Do you need to wash dishes with hot water? This question came from a reader submission (thanks anonymous!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer Cold water with soap and scrubbing removes most grease and germs, but hot water makes cleaning easier by better dissolving oils. You would need to use water hotter than your hands can comfortably tolerate to kill germs, which is one reason why dishwashers are so...
14 days agoย โขย 5 min read
Can we build full-size buildings using LEGO-like bricks? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Stephen's daughter!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer While actual LEGO bricks are too precise, weak, and expensive for real buildings, several modern construction methods use interlocking, LEGO-like blocks made from earth, foam, or composites to build strong, efficient structures faster and...
21 days agoย โขย 5 min read
Why does a tire company rate restaurants? ๐ The short answer The Michelin tire company started rating restaurants to encourage more people to drive (and buy car tires). Today, the Michelin Guide lives on as a powerful branding tool that keeps Michelin top of mind for premium customers. ๐ The long answer Fine-dining chefs push themselves to the limits of culinary excellence โ in the hopes of impressing a tire company. I still can't believe this parody image of The Last Supper exists. It's not...
28 days agoย โขย 4 min read
How will 3D printing organs work? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Gary!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer 3D printing organs uses bioinksโmaterials made from living cells and gel-like substances that act as scaffolds, giving cells a structure to grow on. Simple tissues have already been printed, but printing complex organs like hearts or kidneys is still a work in progress due to...
about 1 month agoย โขย 6 min read
Why do we scratch our heads when we think? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Adish!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer We scratch our heads when we think because itโs a form of self-soothing, a way to non-verbally show confusion, and possibly a suppressed primal impulse to attack the question-asker when frustrated. ๐ The long answer Search for a stock photo of someone thinking, and...
about 1 month agoย โขย 4 min read
How does a caterpillar change into a butterfly? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Andrea!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer Caterpillars turn into butterflies by digesting their bodies inside a chrysalis and rebuilding them into butterfly parts by using special cells called imaginal discs. ๐ The long answer If you thought puberty was rough, count your blessings you didn't go...
about 2 months agoย โขย 5 min read
How do laser pointers work? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Ana for submitting this question on behalf of your German shepherd, Arlo). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer Laser pointers work by exciting atoms so their electrons release light. Mirrors inside the device amplify that light and force the waves to move together in a single direction, creating a narrow, focused beam that...
about 2 months agoย โขย 4 min read
What makes you feel full when you're eating? This question came from a reader submission (thanks Rodrigo!). Has a curious question stumped you lately? Feel free to submit your own question here: Submit your question ๐ The short answer Feelings of fullness are triggered when your stomach physically stretches and hormones signal to your brain that youโve eaten enough. The food's nutritional content, your body fat and gut bacteria, as well as the variety of food on your plate all affect how...
2 months agoย โขย 5 min read
Why does plastic turn yellow? ๐ The short answer Plastics typically turn yellow due to photo-oxidation, a process where UV light and oxygen triggers a chain reaction that breaks down the material's chemical bonds. Over time, new molecular arrangements start to absorb more blue and violet light, making the plastic appear yellow. ๐ The long answer Once upon a time, your retro gaming device, lawn chair, or other favorite older plastic object was brilliantly white. Now? It's yellow and brittle....
2 months agoย โขย 4 min read