Skip to content

Science

Q&A

Every week, C. Claiborne Ray answers questions from the readers of The New York Times who never seem to run out of things to ask about. Have a question? E-mail it to question@nytimes.com.

Every week, C. Claiborne Ray answers questions from the readers of The New York Times who never seem to run out of things to ask about. Have a question? E-mail it to question@nytimes.com.

  1. The Truth About Brushing

    An expert suggests that water that is too warm may soften toothbrush bristles or may collect harmful chemicals from pipes.

    By C. Claiborne Ray

     

  2. Avian Affairs

    Many birds mate with members of other bird species, experts say, sometimes producing hybrid offspring.

    By C. Claiborne Ray

     

  3. Micro Go Round

    The reversal in direction has to do with the inexpensive motors used in most microwaves, and should have no effect on the rate of heating, experts say.

    By C. Claiborne Ray

     

  4. Raw vs. Roasted

    No research has specifically addressed how roasting nuts may change their nutritional value, but one expert thinks a person can get benefits eating them either way.

    By C. Claiborne Ray

     

  5. Through a Glass, Darkly

    Cataracts cannot grow back, but after surgery, patients may develop another condition that causes blurred vision.

    By C. Claiborne Ray

     

  6. To Whom It May Concern

    Pioneer 10 and 11 carry plaques intended to show where they came from and who made them, and other spacecraft contain information about Earth and humankind.

    By C. Claiborne Ray

     

  7. Weathering the Storm

    Whether plants survived after Hurricane Sandy depended mostly on their salt tolerance, which is often higher in plants that evolved on or near a coast.

    By C. Claiborne Ray

     

  8. High Cotton

    Water droplets disperse the wavelengths of light evenly, so no color predominates and the clouds appear white.

    By C. Claiborne Ray

     

  9. Taking Sides

    Organs are perfectly arranged to carry out their tasks, experts say, including the asymmetrically arranged ones like the liver and heart.

    By C. Claiborne Ray

     

  10. Winter Wakefulness

    Insect metabolism for many species slows drastically in the cold or in other unfavorable conditions, a shutdown called diapause.

    By C. Claiborne Ray