Things You Thought You Knew – Oatmeal Sun

About This Episode

Why don’t rockets fly straight up? What’s really happening when you make toast? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice break down the science of making toast, boiling water, and the Brachristochrone problem.

Why does it take so long for bread to toast? What role does moisture play in why green wood won’t burn, or why bread left out overnight toasts faster? Neil explains the science of evaporation, why you can boil water in a paper cup without setting it on fire, and why burning toast, or even a witch, is harder than you think. Is an air fryer just a fast toaster with better marketing? And how many charred breakfasts have been saved by scraping off the blackened bits?

Why does plain water boil so neatly, but oatmeal or spaghetti water boil over in a mess? What’s actually happening when bubbles form at the bottom of the pot? Neil and Chuck break down conduction, convection, and the “farting” of boiling water molecules. How is the Sun’s fiery future as a red giant like a pot that’s spilling over? And why does energy sometimes get stuck before bursting out in dramatic fashion?

Finally, why don’t rockets fly straight up? What’s the difference between airplanes and rockets when it comes to fuel and oxygen? Neil explains why rocket boosters can’t be shut down, how the roll program works, and why orbit is really just controlled falling. How do Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson’s short hops compare to true orbital flight? And what do rocket trajectories have in common with the Bernoulli brothers’ Brachistochrone problem?

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