Exploring search patterns with wild cards

I am exploring a kind of google search that looks like this:
site:.edu "the population of afghanistan is *"

I use the site restriction .edu in the hope of getting more accuracy.
I use a simple common type of statement as a kind of template. I don't use a question. Instead I use a statement with a wild card. I am hoping that the search matches will complete my sentence and give me the information I am looking for. I tried it and I got a matching sentence with the population of Afghanistan.

 I tried this and it worked very well:
site:.edu "the function of bone marrow is *"

This is almost as good as being able to ask a detailed question.

site:.edu "the meaning of life is *"

 In this kind of search you ask Google to fill in the blank.

Try this:
site:.edu "a quadratic equation has * solutions"

And try this:
site:.edu "* life can survive on mars"