Maura Ann Reisl, age 10, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for her question:

How are the North and South Poles different?

In the first place, the North and South Poles are at opposite ends of the earth, just as far apart as they can get. We might say that the North Pole is at the very top of the earth and the South Pole is at the very bottom. The North Pole happens to be under water in the Arctic Ocean. The South Pole happens to be on land, under the ice that covers the continent of Antarctica.

Both the polar regions are very chilly. But the North Pole is somewhat warmer. There the ice melts from the ocean water, at least during the summer. The South Pole is colder because it is on land and its thick coat of ice never melts, summer or winter. Plenty of fishes live around the North Pole. But the South Pole is all alone. Maybe a few birds fly overhead but hardly any creatures can live there.