Watch CBS News

Good Questions: Cannons, Baby Footprints & Sunflowers

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Larye from Minneapolis wants to know: Why don't they fire the cannon off at Gopher football games anymore?

This is something they did for years after every Gopher touchdown. Rod Wallace, the man who fired the cannon, retired after this past season.

But he also said that there were some close calls near the cannon, and there was a noise factor and a safety concern. So the Goal Line Club decided not to use the cannon this year.

---------------

Stephanie from Minneapolis wants to know: Why do they footprint a baby when they're born?

Our friends at HCMC tell us it's part of the identification process, and it's been going on for decades.

Parents also receive matching bracelets so they know whose baby belongs to whom at the hospital.

It's also much easier to print a baby's foot than a baby's hand. But most of all, this is a memento for parents to carry on as their child grows.

---------------

Mary from Lakeville wants to know: Why do sunflowers generally face the same direction?

Sunflowers are doing what is called "sun tracking," or heliotropism.

Sunflowers have chlorophyll in their leaves, so they move to face the sun. And the sun helps with photosynthesis, which gives the plants energy.

For these plants, the sun's energy is mostly gathered through the leaves around the flower.

How they move is another story.

Bachman's Floral says sunflowers have water pressure inside of them and also motor cells to help them physically move. It's sort of like how we use muscles to move our bodies.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.