Moment Of Um

Have you ever seen a sinkhole? These are spots in the Earth’s surface where the ground has collapsed and formed a hole. Sometimes they can be more than a hundred feet deep! But how do sinkholes form? We asked geologist Hazel Barton to help us find the answer.Got a question that’s a real hole in one? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help dig up the answer!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black holes are super dense spots in space. They have so much gravity that when something falls into a black hole, it can’t escape. We asked UCLA astrophysicist Dakotah Tyler to help us imagine what it would be like if we traveled through one of these dark marvels.Is there a question that’s really pulled you in? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll spaghettiFIND you an answer!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3D glasses. Those little paper spectacles with one red lens and one blue. Put ’em on, and suddenly, POW! Images seem to leap right off the screen! Do these glasses play magical mind tricks on our brain? Do they give our eyeballs multi-dimensional superpowers? For a lens into how it all works, we talked to UW-Madison physicist Pupa Gilbert.Got a question that’s really jumping out at you? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you put it into focus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vocal cords are magical things. They let us speak, sing, squawk and scream. But what are vocal cords and how do they do all that? We asked pediatrician Emma Gerstenzang to help us find the answer.Got a question that’s chattering away in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll belt out an answer!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you could turn your hair any color in the world… what color would you choose?! Sapphire blue, hot pink, lime green, neon orange?? There are dyes out there that can turn your hair every color of the rainbow! But how exactly do they work? We asked Chemist Michelle Wall to help us understand.Got a hairy question that needs answering? Send it to us atBrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll style an answer for you!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discover the fascinating world of brick making! Dive into the art and science behind these ubiquitous building blocks. Learn about the ingredients that give bricks their vibrant colors, like clay and iron oxides. Hear amusing references to classic fables that showcase bricks' advantages in construction. Join an expert to uncover the differences between traditional and modern techniques. It's a sturdy exploration of one of the most essential materials in our environment!

Explore the intriguing evolution of eating utensils, from primitive stone tools to the forks we know today. Discover how early humans adapted their dining practices to their omnivorous diets. Learn about the journey from knives to spoons and forks, and the cultural variations in utensil use around the world. Awaken your curiosity with a humorous twist on these everyday objects and find out how our eating habits have shaped the utensils we use.

Clothes are FUN. We strut our stuff in them. Laugh and play in them. Sometimes we love one article of clothing so much, we never want to take it off! But eventually, all clothes do have to be cleaned. We chatted with Tide Principal Scientist Jennifer Ahoni about how clothes get dirty, even when they still look spotless. Listen and learn about the secrets of body soils and invisible dirt! Got a question in your pocket? Send it to us atBrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll fashion an answer for you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever noticed that when you eat something salty, you feel extra thirsty for a while afterwards? Ever wondered why? Turns out, scientists are wondering why as well, and it’s a perfect example of how science is always changing how we understand the world. Gastroenterologist Dr. Kaveh Hoda tells us the salty story. Thirsting for knowledge? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll conSALT all our resources to find the answer!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bread! It’s good stuff, no matter how you slice it. But why do slices of bread have holes in them? Are there bread moles who tunnel through baguettes? Invisible worms in the whole wheat? Chipmunks chewing on the ciabatta? We asked food scientist David Domingues  to help us find the answer.Got a question that you knead us to look into? Send it to us atBrains On.org/contact, and we’ll find the answers where you yeast expect them!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.