Ask Marshall Brain Library
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Why can't humans regenerate body parts?
A man accidentally cuts off his finger during your woodworking class. You stop the bleeding, call 911 and ice the severed finger. Because of your quick actions, surgeons are able to reattach the finger. But why do we need surgeons? Why can't we just regrow a new finger like a salamander can regrow a severed limb?
Find out.
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What would happen if you couldn't burp?
We've all had that bloated feeling. Perhaps it came after drinking a carbonated beverage too fast. Or, maybe it came after speeding through dinner so you could catch the big game on TV. Whatever the cause, we all know how uncomfortable this feeling can be. There's no doubt that burping can relieve some of the pressure. But what if you couldn't burp? Find out.
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What would happen if you stopped sleeping?
A newborn needs as much as 20 hours of sleep a day while most adults can get by on seven to nine hours. You feel great after a good night of sleep and you usually feel awful after a night with little sleep. So, what would happen if you stopped sleeping altogether? Find out.
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What makes a dragster race car go so fast?
At the end of a track run, a dragster is going more than 300 miles per hour. How can a car possibly go that fast? Find out.
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Can people really move things with their minds?
In "Star Wars" and other movies, characters can be seen using telekinesis; they move an object or objects with their minds. For example, in the "Star Wars" movies, a Jedi can retrieve his or her lightsaber using only mind power. Is it actually possible to move matter just by imagining it? Find out.
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Would it be possible for a cow to produce chocolate milk?
You may have heard of something called genetic engineering. The idea is to take useful genes from some plant or animal and add the genes to other species. Everyone knows that cows make milk. The question is, could you add a gene from a cocoa tree to a cow and have the cow make chocolate milk? Find out.
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How can someone die from drinking too much water?
Hours after competing in a radio station contest to win a Nintendo Wii, 28-year-old Jennifer Strange was found dead in her California home. According to preliminary autopsy reports, Ms. Strange apparently died from drinking too much water too quickly. Find out about water intoxication.
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If the ice caps melted, would it flood Earth?
Don't tell us you haven't pondered this question. Seriously, that's a lot of ice! If Earth's surface gets warm enough to melt all the ice in Antarctica, what would happen? Check out what Marshall has to say about this totally cool [hey, we couldn't resist the pun] topic!
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Is television cop technology for real?
If you’ve ever seen a crime show or a police drama on TV, you’ve probably seen some pretty unbelievable technology. Most of this stuff is pure fiction. But one of the most outlandish TV cop tools, a special chemical that reveals invisible blood traces, is absolutely real. Find out about luminol.
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What's the deal with mistletoe and Christmas?
What is mistletoe? Why do people hang it in doorways in December? And what’s with all that kissing? Find out about the history of mistletoe.
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Why are mosquitoes so annoying?
It seems like you can't go outside when it's warm anymore without being buzzed about and bitten by one or more-- many more--mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are annoying, but that's partly because they are so amazing. Mosquitoes are like little robots that are great at finding warm-blooded people. Find out about mosquitoes.
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What would happen if you were locked in an airtight room?
Hold your breath. After a little while, you just have to breathe. It's as if every cell in your body is screaming, "Breathe!" That's because you need oxygen. Find out what would happen if you were trapped in a room without any.
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Are people actually being frozen for the future?
It's 1997 and a British secret agent is revived after 30 years on ice. His mission: Thwart the evil plans of his arch nemesis and save the world. Yeah, OK -- you've got us. This is what happens in the hit movie, "Austin Powers." But, is this just pure Hollywood fiction? Or, are people really hitting the deep freeze to be thawed out sometime in the future? Find out.
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How does a city prepare for the Olympics?
Hosting the Olympics, whether it's the summer or winter edition, is a huge deal for any city. At the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, there were more than 1,000 athletes, 78 events, 234 medals and 1,600,000 visitors! Check out how a city prepares to host the Games.
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Could saving 25 cents add up to something big?
Just about everyone can afford to put a quarter into a piggy bank every day or so. So this is a great question -- it shows how a little bit of money can really add up over time. Check it out.
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Why don't people have gills?
Books, TV shows and movies sometimes mention people with gills. In the fourth Harry Potter book, Harry must eat "gillyweed" for a tournament. Sharp pains in his neck make Harry reach up to his throat. He feels "two large slits just below his ears, flapping in the cold air." He has gills! Why don't people have gills? Find out.
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Up, Up and Away
If you have ever seen someone holding a bunch of helium balloons, you may have asked yourself, "How many balloons does it take to actually lift a person off the ground?" Find out.
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Are domed cities possible? Have you ever thought about living in a domed city? The temperature would be the same year round. No rained-out soccer games. Are domed cities possible? Find out.
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What if we wanted to build a new Great Pyramid? Everybody knows about "The Great Pyramid" in Egypt. What would it cost if someone wanted to build a Great Pyramid today? Would modern technology make the project any easier? Find out.
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How do people walk on fire? Have you ever seen someone walk on fire? You know, those people who walk over a bed of glowing coals without getting burned at all. How do they do that? Find out.
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What is nothing? You look into an empty room and there's "nothing in it" -- no objects of any kind, no furniture, no people, etc. But, is the room truly empty? Find out what nothing really is.
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Why haven't we gone to Mars? We've sent several robots to the red planet's surface, but nearly 35 years after Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, we're still nowhere close to flying astronauts to Mars. Find out what the hold up is.
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Why do we eat so much?
Human beings eat a lot of food. A typical human eats over a thousand pounds of food every year. Do we really need that much energy? Learn about food, calories and body building blocks.
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