Naomi Glessing, age 12, of St. Paul, Minn., for her question:

WHO INVENTED THE CANDLE?

We don't know exactly who invented the candle, but we know it was man's chief source of light for more than 2,000 years.

Crude candles in ancient times were made of fats wrapped in husks or moss. They were used long before the time of Christ. Later candlemakers put a wick inside a candle mold and poured in melted tallow or beeswax.

Most modern candles are made of stearin, which is obtained from tallow and paraffin, a mineral wax. The candles are formed by dipping the wicks many times into the melted material, by pouring it into molds or by forcing the candle material through holes and then threading the wick down the center. Wicks today are made of woven cord.