Mental Floss: Big Questions

1x1
How Do They Make Decaf Coffee?
Episode overview

Air date

Sep 01, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x2
Who Invented the Hot Dog?
Episode overview

Air date

Sep 08, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x3
How Does Deodorant Work?
Episode overview

Air date

Sep 15, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x4
How Did April Fools Day Come About?
Episode overview

Air date

Sep 22, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x5
Where Does the $ Sign Come From?
Episode overview

Air date

Sep 29, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x6
Why Are Tortoises Slow?
Episode overview

Air date

Oct 06, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x7
Is it Unhealthy to Stand in Front of a Microwave While it is Cooking?
Episode overview

Air date

Oct 13, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x8
Where Did Last Names Come From?
Episode overview

Air date

Oct 20, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x9
Why Don't Spiders Stick to Their Own Web?
Episode overview

Air date

Oct 27, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x10
Why Are White Diamonds So Expensive?
Episode overview

Air date

Nov 03, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x11
Why Does Your Voice Get Higher When You Inhale Helium?
Episode overview

Air date

Nov 10, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x12
Why do they dye cheese yellow?
Episode overview

Air date

Nov 17, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x13
Why are Butterflies Called Butterflies?
Episode overview

Air date

Nov 24, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x14
Why Do Our Teeth Chatter When We're Cold?
Episode overview

Air date

Dec 15, 2014

This episode has no summary.

1x15
What is dirt made out of?
Episode overview

Air date

Dec 29, 2014

This week, Caleigh Waddell asks, "What is dirt made out of?”

1x16
Where did saying a guy was "hot" originate?
Episode overview

Air date

Jan 05, 2015

This week, "kat3krazy" asks, "Where did saying a guy was 'hot' originate?”

1x17
Is blood ever blue?
Episode overview

Air date

Jan 12, 2015

This week, pablo bribiesca asks, "Is blood blue when it is in an oxygen starved environment? And if so, how can I prove it?"

1x18
How far can I see on a clear day?
Episode overview

Air date

Jan 19, 2015

This week, Brian Currie asks, "On a clear day, how many miles can I see in every direction? How about on a hazy day?"

1x19
Why are my ears ringing?
Episode overview

Air date

Jan 26, 2015

This week, Emma R. asks, "Why do I get that weird ringing noise in my ears?"

1x20
Do your organs grow with you?
Episode overview

Air date

Feb 09, 2015

This week, Jen Alexander asks, "Do your organs grow with you?"

1x21
Why is the heart associated with love?
Episode overview

Air date

Feb 09, 2015

This week, Anish Sharma asks, "Why is the heart associated with love?"

1x22
Why does asparagus make your pee smell?
Episode overview

Air date

Feb 16, 2015

This week, "doxysrox" asks, "Why does Asparagus make your pee smell?"

1x23
Why don't humans have a mating season?
Episode overview

Air date

Feb 23, 2015

This week, "piano trumpet" asks, “Why don’t humans have a mating season like most animals?”

1x24
How does a two-way mirror work?
Episode overview

Air date

Mar 02, 2015

This week, "bored during school" asks, “How does a two-way mirror work?”

1x25
Why do we get dark bags under our eyes?
Episode overview

Air date

Mar 09, 2015

This week, "bored during school" asks, “Why do we get dark bags under our eyes when we're tired?”

1x26
Why do mosquitoes prefer biting some people to others?
Episode overview

Air date

Mar 16, 2015

This week, "locked-up time lady" asks, “Why do mosquitoes prefer biting some people to others? Is there something we can avoid doing or do besides using repellent, like eat bananas?”

1x27
What is the origin of the high five?
Episode overview

Air date

Apr 06, 2015

This week, Jacob Shields asks, “What is the origin of the high five?”

1x28
What makes a permanent marker permanent?
Episode overview

Air date

Apr 13, 2015

This week, ibrokemyscooter asks, “What makes a permanent marker permanent?”

1x29
Why is 301 used in YouTube for view count?
Episode overview

Air date

Apr 20, 2015

This week, Aldrym Gamatero asked, "Why is 301 used in YouTube for view count?"

1x30
Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the container?
Episode overview

Air date

Apr 27, 2015

This week, a bunch of people asked, "Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?"

1x31
Why do things taste bad after you brush your teeth?
Episode overview

Air date

May 04, 2015

This week, Elliott and special guests, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant, Beaker, answer Tony's question, "Why do things taste bad after you brush your teeth?" *MUPPET FLAIL*

1x32
Why are the numbers on calculators and phones opposite?
Episode overview

Air date

May 11, 2015

This week, Alyssa Nitta asks, "Why are keypads on phones arranged in ascending order while keypads on calculators are the other way around?"

1x33
Why does 98 degrees feel hot if that's your body temperature?
Episode overview

Air date

May 18, 2015

This week, Grace F. asks, "Why does 98 degrees Fahrenheit feel hot to us even though our bodies are around that temperature?"

1x34
Why do you see better when you squint?
Episode overview

Air date

May 25, 2015

This week, Amar Jerath asks, "Why do you see better when you squint?"

1x35
Does hitting the snooze button help
Episode overview

Air date

Jun 08, 2015

This week, Mitra Mirpour asks, "Does hitting the snooze button and getting those few extra minutes of sleep actually help?"

1x36
Why do we blush when we're embarrassed?
Episode overview

Air date

Jun 15, 2015

This week, Rennie DiCarlo asks, "Why do we blush when we're embarrassed?"

1x37
What did the original colonists sound like?
Episode overview

Air date

Jun 22, 2015

This week, Jacob Mitchell asks, "What did the original colonists sound like? Did they have a modern British accent?"

1x38
Why do Americans use Fahrenheit?
Episode overview

Air date

Jun 29, 2015

This week, Martin Prince asks, "Why do Americans use Fahrenheit?"

1x39
Why is ginger a palate cleanser?
Episode overview

Air date

Jul 06, 2015

This week, Katie Doman asks, "Why is ginger a palate cleanser?"

1x40
Why are people ticklish?
Episode overview

Air date

Jul 13, 2015

This week, Tim B. asks, "Why are people ticklish?"

1x41
Why does your nose get runny when it's cold?
Episode overview

Air date

Jul 20, 2015

This week, Jacob White asks, "Why does my nose get runny when I'm cold?"

1x42
Why do bees die after they sting you
Episode overview

Air date

Aug 03, 2015

This week, Leovigildo Santos asks, "Why do bees die after they sting you?"

1x43
Why are there silent letters in English words?
Episode overview

Air date

Aug 10, 2015

This week, morgana7544 asks, "Why are there silent letters in English words?"

1x44
Why do people and animals tilt their heads when confused?
Episode overview

Air date

Aug 17, 2015

This week, Dan Hite asks, "Why do we tilt our heads when confused or pondering a question? Why do some animals seem to do the same?"

1x45
Does ginger ale really help with stomach aches?
Episode overview

Air date

Aug 24, 2015

This week, Kevin asks, "Does ginger ale really help with stomach aches?"

1x46 Season finale
Can you be tired from sleeping too much?
Episode overview

Air date

Aug 31, 2015

This week, Sarah F. asks, "Can you really be tired from sleeping too much?"

Seasons:

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