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Tr y c oooeeeexxpxpereriimimi entsSCIENCE
LAB
D
o cows with names produce more milk? Can birds recognize different painting
styles? Believe it or not, scientists have done real tests to answer wacky ques-
tions like these. But the silly investigations have a serious side, helping make life
better. Check out five experiments that’ll make you laugh—and learn.FLEA POWER
Sidesplitting Experiment:Fleas
can jump onto the coats of dogs or
cats, where they like to burrow. To
learn which are better leapers—dog
fleas or cat fleas—French scientists
put both at the base of tubes ranging
from about a half inch to 12 inches in
height. Then they noted which fleas
jumped above the rim of each tube.BY SCOTT ELDER
ART BY KARL WESTFunny Findings: Leaping high
enough to clear a nine-inch tube,
dog fleas won. This makes them one
of the world’s best jumpers.
Not-So-Silly Uses: Scientists can
use the findings to make more life-
like machines. For instance, a group
of engineers in New Zealand devel-
oped jumping robots, modeling their
design after fleas.Get the scoop on some hilarious experiments.
24 MAY 2017