When you first jump into a swimming pool on a really warm day, the water feels rather chilly at first, but then you get used to the cold temperature. Why?

Answered by Tamara Cox, RN, Eastern Idaho Public Health Human skin contains different kinds of sensory receptors (cells) that can identify several distinct types of sensations, such as tapping, vibration, pressure, pain, heat, and cold. Each receptor is triggered by a specific stimulus. Thermoreceptors detect temperature changes and send electrical pulses through sensory nerves to…

Why does lightning sometimes hit the ground and other times go from cloud to cloud?

Answered by Travis Wyatt, National Weather Service, Pocatello Office All lightning comes from thunderstorms. When a thunderstorm develops, electrical charges (either positive or negative) within the cloud separate. This creates two different electric fields between the top of the cloud and the base of the cloud. When these electric fields build up enough, there is…

Career questions for a radiologist.

Questions Answered by Dr. James Schmutz, MD, Neuroradiologist How many years of school does it take to become a Radiologist after high school? Undergraduate college degree 4 years + medical school 4 years + 1 year internship + 4 years radiology residency (+ optional fellowship in a subspecialty 1-2 years) = 13 years (or 14-15 years with…

Is there anywhere on Earth high enough in elevation that you can see through the thin air into the blackness of space?

Question answered by Dr. Brian Tonks, Astronomy Professor, BYU-Idaho The highest point on Earth is the peak of Mt. Everest, 29,029 feet (8850 meters) above sea level. At this elevation, the atmosphere is thin compared to at sea level. Pictures taken from the top of Everest on a clear day distinctly show that the sky…