Ask us Anything by Popular Science

Popular Science•popsci.com

Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from what the universe is made of to why not everyone can touch their toes. Join PopSci editors and producer Jess Boddy as they work through questions big and small. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/askusanythingbypopsci/support

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Episodes

10. What's your brain doing when you daydream?

On long days, it's not unusual to conjure up scenes of lush beaches, serene mountaintops, or even a cozy blanket fort and a good movie. But what's happening in our brains when we do that? And is it healthy to do this so often? --- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq Art by Katie Bell...

Apr 29, 2021•11 min•Season 1Ep. 10

9. Are there good viruses?

For the last year and a half, we've really only had one big virus on our minds—and it's a very bad one. But are there good viruses out there? And what can viruses do for us? --- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz --- Support this...

Apr 27, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 9

8. Why can't we burn our trash in volcanoes?

At first glance, a volcano’s hot lava seems ideal for incinerating our trash. But, like so many things in science, it’s so much more complicated than that. --- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz --- Support this podcast: https://...

Apr 22, 2021•9 min•Season 1Ep. 8

7. Can you overdose on weed?

There aren't any recorded deaths attributed solely to marijuana—you can't really blaze yourself to death. But even so, is it possible to overdose on it? --- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz --- Support this podcast: https://anc...

Apr 20, 2021•11 min•Season 1Ep. 7

6. What causes side stitches?

If you know, you know—that jabbing, stabbing pain in your side just when you hit your groove in a work out. So what's actually going on in your body when you get a side stitch? --- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz --- Support t...

Apr 01, 2021•15 min•Season 1Ep. 6

5. How much sleep do you actually need?

We all lead busy lives, so it's easy to skimp out on catching all of those Zs. But the question is, how much sleep can you get without sacrificing any cognitive function? --- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz --- Support this po...

Mar 30, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 5

4. What would happen if you fell into a black hole?

Black holes—humungous, dense, celestial objects—suck in everything that cross their jaws (also known as their event horizons). But what if one sucked YOU in?! Two words: lethal spaghetti. --- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz --...

Mar 25, 2021•11 min•Season 1Ep. 4

3. Can you survive on a single food forever?

Grocery shopping can be a chore. But what if, even hypothetically, you could survive by only consuming one food for the rest of your life? There's a way to do it—but it involves a whole buttload of potatoes. --- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitte...

Mar 23, 2021•12 min•Season 1Ep. 3

2. Why don't we all grow to be 10 feet tall?

Claire is 5'4", and Jess is 6'1", and most of the world is somewhere in between. But why is it that we don't just all end up being 10 feet tall? What's stopping us from growing sky-high? --- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz ---...

Mar 18, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 2

1. Can you boost your immune system?

Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the classic flu season, many of us often wonder: is it possible to boost our immune systems so they can vanquish any threat? --- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz --- Support this podcast: https...

Mar 16, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Trailer: Ask Us Anything by Popular Science

Premiering Tuesday, March 16th, Ask Us Anything is a brand new podcast from the editors of Popular Science. It’s a bite-sized show that answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from what the universe is made of to why not everyone can touch their toes. If you like The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week, we promise you’ll love Ask Us Anything—and you’ll hear a few familiar voices on it, too! Check out new episodes of Ask Us Anything every Tuesday and Thursday wherever you get your pod...

Mar 03, 2021•36 sec

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