ASK DR. FRED

by Dr. Fred Bortz

For more than twenty years, Dr. Fred Bortz worked as a scientist, researcher, and teacher. Now he spends most of his time writing books and articles for young readers like you.

He enjoys both science and writing for the same reason: HE LOVES QUESTIONS. He writes for people your age because he knows you love questions, too.

For a while, Dr. Fred answered questions by e-mail, but soon he got too many to handle. So he decided instead to put the answer of some of his favorites on line. If you would like to suggest new questions for Dr. Fred to add to his website, send Dr. Fred e-mail. If he uses it, he will send you a free autographed book. If you plan to submit an "Ask Dr. Fred" question, see the hint at the bottom of the page.

Follow the hotlinks to read Dr. Fred's lively and interesting answers to the following questions:

Is there life on Mars?

What Killed the Dinosaurs?

Why is the sky blue? and Why do flowers have so many colors?

Why is ozone bad in smog but good in "ozone layer"?

What If The Earth Had No Moon?

Why do stars twinkle?

Why isn't Pluto a planet anymore?

What are a scientist's views on creation?

Here's a hint about asking good questions. Science is not a collection of facts; it is a way to gain knowledge. It's not as much about what we know as how we know it -- and how we understand it. If you ask Dr. Fred or the scientists at the other sites listed below for a simple fact, such as how fast, large, or hot something is, they'll often just tell you to look it up for yourself. They'll do that because they know the best way to learn something is to put in some effort. If you don't know where to look, then you can ask Dr. Fred or those scientists for some pointers. If you want to understand something better, that's the kind of question that scientists love.

To meet other scientists who like to answer kids' questions, visit The Mad Scientist Network

To learn more about Dr. Fred, his books, and his presentations for schools and community groups, go to the main page of Dr. Fred's Place and follow the links that you find there.

Dr. Fred logo and art may not be reproduced in any form for commercial or educational use without the written permission of its owner, Alfred B. Bortz.