
Ask us Anything by Popular Science
By Popular Science
Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from what the universe is made of to why not everyone can touch their toes. Join PopSci editors and producer Jess Boddy as they work through questions big and small.

16. What did dinosaurs taste like?
16. What did dinosaurs taste like?
Ask us Anything by Popular ScienceSep 16, 2021
00:00
09:56

24. Did food taste better 50 years ago?
24. Did food taste better 50 years ago?
It's the season 2 finale! What did food taste like 50 years ago—and was it actually better than it is now?
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Oct 14, 202111:05

23. What is a super car?
23. What is a super car?
There are regular cars, there are luxury cars, and then there are.... SUPER cars. But what even is a super car? As our host explains, it can often be more of a vibe than anything else—but there are some specific criteria to hit.
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Hosted by Rob Verger: https://twitter.com/robverger
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Oct 12, 202111:06

22. What would happen if the sun went out?
22. What would happen if the sun went out?
The sun is, to put it lightly, quite important to life on Earth. What would happen if it suddenly went poof?
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Hosted by Sara Kiley Watson: https://twitter.com/SaraKileyWatson
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Oct 07, 202107:57

21. Can stress kill you?
21. Can stress kill you?
If you're looking for a sign to take a vacation... this might be it.
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Oct 05, 202109:24

20. Why can't we all touch our toes?
20. Why can't we all touch our toes?
We finally dive into the classic question—why can't we all touch our toes? And why the heck is it such a big deal?
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Sep 30, 202112:21

19. What does space smell like?
19. What does space smell like?
Sure, you can't literally smell IN space. But what if you could? Just how stinky is it out there?
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Hosted by Rachel Feltman: https://twitter.com/RachelFeltman
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Sep 28, 202109:49

18. Do we really need homework?
18. Do we really need homework?
Homework—we've all done it. (Or avoided it.) But is homework truly necessary for learning and becoming a fully formed human?
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Hosted by Stan Horaczek: https://twitter.com/stanhoraczek
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Sep 23, 202111:51

17. How much water should I drink a day?
17. How much water should I drink a day?
Most people will tell you to drink 8 cups of water per day—but what if we told you that the answer is SO much more complicated than that?
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Get your tickets to Weirdest Thing's virtual live show, which is Tuesday, 9/21, right here!
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod
Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Sep 21, 202109:43

16. What did dinosaurs taste like?
16. What did dinosaurs taste like?
Modern dinosaurs obviously taste like chicken—because they ARE chickens. But what would dinos like stegosauruses and T. rexes have tasted like back in the day?
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Get your tickets to Weirdest Thing's virtual live show, which is Tuesday, 9/21, right here!
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod
Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Sep 16, 202109:56

15. What'd happen if I ate my computer?
15. What'd happen if I ate my computer?
So... yes, this is a weird question. But electronics are hard to recycle, ok? Can't we just toss them down the hatch? What would they do to our bodies?
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Get your tickets to Weirdest Thing's virtual live show, which is Tuesday, 9/21, right here!
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod
Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Sep 14, 202111:49

14. How can you safely send nude photos?
14. How can you safely send nude photos?
In a pandemic world, we've gotta get a little creative in order to stay intimate. But even sending a nude can be dangerous—so how can we do it safely?
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Get your tickets to Weirdest Thing's virtual live show, which is Tuesday, 9/21, right here!
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod
Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Sep 09, 202108:06

13. Can you cure a hangover?
13. Can you cure a hangover?
Let's face it—hangovers suck. But what if there was a way to cure them?
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Get your tickets to Weirdest Thing's virtual live show, which is Tuesday, 9/21, right here!
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod
Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Sep 07, 202110:06

Season 2: Premiering 9/7!
Season 2: Premiering 9/7!
If you liked season 1 of our show, then you are going to LOVE Season 2. We’ll hit your feeds on Tuesday, September 7th, with new hosts and new questions to tackle—including how to safely send nude photos, what would a dinosaur taste like, how to cure a hangover, and so much more. So tune in on September 7th wherever you get podcasts for twice-a-week episodes. For more updates, you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @askpopscipod. Thanks for listening, and see you soon!
Ask Us Anything Twitter: https://twitter.com/AskPopSciPod
Ask Us Anything Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askpopscipod/
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Aug 31, 202100:58

12. Why can't we see more colors?
12. Why can't we see more colors?
The world is teeming with colors we see everyday. But humans don’t see every color on the light spectrum. There is a whole world of color that we can’t recognize.
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
May 06, 202109:12

11. What is an allergy?
11. What is an allergy?
As many of us know far too well, allergy season is upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere. But why do our bodies cause us such pain every spring? And why are people allergic to certain foods or animals?
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Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
May 04, 202109:11

10. What's your brain doing when you daydream?
10. What's your brain doing when you daydream?
On long days, it's not unusual to conjure up scenes of lush beaches, serene mountaintops, or even a cozy blanket fort and a good movie. But what's happening in our brains when we do that? And is it healthy to do this so often?
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Apr 29, 202109:17

9. Are there good viruses?
9. Are there good viruses?
For the last year and a half, we've really only had one big virus on our minds—and it's a very bad one. But are there good viruses out there? And what can viruses do for us?
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Apr 27, 202111:10

8. Why can't we burn our trash in volcanoes?
8. Why can't we burn our trash in volcanoes?
At first glance, a volcano’s hot lava seems ideal for incinerating our trash. But, like so many things in science, it’s so much more complicated than that.
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Apr 22, 202107:38

7. Can you overdose on weed?
7. Can you overdose on weed?
There aren't any recorded deaths attributed solely to marijuana—you can't really blaze yourself to death. But even so, is it possible to overdose on it?
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Apr 20, 202109:43

6. What causes side stitches?
6. What causes side stitches?
If you know, you know—that jabbing, stabbing pain in your side just when you hit your groove in a work out. So what's actually going on in your body when you get a side stitch?
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Apr 01, 202113:09

5. How much sleep do you actually need?
5. How much sleep do you actually need?
We all lead busy lives, so it's easy to skimp out on catching all of those Zs. But the question is, how much sleep can you get without sacrificing any cognitive function?
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Mar 30, 202111:12

4. What would happen if you fell into a black hole?
4. What would happen if you fell into a black hole?
Black holes—humungous, dense, celestial objects—suck in everything that cross their jaws (also known as their event horizons). But what if one sucked YOU in?! Two words: lethal spaghetti.
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Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Mar 25, 202109:17

3. Can you survive on a single food forever?
3. Can you survive on a single food forever?
Grocery shopping can be a chore. But what if, even hypothetically, you could survive by only consuming one food for the rest of your life? There's a way to do it—but it involves a whole buttload of potatoes.
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Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Mar 23, 202110:15

2. Why don't we all grow to be 10 feet tall?
2. Why don't we all grow to be 10 feet tall?
Claire is 5'4", and Jess is 6'1", and most of the world is somewhere in between. But why is it that we don't just all end up being 10 feet tall? What's stopping us from growing sky-high?
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Mar 18, 202111:19

1. Can you boost your immune system?
1. Can you boost your immune system?
Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the classic flu season, many of us often wonder: is it possible to boost our immune systems so they can vanquish any threat?
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Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Mar 16, 202111:28

Trailer: Ask Us Anything by Popular Science
Trailer: Ask Us Anything by Popular Science
Premiering Tuesday, March 16th, Ask Us Anything is a brand new podcast from the editors of Popular Science. It’s a bite-sized show that answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from what the universe is made of to why not everyone can touch their toes. If you like The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week, we promise you’ll love Ask Us Anything—and you’ll hear a few familiar voices on it, too! Check out new episodes of Ask Us Anything every Tuesday and Thursday wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosted by Claire Maldarelli: https://twitter.com/camaldarelli
Produced by Jess Boddy: https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
Music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq
Art by Katie Belloff: https://twitter.com/Katie_Bellz
Mar 03, 202100:36