
Do spiders sleep? Why are barns red? Why is there a crescent moon on outhouse doors? Are zebras white with black stripes or black with white stripes?As the Xerox Corporation's official webmaster, Bill McLain often fielded as many as 1,000 questions a day on just about everything under the sun -- and beyond. The wildest, funniest, and even most astute are collected here (along with their answers) in McLain's second volume that's as fascinating and enlightening as his first, Do Fish Drink Water? A "veritable Internet legend known for having all the answers" (San Francisco Chronicle), McLain explains what keeps squirrels from toppling off telephone wires; why the skin on your fingers and toes shrivels up in the water; how seedless watermelons are created; and more. Whether it's animal, vegetable, mineral, or something completely different, the answer is bound to be as interesting as the question itself, and certain to satisfy the trivia hound in everyone.
This book investigates the answers to a wide array of curious, everyday questions that arise from the intersection of nature, science, and human observation. Bill McLain, drawing on his experience as a webmaster fielding thousands of inquiries, compiles a diverse set of queries that range from biological phenomena to cultural oddities. The text utilizes a question-and-answer format to distill complex or obscure facts into accessible, bite-sized explanations for the general reader.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Readers frequently note that the book serves as an entertaining and lighthearted resource for trivia enthusiasts. Experts highlight the work as a successful example of popular science communication that prioritizes accessibility and curiosity over technical depth.
Page Count:
336
Publication Date:
2002-01-08
Publisher:
Harper Perennial
ISBN-10:
0060000244
ISBN-13:
9780060000240
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