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
![Jack Russell terrier dog facing a podcast microphone to record a science show](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/22/best-science-podcasts-2021.jpg?w=632)
Ask Us Anything
Our favorite science podcast episodes of 2021
![What happens if you eat too many Tums?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/JP6HQ2DJ3QHW3W3CUZOIM4V2L4.jpg?w=600)
Ask Us Anything
What happens if you eat too many Tums?
![Is it safe to take expired medication?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/AQE7ZQFBD5RRUSDWRTY4PTD6FE.jpg?w=675)
Ask Us Anything
Is it safe to take expired medication?
![J0313-1806 quasar black hole rendition](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/09/quasar-black-hold-nasa-observatory.jpg?w=800)
What we can learn from baby black holes
![Person in gray exercise shirt and pink running tights with a side stitch](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/PCWGLJXCGHPYGIZ7HSMPR7QPCU.jpg?w=675)
Ask Us Anything
When you get a stitch in your side, what’s really going on?
![Why do marathon runners get the runs?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/IVQ6XKMTOPOGVRML3S6PH35E2E.jpg?w=675)
Ask Us Anything
Why do marathon runners get the runs?
![Will cracking my knuckles give me arthritis?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/UXTW6P2ARE3SU7Q3SJ37RRCU3I.jpg?w=600)
Ask Us Anything
Will cracking my knuckles give me arthritis?
![Antibiotic pills which are one of the causes of recurrent UTIs](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/07/VYPI5ZDEEQSD3H5WZAXUYN6QQ4.jpg?w=763)
Ask Us Anything
Why your UTI keeps coming back
![Why do my muscles ache the day after a big workout?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/03/BPGXVQ7DAJYOQI6TT2FPQTAJ3A.jpg?w=679)
Ask Us Anything
Why do my muscles ache the day after a big workout?
![art illustration with a bushel of apples](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/13/AUA_apples.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
Did food taste better 50 years ago?
![the sun as seen with x-rays](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/05/PIA18906_orig-scaled.jpg?w=886)
Ask Us Anything
What would happen if the sun went out?
![art illustration of the sun](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/06/Screen-Shot-2021-10-05-at-4.45.55-PM.png?w=687)
Ask Us Anything
What happens when the sun burns out?
![the sun as seen with x-rays](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/05/PIA18906_orig-scaled.jpg?w=886)
Ask Us Anything
How close can you get to the sun? Closer than you’d think.
![art illustration of person reaching for their toes](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/29/AUA_toetouch.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
Why can’t we all touch our toes?
![a nose smelling the stars (illustration)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/27/AUA_smell_space.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
What does space smell like?
![A child doing homework at a table](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/16/YM_homework.jpg?w=675)
Ask Us Anything
Kids are onto something: Homework might actually be bad
![art illustration of a person drinking from a bucket.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/20/AUA_water.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
How much water should you drink in a day?
![Some dinosaurs on the PopSci Ask Us Anything podcast background.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/15/Dinosaur-Meat-Taste.jpeg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
What would a dinosaur taste like?
![art illustration of woman with open mouth and laptop](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/10/AUA_computereater.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
What would happen if I ate my computer? Asking for a friend.
![art illustration with vintage painting/sculpture](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/08/AUA_nude.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
A complete guide on how to safely take, send, and store nudes
![art illustration with a mug of beer](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/07/AUA_hangover.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
What is a hangover? And can you cure it?
![How to eat sweet foods on a healthy diet](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/GHDDTIRYTR22T6DYZG6GGWUZCQ-scaled.jpg?w=675)
Ask Us Anything
How to eat sweet foods on a healthy diet
![The Ask Us Anything logo with an illustrated heap of potatoes.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/23/AUA_potatoes-1.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
Ask Us Anything: Can you survive on a single food forever?
![Types of bread for a bread and water diet](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/PGVMUHDY3OHREBDXVHVW5GCAVM.jpg?w=676)
Ask Us Anything
Can you live on bread and water alone?
![How many hours of sleep do you actually need?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/L4AHCMFXX7W6WSSWFQQ25ULGOQ.jpg?w=675)
Ask Us Anything
How many hours of sleep do you actually need?
![You can injure yourself stretching—but it’s not easy](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/31/ORO3WLQ4WJCCHGHIZFGMLAULEI.jpg?w=674)
Ask Us Anything
You can injure yourself stretching—but it’s not easy
![What Makes A Boomerang Come Back?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/VYL7P763SEX2LHTOVD72LZVJ74.jpg?w=600)
Ask Us Anything
What Makes A Boomerang Come Back?
![Lava](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/18/2UR7IVEJ4ISL4JQFUAWCFABND4.jpg?w=385)
Ask Us Anything
Why don’t we just throw all our garbage into volcanoes?
![You might be overusing hand sanitizer](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/KDDRY7NMU4XWSQU4C2JUG2L6GE.jpg?w=642)
Ask Us Anything
You might be overusing hand sanitizer
![Do animals have orgasms?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/SMIDWRLUO5F5FLAHQ67WO6V67M.jpg?w=525)
Animals
Do animals have orgasms?
![FYI: Do Fat People Stay Warmer Than Thin People?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/FK6RGD4OOZ3FGGHA2PHMJ6CXWA.jpg?w=465)
Ask Us Anything
FYI: Do Fat People Stay Warmer Than Thin People?
![tons of potatoes](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/19/hai-nguyen-LSZfNPVZjTw-unsplash.jpg?w=600)
Ask Us Anything
Is there a single food that you can survive on forever?
![crowd in swimming pool](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/I7EB53HPBT5H7VJWJSL2LQBUOE.jpg?w=600)
Ask Us Anything
Peeing in the pool is actually really bad for you
![A trio of giraffes from the necks up against a cloudy sky backdrop.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/17/J5U6HHQSQNHU5EZXUC6336EROU.jpg?w=675)
Ask Us Anything
Ask Us Anything: Why do humans stop growing?
![an illustrated man with a magnifying glass held up to his eye](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/05/AUA_color.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
Ask Us Anything: Why can’t we see more colors?
![woman sneezing into a tissue](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/03/AUA_allergies.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
Ask Us Anything: What are allergies?
![Ask Us Anything: What happens in your brain when you daydream?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/28/AUA_Daydream.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
Ask Us Anything: What happens in your brain when you daydream?
![an artist's interpretation of a virus over top of the ask us anything logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/26/AUA_goodvrius.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
Ask Us Anything: Can viruses be good for us?
![trash falling into a volcano under the ask us anything logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/22/AUA_Trash_Volcano.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
Ask Us Anything: Why can’t we burn our trash in volcanoes?
![The Ask Us Anything logo with a tired runner in the background](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/31/AUA_Stitches.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
Ask Us Anything: What causes side stitches when you exercise?
![Two illustrated humans sleeping along with the Ask Us Anything logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/29/AUA_Sleep.jpg?w=686)
Ask Us Anything
Ask Us Anything: How much sleep do you actually need?
![If The Sun Went Out, How Long Would Life On Earth Survive?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/3SHCSYU2CTNA2BGCU6VF6LH3CI.jpg?w=464)
Ask Us Anything
If The Sun Went Out, How Long Would Life On Earth Survive?
![Is There A Cure For Color-Blindness?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/U6V5WGQGDGEO45F2IKT2MWK64I.jpg?w=716)
Ask Us Anything
Is There A Cure For Color-Blindness?
![If Snow And Rain Come From The Ocean, Why Aren’t They Salty?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/4IUJ4XOAMCQLFHBKHJGWV235DI.jpg?w=600)
Ask Us Anything
If Snow And Rain Come From The Ocean, Why Aren’t They Salty?
Ask Us Anything
What’s The Worst Possible Password?
![Can Sour Candy Actually Damage Your Tongue?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/OXDNTFAJVWUK22WUCYNPFJCGFY.jpg?w=1118)
Ask Us Anything
Can Sour Candy Actually Damage Your Tongue?
![Glasses of juice, smoothies, and berries on a table.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/15/DD7UTTBOJFHQXKUKPXGIBN3HME.jpg?w=600)
Ask Us Anything
Ask Us Anything: Can you actually boost your immune system?
![A bag of chocolate chip cookies holding up a sign that says "nutrition facts, one cookie, 320 calories"](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/YPWWQ6MC2DM4BOWBYJEC546BUA.jpg?w=600)
Ask Us Anything
Why you can’t trust the calorie count on food labels
![How much chocolate would you have to eat for it to kill you?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/O3LZ5Y4H7MQG4WJTXZJL6F5HGY.jpg?w=675)
Ask Us Anything
How much chocolate would you have to eat for it to kill you?
![A white Pomeranian on a snowy ledge with its tongue stuck out](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/01/R2MDJC5WZFC5VJDDRHI3GONPZE.jpg?w=677)
Ask Us Anything
Is it safe to eat snow?
![Is There Really No Way to Keep a Goose Out of a Jet Engine?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/AAFBQS5AGEPWVAGFT7KKSKH4JQ.jpg?w=485)
Ask Us Anything
Is There Really No Way to Keep a Goose Out of a Jet Engine?
![A 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, destroyed homes and lives.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20/5XQ2XBOGCVE3VP7VCTP3UFM3OE.jpg?w=677)
Ask Us Anything
Earthquakes can cause serious psychological aftershocks
![Is it possible to boost your immune system?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/BACJQHSL4W5XLJ2GV2NQ3JCAWE.jpg?w=544)
Ask Us Anything
Is it possible to boost your immune system?
![A brown-eyed individual holding a mug](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/28/DC7DQNQBIRA5XPMQVVUI7GYA2A.jpg?w=675)
Ask Us Anything
How do we get our eye color?
![kid eating cake](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/10/FVZI5ZRW4NCEFK5ZXVIFB23AFA.jpg?w=679)
Ask Us Anything
How your tongue tells your brain what you’re tasting
![Nuking hurricanes out of the sky ‘doesn’t make sense at all’](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/27/2GMXDT4OLSBS7KBMAV4NL4BPU4.jpeg?w=676)
Ask Us Anything
Nuking hurricanes out of the sky ‘doesn’t make sense at all’
![Why don’t we grow to be 10 feet tall?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/30/IF4U4JNR5R7KD4547MJQC4X6KU.jpg?w=675)
Ask Us Anything
Why don’t we grow to be 10 feet tall?
![Why you’re more likely to cry on an airplane](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/26/OWI23FV34C6AZQZNNGLVJDAIP4.jpg?w=685)
Ask Us Anything
Why you’re more likely to cry on an airplane
![Why do we get goosebumps?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/CCPPNCSQBVIFPO2OUMJGCDJSWE.gif?w=563)
Ask Us Anything
Why do we get goosebumps?
![Why do I feel dizzy after spinning?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/NG36KM3QFHXS3BXS7RVVCUGLII.jpg?w=600)
Ask Us Anything