Ask Us Anything(Page 3)

Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall.

Latest in Ask Us Anything

An hypothetical illustration of society running on garbage.

Is trash a form of renewable energy? Is trash a form of renewable energy?

By Sara Kiley Watson

Person with brown curly hair on a tablet looking unhappy while going back to work after vacation

Why you hate going back to work after vacation Why you hate going back to work after vacation

Jack Russell terrier dog facing a podcast microphone to record a science show

Our favorite science podcast episodes of 2021 Our favorite science podcast episodes of 2021

By PopSci Editors

What happens if you eat too many Tums?

What happens if you eat too many Tums? What happens if you eat too many Tums?

By Claire Maldarelli

Is it safe to take expired medication?

Is it safe to take expired medication? Is it safe to take expired medication?

By Nicole Wetsman

Person in gray exercise shirt and pink running tights with a side stitch

When you get a stitch in your side, what’s really going on? When you get a stitch in your side, what’s really going on?

By Nicole Wetsman

Why do marathon runners get the runs?

Why do marathon runners get the runs? Why do marathon runners get the runs?

By Ellen Airhart

Will cracking my knuckles give me arthritis?

Will cracking my knuckles give me arthritis? Will cracking my knuckles give me arthritis?

By Nicole Wetsman

Antibiotic pills which are one of the causes of recurrent UTIs

Why your UTI keeps coming back Why your UTI keeps coming back

By Cassidy Mayeda

Why do my muscles ache the day after a big workout?

Why do my muscles ache the day after a big workout? Why do my muscles ache the day after a big workout?

By Sara Kiley Watson

art illustration with a bushel of apples

Did food taste better 50 years ago? Did food taste better 50 years ago?

By Claire Maldarelli

the sun as seen with x-rays

What would happen if the sun went out? What would happen if the sun went out?

By Holly Otterbein

art illustration of the sun

What happens when the sun burns out? What happens when the sun burns out?

the sun as seen with x-rays

How close can you get to the sun? Closer than you’d think. How close can you get to the sun? Closer than you’d think.

By Alessandra Calderin

art illustration of person reaching for their toes

Why can’t we all touch our toes? Why can’t we all touch our toes?

By Claire Maldarelli

a nose smelling the stars (illustration)

What does space smell like? What does space smell like?

By Lizzie Schiffman

A child doing homework at a table

Kids are onto something: Homework might actually be bad Kids are onto something: Homework might actually be bad

By Stan Horaczek

art illustration of a person drinking from a bucket.

How much water should you drink in a day? How much water should you drink in a day?

By Claire Maldarelli

Some dinosaurs on the PopSci Ask Us Anything podcast background.

What would a dinosaur taste like? What would a dinosaur taste like?

By John Kennedy

art illustration of woman with open mouth and laptop

What would happen if I ate my computer? Asking for a friend. What would happen if I ate my computer? Asking for a friend.

By Ellen Airhart

art illustration with vintage painting/sculpture

A complete guide on how to safely take, send, and store nudes A complete guide on how to safely take, send, and store nudes

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

art illustration with a mug of beer

What is a hangover? And can you cure it? What is a hangover? And can you cure it?

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

How to eat sweet foods on a healthy diet

How to eat sweet foods on a healthy diet How to eat sweet foods on a healthy diet

By Claire Maldarelli

Ask Us Anything: Can you survive on a single food forever? Ask Us Anything: Can you survive on a single food forever?

By Claire Maldarelli, Jessica Boddy

Types of bread for a bread and water diet

Can you live on bread and water alone? Can you live on bread and water alone?

By Claire Maldarelli

How many hours of sleep do you actually need?

How many hours of sleep do you actually need? How many hours of sleep do you actually need?

By Claire Maldarelli

You can injure yourself stretching—but it’s not easy

You can injure yourself stretching—but it’s not easy You can injure yourself stretching—but it’s not easy

By Claire Maldarelli

What Makes A Boomerang Come Back?

What Makes A Boomerang Come Back? What Makes A Boomerang Come Back?

By Kirstin Fawcett

Why don’t we just throw all our garbage into volcanoes? Why don’t we just throw all our garbage into volcanoes?

By Mary Beth Griggs

You might be overusing hand sanitizer

You might be overusing hand sanitizer You might be overusing hand sanitizer

By Claire Maldarelli

Do animals have orgasms?

Do animals have orgasms? Do animals have orgasms?

By Shaunacy Ferro

FYI: Do Fat People Stay Warmer Than Thin People?

FYI: Do Fat People Stay Warmer Than Thin People? FYI: Do Fat People Stay Warmer Than Thin People?

By Daniel Engber

tons of potatoes

Is there a single food that you can survive on forever? Is there a single food that you can survive on forever?

By Ellen Airhart

crowd in swimming pool

Peeing in the pool is actually really bad for you Peeing in the pool is actually really bad for you

By Claire Maldarelli

A trio of giraffes from the necks up against a cloudy sky backdrop.

Ask Us Anything: Why do humans stop growing? Ask Us Anything: Why do humans stop growing?

By Claire Maldarelli, Jessica Boddy

an illustrated man with a magnifying glass held up to his eye

Ask Us Anything: Why can’t we see more colors? Ask Us Anything: Why can’t we see more colors?

By Claire Maldarelli, Jessica Boddy

Ask Us Anything: What happens in your brain when you daydream?

Ask Us Anything: What happens in your brain when you daydream? Ask Us Anything: What happens in your brain when you daydream?

By Claire Maldarelli, Jessica Boddy

Ask Us Anything: Can viruses be good for us? Ask Us Anything: Can viruses be good for us?

By Claire Maldarelli, Jessica Boddy

astronaut on spacewalk

Ask Us Anything: What happens to your body when you die in space? Ask Us Anything: What happens to your body when you die in space?

By Shannon Stirone

Ask Us Anything: Why can’t we burn our trash in volcanoes? Ask Us Anything: Why can’t we burn our trash in volcanoes?

By Claire Maldarelli, Jessica Boddy

If The Sun Went Out, How Long Would Life On Earth Survive?

If The Sun Went Out, How Long Would Life On Earth Survive? If The Sun Went Out, How Long Would Life On Earth Survive?

By Holly Otterbein

If Snow And Rain Come From The Ocean, Why Aren’t They Salty?

If Snow And Rain Come From The Ocean, Why Aren’t They Salty? If Snow And Rain Come From The Ocean, Why Aren’t They Salty?

By Sophie Bushwick

Can Sour Candy Actually Damage Your Tongue?

Can Sour Candy Actually Damage Your Tongue? Can Sour Candy Actually Damage Your Tongue?

By Alyssa Clough

A bag of chocolate chip cookies holding up a sign that says "nutrition facts, one cookie, 320 calories"

Why you can’t trust the calorie count on food labels Why you can’t trust the calorie count on food labels

By Daniel Engber

How much chocolate would you have to eat for it to kill you?

How much chocolate would you have to eat for it to kill you? How much chocolate would you have to eat for it to kill you?

By Claire Maldarelli

A white Pomeranian on a snowy ledge with its tongue stuck out

Is it safe to eat snow? Is it safe to eat snow?

By Lydia Ramsey

A 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, destroyed homes and lives.

Earthquakes can cause serious psychological aftershocks Earthquakes can cause serious psychological aftershocks

Is it possible to boost your immune system?

Is it possible to boost your immune system? Is it possible to boost your immune system?

By Claire Maldarelli

A brown-eyed individual holding a mug

How do we get our eye color? How do we get our eye color?

kid eating cake

How your tongue tells your brain what you’re tasting How your tongue tells your brain what you’re tasting

By Alex Schwartz

Three fish crows attacking a red-tailed hawk

Why are crows and ravens such jerks? Why are crows and ravens such jerks?

By Nicholas Lund

Nuking hurricanes out of the sky ‘doesn’t make sense at all’

Nuking hurricanes out of the sky ‘doesn’t make sense at all’ Nuking hurricanes out of the sky ‘doesn’t make sense at all’

By Erin Blakemore

Why don’t we grow to be 10 feet tall?

Why don’t we grow to be 10 feet tall? Why don’t we grow to be 10 feet tall?

Why you’re more likely to cry on an airplane

Why you’re more likely to cry on an airplane Why you’re more likely to cry on an airplane

By Lila Reynolds

Why do we get goosebumps?

Why do we get goosebumps? Why do we get goosebumps?

By Elaina Hancock

Why do I feel dizzy after spinning?

Why do I feel dizzy after spinning? Why do I feel dizzy after spinning?

By Claire Maldarelli

Do I have a cold or the flu?

Do I have a cold or the flu? Do I have a cold or the flu?

By Nicole Wetsman

Why can’t I use my dog’s tick prevention medicine?

Why can’t I use my dog’s tick prevention medicine? Why can’t I use my dog’s tick prevention medicine?

By Nicole Wetsman

What would happen if the moon suddenly disappeared?

What would happen if the moon suddenly disappeared? What would happen if the moon suddenly disappeared?

By Morgan McFall-Johnsen

Why hasn’t the sun burned out yet?

Why hasn’t the sun burned out yet? Why hasn’t the sun burned out yet?

By Emma Sarappo

Can my dog get me sick?

Can my dog get me sick? Can my dog get me sick?

By Annie Cebulski

If everyone became vegetarian, would the planet actually be better off?

If everyone became vegetarian, would the planet actually be better off? If everyone became vegetarian, would the planet actually be better off?

By Sara Kiley Watson

Does a fever always mean you have an infection?

Does a fever always mean you have an infection? Does a fever always mean you have an infection?

By Cassidy Mayeda

What can genetic testing really tell you?

What can genetic testing really tell you? What can genetic testing really tell you?

By Aparna Nathan