The Quirks & Quarks Question Roadshow

It's our annual award-winning, audience-pleasing, brain-teasing,Quirks Question Road Show this year, recorded live at theMikeLazaridisTheatre at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Ontario.

DaieneVernilefrom Waterloo asks: "Why are more people right-handed than left-handed?" The answer comes fromDr. PamBryden, Chair of theKinesiologyand Physical Education Department atWilfredLaurierUniversity, in Waterloo.

MarkBoughanfrom Cambridge asks: "IfZorn, the evil alien overlord, used his hyper-powered disintegrator ray to cut right through the earth in a clean swipe, what would happen?" The answer comes fromDr. MichelFich, a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo.

JeffHolthamfrom Waterloo, Ontario asks: "Sometimes, I just can't remember what I was doing, or intending to do just moments ago. Yet, I can still quote from episodes of MASH I watched decades ago. Why does this happen?" The answer comes fromDr.MyraFernandes, a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Waterloo.

JalynnMengfrom Toronto asks: "What happens if a light beam or light particle is emitted from a point close to the center of a black hole toward the 'event horizon' of the same black hole?" The answer comes fromDr. AveryBroderick, a theoretical astrophysicist at the University of Waterloo and the Perimeter Institute.

Ten year old EmmaDeu-NgocfromMaryhill, Ontario asks: "How thick is skin? How far can it stretch?" The answer comes fromDr.LinaDagnino, a Professor of physiology and pharmacology at theSchulichSchool of Medicine and Dentistry, at Western University in London.

Kris Chute fromThorndale, Ontario asks: "Assuming similar development and technology as humans, would an alien astronomer, looking at Earth from 1000 light years away, be able to detect any signs of life on our planet?" The answer comes fromDr.StanimirMetchev, an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Western University in London.

GrahamMoogk-Soulisfrom Waterloo, asks: "When I hug and kiss my dog, I feel that I have a similar biochemical reaction as when I hug or kiss my son or wife. But when my dog cuddles and kisses me, are similar chemicals released in his brain, or do I just taste good to him?" The answer comes fromDr. LeeNiel, Assistant Professor and Chair in Companion Animal Welfare at the Ontario Veterinary College of the University ofGuelph.

JayEllenbogenfrom Belleville, asks: "Does the increased amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere make plants grow faster?" And David Busch fromOakville, asks: "Given the worldwide need to reduce carbon dioxide by planting trees, should we northerners be planting mostly coniferous trees, which have green needles year round, rather than deciduous trees, which are bare for half the year?" The answers come fromDr. GordonMcNickle, a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biology atWilfredLaurierUniversity in Waterloo.

Derek Phillips from Waterloo asks: "How long should Canadians born today expect to live? And do we know where this increase inlifespanis likely to level off?" The answer comes fromDr.ParminderRaina, lead Principal Investigator for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, and a Professor in the Department of ClinicalEpidemiologyandBiostatisticsatMcMasterUniversity in Hamilton.

Allan Williams from Toronto, Ontario asks: "Why does the major scale sound 'right' to western ears? Why does a major scale seem 'happier' than a minor scale?" The answer comes fromDr. MichaelSchutz, an Assistant Professor of Music Cognition atMcMasterUniversity in Hamilton.