Outer space is far from empty. There are chunks of space rock zipping around, and occasionally one of them finds its way through our atmosphere to smack into Earth’s surface. There’s usually metal contained within those space rocks…but where does the metal come from? We asked planetary geologist Paul Byrne to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s totally metal?  Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll STARt looking for an answer!

So there’s this big, bumpy muscle inside of our mouths and we know it’s important and that we have to take great care of it. But what’s it even for? We asked Otolaryngologist Laura Orvidas from the Mayo Clinic to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s got you all tongue tied? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll muscle an answer out of an expert.

A thermometer is a handy dandy little device that measures temperature. We use them for lots of things, from telling us when we have a fever to making sure our roast chicken is cooked to perfection. But how does a thermometer actually measure how hot or cold something is? We asked physics graduate student Nicolas Dronchi to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s heating up your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll work feverishly to find the answer. 

Is it the wings? Is it the feathers? Is it how light they are? If you’ve ever wondered why birds can fly, this is the episode for you! We asked ornithologist Drew Lanham to help us find the answer.

Got a question that you’re egg-cited about? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll do more than wing it.

Have you ever noticed your tummy sometimes makes a little grumbly rumbly sound when it’s time for a snack? What’s up with that? We asked Dr. Lily Dara to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s hard to stomach? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact – we’ve got a gut feeling we’ll be able to answer it!

In the United States, you can’t get a tattoo until you’re 18 years old. If that seems unfair, just think about it - it’s permanent! As in…forever and ever! For all time! So how does it actually stay on your skin? We asked dermatologist Roopal Kundu to help us find the answer.

Got a question that feels like it’s permanently etched in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help (th)ink of an answer.

You might have heard the word “radiation” in science class or even in superhero movies. It’s something that we’re often warned about, since too much of some kinds of radiation can be bad for our health. But what is radiation? We asked physics graduate student Nicolas Dronchi to help us find the answer.

Got a question radiating from your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll get up and ATOM to find the answer!

Caffeine is a chemical that occurs naturally in drinks like tea and coffee. It can make you feel wide awake and energetic, so it’s also often added to other things like sodas and energy drinks. But how do energy drink manufacturers put caffeine into their products? We asked food scientist Adam Johnson to help us find the answer.

Got a buzzworthy question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find an answer faster than you can say LIGHTNING LASER LEMON LIME

Sloths are really, really good at hanging upside down. They practically make it seem effortless! Why is that? Do they love it? Is the world just more fun from that angle? We asked zoologist Lucy Cooke to help us figure it out.

Got a question that’s clawing at your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and hang in there - we’ll help you find the answer.

Octopuses are incredible and intelligent ocean creatures. They’ve got talented tentacles, three hearts, and can become almost invisible to predators and prey by blending in with their surroundings. But how does an octopus do that? We asked squid biologist and science communicator Sarah McAnulty to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s a ten out of TENtacles? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll answer it on this very cephaloPODCAST.

Nails – we clean them, trim them, paint them, and sometimes even wear fake ones! But why do we have them in the first place? We talked to paleontologist Alexander Claxton about the evolutionary reasons behind having nails.

Got a question that you just can’t nail down? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help point afinger at the answer.

Wifi seems like magic! It lets us send information from routers to computers through the air!. But how does it work? Are there magical computer data tubes? Lasers? Tiny invisible falcons carrying messages incredibly quickly? We asked computer scientist Vikram Iyer to help us find the answer.

Got a question about who, what, when, where, or WHY-fi? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll signal you an answer!

Coffee is known for giving people energy. In fact, some say they can’t start their day without coffee! It made us wonder why coffee helps us stay awake.  We asked dietician and nutritionist Maria Cruz to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s percolating in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find an answer and spill the beans for you.

Did you know there are thousands of different species of crabs on Earth? Most of them live in water, but there are plenty of species that can live outside the water, too. So how do crabs breathe, both in the water and on land? We asked biologist and science communicator Sarah McAnulty to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s got you feeling crabby?  Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll write you an answer on our finest cruSTATIONERY.

For the most part, flowers smell really great, right? They give off scents that are sweet, syrupy, perfumy and fresh. But they don’t all smell the same. We asked botanist Josh Felton from Colorado College why that is.

Got a question you’d like to sniff out? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll find a budding expert to give the answer.

Our sun is a big fiery ball of gas. It is very bright and very hot. So hot that we can’t even send spacecraft there without them burning up! But how does the sun make all that heat? We asked physics grad student Raj Katti help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s a real scorcher? ? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll get bRIGHT to work finding the answer.

Whale sharks are big. They’re the biggest fish in the whole ocean! Have you ever wondered how they got so big? We asked shark expert Amani Webber-Schultz to help us find out. 

Do you have an ocean-sized question sloshing around in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll SEA what we can find!

Have you ever seen a dog get the zoomies? That big burst of energy makes them skitter around like furry lightning bolts! But how about wolves? Do they get the zoomies, too? We asked wolf researcher and educator Michelle Mancini to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s zooming around in your mind? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll  pack your brain full of answers!

Ever wondered how trees keep track of time? They don’t wear wristwatches, so…do they have a tree calendar? Or count their rings like candles on a birthday cake? We asked arborist Casey Clapp to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s budding in your mind? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help sprout the answer!

Antarctica. Home of the South Pole and an incredibly diverse population of sea life. You know what there’s not a lot of in Antarctica? People! But there are some adventurous scientists who go there for research. These folks  can’t just zip out to the grocery store when they want to make a meal…so what do they eat?  We asked scientist Cameron Hearn to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s just the tip of the iceberg? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll give you an ocean of knowledge!

The paper money that we use in the United States is printed by the Department of the Treasury. But if money is printed…well, then why couldn’t someone print hundreds of dollars for themselves? How do you know if the crisp five dollar bill in your hand is the real deal or a fake-a-rooni? We asked money expert and Million Bazillion co-host Bridget Bodnar to help us find the answer.

Got a question banked in your brain?  Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll spend our time on the answer!

Have you ever picked up a peach in the supermarket and noticed that its skin is covered in soft fuzz? What’s that about? Should we be taking our peaches to barbershops? And what about kiwis? They’re covered in scratchy hairs! Why do some fruits have fuzz while others have smooth skin? We talked to Dario Chavez from the University of Georgia to find out.

Got a fresh ‘n’ fruity question? Send it to us atBrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find an a-peeling answer.

Human butts are divided into two cheeks that come in all shapes and sizes. Plus, they help us stand upright and move around! But what about dogs and cats? Why don’t they have butt cheeks like ours? We asked dog researcher Alexandra Horowitzto help us find the answer.

Got a question you’ve been sitting on? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you crack it open!

Mammals have hair to help keep warm in the cold, and in some cases - to look awesome! But why do raspberries have those little hairs all over them? They don’t get cold - do they? We asked Emily Hoover from the University of Minnesota to help us understand.

Got a question that’s berry hard to answer? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll pick an expert to answer it!

There are lots of things we can do to relax and get ready for bed at the end of the day: take a warm bath, curl up with a book, or even sip a steaming mug of chamomile tea! But why does chamomile tea make us feel so sleepy? We asked brain doctor and sleep expert Chris Winter to help us find the answer.

Got ZZZZZ-illions of questions? Send them to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find the answers in a sNAP!

If you’ve ever had a ball tossed at your face, you probably flinched, tried to knock it away from your face, or jumped out of the way, right? That’s called a reflex, and most humans have them including tiny babies. We asked physical therapist Karen Litzy why that is.

Got a question for us? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find the answer! 

People all over the world have little brown dots called freckles on their skin. You might notice that you get new freckles if you spend time out in the sun. So what are the deets on these dots? We asked dermatologist Kristen Kelley to help us find the answer.

Got a question about something and you need help connecting the dots?  Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help spot the answer.

Owls are amazing. Most are nocturnal and hunt at night. They have incredible eyesight. And a group of them is called a parliament! One of our listeners was wondering how far they can turn their heads around. We asked Lauren Smith from the Owl Research Institute to help us find the answer.

Got a Moment of Um question that’s turning you upside down? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help get it all sorted out.

Who doesn’t love a dog nose? They’re cute, often very wet and way better at smelling the world than our puny human noses. Dog noses are one of the few places dogs don’t have hair. But what about inside? Do they have nose hair like we do? We asked dog researcher Alexandra Horowitz to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s giving you a ruff time? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll bark up the right tree for an answer!

The Earth is made up of giant masses of land called continents. There are seven continents, but which one came first? Where did it come from? We asked geologist Annie Bauer to help us find the answer.

Got a groundbreaking question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll dig into it!

Have you ever noticed how we usually wear lighter colors in the warmer months, and darker colors once it gets cold? Like how your black shirt is perfect at keeping cozy in the winter, but far too sweaty for the summer. But why is that? We asked physicist Dr. Desiré Whitmore, aka the Laser Chick, to help us understand why black absorbs heat. 

Got a Moment of Um question that’s absorbing your mind? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help answer it.

Lots of people talk in their sleep, especially kids!  Have you ever heard anyone babbling away in the middle of the night?  Or maybe someone has told you that you do it?  Sleep talking is totally normal, but why do we do it?  We asked sleep specialist Chris Winter to help us find the answer.

Got a question that you’ve been dreaming about? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll search through the night for the answer.

Zippers are everywhere – holding your backpack closed, keeping you snug in your sleeping bag and of course, on your pants! But how exactly does a zipper work? We asked Bryon Robinson of YKK (the world’s largest zipper manufacturer!) to help us find the answer. 

Got a question that you’d like to sink your teeth into? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find a fasten-ating answer.

A nosebleed is just what it sounds like: it’s when blood comes out of your nose. Lots of people get nosebleeds, but what causes them? We asked pediatrician Emma Gerstenzang to help us find the answer.

Got a scent-sational question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact and we promise we won’t turn our noses up at it!

There are lots of foods that are blue-raspberry flavored, like candy, popsicles, or fizzy drinks. But there’s no such thing as a blue raspberry…so where does that flavor come from? We asked food scientist Adam Johnson to help us find the answer.

Got a TASTEful question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll do you a flavor and find the answer.

Have you ever tried stirring a liquid really fast with a spoon? Sometimes, it looks like it creates a tiny tornado in the cup! Why does that happen? We asked mechanical engineer Jacy Bird to help us find the answer.

Got a question that has your brain spinning? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll TEAm up to find the answer!

Have you ever experienced the term "time flies when you’re having fun"? It’s an unfortunate reality of life that time seems to crawl by when we’re waiting for something to happen, and go too fast when we’re having a blast. We asked Ruth Ogden, a psychologist at John Moores University, why this happens.

Is there a question you’ve been pondering for a minute? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll set aside the time to get it answered.

Believe it or not, plants are sensitive things. They know when the sun is shining. They get stressed when an insect is munching on them. But do they feel things like an electric shock? We asked arborist Casey Clapp to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s firmly planted in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we won’t leaf you hanging

If you’ve ever been caught in the rain, it probably wasn’t a big deal, right? Lucky for us, rain typically falls from the sky in small droplets. Listener Joe was wondering why that is, so we reached out to Monique Robinson of Mississippi State University to help us find the answer.

Got a Moment of Um question that’s raining on your parade? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help weather the storm.

Have you ever started to fall asleep and then suddenly – whoa! – you jolt awake? What’s up with that? We asked sleep specialist Chris Winter to help us find the answer.

Got a question that has you losing sleep? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll pull an all-nighter to find the answer!

Octopuses are some of the most incredible animals on Earth. They have three hearts and their blood is blue! Plus, they can taste and smell things with the suction cups on their powerful arms. But do octopuses have brains? We asked wildlife expert Paul Bartell to help us find the answer.

Got a question for this cephalo-PODcast? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll blow your mind with the answer!

Let’s say you’re watching a bunch of people run a marathon. The runners are pumping their legs, sure. But they’re also swinging their arms. Why is that? And why do we swing them when walking too?  We asked Rachel Adenekan of Stanford University to help explain why that swinging motion is so universal. 

Got a Moment of Um question that’s keeping you at arm’s length? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll point a finger at the answer.

If you’ve ever smacked a mosquito on your arm, you might have seen a little smear  of red blood on your skin afterward. But just whose blood was it? Do we have the same blood as insects? We asked biologist Claire Rusch from the University of Washington to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s buzzing around in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, because we’re the type to help you find an answer!

In fall we like to change up our wardrobe from shorts and T-shirts to pants and sweaters. And guess what, trees do that too! Except they change the color of their leaves. Why is that? We asked Marlyse Duguid from the Yale School of the Environment to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s leaf-ing you stumped? Send it to us atBrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll put your mind at (for)rest.

Dogs have an amazing sense of smell, incredible hearing, and the most adorable tail wags. But do they remember anything from when they were puppies? We asked canine cognition researcher Alexandra Horriwitz to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s dog-gone delightful? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’re paw-sitive we’ll help find an answer.

Sometimes people dream about similar things, like losing teeth, being chased by monsters, or forgetting to study for a test. Why are there some kinds of dreams that people share? We asked dream researcher Tore Nielsen to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s just dreamy? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll share the answer with you.

Humans are mammals, which means that we have hair on our bodies and heads. Sometimes, as people get older, they lose some of that head hair. How does it happen? Do hair goblins come at night and sneak away with those silky strands? Ok, it’s probably not that. We asked pediatrician Dr. Emma Gerstenzang to help us find the answer.

Got a hair-raising question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help tease out the answer. 

People think alligators and crocodiles are really scary - and lots of people don’t understand the difference between them. But wildlife biologist Venetia Briggs-Gonzalez says they are very cool and helps us get to the bottom of their distinctive qualities!

Got a Moment of Um question that’s chomping away at your curiosity? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help hunt the answer.

Our world is FULL of microorganisms, or microbes for short! They’re tiny microscopic living things like bacteria– and they do so much for us! They help us digest our food. They help make some medicines– like antibiotics. They even help make some of our favorite foods like bread and cheese. Microbes sure are busy, but do they ever sleep? We asked microbiologist Daniel Bond to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s keeping you up at night? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we won’t sleep on it!

If you’ve ever taken a close look at a beehive you can see that it is covered in tiny hexagons! But why is that? We asked bee researcher Jessica Kevill to help us find the answer.

Got a Moment of Um question that’s buzzing around in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help get it all sorted out.