Clean eating. Whole 30. Whole food. Natural. Organic. Removing toxins. There are lots of ideas connected to eating healthy. Are any of them true? Are any of them helpful? And what does Ryan get on his soapbox about? Listen this week and find out. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Quackery unit. Resources from this episode: Whole 30 Shopping List Whole 30 Shopping List: Low FODMAP Impact of Assigning Moral Virtue to Food, According to Experts Toxin Watch...
Apr 17, 2023•37 min•Season 8Ep. 5
Homeopathy, naturopathy, and other types of alternative medicine. How are they the same and how are they different? What exactly does homeopathy say about curing ailments? And why does Cheryl call it the dilution solution? Listen to this week's episode to find out! It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Quackery unit. 00:00 - Intro 00:50 - The Question 02:04 - Pre-assessment 10:21 - The Lesson Explanation 23:01 - Quiz Resources from this episode: Oh No Ross ...
Apr 03, 2023•29 min
Essential Oils are incredibly popular for their wonderful scents as well as their healing properties. But what about these oils is essential, anyway? And are they able to do all the things they claim? There are so many people who swear by them; how do we evaluate their experiences from a scientific perspective? And how exactly can you align your DNA? Learn all this and more in this week's lesson! It's never to late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Quackery unit. Resources...
Mar 27, 2023•48 min•Season 8Ep. 3
Ionized water is marketed as a way to balance the pH of our bodies and alkaline water is supposed to be good for us, but is it? What exactly is pH, anyway? Join us this week to learn about how the placebo effect could contribute to the claims that ionized water can heal all sorts of ailments. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of our Quackery Unit Resources from this episode: Alkaline water: Benefits, side effects, & dangers Is alkaline water a miracle cure...
Mar 20, 2023•41 min•Season 8Ep. 2
Astrology has been around for thousands of years. Since astrology has to do with the stars, does that make it scientific? What exactly is the Zodiac, and what does that have to do with my personality? Does astrology make any claims that science can test? Join us for our first look into pseudoscience. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of our Quackery unit. 00:00 - Intro 02:08 - Disclaimer 03:57 - The Question 05:07 - Pre-assessment 13:51 - The Lesson Explanatio...
Mar 13, 2023•37 min•Season 8Ep. 1
Our last listener question for a while, we look into what fog is. Is fog just a cloud that's low to the ground? If so, why is it so close to the ground? Can fog rain? Is fog heavier than clouds? So many questions from such a simple question! It's never too late to learn about the world around you. \ Resources from this episode: How fog forms Fog What's the difference between fog and clouds? Why is fog usually seen in the morning? Air & water Watch the podcast on YouTube Follow us on Facebook...
Mar 06, 2023•28 min•Season 7Ep. 9
Though it might not seem immediately obvious, sometimes plants appear to want their own personal space. Crown shyness is an interesting phenomenon where the tops of trees stay away from each other. But how to trees know where other trees are and how to they stay away from them? Plants are much more complex than we often give them credit for! It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is a listener question. Resources from this episode: Crown shyness Crown shyness: are trees so...
Feb 27, 2023•27 min•Season 7Ep. 8
Another listener question this week about something that seems simple: engines. Do you know the difference between an engine and a motor? How do car engines actually make cars move? Where does all that energy come from? Find out how much Cheryl does (or doesn't) know about engines in this week's episode. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. Resources from this episode: Is an engine a motor? Internal combustion engine basics How car engines work How does an engine work? Watch ...
Feb 20, 2023•35 min•Season 7Ep. 7
We've all been annoyed by the drip-drip-drip of water from a leaky faucet, but why is there a rhythm to the dripping? What prevents the water from simply leaking out continuously? And can water defy gravity? Listen to this week's lesson to find out. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is a listener question. Resources from this episode: Raindrops are different sizes Is there a maximum size of water drops in nature? Snatoms Molecular Models Watch the podcast on YouTube F...
Feb 14, 2023•31 min•Season 7Ep. 6
If you don't have to run your heater all year, you're probably familiar with the smell that accompanies turning it on again in the fall. But what causes that smell? Is something burning? What does it mean for something to burn, anyway? Does there have to be fire for something to burn? Join Cheryl as she learns answers to these and more questions this week. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is a listener question. Resources from this episode: 4 weird smells you might n...
Feb 06, 2023•22 min•Season 7Ep. 5
This week's question is about drinking straws. Have you ever put your straw in a drink, held your thumb on the top of the straw, and pulled it out of the drink? What keeps the liquid inside the straw? Why doesn't it fall out? Does this mean the liquid is defying gravity? Join us for this week's lesson to find out. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is a listener question. Resources from this episode: If I seal a straw with my finger, the liquid stays inside. Why? Press...
Jan 30, 2023•25 min•Season 7Ep. 4
If movies are to be believed, when you are in space, opening a door can have disastrous consequences. Can space really suck all the air out of a spaceship? What about all those science teachers who say that "science doesn't suck?" Learn all about this, as well as a new way to find out if Ryan is excited about a topic, in this week's lesson. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is a listener question Resources from this episode: How long could star-lord survive in space u...
Jan 23, 2023•34 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Lesson 53 What seems like a simple question ends up being more difficult that you might think: what exactly is fire? Is it a solid? A gas? Something else? And what causes the actual light we see? This week Cheryl & Ryan tackle a listener question from Katie that turns out to be something lots of people have asked and others have struggled to answer. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is a listener question! Resources from this episode: What is fire? What is fire? (...
Jan 16, 2023•35 min•Season 7Ep. 2
We've all heard it: reading in dim light is bad for your eyes. But is it true, or is it a myth? Lisa, one of our listeners, asks us this question and Cheryl and Ryan do their best to get to the bottom of it, including learning a bit more about why pirates wear eye patches! It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is a listener question! Resources from this episode: Reading in dim light Heard the one about reading in dim light being bad for your eyes Is reading in the dark ba...
Jan 09, 2023•25 min•Season 7Ep. 1
After partying a little too hard for New Year's, sometimes we experience a hangover, but what exactly is a hangover and what causes it? And, most importantly, can it make your brain shrink? Cheryl learns more about dehydration, diuretics, and even hormones to help understand that nauseous, achy, head-splitting feeling the morning after imbibing too much. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Holiday unit. Resources from this episode: Why do hangovers occur?...
Jan 02, 2023•28 min•Season 6Ep. 10
Singing Christmas carols is a long tradition, but it got Cheryl thinking: how does singing work? And is the voice box even a real thing? To answer this, Ryan and Cheryl talk about vocal cords and remember back to Lesson 9 about whistling. We even get Cheryl singing a carol for us! It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Holiday unit. Resources from this episode: How do vocal cords work when you sing? Vocal folds Inside the larynx Watch the podcast on YouTube ...
Dec 26, 2022•26 min•Season 6Ep. 9
Is snow just frozen rain? If so, shouldn't it look like little ice cubes? Does snow form in clouds, or after it's left the clouds? And what about all the other types of frozen precipitation that falls from the sky, like hail and sleet? learn all about this, plus bonus weather songs from Cheryl in this week's lesson! It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of our Holiday unit. Resources from this episode: How does snow form? Snow How do snowflakes form? Severe weathe...
Dec 19, 2022•24 min•Season 6Ep. 8
Baking Christmas cookies is a fun holiday tradition, but why do we have to follow the recipe so closely? Cooking seems to be much more forgiving than backing. Is there a science reason for that? Listen to this week's episode and find out! It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Holiday unit. Resources from this episode: The science of cookies How to bake a cookie - in terms of Chemistry Watch the podcast on YouTube Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , & Tw...
Dec 12, 2022•22 min•Season 6Ep. 7
One of the first things we do when decorating for Christmas is put up lights, but how do they work? And what's the difference between the "old fashioned" type of light bulbs and the new LED bulbs? What does LED even mean? This week Cheryl learns about the different types of bulbs, why LEDs are more energy efficient, and how the same bulbs can be both white and colored! It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Holiday unit. Watch the podcast on YouTube Follow u...
Dec 05, 2022•27 min•Season 6Ep. 7
We've all seen balloons float, but what makes them float? We might be able to understand why a small birthday balloon can float, but what about the big giant Thanksgiving day parade balloons? Why can those float? We also learn why we use Helium instead of Hydrogen, even though Hydrogen would be better at making balloons float. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of our Holiday unit. Resources from this episode: How Helium Balloons work Buoyancy Watch the podcast...
Nov 28, 2022•25 min•Season 6Ep. 5
We've all heard it: eating turkey during Thanksgiving makes you sleepy. You might have even heard that tryptophan is to blame, but is any of this true? And what even is tryptophan, anyway? Cheryl has her suspicions, but doesn't know why. And if tryptophan isn't to blame, why do we get sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner? It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Holiday unit. Resources from this episode: Does turkey make you sleepy? Does turkey make you tired? Wat...
Nov 21, 2022•21 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Another feature of Thanksgiving dinner are the side dishes like cranberry sauce and jell-o. But what allows these to go from a liquid to a, well, gel? Cheryl thinks there some sort of reaction happening, but doesn't know for sure. To find the answer she will learn how water molecules can be a bit like velcro and stick to proteins. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. Resources from this episode: The Firm Chemistry of Gelatin Watch the podcast on YouTube Follow us on Facebook ...
Nov 14, 2022•22 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Time to start planning for Thanksgiving dinner! Many people brine their Thanksgiving turkeys before cooking them, but why? What does soaking in salt water actually do to the bird? Why would salt water make the meat more moist than simply water alone? Cheryl learns a bit about diffusion and how it helps make this holiday more tasty! It's never too late to learn about the world around you. Resources from this episode: The Science of Brining How to Brine Meat - & Why You Should Bother The Scien...
Nov 07, 2022•27 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Starting a new unit about the science of holidays with Halloween, complete with costumes! Cheryl wonders why carving a pumpkin makes it rot faster, which leads her to realize she's not quite sure what rot is in the first place. She also makes connections back to our Hot & Cold unit with molecules moving (Lesson 11) and cells being damaged when frozen (Lesson 15). It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of our Holiday unit. Resources from this episode: Plant immu...
Oct 31, 2022•31 min•Season 6Ep. 1
If plants use sunlight to make their own food, why do some plants eat animals for food? Isn't that the opposite of what plants do? In order to answer this question, Cheryl learns a bit more about exactly what photosynthesis does and gains an even greater appreciation for carnivorous plants. This is part of the Houseplants unit. Resources from this episode: Here's how plants became meat eaters Carnivorous plants: the meat-eaters of the plant world Carnivorous plant Watch the podcast on YouTube Fo...
Oct 24, 2022•27 min•Season 5Ep. 8
After learning a lot about plants, Cheryl realizes the doesn't understand how plants can live underwater: shouldn't they drown? This line of questioning leads to all sorts of things, including where Oxygen comes from and why plants like poop. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Houseplants unit. Resources from this episode: Aquatic Plant Plant Adaptations Do Aquarium Plants Need Soil? Watch the podcast on YouTube Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , & ...
Oct 17, 2022•25 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Seasonal allergies plague so many of us, but why aren't we usually allergic to our houseplants? And why don't houseplants usually produce much pollen? What even is pollen, anyway? This week Cheryl gets into the birds and the bees...with plants to learn about pollen, flowers, and where seeds come from. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Houseplants unit. Resources from this episode: Why do my houseplants refuse to send out flowers? 9 Non-flowering plants ...
Oct 10, 2022•21 min•Season 5Ep. 6
It's healthy to have houseplants, right? But how healthy is it? What makes it healthy? Do houseplants produces more oxygen for us to breath or clean the air from "toxins?" Cheryl and Ryan talk about this, plus more in this week's episode. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Houseplants unit. Resources from this episode: How many plants to produce enough oxygen for one person Do houseplants increase oxygen levels Which houseplants should you buy to purify ...
Oct 03, 2022•26 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Cheryl has a vine plant that has an interesting pattern of leaf size: when the vine grows horizontally, the leaves are relatively small, but when the vine grows vertically, the leaves are significantly bigger. In order to understand why, Cheryl and Ryan learn about what plants "know," how they know what they know, and even why some plants throw shade. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. Resources from this episode: How do seeds know which way to grow? How do plants know whic...
Sep 26, 2022•26 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Continuing to probe Cheryl's questions about her houseplants, this week she asks about root bound plants: what causes it and why is it bad for her houseplants. To answer the question Ryan will talk about what exactly nutrients are and why they are important for plants, including why fertilizers actually help plants. It's never too late to learn about the world around you. This is part of the Houseplants unit. Resources from this episode: Pot-Bound Indoor Plants Understanding Root-bound Plants Es...
Sep 19, 2022•27 min•Season 5Ep. 3
