By patting it with its feelers. The article Ant, by Professor Carpenter, will supply you with stories to tell children as fascinating as any fairy tale.
What makes the colours of sunset?
Dust. If it were not for the dust floating in the air, we should lose not only the brilliant sunsets but the glorious cloud scenery as well, and there would be no twilight. Furthermore, all the moisture in the air, which now condenses on the particles of floating dust, would settle on our clothes and on the walls of our rooms. You will find many other curious facts in the article Dust, by John Aitken, who invented the machine for counting the particles of dust in the atmosphere.
How does the brightness of moonlight compare with that of sunlight?
Most people would guess that sunlight is twenty, or, at most, fifty times as strong; yet it is really half a million times stronger. The article Moon, by Dr. Simon Newcomb, is full of such curious information and of delightful pictures.
Why did the Israelites in bondage need straw to put in their bricks, although we do not use it in ours?
The article Brick tells you that their bricks were made of Nile mud, which would not bind without something to hold it together.
When sea-water freezes, does the salt go into the ice?
Only one-fifth of it, the article Ice says.
Are you sure you like the taste of vanilla?