How do records work?

Records are big flat discs with circular lines on them that you can use to play music. But how does a record work, anyway? We asked audio engineer Josh Bonati to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s spinning around in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find an answer that’s music to your ears!


Do airplanes have a speed limit?

Airplanes fly high in the sky and at super fast speeds. But is there a limit to how fast they’re allowed to fly? You know, in the way cars have speed limits? For this episode, we talked to Bobby Sharp, an air traffic controller, who helps us understand if airplanes have a need for speed.
Got a question you need answered fast? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll try our plane old best to get it answered!

How do stethoscopes work?

Have you ever been to the doctor and had them listen to your body with a stethoscope? It’s that funny looking thing that looks like a long rubbery tube with a round metal circle on one end and two ear pieces on the other. Doctors always seem to have one handy, but what is it and how does it work? We asked pediatrician Emma Gerstenzang to help us find the answer.
Got a question that you need scoped out? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll prescribe you an answer!

How many times does our heart beat a day?

Most of us know that we have a heart. We know that it beats - sometimes faster, sometimes slower. But just how many times does it beat in a day? We asked Dr. Courtney Jordan Baechler to have a heart-to-heart with us about this question. (She is also the host of the podcast Heart-to-Heart Conversations!)

Got a question that you just love? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we won’t beat around the bush!

How many times does our heart beat a day? 

How do sinkholes form?

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!

What would happen if I went into a black hole?

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!

What would happen if you fell into a black hole?

What would happen if I went inside a black hole?

How do 3D glasses work?

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.

Today's Moment of Um comes from our archives! 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.

How do vocal cords work?

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!

How do vocal cords work? 

How does hair dye work?

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 at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll style an answer for you!

How are bricks made?

Bricks are all around us: in walls, sidewalks, park benches, and more. How are these bodacious blocks made, and what makes them different colors?  We asked construction and masonry expert Brian Trimble to help us find the answer.
Constructing a question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you find a solid answer!

When did people start using utensils?

People around the world eat with a variety of utensils like forks, chopsticks, and sporks. But what did people do before silverware was invented? We asked human evolution expert Briana Pobiner from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s unFORKgettable? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll spoon-feed you an answer.  

When did people start using utensils? 

How do our clothes get dirty?

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 at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll fashion an answer for you.

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 at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll fashion an answer for you.

Why does salt make you thirsty?

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! 

Why does bread have holes?

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 at Brains On.org/contact, and we’ll find the answers where you yeast expect them! 

Why does bread have holes? 

How do people get warts?

Warts are small bumps that can show up on our skin, especially on our hands, knees, or elbows. What are they? Where do they come from? We asked Dr. Kaveh Hoda to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s got you TOADally stumped? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help sort out wart’s wart. 

How does a platypus make its venom?

Platypuses seem like they were put together from other animal’s spare parts. They’ve got a bill like a duck, a flat tail like a beaver, and…venom? What’s up with that? We asked biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s as confusing as platypus anatomy? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we won’t even bill you for the answer! 

Platypuses seem like they were put together from other animal’s spare parts. They’ve got a bill like a duck, a flat tail like a beaver, and…venom? What’s up with that? We asked biologist Imogen Cancellare to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s as confusing as platypus anatomy? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we won’t even bill you for the answer! 

How did the peregrine falcon get its name?

Peregrine falcons are the fastest animals on earth. They’re the super sonic jets of the animal kingdom! So what does the word “peregrine” mean and how did these amazing birds get their name? We chatted with conservation biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer.
Got a question soaring through your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you capture the answer!

Why don’t mountain lions have manes?

When you picture a lion, what do you see? If you thought of a big fluffy mane, you’re not alone! But how come mountain lions don’t have manes? We asked conservation biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s really hairy?  Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll make finding the answer our mane focus. 

When you picture a lion, what do you see? If you thought of a big fluffy mane, you’re not alone! But how come mountain lions don’t have manes? We asked conservation biologist Imogen Cancellare to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s really hairy?  Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll make finding the answer our mane focus. 

Do birds cough or sneeze?

Birds have a lot going on. They fly, chirp, sing, make nests, lay eggs. But can they cough or sneeze? We asked biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s flying around in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help quack the case. 

How do bears make their dens?

Most bear species spend at least part of the winter season snoozing – a.k.a. hibernating! To prepare for that extended nap sesh, bears snuggle up in cozy dens where they can stay safe and hidden. But how does a bear make a den? We asked biologist Imogene Cancellare to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s making you feel a bit grizzled? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help i-DEN-tify the answer! 

Why do we have friends?

Friends rule! The best ones are those that are always there to help you out, embark on a strange adventure,  make you laugh so hard you cry and appreciate all the weird and wonderful things that make you… you! We love our friends! But do we humans need them as a species? We talked to psychologist/biologist Lauren Brent to find the answer.  

Do you and your BFF have a question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll be a friend and help find the answer!

Friends rule! The best ones are those that are always there to help you out, embark on a strange adventure,  make you laugh so hard you cry and appreciate all the weird and wonderful things that make you… you! We love our friends! But do we humans need them as a species? We talked to psychologist/biologist Lauren Brent to find the answer.  
Do you and your BFF have a question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll be a friend and help find the answer!

What is the strongest glue?

Most of us have used a glue stick or Elmer’s, but what about the strongest glue in the WORLD? We got a fantastic question from a couple of listeners who wanted to know what the strongest glue is, so we reached out to biomedical engineer Danna Sheridan to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s sticking in your mind? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help unglue the answer!

Today's Moment of Um comes from our archives! Most of us have used a glue stick or Elmer’s, but what about the strongest glue in the WORLD? We got a fantastic question from a couple of listeners who wanted to know what the strongest glue is, so we reached out to biomedical engineer Danna Sheridan to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s sticking in your mind? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help unglue the answer!

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away… we wondered, could you ever build a real lightsaber like the ones in Star Wars? A lightsaber is a glowing sword that can cut through metal – and pretty much anything else you can think of. It’s the favorite tool of heroes like Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano, as well as villains like Darth Vader. That’s just in the movies, but could we make them real? We asked mechanical engineering professor Sayan Biswas to help us find the answer.
Got more questions than Luke when he was training with Yoda? Send them to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help use the force to find an answer! 

Could you make a real-life lightsaber?

Do penguins sit down?

Did you know there are 18 species of penguin in the world? Each species has its own differences and quirks, but one thing all penguins have in common is that it can be tricky to tell if they’re standing up or sitting down. One curious listener wondered if they even sit down at all. We asked Dr. Michelle LaRue from the University of Canterbury to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s knocked you off your feet? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll stand up and find the answer.  

All Episodes

How do records work?

Do airplanes have a speed limit?

How do stethoscopes work?

How many times does our heart beat a day?

How do sinkholes form?

What would happen if I went inside a black hole?

How do 3D glasses work?

How do vocal cords work?

How does hair dye work?

How are bricks made?

When did people start using utensils?

How do our clothes get dirty?

Why does salt make you thirsty?

Why does bread have holes?

How do people get warts?

How does a platypus make its venom?

How did the peregrine falcon get its name?

Why don’t mountain lions have manes?

Do birds cough or sneeze?

How do bears make their dens?

Why do we have friends?

What is the strongest glue?

Could you make a real-life lightsaber?

Do penguins sit down?