Science Questions

Before you hurriedly unwrap a stick of gum and twist the foil around the closest blown fuse, you may want to consider a few things. You could have a fixed fuse -- or a full-blown fire.

By Jessika Toothman

How do scratch-and-sniff stickers work? What makes them last for years and years?

I have been smoking for 50 years and have always wondered why cigarettes have filter tips. I can remember when none of the cigarettes on the market had filters, and now nearly all of them do. Does the filter do anything?

How does chlorine work to clean swimming pools?

I live in California, where we are having a power crunch. I have a hypothetical question: Could I power my computer or my TV with a bicycle generator?

By Austin Henderson

Crayola crayons have nurtured childhood creativity and remained safely edible for over 100 years. Now learn their story- how they originated in the 19th century, how they've changed, and we'll even tell you how old that familiar label is.

How does a Dippy Bird work?

My glasses have an anti-reflective coating. How does that work?

How can my glasses change from transparent, when I'm inside, to dark when I go outdoors?

By Austin Henderson

How do trick birthday candles work -- the kind that re-light themselves after you blow them out?

Although technology is helping to make the world seem a lot smaller, there are still major differences between countries. Learn about electrical standardization around the globe.

There's a candy called 'Pop Rocks.' When you put it in your mouth it makes a loud popping sound and it feels really weird! How do Pop Rocks work?

Hydrogen peroxide is something that is used to clean cuts. Have you ever wondered why it foams when placed on a cut? Learn about hydrogen peroxide.

By Yara Simón

Yesterday you talked about hydrogen peroxide, and the day before you talked about Pop Rocks candy. Since we are talking about things that fizz, what about Alka Seltzer? How does it work and why does it fizz?

Many of the things I buy contain little packets of crystals. Some of them actually say "Silica Gel" on them, but many are unlabeled or say something like, "Do not eat." I have found these packets in electronics, vitamins and even in some pepperoni I

How do chickens create eggs? Does the chicken's body make the shell and fill it with the white and yolk somehow, or does it make the white and yolk and then somehow wrap the shell around it?

Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide that’s used in everything from transporting goods to removing skin imperfections. Learn more about dry ice and how to use this versatile compound effectively and safely.

I'm having T-shirts printed, and the people at the shop keep talking about "silk-screening." How does silk-screening work?

By Austin Henderson

A nautical mile is used for navigation at sea. It is a unit of measurement based on the circumference of Earth. How does it relate to a standard mile and a kilometer?

By HSW Contributors

You can find glow-in-the-dark item everywhere these days. Have you ever wondered how these items produce their light? Find out the answer to that question in this article.

The lead in a pencil is not actually lead. It is a mixture of graphite and clay, but have you ever wondered how they get the lead inside a wooden pencil. Find out how pencils are constructed in this article from HowStuffWorks.

On its good days, science is incredible and enlightening. On its bad days, science can be anywhere from gross to downright bizarre. What are some of science's craziest questions? (And why did anyone want to answer them?)

By Jessika Toothman

"Objects in mirror are closer than they appear." That little line appears so often and in so many contexts, it's almost lost all meaning -- but why is it there, and what does physics have to do with it?

By Julia Layton

Why is the sky blue? What's relativity all about? If you're thinking, "something to do with light and physics and stuff," we have some short explanations for you.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Gravity dictates the structure of the universe, from the way cosmic bodies form to the way they orbit more massive planets or stars. Has it always played such a starring role in our cosmic history?

By Robert Lamb