Space & Astronomy
Exploring "Why" questions about Space & Astronomy
480 articles
Why can we walk for hours without our legs hurting but standing still for less than an hour starts to hurt
We evolved to stand as a way to walk, and everything about it is adapted to that purpose. Our balance is better when walking than standing still, circulation better, everything about it revolves aroun
Why is the subject of blackholes so fundamental when learning about the nature of the universe?
There are two prevailing theories that rule in physics: general relativity and quantum theory. General relativeity deals with really big or massive things like stars and galaxies, while quantum theory
Why arent satellite phones more mainstream? Can’t the big guys like Verizon at & t etc send a satellite into orbit?
Except for the coverage area, satellite phones are inferior to cell phones. Reception can be quite spotty, so the sound quality is bad and calls drop out when a satellite is no longer in unobstructed
Why isn’t an asteroid wobbly like jello?
I just saw a talk by Neil Degrasse Tyson on this issue. Asteroids are non-Newtonian solids. The may very well behave like jello.
Why can’t we feel the effects of accelerating and traveling through space?
Humans don't feel velocity - or the rate that we're traveling. Imagine driving in a car in cruise control, you really don't feel anything unless they're starting or stopping. Therefore we only feel ac
Why do we have to “press start” in the main menu of most of the video games ?
To confirm that you're ready. What if the game just started and something came along and killed your guy?
Why do MLB games start at random times like 7:05, 7:10, 7:40 etc., instead of just starting at 7,8,9,etc.?
Because of television broadcasts. It let's the station start their broadcast at a normal time, say 7, and have five or ten minutes to do an intro to the game before first pitch.
Why does my computer act ‘groggy’ when I start it up?
You might have a lot of background stuff like Steam, Skype, Spotify set to turn on when the computer goes up, you might wanna get CCleaner and check to see what starts up when you open your computer.
Why don’t rovers on other planets or satellites in space ever take true video?
Probably because videos take a relatively large amount of storage space compared to photos, and they would take very long periods of time to transmit. Seeing as how there's no real added value to a vi
Why when going on a low carb diet I start to crave carbs uncontrollably? Is it like a carbohydrate withdrawal?
tl;dr Yes. Your body is very much used to take in carbs as (likely) your biggest energy source, in addition to that, carbs are the easiest-to-digest energy source that your body can handle (being alre