Moment Of Um

Latest Episodes:

Why is pee yellow? May 30, 2024

Show notes

Pee is super cool! It’s 95% water. It’s sterile. And it can be a window into our overall health. But why is it yellow? We asked mechanical engineer Patricia Yang to help us find the answer.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why were animals bigger in the past? May 29, 2024

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All different kinds of giant prehistoric creatures used to walk the Earth, from 20-foot-tall sloths to sharks longer than a school bus.. They all seem huge in our imaginations, but were animals in the past actually bigger than animals on Earth now? We asked paleontologist Kristi Curry Rogers to help us find the answer.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do sharks have to keep moving to stay alive? May 28, 2024

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If there’s one thing that’s generally known about sharks, it’s that they have sharp teeth. But have you heard they have to keep moving to stay alive? Why is that? In this episode we talk to shark scientist Melissa Cristina Marquez about this very question.

Do you have a Moment of Um question that seems kind of fishy? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll chew on the answer.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does your skin make a rash? May 27, 2024

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When our skin gets irritated, it reacts! And sometimes a rash appears. Rashes can be red, itchy, painful and bumpy… But how does our skin make them? We asked pediatrician Dr. Anjuli Gansto help us find the answer.

Got a question under your skin? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll rash to find the answer!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the difference between AM and FM radio waves? May 24, 2024

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Radios are like magical devices. You just flip a switch and BAM, you can listen to everything from punk rock to world news. But how exactly does a radio work? And what’s the difference between AM and FM radio? We asked physics expert Angie Huerta to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s AM-azing? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll dial in the answer.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does ice help with swelling? May 23, 2024

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If you’ve ever banged your knee pretty badly, you might have noticed the knee swells up to larger than its normal size. To ease your pain and make the swelling go down, maybe someone handed you an ice pack. But why is it ice that does the trick to reduce swelling, and does anything else work? We asked physical therapist Karen Litzy to help us find the answer.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are spicy foods spicy? May 22, 2024

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Lots of people love spicy food for that tongue-tingling feeling. But where does it come from? What’s happening in our mouths when we bite down on a jalapeño or chili flake? We asked taste and smell researcher Arthur Zimmerman to help us find the answer.

Got a tasteful question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll spice up your life with the answer!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does the sun stay in one place? May 21, 2024

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Earth is always moving around the sun, but does the sun move too? Or is it fixed in one place in the cosmos? In this episode, we talk to astrophysicist Brittany Kamai to get to the heart of this issue!

Do you have a Moment of Um question that’s burning in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help shine a light on the answer.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do birds build a new nest every year? May 20, 2024

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There are so many different kinds of bird nests out there: big ones, small ones, some as big as your head! Birds build their nests out of everything from twigs and grass to spider silk! But do they make a new nest every year? We asked bird expert Paul Bartell to help us find the answer.

Got a question that you’ve been thinking about owl night? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact – you won’t egret it!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When were tattoos first invented? May 17, 2024

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Tattoos are a type of art that’s added permanently to a person’s skin using special inks and needles. It’s a way of decorating the body that has been around for a long time. But how long? When were the earliest tattoos? We asked sociologist David Lane to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s really needling you? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll poke around until we find the answer!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.