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Ask Us Anything by Popular Science: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Popular Science
Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Join our editors as they explain it all.
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- 1 weeks ago23 min
Why does candy taste different now?
Just in time for Halloween, PopSci Editor Sarah Durn and News Editor Laura Baisas unwrap the mystery of why candy tastes so... different these days. Plus, an expert-level discussion of what makes candy taste amazing with Jack Bishop from America's Test Kitchen. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/why-candy-tastes-different-now/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to https://popsci.com/ask Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 2 weeks ago20 min
Why don't humans have tails?
So many mammals have useful, interesting, or just plain CUTE tails–so why not humans? PopSci Editor Sarah Durn and Editor-in-Chief Annie Colbert sit down (without tails of course) to figure out just where our tails went over the course of human evolution. Plus, Flora Lichtman from NPR's Science Friday podcast stops by to talk about what makes for the best tail in nature, and to reveal her favorite tail from the animal kingdom. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/why-humans-dont-have-tails/ And make sure to check to the episode of Science Friday all about which tail is the best: https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/mammal-tails-balance/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to https://popsci.com/ask Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Sep 30, 202618 min
What’s the best sleep position?
Everyone knows that getting good sleep is the best thing you can do for your body, but... does it matter how you lay your head (and body)? PopSci Editor Sarah Durn and Editor-in-Chief Annie Colbert talk through their own sleep preferences before drifting off into the research on what's really the best way to position yourself for a good night's rest (hint: PILLOWS!) Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/health/best-sleep-position/ https://www.popsci.com/health/can-tracking-sleep-make-it-worse/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to https://popsci.com/ask Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Sep 16, 202618 min
What's the most eco-friendly burial option? (ENCORE)
Note: Our show has grown a LOT recently and a ton of new listeners have joined us, so we decided it’d be fun to share one of our favorite episodes since we relaunched, which ALSO happens to be among the most-popular questions we’ve ever answered - ENJOY! After a lifetime of trying to put things in the right bin, we all eventually arrive at the ultimate recycling dilemma: what to do with our bodies after we die? PopSci Editors Sarah Durn and Laura Baisas go on exploration to find out what is the most environmentally friendly option for handling human remains? Despite all the new technology, experts say there’s one clear answer, and it’s surprisingly old-school. Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/technology/cremation-burial-most-eco-friendly/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to https://popsci.com/ask Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Sep 2, 202618 min
Why do dogs tilt their heads?
Dog behavior exploration incoming! PopSci Editor Sarah Durn and Editor-in-Chief Annie Colbert talk through their personal dog experiences before lolling their heads through the scientific explanations for why dog's often look like they're REALLY trying to understand what we're trying to tell them Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/environment/why-dogs-tilt-their-heads/ https://www.popsci.com/science/how-to-test-pet-intelligence/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to https://popsci.com/ask Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Aug 19, 202619 min
How scary is Yellowstone's supervolcano?
It's volcano time, as PopSci Editor Sarah Durn and Editor-in-Chief Annie Colbert dig deep into the structure of the Yellowstone Caldera to figure out what's brewing beneath it, and just how much devastation it could unleash if it ever woke up.. Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/environment/what-if-yellowstone-volcano-erupted/https://www.popsci.com/environment/yellowstone-supervolcano-bulge/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to https://popsci.com/ask Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Aug 5, 202617 min
What are the most common sunscreen myths
It's time to separate facts from fiction about sunscreen, as PopSci Editor Sarah Durn and News Editor Laura Baisas take us through the four most common misconceptions people have about suncreen and how it should be used. Plus, did you know that e.coli bacteria has been created that can manufacture organic sunscreen???? Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode:https://www.popsci.com/health/do-i-need-sunscreen-every-day/https://www.popsci.com/science/sunscreen-made-from-e-coli/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to https://popsci.com/ask Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Jul 22, 202618 min
How did airplane seats get SO small?
Welcome back to our show! PopSci Editor Sarah Durn and Editor-in-Chief Annie Colbert had a little time off, but they return to figure out just how passengers ended up with barely enough room on airplanes for bodies to fit, and what it might mean for passenger safety. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/why-are-airline-seats-so-small/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to https://popsci.com/ask Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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About Ask Us Anything by Popular Science
Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Join our editors as they explain it all.
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