Dispatches
Each piece starts with something you have seen before and never quite explained to yourself. We do the explaining — as plainly as the subject will allow.
Why ice cracks when you pour a drink over it
The sound is satisfying. The reason involves thermal shock and what happens inside a crystal lattice under sudden stress.
Why cutting an onion makes you cry
Your eyes are not being dramatic. The onion releases a compound specifically because it has been cut — and your eyes notice immediately.
Why certain music gives you chills
It involves dopamine, anticipation, and a kind of pleasant surprise your auditory cortex was not expecting. The goosebumps are a side effect.
Why the sky is blue and sunsets are orange
Both are caused by the same thing — light scattering. The angle of the sun determines which colours you see and which ones disappear.
Why paper cuts hurt out of proportion to their size
The pain is not in your head. Fingertips have an unusually high density of nerve endings, and paper leaves a very particular kind of wound.