Moment Of Um

Computers can do all sorts of amazing things, from solving complicated math problems to showing us videos of dancing birds. Computers do all that thanks to something called “binary code”, which is a code that is made up of only two numbers,  1 and 0. But exactly how does it all work? We asked computer engineer Sam Dickerson to help us find the answer.Got a question that’s hard-driving you bonkers? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll  help compute the answer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our world is full of sound, but what happens when we leave Earth’s atmosphere? Is it true that there’s no sound in space, or are there ways to listen to the universe? We asked NASA scientist Dr. Kimberly Arcand to help us find the answer.Got a question that sounds interesting? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll make space for an answer!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are lots of reasons to sneeze - you have a cold, you get a whiff of pepper or someone tickles your nose with a feather! But why is it that dust makes us sneeze? We asked otolaryngologist Laura Orvidas to help us find the answer.Got a question that’s gathering dust in your brain? Send it to us atBrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you sniff out the answer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iron is a metal that we dig out of the ground and use to make everything from kitchen knives to skyscrapers. Most of the iron we use comes out of rocks. But do all rocks have iron in them? We asked geochemist Kelsey Woody to help us find the answer.Got a question that’s totally metal? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help iron out the answer!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of breaking a bone, it’s not the most fun. But can muscles break in the same way bones can? One listener was wondering about this, and physical therapist Karen Litzy helps us get a leg up on the issue. Do you have a question you’d like to ask? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find the answer!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes when we get sick, our body reacts by cranking up our internal temperature to make a fever. This helps get rid of invading bacteria or viruses. But sometimes when you have a fever, you feel cold instead of hot. What’s up with that? We asked ER doctor Joe Alcock to help us find the answer.Got a question that’s just chillin’ in your brain?? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll work feverishly to find the answer!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hermit crabs carry their shells with them wherever they go…but they don’t make their own shells! Unlike other species of crab, hermit crabs use shells from other animals for protection. So why aren’t they born with shells of their own? We asked crab researcher Tuck Hines to help us find the answer.Got a question that’s making you crabby? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll share the answer un-shellfish-ly!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you left-handed or right-handed? Chances are you’re right handed, because more people are (though if you’re left-handed, that’s cool too!). So why are more people right-handed? We asked paleontologist Alexander Claxton to help us get to the bottom of this question. Got a question whose answer you can’t quite put your finger on? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help point out the answer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are thousands of species of butterflies, all with unique patterns of color on their wings. How did those designs get there? We asked butterfly collection curator Blanca Huertas to help us find the answer.Got a question that’s cocooned in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll send an answer winging your way!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An inevitability of life is that humans have to go to the dentist. Some people love it, some hate it! But taking care of our teeth is super important. Do our kitty friends have to do the same thing? Large animal surgeon Whitney Cutrone answers this very question.Got a question that’s got some bite? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find an answer right meow!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.