Moment of Um

American Public Media

Moment of Um is your daily answer to those questions that pop up out of nowhere and make you go… ummmmmmm. Brought to you by your friends at Brains On at APM Studios.

  • 6 minutes 33 seconds
    Is there sound in the universe?

    Our world is full of sound, but what happens when we leave Earth’s atmosphere? Is it true that there’s no sound in space, or are there ways to listen to the universe? We asked NASA scientist Dr. Kimberly Arcand to help us find the answer.


    Got a question that sounds interesting? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll make space for an answer!

    27 September 2024, 8:00 am
  • 4 minutes 9 seconds
    Why does dust make us sneeze?

    There are lots of reasons to sneeze - you have a cold, you get a whiff of pepper or someone tickles your nose with a feather! But why is it that dust makes us sneeze? We asked otolaryngologist Laura Orvidas to help us find the answer.


    Got a question that’s gathering dust in your brain? Send it to us atBrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you sniff out the answer.

    26 September 2024, 8:00 am
  • 5 minutes 3 seconds
    Do all rocks have iron in them?

    Iron is a metal that we dig out of the ground and use to make everything from kitchen knives to skyscrapers. Most of the iron we use comes out of rocks. But do all rocks have iron in them? We asked geochemist Kelsey Woody to help us find the answer.


    Got a question that’s totally metal? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help iron out the answer!

    25 September 2024, 8:00 am
  • 4 minutes 25 seconds
    Can muscles break like bones do?

    If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of breaking a bone, it’s not the most fun. But can muscles break in the same way bones can? One listener was wondering about this, and physical therapist Karen Litzy helps us get a leg up on the issue. 


    Do you have a question you’d like to ask? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find the answer!

    24 September 2024, 8:00 am
  • 5 minutes 19 seconds
    Why do fevers give you chills?

    Sometimes when we get sick, our body reacts by cranking up our internal temperature to make a fever. This helps get rid of invading bacteria or viruses. But sometimes when you have a fever, you feel cold instead of hot. What’s up with that? We asked ER doctor Joe Alcock to help us find the answer.


    Got a question that’s just chillin’ in your brain?? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll work feverishly to find the answer!

    23 September 2024, 8:00 am
  • 5 minutes 47 seconds
    Why aren’t hermit crabs born with shells?

    Hermit crabs carry their shells with them wherever they go…but they don’t make their own shells! Unlike other species of crab, hermit crabs use shells from other animals for protection. So why aren’t they born with shells of their own? We asked crab researcher Tuck Hines to help us find the answer.


    Got a question that’s making you crabby? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll share the answer un-shellfish-ly!

    20 September 2024, 8:00 am
  • 7 minutes 14 seconds
    Why is being right-handed more common?

    Are you left-handed or right-handed? Chances are you’re right handed, because more people are (though if you’re left-handed, that’s cool too!). So why are more people right-handed? We asked paleontologist Alexander Claxton to help us get to the bottom of this question. 


    Got a question whose answer you can’t quite put your finger on? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help point out the answer.

    19 September 2024, 8:00 am
  • 6 minutes 23 seconds
    How do butterflies get their designs?

    There are thousands of species of butterflies, all with unique patterns of color on their wings. How did those designs get there? We asked butterfly collection curator Blanca Huertas to help us find the answer.


    Got a question that’s cocooned in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll send an answer winging your way!

    18 September 2024, 8:00 am
  • 5 minutes 20 seconds
    Do cats go to the dentist?

    An inevitability of life is that humans have to go to the dentist. Some people love it, some hate it! But taking care of our teeth is super important. Do our kitty friends have to do the same thing? Large animal surgeon Whitney Cutrone answers this very question.


    Got a question that’s got some bite? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find an answer right meow!

    17 September 2024, 8:00 am
  • 4 minutes 55 seconds
    What is lava made of?

    Lava is the red-hot gloop that comes pouring out of an erupting volcano. But what is it made out of? Some sort of supercharged Silly Putty? Volcano guts? Super-spicy habanero sauce? We asked geoscience grad student Kelsey Woody to help us find the answer.


    Got a real scorcher of a question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, we’d LAVA to find the answer for you.

    16 September 2024, 8:00 am
  • 5 minutes 24 seconds
    Why do gorillas beat their chests (and why is science so great)?

    It’s impressive to see a gorilla beat its chest. But why do they do it? We’ve tackled this question before, but  there’s a new scientific scoop about this primate percussion! We asked primatologist Andrea DiGiorgio to tell us about it. 


    Got a question that you want to get off your chest? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll get an answer ready to GO(rilla).   




    13 September 2024, 8:00 am
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