Ask Us Anything

PopSci editors answer your most-outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall.

Latest in Ask Us Anything

Oil Pulling Mouthwash, dental oral hygiene rinse aid liquid, trendy alternative detoxifying mouthwash with toothbrush, toothpaste for cleaning teeth on bath background

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What does oil pulling do to your teeth? We asked dentists. What does oil pulling do to your teeth? We asked dentists.

man sneezing on a colorful, illustrated background

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Why do some people sneeze so loudly? Why do some people sneeze so loudly?

By RJ Mackenzie

a person's hands typing on a laptop keyboard

AI

How do chatbots work? How do chatbots work?

By Popular Science Team

robot doctor talks to elderly person sitting in chair

AI

Will we ever be able to trust health advice from an AI? Will we ever be able to trust health advice from an AI?

By Keith Wagstaff

A person wearing running shorts holding their thigh on a beach, potentially wondering what happens when you pull a muscle, because they probably just did.

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Here’s what really happens when you pull a muscle Here’s what really happens when you pull a muscle

By Nicole Wetsman

engineers working on voyager 2

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How is Voyager’s vintage technology still flying? How is Voyager’s vintage technology still flying?

By Popular Science Team

Magnetic tape and Blu-Ray Discs for data storage forming an infinity sign on a yellow background. Illustrated.

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Inside the search for the best way to save humanity’s data Inside the search for the best way to save humanity’s data

By Charlotte Hu

Red and pink pill on yellow background with Swiss army knife coming out of it to symbolize off-label use of medications. Illustrated.

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Viagra and the abortion pill can treat multiple illnesses. But how? Viagra and the abortion pill can treat multiple illnesses. But how?

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

An airplane taking off toward the camera at dusk, with lights along the runway and on the front of the plane, against a cloudy reddish sunset.

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Let’s talk about how planes fly Let’s talk about how planes fly

illustration of person at computer with devil horns and cloven hooves

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Does playing devil’s advocate do more harm than good? Does playing devil’s advocate do more harm than good?

By Julia Craven

illustration of astronaut floating in space

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How astronauts pull off dangerous spacewalks How astronauts pull off dangerous spacewalks

By Maria Parazo Rose

illustration of people on rollercoaster

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4 of the most extreme amusement park rides on the planet 4 of the most extreme amusement park rides on the planet

By Purbita Saha

illustration of woman navigator

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Voyagers made it to Hawaiʻi thousands of years ago with no compasses. Here’s how. Voyagers made it to Hawaiʻi thousands of years ago with no compasses. Here’s how.

illustration of pufferfish on a fork

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Deadly and delicious: These 6 foods can actually kill you Deadly and delicious: These 6 foods can actually kill you

By Charlotte Hu

illustration of free-falling woman

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Why do we love watching people defy death? Why do we love watching people defy death?

By Leigh Cowart

a woman looks in the mirror as she pinches a pimple on her check with her two pointer fingers

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Why some people find pimple popping so grossly satisfying Why some people find pimple popping so grossly satisfying

By Chelsey B. Coombs

x-ray of impacted wisdom tooth

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We finally know why we grow wisdom teeth as adults We finally know why we grow wisdom teeth as adults

By Sara Chodosh

Bees hanging onto each other

Animals

Do we still need to save the bees? Do we still need to save the bees?

By Philip Kiefer

Germs and dirt around a playful child illustrated

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Children are grimy, and that’s (mostly) ok Children are grimy, and that’s (mostly) ok

By Jesse Greenspan

An hypothetical illustration of society running on garbage.

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Is trash a form of renewable energy? Is trash a form of renewable energy?

By Sara Kiley Watson