Why Do Onions Make Me Cry?: Answers to Everyday Science Questions You've Always Wanted to Ask

by Jay Ingram

Discovery Channel host and acclaimed writer Jay Ingram helps you find the answers to questions you've never really settled, like “What is déjà vu?” “Why do we blink?”, “Why are yawns contagious?” and the perennial “Do we really use only 10% of our brains?”

Note that this book is a combined and abridged edition of The Science of Why and The Science of Why2 .

Have you ever wondered if people really do weird things during the full moon? How about whether fingernails grow faster than toenails? And do we really dream in color? Jay Ingram is here to put these and many other long-lived scientific uncertainties to rest in this whimsically illustrated guide to the science of everyday life.

Combining the wit of What If? by Randall Munroe and the accessible science smarts of ASAP Science , this new collection features answers to common queries with part sections that address the supernatural, the human body, the animal kingdom, the natural world, and more. It includes fun facts, myth busters and line drawings, all with the end goal of delighting and surprising your inner science geek.

Whether these questions have been on your mind constantly, or occasionally resurface like the myth of Loch Ness (Is it real?), whether they’re silly (Why does my pee smell like asparagus?) or serious (Why does time speed up as I age?) or just plain frustrating (Why do mosquitoes love me?), Ingram will settle them once and for all.

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2019

About the author

Jay Ingram CM (born March 20, 1945) is a Canadian author and broadcaster. He was host of the television show Daily Planet (originally titled @discovery.ca), which airs on Discovery Channel Canada, since the channel's inception in 1995. Ingram's last episode of Daily Planet aired on June 5, 2011. Ingram announced his retirement but stated he will make guest appearances on Daily Planet. He was succeeded by Dan Riskin. His book The End of Memory: A Natural History of Aging and Alzheimer’s is forthcoming from St. Martin's Press in 2015.

Reviews

[Karis · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Why Do Onions Make Me Cry?, I enjoyed the variety of questions tackled by the author. I was expecting the answers to be straightforward with a quick summary expanding it, but instead I was pleasantly surprised to see the author take time to share studies, theories, and information tidbits that developed the topic in such an in-depth and interesting way that even if the reader had already been familiar with the topic, the material had new thoughts and was engaging for them. The illustrations, did you know’s and try it’s even further pulled me in as a reader.

But at the same time, I was sharply reminded how a view of science through a believer in evolution permeates so much of their thought process and rationalism. How depressing and limiting is the view that humans are just another animal! As I am a Christian and believer in a God-created universe, my enjoyment in the reading of this book written from such a perspective was greatly hampered.

I definitely had some “Huh! I never knew that” moments where I had to set down the book and wander off in search of someone to share my newly enlightened thoughts with. This book is a gold mine of such info nuggets, and for that, the nerdy part of me rejoiced.

(For prospective readers, a quick content warning about some guy humor and choice in topics that would make me place the book in a “for adult” category. )

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for promotional purposes from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Bandit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Onions make us cry because cutting one up releases a specific chemical that needs (so says our body) be washed away with tears. There are some folk theories on how to avoid the tears, but nothing has been proved to work consistently and well. So there’s that, in fact it’s the shortest chapter in the book. But then there are all these other chapters arranged in 5 categories that answer so many more interesting questions in a more elaborate and user friendly way. Very user friendly, in fact, sometimes almost oversimplified, but mostly that was the case with the categories and things I already knew, so that’s a biased opinion. Anyway, I absolutely loved this book. This is exactly the right way for someone like me (interested in science, but not necessarily scientifically minded) to learn about it. There is such a wide range of questions, covering subjects from Sasquatches to pee odors and it’s all exceptionally well explained, accessible for most educational levels, and most of all…fun. You know, because learning ought to be fun. It even has entertaining asides such as science fact and science fiction, where Ingram compares popular knowledge (often sourced from literature and movies) to the facts. I wasn’t familiar with Ingram prior to reading this book, but looks like he’s made a career for himself doing just this, explaining the world the way the world should be explained. I’d definitely read more of his work. This book was a delight. And such a quick read. I went through it in one day, which arguably isn’t the best way of doing it, too much information crammed too rapidly into one brain. But then again, there is really no such thing as too much knowledge and for days afterwards I was able to randomly produce fascinating factoids for various conversation enhancements. So yeah, I absolutely loved this book. Popular science at its best. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

[Dirty Dayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 For crying out loud

Protip: to ensure that onions do not make you cry try not to form an emotional bond with them works everytime!

This book is set up in parts : human body, human brain , animal kingdom, the natural world and weird science. Each part has multiple questions in it and it give a easy to understand yet fact based response to questions. My favorite part of the layout is the Did you know section under each question I think that was the most fun to read. Now the 3-4 page response to each question was also interesting to learn as well don’t get me wrong. The comics included are also adorable and funny.

So to answer our cover question why do onions make us cry? Did you know it’s a chemical reaction from the blade to compounds in onions? All the “old wives tales” to prevent tearing up are actually not foulproof! For example : I believed if I wore gloves I was better off and my spouse thought chopping onions underwater prevented the crying. ( which what a dude thing to do that’s crazy dangerous)
The only way to keep those tears at bay is to condition your body to it.. so go buy a few hundred pounds of onions and get your conditioning on.
The book is fun at parts it gets a bit dry and boring but I like that for those areas I could just swipe past them and move on. This would be a great bathroom reader. I personally laugh hysterically when my spouse disappears for a bit and spouts knowledge to me because in my mind I am like.. oh he pooped how nice.

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A books of funny facts and explanation. Simple, the choice of facts was interesting enough, but there isn't any references so the scientific info may be questionable, even if the author has some professional notoriety. I would I like it to be just factual, without the kind of humor that wasn't that good in my opinion. Not bad, but not great either!

[DRx Salim Ansari · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Why Do Onions Make Me Cry? and 101 Other Science Questions" by Jay Ingram is a light and enjoyable read that’s perfect for beginners who are curious about everyday science. Ingram does a great job of making complex topics accessible and fun, making it an ideal book for those looking to explore science in a relaxed and engaging way. Highly recommended for anyone new to the subject or simply looking for a quick, informative read.

[Ren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking for some fun facts to entertain your inner nerd? This will do it. While some questions don't have definitive answers, there's plenty to keep you entertained here and you might just find some answers to questions you've wondered about.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Duckpondwithoutducks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Do Onions Make Me Cry? is a science question and answer book. It is full of commonly asked questions with relatively brief but comprehensive answers. For example, why is the sky blue? I was glad to learn the answer, but don't ask me to try to explain it to you! I would need to reread that section a few more times before it will stick in my head!

I learned that insects don't have blood, per se. The equivalent substance that flows through them is called hemolymph. And sometimes insects' waste products are called frass. Hemolymph and frass. Those are both great words!

This book is actually a compilation of information from the author's two previous books, The Science of Why and The Science of Why 2. So, if you already have read those books, there will be nothing new here. But, if you would like a short read where you will learn a lot about science, with lots of cute illustrations, then read this book!

Note: I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining look at things sciency

I loved this book. It consists of short snippets on things sciency, along with rather cute illustrations. The snippets are extremely well written and amusing, with author Jay Ingram showing a good sense of humor. Ingram writes in a conversational tone and the book felt more like Ingram was talking to me over a cup of coffee, than I was reading his book. Although science, Ingram explains everything very clearly and does not use jargon. I recommend this book for anyone interested in science and I look forward to reading more books by him.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was informative and a fun read. It's only two stars because I'm not sure if I would read it again. For people that are interested in how things work or why things happen, I recommend this read. This book made me think by not only answering questions I had been wondering about, but by asking questions I had never even thought to ask. It's a good way to open your mind.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author: Jay Ingram
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: 02 Apr 2019

[Marie Aitchison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Do Onions Make Me Cry? Is awesome! It was so much fun to read and indulge my inner science nerd. Now I will have tons of answers for my 4 year old who is currently always asking “why” about everything. This book not only made me smarter, but had me laughing to myself quite frequently. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a light read that will not only expand your knowledge but will also bring a smile to your face. I loved it!

[Erikka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, but not anything earth shattering. There were also a lot of "nobody really knows" type questions, which I think are a bit of a cop-out in a book that is supposed to be answers to life's most burning queries. I did really like the part about T. Rex arms, though.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Back in the 1960s this book would have been a nice addition to your local library. Back in 1990s, the Internet was still young and it still might have been nice to have this book around. Yet now, this is the ugly ego trip of an old white male who sees himself as more relevant than he ever was.

[RL Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jay Ingram makes learning fun in this one. A lot of ground gets covered and probably a lot of these questions are ones you have thought of. When he's tackling questions like how much pee is in a pool, it's simply enough. Other questions however get overly scientific. Then of course there are many examples where theories are given but then shot down by the author; which is frustrating. This would make a good gift for trivia fans.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book answers the scientific questions you've never thought of before. Why do we blink? Why do I yawn when you yawn? What's the other 90% of my brain doing while I only use 10%? This is a funny and educational read. You'll walk away with a wealth of random info to use at your next trivia night!

[Chad Alexander Guarino da Verona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can elephants jump?
Why does time move faster as we get older?
What's in a black hole?

If these, and the titular question, sound like things you have wondered about before, this is the book for you. Author Jay Ingram strikes up a conversational tone as he navigates through a myriad of scientific answers to some truly bizarre and obscure questions. I found myself intrigued by a number of the questions, especially the ones dealing with the cosmos and whether it was possible for humans to be living in a digital simulation.

Some of the chapters were a bit of hit or miss for me. (The echolocation in humans chapter seemed to go on far too long for me taste.) This is where personal preference is going to come into play for future readers. Some may be more taken by the animal chapters, and some may enjoy the "weird science" section a bit more. In this sense, the author has made sure to cover enough topics to keep everyone interested, and more importantly has avoided dipping too deeply into scientific and technical jargon so as not to alienate the layman.

***I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster.***

[January Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, informative, interesting and entertaining. Some things you may already know, and others you may not. Very enjoyable for the family to share and enjoy together.