I have always thoroughly enjoyed reading Bill Watterson’s Calvin & Hobbes. I find that Watterson — through Calvin — experiences the world in much the same way as myself, allowing me to connect with his characters on a much deeper level than most comics.

One aspect of this is Calvin’s incessant curiousity in the world around him. Watterson contrasts this with Calvin’s father — “Dad” — who is utterly content to let the Universe have its mysteries. I have included here some examples from the comic strip that I have found particularly amusing in this regard.

Calvin

Why does the sun set?

Dad

It’s because hot air rises. The sun’s hot in the middle of the day, so it rises high in the sky. In the evening then, it cools down and sets.

Calvin

Why does it go from east to west?

Dad

Solar wind.

Calvin

Why does the sky turn red as the sun sets?

Dad

That’s all the oxygen in the atmosphere catching fire.

Calvin

Where does the sun go when it sets?

Dad

The sun sets in the west. In Arizona actually, near Flagstaff. That’s why the rocks there are so red.

Calvin

Don’t the people get burned up?

Dad

No, the sun goes out as it sets. That’s why it’s dark at night.

Calvin

Doesn’t the sun crush the whole state as it lands?

Dad

Ha ha, of course not. Hold a quarter up. See, the sun’s just about the same size.

Calvin

I thought I read that the sun was really big.

Dad

You can’t believe everything you read, I’m afraid.

Calvin

How come old photographs are always black and white? Didn’t they have color film back then?

Dad

Sure they did. In fact, those old photographs are in color. It’s just that the world was black and white then. The world didn’t turn color until sometime in the 1930s, and it was pretty grainy color for a while, too.

Calvin

But then why are old paintings in color?! If the world was black and white, wouldn’t artists have painted it that way?

Dad

Not necessarily. A lot of great artists were insane.

Calvin

But… But how could they have painted in color anyway? Wouldn’t their paints have been shades of gray back then?

Dad

Of course, but they turned colors like everything else did in the ’30s.

Calvin

So why didn’t old black and white photos turn color too?

Dad

Because they were color pictures of black and white, remember?

Calvin

Dad, will you explain the theory of relativity to me? I don’t understand why time goes slower at great speed.

Dad

It’s because you keep changing time zones. See, if you fly to California, you gain three hours on a five-hour flight, right? So if you go at the speed of light, you gain more time, because it doesn’t take as long to get there. Of course, the theory of relativity only works if you’re going west.

Calvin

Why do my eyes shut when I sneeze?

Dad

If your lids weren’t closed, the force of the explosion would blow your eyeballs out and stretch the optic nerve, so your eyes would flop around and you’d have to point them with your hands to see anything.

Calvin

How do bank machines work?

Dad

Well, let’s say you want 25 dollars. You punch in the amount and behind the machine there’s a guy with a printing press who makes the money and sticks it out this slot.

Calvin

Sort of like the guy who lives up in our garage and opens the door?

Dad

Exactly.

Calvin

What causes the wind?

Dad

Trees sneezing.

Calvin

Why does ice float?

Dad

Because it’s cold. Ice wants to get warm, so it goes to the top of liquids to be nearer to the sun.

Calvin

Is that true?

Dad

Look it up and find out.

Calvin

I should just look up stuff in the first place.

Calvin

How come you know so much?

Dad

It’s all in the book you get when you become a father.