Ask Dr. Universe

Dr. Universe: Asked by Izzy, age 10, from Maryland.

Dear Izzy,

Not only do I enjoy answering science questions from kids, but I also like naps, tuna fish sandwiches and chasing lasers. I wasn’t entirely sure why I like chasing those little red dots. I asked my friend Leticia Fanucchi, a veterinarian at Washington State University.

“Cats like lasers because they are predators and like to chase or hunt anything that moves fast around them,” Fanucchi said.

A zipping red light that quickly switches directions might have a similar motion to a mouse or other critter. The light sort of mimics an anim...