PodcastsEarth SciencesAsk Us Anything by Popular Science

Ask Us Anything by Popular Science

Popular Science
Ask Us Anything by Popular Science
Latest episode

53 episodes

  • Ask Us Anything by Popular Science

    How come only modern humans need braces?

    2026/03/31 | 17 mins.
    Chomping right through the history of orthodontics and human bone development, PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ investigate why human ancestors never needed braces, but so many modern humans do.

    Read the Popular Science story that inspired this episode: ⁠https://www.popsci.com/science/why-need-braces/⁠

    And make sure you check out our guests Erin & Erin on their show This Podcast Will Kill You: ⁠https://thispodcastwillkillyou.com⁠

    If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Ask Us Anything by Popular Science

    Did any dinosaurs actually spit venom?

    2026/03/18 | 18 mins.
    Digging deep into the fossil record, PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ investigate whether there really were venomous dinosaurs, like the Dilophosaurus depicted in the first Jurassic Park movie.

    Read the Popular Science story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/venomous-dinosaurs/

    And make sure you check out the I Know Dino podcast, co-hosted by our special guest Garret Kruger: https://iknowdino.com/

    If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Ask Us Anything by Popular Science

    What's the most eco-friendly burial option?

    2026/03/04 | 16 mins.
    After a lifetime of trying to put things in the right bin, we all eventually arrive at the ultimate recycling dilemma: what to do with our bodies after we die? PopSci Editors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠Laura Baisas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ go on exploration to find out what is the most environmentally friendly option for handling human remains? Despite all the new technology, experts say there’s one clear answer, and it’s surprisingly old-school.

    Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/technology/cremation-burial-most-eco-friendly/

    If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Ask Us Anything by Popular Science

    Why do (most) cats hate water?

    2026/02/18 | 15 mins.
    From ancient deserts to kittenhood lessons, PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (PLUS SPECIAL FELINE GUESTS) dive into why most cats are so averse to water.

    Read Sarah's story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/why-cats-hate-water/

    And make sure you read all about Simon the cat, heroic member of the British Navy: https://www.popsci.com/environment/navy-cat-simon/

    If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
  • Ask Us Anything by Popular Science

    Surviving freezing temperatures: How low can humans go?

    2026/02/05 | 14 mins.
    Humans are homeotherms, meaning that our core body temperature stays roughly constant, but what happens when conditions drive that body temp down? PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ bundle up to get to the bottom of just how cold humans can get and still survive.

    Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/coldest-temperature-humans-can-survive/

    If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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About Ask Us Anything by Popular Science

Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Join our editors as they explain it all, with new episodes every other Wednesday starting November 12th. Submit a question for a future episode at https://popsci.com/ask
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