Owlkids

What if people could be invisible? What if dogs had wings? Email chickadee@owlkids.com with your questions and a photo of yourself, or send a letter to You Asked? (address page 32). Chick and Dee Answered! 28 chickadee I f there was no night, we could play in the sunshine all day long! Without darkness, though, some things would be harder. Darkness signals our bodies to produce melatonin (say: mel-ah-TOE-nin), a hormone that helps us fall asleep. Sleeping restores a body's energy after a busy day. Also, nocturnal animals would have a harder time hunting prey without the cover of night. During summer, some places around the Arctic Circle get almost 24 hours of sun. Locals adapt with a regular sleep routine, eye masks or thick curtains to block out the sun. Sleep tight in the light! N o one knows for sure, but some scientists think the sea sponge, a bottom-dwelling marine creature, was the first animal on Earth. Scientists point to the sponge's simple body structure as one reason it may be the first animal. Other scientists think the first animal was the comb jelly, even though its jelly-like body is more complex. What do you think, SpongeBob? TEXT: MANDY NG PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES ILLUSTRATIONS: RÉMY SIMARD J ust as your body turns food into energy to keep you going, a vehicle converts gasoline into energy to power motion. Inside the vehicle, an engine controls the parts that make the car move. The gasoline makes many tiny "explosions" in the engine, which powers the parts that turn the wheels. Not all vehicles use gasoline, though. Some cars have electric batteries to power their engines. Why do cars and trucks need gasoline to move? Caleb, 6 What was the fi rst animal on Earth? Bria, 6 What if there was no night? Liliya, 6

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