Science
Exploring "Why" questions about Science
484 articles
Why does your nose run when you’re sat in the cold?
Some of that is the same thing that makes a dog's nose wet - condensation. When it's cold, your nose gets cold but your lungs, and the air coming out of them, is still ~98f/37c and the air has picked
why can a fan make a room cooler when the room is a constant temperature?
The room doesn't necessarily get cooler, it just *feels* cooler. Transferring heat form your body to the air works best when the air is moving, even if the air is warm your body can sweat and cool its
Why does the skin produce heat after it has been sunburned?
The damage of a sunburn extends to the blood vessels in your skin, which causes increased bloodflow to the skin, making it appear red and feel warm.
Why does the law allow companies to purchase or merge with other companies? Why aren’t all purchases/mergers viewed as a consolidation within an industry and a step closer to monopolization?
Having a monopoly is not inherently bad or illegal. What is illegal is using your control over a market to stifle competition. That's when the government steps in and companies are broken up.
Why is it safe to put some chemicals like hydrogen peroxide on open wounds, but not to ingest them?
I was under the impression that hydrogen peroxide is no longer recommended for open wounds because it delays the healing process. Regardless, ingestion and topical use are different. Getting into the
Why does hot water rise and cold water sinks but ice floats?
Ice is less dense than water, due to a quirk of its molecular structure. When water freezes its molecules form ring structures, increasing the volume without increasing the total mass. This reduces de
Why does the Thompson SMG have a higher muzzle velocity than M1911?
barrel length. once a round exits the barrel it's no longer being pushed by the pressure of the explosion of powder. If you increase the time (read: length) that the bullet is pushed the more velocity
Why do people use 0-60 mph to benchmark the acceleration of cars?
Because the actual benchmark is 0-100 km/h, which get's rounded down to 60 mph. 0-100 is a nice round number, and since everyone except the US uses the metric system that's the standard. So the signif
Why, after looking into a bright light, are there those blochy things in your vision?
The photoreceptors (the rods and cones of the eye) contain light sensitive molecules called photopigments. When a light particle hits one of the photopigment molecules, it breaks the molecule apart, a
Why does heat hurt more than cold?
I think it's just personal experience. Cold hurts me more than heat. It hurts my body parts like my nose and hands, whereas heat doesn't hurt me, it's just annoying and bothers me