Why don't rocks burn?

Some rocks will burn, and others will melt, depending on how they were formed and what minerals they contain.

Natalie Bursztyn, Lecturer in Geosciences, University of Montana • conversation
May 15, 2023 ~6 min

What causes volcanoes to erupt?

As they shape the Earth, volcanoes inspire and terrify humans.

Rachel Beane, Professor of Natural Sciences, Bowdoin College • conversation
May 1, 2023 ~7 min


Can rainbows form in a circle? Fun facts on the physics of rainbows

Each rainbow is personal – the rainbow you see isn’t exactly the same rainbow the next person sees. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.

Partha Chowdhury, Professor of Physics, UMass Lowell • conversation
April 24, 2023 ~6 min

Why don’t parents like their kids to play with toy guns?

Even fake guns can be dangerous if they are mistaken for real ones by the police or other armed adults.

Laura Prater, Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington • conversation
March 27, 2023 ~5 min

Why does time change when traveling close to the speed of light? A physicist explains

Your experience of time is relative because it depends on motion – more specifically, your speed and acceleration.

Michael Lam, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Rochester Institute of Technology • conversation
March 20, 2023 ~7 min

What exactly is the internet? A computer scientist explains what it is and how it came to be

Almost everybody uses the internet just about every day. But do you really know what the internet is?

Fred Martin, Professor of Computer Science, UMass Lowell • conversation
March 13, 2023 ~8 min

Will we eventually have to send our trash into space if we run out of room on Earth?

Humans generate a lot of trash, but there are cheaper and safer ways to handle it than loading it on rockets.

Kate O'Neill, Professor of Global Environmental Politics, University of California, Berkeley • conversation
March 6, 2023 ~6 min

Is the Loch Ness monster real?

The idea of a creature like the Loch Ness monster fascinates people. But does the scientific evidence say it’s a prehistoric beast or total fake?

Michael A. Little, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, Binghamton University, State University of New York • conversation
Feb. 27, 2023 ~7 min


Were viruses around on Earth before living cells emerged? A microbiologist explains

Fossil evidence of how the earliest life on Earth came to be is hard to come by. But scientists have come up with a few theories based on the microbes, viruses and prions existing today.

Kenneth Noll, Professor Emeritus of Microbiology, University of Connecticut • conversation
Feb. 20, 2023 ~7 min

Why does the Earth spin?

An astronomer takes us on a tour of the universe to learn about the birth of stars and planets and how they get their spin.

Silas Laycock, Professor of Astronomy, UMass Lowell • conversation
Feb. 13, 2023 ~7 min

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