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.  

What causes solar flares?

Listener Graham wanted to know what solar flares are and what causes them, so we reached out to NASA Heliophysicist Nicola Fox to help us figure out why these bright flashes on the sun’s surface occur.
Got a question that’s been flaring up in your mind? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help make you brighter! 

How do trumpets make that bbbbrrrrrrr sound?

Did you know that trumpets are the oldest brass instruments? Orchestras rely on them to play the highest notes in the brass section! But how do they make that bbbbrrrrrrr sound? We asked trumpet player and teacher Jim Boyle to help us find the answer.
Got a question you’ve been wanting to brass-k? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find an answer that’s music to your ears.

Is rainwater safe to drink?

On Earth, water gets evaporated by the sun from the planet’s surface, and then drops back down from the clouds when it rains. That’s a great source of water, but..is that water safe to drink?  We asked environmental researcher Dr Jonathan Sexton to help us find the answer.
Got a question in your bRAIN? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help filter out the answer.

Is rainwater safe to drink? 

What's the smallest unit of measurement?

Let’s say you want to measure something really, really, really tiny. How do you do that? With inches? Centimeters? Millimeters? What if it’s so tiny you can’t even see it? Particle physicist Jessica Esquivel helps us solve this teeny tiny mystery!
Got a question that seems too big to answer? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll try to measure up! 

How do stars form black holes?

Black holes are areas in outer space that have gravity so strong that not even light can escape its pull! Some black holes are formed from stars…so how does a star go from a burning ball of gas to a light-swallowing void?  We asked UCLA astrophysicist Dakotah Tyler to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s really pulled you in? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you gravitate towards the answer.

Why do daddy long legs have super long legs?

Whether you’re a fan or not, one thing is for sure - most of us have had an encounter with a daddy long legs. They’ve got super duper long legs, and a TON of nicknames, including cellar spider, carpenter spider, daddy long-legger, vibrating spider, gyrating spider, long daddy, and skull spider. But why are their legs so long? Guilherme Gainett helps us solve this mystery.
Got a question crawling around your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help figure it out! 

How do fireworks explode?

Fireworks are loud and exciting! You light a fuse and the firework rockets up into the air, and then BLAM! It explodes into colorful, sparkling bouquets of light. How the heck does a firework do that? We asked chemist David Chavez to help us find the answer.
Got a question exploding in your noggin? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we certainly won’t reFUSE it!

How do batteries work?

Batteries power lots of stuff that people use everyday, like cellphones, toys and laptop computers. Some batteries can even be recharged after they run out of juice. But how do batteries store electricity? We asked chemistry professor James McKone to help us find the answer. 
Got a question that’s got you all charged up? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll run a whole battery of tests to find the answer. 


Why do we rub our eyes when we're tired?

It seems universal that when a person - old or young - is tired, they rub their eyes. It’s even a way that babies communicate to their adults that they are ready for bed. Are we just born understanding that signal? Or is there something going on with our eyes that they need to be rubbed when we’re sleepy? Otolaryngologist Dr. Laura Orvidas helps us understand the connection in this episode. And stay tuned for the week of May 30, when all of our episodes will be sleep-themed. It’ll be a real “snooze fest”!
Got a question you’ve been eyeing? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we won’t sleep on the answer!

How do light bulbs work?

Have you ever turned on a light and wondered, “How does that thing light up, anyway?” Us, too! We asked Tim Pula of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to help us find the answer.
Got a question that has you glowing with joy? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help illuminate an answer for you! 

How do lightbulbs work?

Why do ostriches stick their heads in the ground?

Ostriches are super neat! They’re the world’s heaviest birds, and they lay the largest eggs of any bird on Earth. They grow up to 8 feet tall, and can run as fast as 45 miles per hour. But you know what they don’t do? They don’t stick their heads in the ground to hide! There are a few reasons why this misunderstanding is so popular, and Sushma Reddy from the Bell Museum helps us understand.
Up to your neck in questions? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find someone who can answer it in the shake of a tailfeather!  

How does anesthesia work?

Sometimes, doctors use something called anesthesia to help them treat patients. Anesthesia can be different substances, but they all prevent our bodies from feeling pain during a medical treatment or surgery. So how does anesthesia stop us from feeling pain? 
We asked Dr. Kaveh Hoda to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s topical? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find a painless answer!

Sometimes, doctors use something called anesthesia to help them treat patients. Anesthesia can be different substances, but they all prevent our bodies from feeling pain during a medical treatment or surgery. So how does anesthesia stop us from feeling pain? We asked Dr. Kaveh Hoda to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s topical? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find a painless answer! 

Why do we need belly buttons?

We all have a belly button. Right there, in the middle of our belly, there’s a nub. Some go in, some stick out, but what exactly are they for? We asked pediatrician Emma Gerstenzang to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s hard to stomach? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help digest the answer for you!


What produces eye gunk when we sleep?

Have you ever woken up in the morning with the corners of your eyes filled with crud? Sleepy sand? Eye goblins? Dozy dust? Bed boogers? Why do our eyes make this stuff, anyway? And why does it build up when we’re asleep? We asked Yale eye doctor Soshian Sarrafpour to help us get to the bottom of this issue.
Got a question that you can’t keep a lid on? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find someone who can answer it in the blink of an eye.  

How does bug spray work?

Bug spray helps us keep mosquitoes and other insects away. But how does it work? We asked insect expert Meredith Cenzer to help us find the answer.
Got a question buzzing around your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll bug some experts until we get an answer! 

Why do we itch?

A mosquito bites you. Your grandma knits you a scratchy blanket. Your friend tickles you with a feathery cat toy. What do all of these things have in common? They make you itch! Listener Samantha was wondering just why that is, and neuroscientist Sonali Mali says she’s always wondered the same thing, so that’s why she studies it!
Got a question tickling at your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, because we’re just itching to help you find the answer!

What are antibiotics and probiotics?

Antibiotics are a kind of medicine that a doctor might give you to help you fight off an infection. But there are also things called probiotics in food and vitamins. So what’s the difference between probiotics and antibiotics? We asked Dr. Kaveh Hoda to help us find the answer.
Got a question that your gut tells you is a great one? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll send you a small-batch, artisanally fermented answer! 

How do music boxes work?

Music boxes are hand-cranked toys that play a tinkly little tune. How do they make their music? We asked music box maker Richard Upchurch to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s making you cranky? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find a harmonious answer. 

Why do pugs have such scrunched faces?

Pugs! They’re adorable! The internet loves them for their sassy personalities and squishy faces. But how did the pug’s face get so smushed? Why are pug noses different from terrier sniffers or German shepherd snoots? We asked animal geneticist Jeffrey Schoenebeck to help us sniff out the answer. 
Got a question that’s right in front of your schnozz? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find someone who NOSE the answer. 

How do magic 8-balls work?

Have you ever played with a Magic 8-Ball? They’re black and white toy balls – but with a twist! People ask the Magic 8-Ball a question, shake it, and it gives you an answer!   How do these toys work? And when were they invented?  We asked Chris Bensch, head curator of the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, NY to help us out. 
Got a question that you’re toying with?  Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll shake up an answer.

How do Magic 8-balls work?

How and why do we produce saliva?

Our mouths have a lot going on. They have teeth and a tongue and they help us talk and eat. But what about saliva? It seems important, right? How do our bodies know to make it? We asked otolaryngologist Dr. Laura Orvidas to help us learn all about saliva. 
Got a question that you just can’t lick? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find an answer. 

All Episodes

What is the strongest glue?

Could you make a real-life lightsaber?

Do penguins sit down?

What causes solar flares?

How do trumpets make that bbbbrrrrrrr sound?

Is rainwater safe to drink?

What's the smallest unit of measurement?

How do stars form black holes?

Why do daddy long legs have super long legs?

How do fireworks explode?

How do batteries work?

Why do we rub our eyes when we're tired?

How do lightbulbs work?

Why do ostriches stick their heads in the ground?

How does anesthesia work?

Why do we need belly buttons?

What produces eye gunk when we sleep?

How does bug spray work?

Why do we itch?

What are antibiotics and probiotics?

How do music boxes work?

Why do pugs have such scrunched faces?

How do Magic 8-balls work?

How and why do we produce saliva?