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

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

The backscatter X-ray system that can see through clothes has begun its test run at the international airport in Phoenix. But privacy is only one concern facing its implementation.

By Julia Layton

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

How does a ball point pen work?

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?

How does chlorine work to clean swimming pools?

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

How does a Dippy Bird work?

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

How does a lava lamp work?

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

I saw your question on fog machines and dry ice and would like to know more -- how exactly does dry ice work?

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?

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

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

There is a can of Pam in my kitchen that has a small hole in the lid. Lots of other cans have this hole. Why?

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?