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?

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

You may have heard of Topsy the elephant and her sad demise at the hands of Thomas Edison. But what's the real story?

By Nathan Chandler

If you step on a crack, you'll break your mother's back. Surely you know this jingle from childhood. It's a silly example of a correlation with no causation. But there are some real-world instances that we often hear, or maybe even tell?

By Nicholas Gerbis & Melanie Radzicki McManus

Seven million (and counting) YouTube viewers can't be wrong. Nano quadrotors are tiny, autonomous flying machines that have the Internet buzzing.

By Chris Opfer

Bend but don't break: That's the idea behind many of these temblor-thwarting technologies. They may even allow a building's inhabitants to walk out unharmed and start picking up the pieces after the earthquake subsides.

By William Harris

Most loss of life in earthquakes comes from people being trapped inside crumbling buildings. And engineers have come up with many techniques to lessen the structural damage. But is there a way to make a building completely earthquake-proof?

By Laurie L. Dove

You stay behind at work and agree to close up alone. You go into the walk-in freezer to put away some food, and the door shuts behind you. You do everything you can think of, but you can't get it open. Now what?

By Katherine Neer

In movies, bad guys can take over an airplane and start shooting up the place. Wouldn't the plane explode or depressurize as soon as the bullet pierced its skin?

By Marshall Brain

A man has a gun. But this is no ordinary man, and this is no ordinary gun. This isn't a setup for a sci-fi thriller. It's the premise for quantum suicide.

By Josh Clark

Although spending time upside down can be good for overall health, doing so eventually can be fatal under the right conditions.

By Jesslyn Shields

How does a ball point pen work?

You know that bumper sticker that says "Shoot your TV"? Click here to find out what would happen if you actually tried it (it's best to let us do the dirty work).

By Marshall Brain

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?