Why Are Fireworks Bright?

Deep in the basement of the San Diego Natural History Museum, there are thousands of jars filled with preserved reptiles and amphibians. In this episode, But Why takes a tour with collections manager Adam Clause to answer your questions about lizards! How do lizards climb walls? ...  Afficher plus

But Why turns ten years old on April 1, 2026! To celebrate this milestone, we’re listening back to our very first episode. We’ve got owls and turtles and bears. Naturalist Mary Holland gets into the details about hibernation–including the questions you may not even have thought t ...  Afficher plus

Fireworks are a staple of celebrations around the world, but where does this invention come from and what’s the basic chemistry of their combustion? In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe light the fuse and find out. (originally published 6/23/2020)See ...  Afficher plus

Bobby Wow and Grabstack are thrilled to get an invitation to design their own fireworks, but when Mighty Mila and Robozuki catch on, the fireworks might not be the only things that go boom! 

Fireworks have been used in many cultures for hundreds of years as a way to celebrate. Join host Liz Lyon and producer Melanie Renate as we explore pieces of music inspired by fireworks.Episode 92 playlistClaude Debussy: Feux d’Artifice — This piece is the last of Debussy’s 24 pr ...  Afficher plus

Whether it’s lighting up your town's 4th of July celebration, or announcing the New Year over your city’s skyscrapers, every firework started as an invention. Just how was it invented you ask? Tune in to find out!