Your questions about various things

Dear Tiki: Thank you so much for answering my last question on what happens after we die. But now I have another question. I love dinosaurs. I wish they were alive. I would like to have an Ankylosaurus as my pet. Then if anyone would attack me or my friends, the Ankylosaurus would just wag its tail and the heavy ball at the end of the tail would hit those bad people and defeat them. My question is: How did Dinosaurs vanish from earth? I have a book about dinosaurs which says that the earth was hit by a big meteorite which killed the dinosaurs. Then why did it not destroy everything on earth, why just the dinosaurs? Last time you told that my question was a difficult one. This time it is an easy one. Please answer soon as I love to receive answers from you. Thank you, Aditya.

Dear Aditya: You certainly come up with some interesting questions. Your dinosaur question is much easier because there’s lots of evidence about what happened to them. Even so, nobody is quite certain of the details because it all happened a long time ago. So… what happened to the dinosaurs? As you say, the Earth was hit by a large meteorite called an asteroid. It struck the planet in what is now part of Mexico (the Yucatan region). This took place 65 million years ago. We know that after this direct hit, no more dinosaurs like your favourite ankylosaur remained alive, but we also know that they had been getting fewer in number for hundreds of thousands of years before the big hit. It may be that the explosion which the asteroid made when it hit finished off these animals. But it didn’t only affect dinosaurs. It affected many other plants and animals all round the world, both on the land and in the sea. Many other things died out – became extinct – as well. There have been other similar extinctions, both before and after the Yucatan asteroid hit the planet. Some of these were really bad. In one earlier extinction, about 9 out of 10 of all animals and plants died out and life took millions of years to recover. This particular event seems to have been caused by the planet rapidly getting hotter – global warming. Very scary since the same thing seems to be happening right now, this time caused by people burning lots of coal, oil and gas to power cars, airplanes, factories and to make electricity. The fumes from all this burning trap heat from the sun rather like a greenhouse on a sunny day, so this warming is often called ‘the greenhouse effect’. You’ve probably heard about it and you can find out much more in my climate change guide. And by the way, the dinosaurs didn’t all die out in the Yucatan asteroid hit. You can see descendants of the dinosaurs every day, all over the planet. I’m one. The birds! We birds are descended from dinosaurs. How about that!?

Dear Tiki: I love to visit your site to meet you. Sometimes I don’t understand some of the stuff that is written here because I am only six years old. My mother reads it to me. I study at a school in Delhi, India. I have a question for you. I love to watch cartoons. In some program I learnt about graveyards. When I asked my parents about graveyards, they told me that Hindus are not buried but burnt and Christians are buried in the ground and a cross is put on top. Then I wanted to know, what happens after death. Do the dead people become little stars in the sky or do they come back to earth in any other form like animals or ants or vampires? Do they become monsters ( I love monsters) or ghosts? Do they go to heaven? Where is heaven, is it in space? Do the dead people become aliens and then come back to capture us? My mother suggested that I should write to you to get a good answer. Can you answer my question?
Aditya.

Dear Aditya, Your questions are very difficult! I can answer some, but the others are questions almost everyone asks but the answer is always the same: nobody knows. Also, do remember I’m just a penguin! The bodies of Hindu people are, I think, usually burned when they die. Christian people always used to be buried in the ground, in graveyards, but nowadays, most get burned (cremated) like Hindus. What happens after people die? As I said, nobody knows. Some people think that a sort of spirit continues on and lives somewhere else, perhaps heaven… wherever that is and if it exists. Others think that this spirit enters a new body (like a new born baby) and begins life again as a new person. (This is called ‘reincarnation’.) Still others think that when someone dies, there is no spirit or anything at all left of that person. But there are lots of different ideas. And nobody knows if they’re right or wrong. Vampires do exist but they are real animals: a type of blood-sucking bat (they usually suck the blood of cattle at night while the animals sleep). Monsters, ghosts and aliens, so far as we know, do not exist though once again, many people claim that they do. I’m sorry that I can’t say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to your questions. You see, what people see and what people believe are not the same. And different people believe different things. It’s all very complicated and difficult and, as you grow up, you will probably decide for yourself what the answers to your questions really are.

Dear Mr. Tiki, Can you help me and Nicolle with our science fair project? We are trying to research a project dealing with recycling, littering, and saving trees. Can you please help us?

Hello: Here are some helpful links: wesavetrees.org for ideas about saving trees, Troy, Alabama’s anti-litter campaign has litter tips (scroll down). Then there’s my Pollution Guide where you can find out stuff about recycling (try the links page at the end as well). And there are other parts of my website which might help. Try using my search engine. I hope this helps you with your science fair project.

Why do people use resources that we have a lot of, that’s going to runout and use resources that last for a long time? Sienna

Hello Sienna
I think I understand your question. People use resources which are quick and easy to get at and from which they can make money fast. Few people stop to think of the consequences for the future. The result is things like climate change because of burning fossil fuels – and that’s just one example. I hope people get to understand that they need to use resources like solar power which will last forever and which are essentially free.
from Tiki the Penguin – for kids and for the planet

hi tiki: i am 10 and i was just wondering, how would you get a guy to like you if he don’t? and also i was wondering how do you get him to ask you out if he dont like you? love sophie age 10 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hello Sophie: Dating is tricky – for me, as a penguin (because I really don’t know about such things) – and for people too (because they have to start somewhere and learn as you are). If you’re ten years old, then I shouldn’t worry too much. If the fellow you like doesn’t like you, there’s not much you can do about it! Best thing would be to look for someone else perhaps. You have plenty of time. Relax!

dear tiki: what do you do is someone is bulling you at school and you dont no to tell the teacher or not. lot of love lucy xxxx

Dear Lucy: I think if someone is bullying you at school you should talk to your parents about it first. Then maybe you – or they – can talk to your teacher.

IS THERE ARE ALIENS REALLY IN THE PLANET MARS

So far as we know, there’s no life on Mars at all. There could possibly be microbes deep down underground but all the various space probes which have landed on Mars have shown no evidence of any life. There does seem to have been a lot of water millions of years ago.

WHAT IS A BLACKHOLE ? IS IT REALLY IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM ?

So far as we know, there is no black hole in our solar system. The nearest really large one is probably the centre of our galaxy which is a very long way away. Black holes are regions of space where gravity (the force that attracts you and me towards the centre of the Earth) is so powerful that nothing, not even light (which travels at around 300,000,000 metres per second), can escape its pull. So it appears black. There are probably black holes in the centres of all galaxies but they can’t be seen directly.

IS THERE ANY MORE PLANETS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM ?

There are 8 major planets, as you probably know. Pluto, once called a planet, is now considered by astronomers to be too small as there are many other minor planets like it in the outer parts of the solar system. More get found all the time as bigger and more specialised telescopes are built.

HOW CAN CHILDREN BE ECO- FRIENDLY ?

Eco-friendly kids? I suggest looking through my guides and taking to heart my suggestions for lifestyles. Above all, children need to get used to the idea of having less stuff; exactly what advertising doesn’t want them to do. What makes matters worse is the pressure every kid feels from her friends to have the latest fashions, gizmos, whatever. This is difficult to resist. It’s an advertiser’s dream to help turn all kids into future ‘consumers’; people who buy much more stuff than they actually need. The idea behind all this is that buying more and more stuff (and throwing away more and more ‘old’ stuff) makes people happy. It doesn’t and it’s trashing the planet.

WELL HERE’S A QUESTION FOR YOU THAT, IS IT TRUE THAT THERE ARE ALIENS. WHO ARE ATTACKING MANY PLANES. THEY ARE ALSO ATTACKING MANY PEOPLE. PEOPLE ALSO SEE MANY FLYING SAUCERS.MOSTLY IT IS SHOWEN IN ALL NEWS CHANNELS. PLEASE REPLY ME…

I don’t think there is any proper evidence that aliens are attacking planes or people. There are plenty of people who like to believe such things though. I don’t know why.

Hello,Tiki,I am 6 and I livein England. My question is what drug is the Healthiest and which is the worst, e.g. (vaccination and alcohol). Best Wishes for you and your site,Adam

Hello Adam: You’ve asked me a very tricky question! You see, there are two quite different things which are called ‘drugs’. One sort of drug is (for example) aspirin which people everywhere use to stop headaches. These types of medical drugs are what you can buy at a chemist’s shop or what your doctor might prescribe for you if you’re ill.      The other sort of drugs are those which change people’s state of mind, like making them feel really good about themselves, very happy, carefree and so on. But many of these sorts of drugs are illegal: the government tries to prevent them being sold because they can be very dangerous. These are drugs like cocaine and heroin. Some drugs, like alcohol, are legal (to people over 18) and they’re sold everywhere: supermarkets, shops and bars. You probably know what they are: alcohol (which you asked about) and tobacco (cigarettes). You mention vaccination. A vaccination is not a drug at all and you have them to help your body build up its own defences against nasty diseases like polio or tuberculosis. It’s very difficult to answer your question ‘which is the healthiest’ drug. No drugs are healthy exactly. All medical drugs can have unwanted side effects, and you take them to make you better if you’re ill. The mind-altering drugs are also not healthy, particularly tobacco (which kills about 2 million people each year around the world). Alcohol can also be very dangerous as it damages people’s bodies and makes them do stupid things like drive dangerously. The illegal drugs also can make people do stupid things and some are addictive. (That means that once you start taking the drug, you want to take it again and again.) I hope my answers help you understand how difficult your question was!

What are the reasons for a government?

That’s a difficult one! The main reason I can think of is to run human affairs in a reasonable way so that people have a framework of laws which make sure that they get along as well as possible with everyone else. Not all governments are very good or very successful at this but that is basically what they do.

Hi Tiki, My name is sarah! My tech teacher has asked me to fined out about Hydraulics could you explain to me in basic terms what it is all about
thankyou sarah

Hello Sarah: This link shows the basic idea of hydraulics. Hydraulics work because liquids, like solids, cannot be compressed. Gases, on the other hand, can be very easily compressed.

Why is everthing today about profit???? Dont they care about the consumer?

I don’t know the answer to your questions but I don’t think everything is about profit. There are many organisations which do useful things which are not for profit.

Dear Tiki: I searched your website on War but I did’nt find what I require. I want information on why wars should be banned. Kindly help me in this.Looking forward to your quick reply. From Ishan

Dear Ishan: I don’t have much information on war because I don’t like thinking about it.
I think most people would happily agree to ban wars if they could because they know the terrible suffering and deaths that they cause, not just to people but to the whole of nature where the war happens to take place. That, to me, is the best of reasons to ban war. But I don’t see it happening.
Some types of warfare are banned by conventions (the Geneva Protocol) though not everyone sticks to these. There are agreements to ban chemical and biological warfare, and attempts have been made to ban nuclear wars too. But it’s more by luck than conventions that none of these things (the so-called Weapons of Mass Destruction) have been used for a while. The conventions are more to restrict how wars can be fought and how prisoners of war should be treated. They are not intended to stop wars; just make them not quite so brutal. I hope this helps.

hi tiki: i am called paige and i just want to now how you do all of this because penguins do not have fingers ???? i love your website it is great rock on tiki..!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hi i am called paige and i am 11 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you go to my About page, you can find the answer to your question!

Your always using energy all the time so when you die do you use energy?

When you are dead, you aren’t ‘you’ any more. So no, you don’t use energy

hey i am maroun i am lookin for friends. i need friends.

Hello Maroun: We all need friends, I agree. The best place to look would be in your
neighbourhood or at your school. Are there clubs you could join? Sometimes,
making good friends takes a little while and you have to work at it! Good luck!

my friend keeps getting in moods with me. what shall i do from-ellie

Ignore them, Ellie, and look for some new friends!

Hi Penguin, I think i am helping by doing a magazine.This would help children in their vocabulary and also help them to know more history. I also want to ask you that if I want to get a website how can I get one? Best wishes, Eugenia

Dear Eugenia: Your magazine sounds a great idea! As for getting a website, this is a little more complicated. The fact that you have sent me an email tells me that you must have an Internet Service Provider (ISP). ISPs will normally offer you free webspace in which you can place your website when you’ve made it. The best thing you can do is contact your ISP and ask them what they offer. You could also look at this site as an example of how to get started.

hello ,i have a question about having baths. im very conserned about the world ,and animals ,but my cousin has baths 7 times or less a week and i was wondering how i could get her to have shower. i tried to presade her but she can at me with some really stupid answers like i dont know who to work the shower we dont have a lock on the door so i was wondering if you have any facts that will shock her and make her have more shower. thanks tiki the penguin

There are plenty of shocking facts in my various guides. But couldn’t you just show your cousin what to do? Show her how the shower works. Show her how to lock the door — or make a notice to put on it saying ‘Shower occupied’ or something like that. If you counter all her objections, she’ll soon run out of excuses.

Why do people mess up Earth?

Simple question… tricky answer. Some people just want to make lots of money and don’t care what damage they do in this quest. But most people aren’t really aware that they are ‘messing up the Earth’. That’s why I have made my website so that at least kids have a chance to understand what’s going on around them. Then, like you, they can get involved in doing something. Everyone should, as you said in your other email, be more like you and “recycle, save water and pick up papers”. But there’s much more to be done too!

Hello Tiki! I want to know more about Global Warming and I have to draw some comics about it. I want to know what to draw. Could you please send me some tips??? I’m not very good at drawing, but I like it. I’m not that creative, either. Please help! THANK YOU! (= ~!*C h r i s t y*!~ =)

Hello Christy: I don’t know anything about drawing. The cartoons of me on my website are drawn by a clever cartoonist called Anne. All I can suggest is that you use some of my global warming guide cartoons as basic ideas and see if you can create something similar. Perhaps you could invent another character — something which you can easily draw.

Do you think I could be Prime Minister (because of my ideas)? Your Friend, Jasmine

Jasmine has sent in several good ideas to help me improve my website

I suppose anyone could be Prime Minister if they tried hard enough. But you have to be very good at public speaking

Hi! I am a 12 year old girl and When I first searched for your website I needed Keystage 3 information. Although I have found out a few facts, in which they don’t teach us in school, I was thinking, perhaps U could make this website for different age groups! Sorry if U do do this it’ll B gr8! But if U don’t sorry if it caused U any inconvenience! sahlia

Hello Sahlia: My website is for children everywhere. Keystage 3 is, I think, part of the British education system. I don’t tailor my site for any particular country or age group. But you’ll notice that most of my guides have much more detail (small popup windows if you click certain links) which are intended for older kids or even adults.

Dear Tiki: I am wondering if it is possible to download your files, the guide to GE in particular, for printing up. I did not notice this option on the website. Or is it is possible to order a hardcopy of the guide?

The files are there for you to download and print out as you will. They’re not designed for the printed page, of course, but there’s nothing to stop you printing any of them out. You’re welcome to do so. There’s no formal hardcopy guide available but a New Zealand group opposing genetic engineering did make their own version a few years ago for distribution in schools. Anyone can do this if they want. All I ask is that you acknowledge the source.

Dear Tiki, I really like science. Is your website about science? From, Jacob. P.S. Please write back.

Hello Jacob: I wouldn’t say my site was ‘about science’. What it tries to do is use such scientific knowledge as we have to inform kids (and adults too) about some of the main issues facing people and the planet they, and we penguins and other life, live on. But yes, science is very interesting, isn’t it