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Satisfying curiosity one question at a time. Send questions to: keepasking@howstuffworks.com.
You asked: Why can a 5 foot 8 inch man dunk a basketball on a 10 foot rim while some people of taller stature can’t? What accounts for the ability to jump so high? Marshall Brain Answered: There are three things that allow a person to dunk a ball: 1) Light weight – no fat. [...]
You asked: What happens to our sun once it runs out of fuel? Marshall Brain answers: Our sun is a giant fusion reactor floating in space. It is composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. In the sun’s core, hydrogen is fusing to form helium. Those fusion reactions produce the light and warmth that earth receives [...]
You asked: How do we know the age of the universe? Marshall Brain Answered: Scientists currently estimate the age of the universe to be 13.75 billion years old. This is the number of years that have elapsed since the Big Bang. But how do they determine that number? They do not use a single technique. [...]
You asked: How fast is the fastest microprocessor chip, now and in the future? Marshall Brain answers: Today, in 2011, the fastest microprocessor chips that are commercially available to “normal people” are the six-core hyperthreaded chips from Intel. These chips run at approximately 3.3 gigahertz and each core can execute two threads. If everything is [...]
You asked: Is it possible to turn Mars into another Earth? Marshall Brain answers: The process of turning mars into an earth-like planet is called terraforming. However, Mars could ever be exactly like earth. To turn Mars into another earth it needs: – More gravity – More water – More atmosphere – Higher temperatures – [...]
USB 3.0 is definitely faster at the as-designed level. USB 1.0 maxes out at 12 megabits per second (mbps). USB 2.0 is good for 480 mbps. And USB 3.0 can go as fast as 5,000 mbps. That means that you might expect a USB 3.0 external hard disk drive to transfer data 10 times faster [...]
You asked: Will humans ever be able to directly control machines with their brains? Marshall Brain answers: Imagine sitting down at your computer, and you don’t need to touch anything to control it. There is no keyboard or mouse because you tell the computer what to do with your mind. The same would be true [...]
Is it possible to blow your nose so hard your brain bursts?
by Marshall Brain | April 8, 2011
You asked: Is it possible to blow your nose so hard your brain bursts? — Zack (via Facebook) Marshall Brain answers: Can you blow your nose so hard your brain bursts? Probably not. But why not? First, you have this muscle below your lungs called the diaphragm, and it really can’t create very much pressure. [...]
You Asked: How will graphene change the world? Marshall Brain Answered: Graphene is a very simple substance – it is made of carbon atoms perfectly arranged as an atom-thick mesh. Think about a net made of carbon atoms, each bonded to its three nearest neighbors to form a honeycomb pattern. You can see the atomic [...]
You Asked:
How do dog whistles work? — David, Pomonapark, Fla.
Marshall Brain Answers…
Recent Postings by Category
BrainStuff
- Thank You and Best Wishes to Marshall Brain
- Contest – Design a $300 house and win $25,000
- How the Philtrum works – the place under your nose where your face comes together
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
- Traveling on the Orient Express
- Deep-fried Goodness at Carnival
- The Colors of the Running of the Bulls
Keep Asking
- Why can a 5 foot 8 inch man dunk a basketball on a 10 foot rim while some people of taller stature can’t?
- What happens to our sun once it runs out of fuel?
- How do we know the age of the universe?
Stuff Mom Never Told You
- Who invented the Christmas card?
- How the Kinsey Report Fueled Whiskey Sales
- How to Get Your Wedding Announcement into The New York Times
Stuff to Blow Your Mind
- Blow Your Mind: In the Lair of the Rat King
- Mandala: Memory Palace, Inception and Simulated Worlds
- Virgin Galactic: $200,000 Ticket to Ride
Stuff You Should Know
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
- Deformed Baby Spider Brains
- Amazing Medical Conditions: Maple Syrup Urine Disorder
The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Was Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” Super Bowl commercial a little too political?
- Why is NASA studying car safety?
- Tips for in-car Navigation Systems
How-to Stuff
- How to Make the Most of a Gallery Crawl (When You’re on a Shoestring Budget)
- How to Swim with Dolphins (When Deep Water Terrifies You)
- How to Cure a Homemade Cookie Craving Without Turning on the Oven
PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 40: Did movies ruin love?
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 39: Urban Legends
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 38: Defending Disney Princesses?
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
Stuff to Change the World
- Who will own the Arctic?
- Obesity: The New Global Crisis
- Bill Gates Makes For A Pretty Decent Cartoon
Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Butch Cassidy: Should we read between the lines?
- Are we rooting for D.B. Cooper?
- Party Time: A Look at Unconventional Politics
