A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away… we wondered, could you ever build a real lightsaber like the ones in Star Wars? A lightsaber is a glowing sword that can cut through metal – and pretty much anything else you can think of. It’s the favorite tool of heroes like Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano, as well as villains like Darth Vader. That’s just in the movies, but could we make them real? We asked mechanical engineering professor Sayan Biswas to help us find the answer.

Got more questions than Luke when he was training with Yoda? Send them to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help use the force to find an answer!

Scientists develop medicines to help fight disease and keep people healthy. Some medicines are made in a lab, some come from plants, and some…even come from mold! So how does that work? We asked microbiologist Christine Salomon to help us find the answer.

Got a question that totally breaks the mold? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll send you our most cultured answer.

Have you ever been on an airplane and noticed that pressure in your ears? And then, as you’re taking off…they pop! Just like a balloon or a bubble or a freshly opened can of dough! Why does that happen? We asked infectious disease physician Dr. Frank Rhame to help us find the answer.

Got a question that popped in your head? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll fly in to help answer it for you.

If you’ve ever grabbed a flaming hot bowl of soup out of the microwave and then slurped a spoonful of icy liquid from the middle of it, you’re not alone. In fact, it feels like one of life’s great mysteries! Why does this happen to food in the microwave? We asked ceramic artist Matthew Katz to help us find the answer.

Got a scalding hot question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll bowl you over with the answer.

Ever wish you had a frog's tongue? You wouldn’t even have to pick up a cookie with your hand…your tongue would grab it for you! How amazing is that? But really, how DO frog tongues stretch so far? We asked Kiisa Nishikawa, a professor at Northern Arizona University, to help us find the answer.

Got a sticky question? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll slurp up an answer for you!

Colored eyeshadow, glossy lipstick, rosy blush – people use all sorts of makeup to change how they look. But when did we start using makeup? And how has it changed over time? We asked archaeologist and Brains On producer Anna Goldfield to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s making you blush? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help you face the answer!

Caves are full of amazing stuff: bats, hidden passageways and of course – spectacular rock formations! So where do these rock structures come from? We asked geologist Hazel Barton to help us find the answer.

Got a rock-solid question?Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find the answer under the surface.

People rubbing two sticks together and a fire magically appearing is a common thing you might see in movies or on television. But does it actually work? We asked engineer Vi Rapp to help us find the answer.

Got a question that’s flickering in your brain? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help put out the fire.