Ask Us Anything(Page 2)

In ‘Ask Us Anything,’ Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from what dinosaur meat tastes like to how airplane toilets actually work. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.

Latest in Ask Us Anything

the head of a large brown horse

Ask Us Anything

Why do horses have eyes on the side of their head?

By Katie Navarra Bradley

A close-up, head-on portrait of a Dalmatian dog with striking bright blue eyes. The dog has a white face with black spots covering its head and ears, and is wearing a brown leather collar. The background is a simple, blurred gray surface.

Ask Us Anything

Can dogs sense ghosts?

By Clarissa Brincat

A photograph of a young couple sitting close together in a dark movie theater, looking scared or startled during a film. The man on the left has his hands covering part of his face, grimacing, while the woman next to him is covering her face with one hand. They are sharing a large bucket of popcorn.

Ask Us Anything

Is fear contagious?

By Sarah Philip

A photograph of an old, abandoned operating room with peeling, distressed green paint on the walls. The room is symmetrically framed, featuring a central metal operating table and a large surgical lamp hanging from the ceiling. Two tall, barred windows on either side are brightly backlit, casting a dramatic light into the dim room.

Ask Us Anything

What makes a place seem ‘haunted’?

By Laura Kiniry

A striking photograph of a bright, full moon against a dark, deep blue night sky, partially obscured by dark, dramatic clouds. The moon is intensely bright, giving the scene an ethereal glow.

Ask Us Anything

Yes, the moon really can affect your sleep

By Clarissa Brincat

A macro, close-up photograph of human skin texture showing small hairs standing straight up, a phenomenon known as goosebumps or gooseflesh. The skin tone is light, and the background is a solid, clear blue sky.

Ask Us Anything

Why you get goosebumps when you’re scared—or inspired

By RJ Mackenzie

An overhead shot of a human composting vessel, which resembles a long, rectangular planter box with a light wooden frame. The interior contains a layer of straw, wood chips, and organic material, with colorful pink and purple flowers scattered throughout. A white cloth-wrapped form rests in the center.

Ask Us Anything

How human composting turns bodies into soil

By Jennifer Byrne

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - food products manufactured by Mondelez and Coca-Cola

Ask Us Anything

What are ultra-processed foods and are they bad for me?

By Katie Navarra Bradley

A close-up shot of a hand holding a wooden mallet with a red, fuzzy end, positioned over a bronze singing bowl. The bowl is resting on a light-colored surface, and the background is softly blurred with warm, glowing fairy lights, suggesting a relaxing, indoor setting.

Ask Us Anything

I tried a sound bath to see if it actually made me calmer

By Mack DeGeurin

A blue, semi-transparent anatomical illustration of a human torso, neck, and shoulders from the front. The main focus is on the spine and nervous system, which are highlighted with glowing red lines running down the center of the back and branching out into the chest. The background is solid black.

Ask Us Anything

Does vagus nerve stimulation work? A scientific cure-all explained.

By Clarissa Brincat

A high-angle, close-up shot of a person with dark hair and a bright, joyful smile, holding a small dog close to their face. The person's eyes are closed, and the dog, with its eyes also closed, has its mouth open in what looks like a happy, excited expression. The two are embracing in a moment of affection.

Ask Us Anything

Why your dog gets so excited to see you

By Laura Kiniry

a man hiking on a sunny fall day standing near a grove of trees changing color and a lake

Ask Us Anything

What exactly is the UV Index? A dermatologist explains.

By Laura Baisas

A man is lying asleep in a bed with pillows and a striped comforter, set up outdoors in the middle of a forest. The bed has two small bedside tables with lamps. The ground is covered in pine needles and scattered with rocks, and tall, thin tree trunks rise around him, creating a surreal and cozy scene.

Ask Us Anything

Is sleeping outside good for you? Science has a clear answer.

By Laura Kiniry

A pink drink in a clear wine glass with a long stem is placed on a white bedside table in a dimly lit room. A glowing lamp with a white shade and a potted green plant are also on the table. A bed with white linens is visible in the foreground on the left. The scene has a soft, warm glow.

Ask Us Anything

The real science behind this viral magnesium sleep hack

By Clarissa Brincat

Ask Us Anything

Do binaural beats really help you focus?

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

A person wearing a dark top is shown at a dining table, holding a black chopstick and picking up a piece of white fish from a large bowl of what appears to be a spicy broth. A single red chile pepper is visible on top of the fish. In the background, the person is holding a small bowl of white rice in their other hand.

Ask Us Anything

Does eating spicy food help you lose weight? Science has a clear answer.

By Diana Hubbell

A silver, retro-style alarm clock with two bells and a white face is in sharp focus on a dark surface in the foreground. In the blurry background, a person with dark hair is lying in bed, asleep. The lighting is dim, suggesting it is either early morning or nighttime.

Ask Us Anything

Is it better to sleep in cycles?

By Clarissa Brincat

A person is shown from the chest up, in a green plaid shirt, holding a glass of clear water with a dropper over it. A dark green liquid is dripping into the water from the dropper, creating a swirl. The scene is on a white surface and surrounded by several potted green plants in white containers, with some loose leaves scattered around.

Ask Us Anything

Is chlorophyll actually good for you?

By Lauren Leffer

A rear-view shot of a group of people doing a side-bending stretch in a brightly lit yoga studio. The main subject, a man with wet, curly hair and a muscular, sweaty back, is in the foreground. Several other people are visible behind him, and the studio mirrors reflect the class. They are all wearing athletic clothing.

Ask Us Anything

Are ‘hot’ workout classes better?

By Lauren Leffer

Ask Us Anything

How does anesthesia work? Experts still have questions.

By RJ Mackenzie

A young Black woman with curly hair is smiling and looking at her reflection in the mirror. She is wearing a white robe and has a small amount of white cream, likely a skin product, on the fingertips of each hand. She is dabbing the cream onto her cheeks with her index and middle fingers. The background is a bathroom.

Ask Us Anything

Does retinol actually work?

By Clarissa Brincat

A low-angle view of a vast, complex airport baggage handling system. Two suitcases, one black and one gray, move along a blue conveyor belt. The belts snake through a brightly lit, cavernous space with industrial ceilings, surrounded by a network of other green and yellow conveyor belts and metal structures. Two airport workers in high-visibility vests are visible in the distance, observing the operation.

Ask Us Anything

What really happens to your bag after you check it in?

By Laura Kiniry

A woman with her eyes closed and head tilted back, smiling serenely, stands in a dense forest. She is wearing a bright yellow raincoat and a backpack, with tall, dark tree trunks rising all around her. The sunlight filters through the canopy, creating a peaceful and happy mood.

Ask Us Anything

Does St. John’s wort really increase serotonin?

By Clarissa Brincat

A wide-eyed, wet cat being held during a bath, with its fur slicked down and an anxious expression on its face.

Ask Us Anything

Why do cats hate water? An expert explains.

Interior of a car showing the back seat area with light beige leather upholstery, seatbelts, and a clean, uncluttered space.

Ask Us Anything

What’s really the safest seat in a car? An auto expert weighs in.

By Diana Hubbell

Close-up of two feet with red nail polish, separated by pink foam toe spacers against a light blue background.

Ask Us Anything

Can toe spacers actually help your feet? It could be worth a try.

By Lauren Leffer

Ask Us Anything

Does ashwagandha actually help with anxiety and sleep?

By Clarissa Brincat

a stream of lightning touches the ground with sunlight in the background

Ask Us Anything

Lightning can kill you even if it’s sunny

By Laura Baisas

A person with a beard and reddish hair sits in bed, illuminated by the glow of a laptop on their lap. They are looking at the screen and hold a slice of pizza in their right hand, about to take a bite. The room is dimly lit, suggesting it's nighttime.

Ask Us Anything

Does eating late at night really cause weight gain? A nutritionist explains.

By Laura Kiniry

A woman sitting up in bed at night, looking frustrated and rubbing her neck while a man next to her sleeps with his mouth open. A warm lamp hangs on the wall behind them. The woman appears disturbed by the man's snoring or sleep talking.

Ask Us Anything

Why do we talk in our sleep? ‘It’s a glitch.’

By Lauren Leffer

X-ray scan of two pieces of luggage showing densely packed electronics, wires, and personal items in vivid colors.

Ask Us Anything

What do TSA bag scanners actually see?

By Diana Hubbell

A young girl in a pink polka-dot swimsuit naps on a towel at the beach, wearing pink sunglasses pushed up on her head.

Ask Us Anything

Why does the beach make you so tired?

By Lauren Leffer

Rows of airline economy seats viewed from the back, with passengers seated and individual seatback screens turned on, inside a bright airplane cabin.

Ask Us Anything

Why do we put seatbacks up for landing? An aviation expert explains.

By Diana Hubbell

A digitally edited image of an older woman with white hair and wrinkles holding up a photo of her younger self, showing smoother skin and youthful features. The contrast highlights aging differences between the two faces.

Ask Us Anything

Can you hack aging with NAD supplements?

By Clarissa Brincat

A grey tabby cat with green eyes is lying on its side atop two concrete blocks. The cat has its head tilted and one paw raised near its face, appearing relaxed and content. In the background, there is green grass and plants slightly out of focus.

Ask Us Anything

Why do cats love concrete slabs? A vet explains.

By Laura Baisas

A young girl sitting on a plane holds her hears in pain.

Ask Us Anything

Why do our ears pop on a plane? An audiologist explains.

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

a person cracks an egg over a campfire into a skillet with red peppers

Ask Us Anything

Why does food by the campfire taste better?

By Avery Schluyer Nunn

blue face looks out as the edges fade

Ask Us Anything

How does your brain know something is real?

By Keith Wagstaff

an airplane lavatory with a toilet and sink

Ask Us Anything

How do airplane toilets work?

eggs arrange on refrigerator shelf

Ask Us Anything

Should you keep eggs in the fridge? Short answer: Yes.

By Clarissa Brincat

a doctor usess a tongue depressor to examine a young boy's throat

Ask Us Anything

Do we need our tonsils?

By Lauren Leffer

a small, inflated red ballon simulating an egg is surrounded on one side by multiple deflated balloons of various colors simulating sperm

Ask Us Anything

Should I freeze my sperm? Men consider their ‘sixth vital sign.’

A turtle basking with its legs outstretched on a rock. This activity is normal and beneficial to turtles.

Ask Us Anything

Why do turtles do the ‘Superman pose’?

By Laura Baisas

Jupiter on a black background

Ask Us Anything

What would happen if you tried to land on a gas giant?

By RJ Mackenzie

a woman douses herself with water from a plastic bottle on a hot, sunny day

Ask Us Anything

What is a heat dome?

By Laura Baisas

Huge wave breaking. Ocean spray is thrown into the air. World famous surf break named Jaws on the Northshore of Maui, Hawaii.

Ask Us Anything

What’s the formula for the ‘perfect wave’?

By Avery Schluyer Nunn

Model of human brain floating over bed in dark room

Ask Us Anything

What’s the purpose of dreaming?

By Clarissa Brincat

Happy smiling little boy out in the rain

Ask Us Anything

The science behind the smell of rain

A loving father of African descent sits on the couch at home and reads a storybook to his preschool age daughter. The child is sitting on her father's lap and is smiling while looking at the book.

Ask Us Anything

Why do kids love reading the same book over and over? Child development experts explain.

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

clouds in a blue sky

Ask Us Anything

How do clouds get their shapes?

By Clarissa Brincat

new york city skyline

Ask Us Anything

In a world without people, how fast would NYC fall apart? Here’s the timeline.

orange and yellow flames on a black background

Ask Us Anything

Can humans spontaneously combust? The baffling cases explained.

By Lauren Leffer

a smart watch and phone illuminate as a woman is sleeping

Ask Us Anything

Can tracking make my sleep worse? The quiet torment of sleep tech.

Portrait of a 5 month old baby girl

Ask Us Anything

Why do babies’ eyes change color? Sunlight, genetics, and more.

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Hand holds Vintage photograph of boy on tricycle at christmas

Ask Us Anything

Why we forget our childhoods

By RJ Mackenzie

A wildfire frontline with emergency services nearby, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada.

Ask Us Anything

Are we in a sixth mass extinction?

By Lauren Leffer

a woman browsing a sunscreen aisle in a grocery store

Ask Us Anything

Mineral vs. chemical sunscreen: What’s best for protecting your skin?

By Laura Baisas

Women practicing necessary steps for ice bath therapy, pinching their noses with their fingers to hold their breath, listening carefully to the instructor, mentally preparing for a new and revitalizing healing experience

Ask Us Anything

Are ice baths good for you? The benefits and risks of a cold plunge.

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

a woman drinks water with the sun beating down

Ask Us Anything

What is dew point? A meteorologist explains that sticky air.

By Laura Baisas

a smiley face made of white sunscreen on a hand

Ask Us Anything

Do I really need to wear sunscreen every day? We asked dermatologists.

By Laura Baisas

concept image of intestines and medicine

Ask Us Anything

Will prebiotics and probiotics really help you poop? What gut experts say.

By Harriet Weber

A man playing snooker at a billiard club in Beijing. the blue ball is in front, with the yellow, white, red, and green balls in a row behind it

Ask Us Anything

How to get better at snooker… with physics

A blue tit flies to a feeder in a garden, where a great spotted woodpecker is currently sitting.

Ask Us Anything

Are backyard bird feeders safe? How to stop illness and intruders.

By Laura Baisas

a mother and child walk in beside an amtrak train parked at railroad station

Ask Us Anything

What happens if Amtrak gets privatized?

By Mack DeGeurin