. Slugs are more flexible in their movements, but in the UK, snails tend to live longer., 2:A - Rivers contain minerals from rocks and other materials which they carry to the oceans, but rain replaces the river water so it remains fresh and unsalty., 3:C - The Komodo dragon’s bite means its prey can’t escape very far before the poison takes effect. , 4:D - Thanks to Aurora for sending in this question and helping with the answers! Whales eat the chemicals in the ocean, but what else they eat depends on the species. The orca eats sharks and fish, seals, seabirds and even other whales. The blue whale mostly eats krill (shrimp-like creatures). , 5:C - Helium is lighter than air, so it makes sound waves travel faster through our vocal tract. Helium briefly alters the way the sounds we make resonate in our vocal tract, so the higher pitched voice tones sound much louder than the low tones.

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.