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Hey, smarty pants. Trusty narrator here. Back with another episode of SmartYQ where I answer questions from you, the Smarty Pants We've got animals, sneezes, bees, banners, and water on the menu today, so let's get smarting. Question one comes from James in Hudson in Sinton, Texas, who ask, what makes an animal hypoallergenic? Great question, smartypants. First things first. What does hypoallergenic mean? When something is called hypoallergenic, it means it is less likely to cause allergies in people. Not allergy proof, just less likely to make you sneezy, itchy, or get watery eyes. With that in mind, hypoallergenic animals like dogs or cats are good for pet owners who might be allergic to them. So what makes an animal hypoallergenic? Well, most people think they're allergic to fur, but really, allergies usually come from the tiny proteins found in an animal's dander, which is dead skin flakes, saliva or urine. Animals that are called hypoallergenic usually shed less, produce less dander, or have hair that traps dander instead of spreading it into the air. That's why some dogs, cats, and other small pets may bother people less because there's fewer allergy proteins floating around. But remember, no animal is 100% hypoallergenic. Also, everyone's allergies are different, so one person's hypoallergenic pet might still make another person sneeze. And speaking of sneezes, question two comes from super smarty fan Kyle, who asks, why do some people cry when they yawn or sneeze? It's a great question. When you yawn or sneeze, your face muscles squeeze really hard. At the same time, pressure builds up around your eyes. The muscles near tear ducts get squished, and sometimes tears get pushed out. Even if you're not sad, it's kind of like squeezing a water balloon just a little too much. The tears are already there and the pressure just makes them spill out. So those yawning or sneezing tears are just your face doing a little accidental plumbing. Okay, question number three comes from Archie in Seattle, Washington, who wants to know, how do bees make beehives? That's another amazing animal question, Archie. Bees make hives using wax they produce themselves. Worker bees have special glands on their bodies that turn sugar from honey into tiny flakes of wax. Here's how it Bees eat honey. Wax flakes come out of their bodies. The bees chew the wax to soften it and Then they carefully shape it into hexagons. And those hexagon shapes are perfect because they're strong, they fit together without wasted space, and they hold lots of honey and baby bees. Building a hive is a full team effort with thousands of bees working together, placing bees among nature's best and expert builders. All right, three questions down and a few more to go, including one about the water we drink every day. And we'll get to that right after a quick break and a word from our sponsors. Hey there homeschool parents. Trusty here and wow. February. Oof. Am I right? The days are short, the calendar is packed and you want to keep learning consistent and moving towards spring goals without more stress for you or your kids. That is where IXL comes in. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into homeschooling. It offers interactive personalized practice across math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. Whether your kids need to reinforce a tricky concept or they're ready to zoom ahead, IXL handles the heavy lifting at your kids pace, including immediate and simple explanations of anything they get wrong so you don't have to be an expert on, well, everything. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and who SmartEd listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when you sign up today at www.ixl.com smarted. Visit www.ixl.com smartEd to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Hey smarty friends Trusty here. Are you looking for another kids and family podcast that combines humor with learning in a way that captivates? Then check out welcome to Hope Springs. It is the newest audio drama from the Augustin Institute, the award winning team behind the adventures of Nick and Sam and the Trials of St Patrick. Set in the fictional mountain town of Hope Springs, the story follows a close group of friends who spend their days at the old depot and a newly restored train station until an innocent prank sparks a mystery that stretches across the entire town. Created by award winning writer Paul McCusker, it's packed with humor, adventure and really thoughtful moments of friendship, courage and faith. It's the kind of show that sparks imagination without screens, and it's perfect for listening together in the car or at home. Don't miss out. Follow welcome to Hope Springs on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you're listening now. As the trusty narrator, I've taken the smarty pants on countless adventures. I'll do anything for the fans, but off mic. I prefer to keep my adventures in the safe space of my own backyard. However, even a homebody like me can't avoid the unexpected chaos that comes with family life. Take last week, for example. My niece was staying with me when she came down with a nasty cold in the middle of the night. I couldn't leave her alone to get medicine. And. And that's when I remembered Doordash is there for you. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. With a few taps on my phone, I had cough syrup and tissues delivered right to my door. Doordash saved the night, and my niece was back to her energetic self in no time. Oh, and did I order a little ice cream for myself. Yes, I did, and Doordash brought it right to my door. So while I may not be the biggest fan of real life adventures, I'm grateful that Doordash is always there to help me navigate life's little emergencies. When life happens, get a little order delivered with DoorDash order now. Now back to SmartYqs. Question four comes from Nico in Canada, who asks who decides what's considered polite? Ooh, what a thoughtful question, Nico. The short answer is people decide together. What's considered polite depends on several factors, including culture, family traditions, the time period, and where you live. For example, in some places, looking someone directly in the eye while speaking to them is polite, whereas in other places, it can be seen as rude. Some cultures slurp noodles to show appreciation, whereas others may think slurping is bad manners. Polite behavior usually develops because it helps people feel respected, live together peacefully, and show kindness. So there's no single politeness. Boss of the world. Manners are something that societies slowly agree on and pass down over time. Thanks for asking. Okay, moving on to question number five. Thomas and his older sister Sophie want to know, will drinking milk, warm or cold, help us sleep at night? That's a great question, Smartypants. You may have heard people say that a warm glass of milk helps you fall asleep. And there's actually a little science behind that idea. Milk contains two helpful things. Tryptophan, an amino acid that helps your body make serotonin, and melatonin, chemicals that help you feel calm and sleepy, and calcium, which helps your brain use tryptophan properly. So, yes, drinking milk can help your body get ready for sleep. But what about warm versus cold milk? Warm milk doesn't have special magic sleep powers, but the warmth itself can be calming. Holding a warm mug and sipping something cozy can help your body relax, just like a warm bath or soft pajamas. Cold milk still has the same helpful nutrients. It just doesn't have that extra cozy effect. And one important note, milk won't knock you out like a light switch. It just gently helps your body wind down. So if milk makes you feel cozy and calm, warm or cold, it might be a nice bedtime helper, especially when paired with brushing your teeth, turning off screens, and getting comfy in bed. And speaking of drinking, we have one final question about the water we drink. And we'll get to it right after another quick break and a word from our sponsors. Now back to smarteq. Okay, this last question comes from my smarty friend Sasha, who asks, how do you make drinking water? This is an excellent and very important question. Drinking water usually starts as river water, lake water, or groundwater from underground. However, before we can drink it, the water goes through several steps at a water treatment plant. First, big debris like sticks and dirt are filtered out. Then chemicals are added to make all the tiny particles in the water clump together. Those clumps sink to the bottom and are then removed. The water is filtered again and finally it's cleaned with disinfectants to kill germs. By the time water reaches your faucet, it's been cleaned, filtered, and tested to make sure it's safe to drink. And that's all for this episode of SmartYQ. Remember, if you've got a question you've been wondering about, have an adult help you. Send it to WhoSmartedHoosmarted dot, and I'll try to answer it on a future episode. Until next time, keep on smarting.