What happens when you microwave a NeeDoh?

We all have our questions, and we know there are answers out there… sometimes we just don’t know what they are. Here are some answers to our common daily questions.

First, what happens when you microwave a NeeDoh? This is a widely asked question, and some know the answer due to a worldwide TikTok challenge urging young people to microwave NeeDohs and post their results to TikTok. However, when a NeeDoh is microwaved, it explodes and becomes intensely hot to the touch. A ten-year-old girl from central Ohio learned this the hard way. She simply wanted to “make it softer,” as she reported to her parents after the incident. She ended up having to be hospitalized with severe second-degree burns on her left hand. This just shows how dangerous this challenge is. Some even argue that these harmful online trends are a form of cyberbullying. It is a serious issue, and if awareness isn’t raised soon, more innocent kids could get hurt.

Next, a truly massive debate: Is a hot dog a sandwich? According to the Oxford Dictionary, a sandwich consists of two pieces of bread. However, a sub is made from a loaf of bread, cut open, and most people would consider that a sandwich. Even though it’s just one piece of bread, like a hot dog! The dictionary definition seems wrong, so where does that leave the hot dog? Is it a sandwich? Well, it depends on how you look at it. Technically, the dictionary would say no. So the debate continues!

Another interesting question to consider: what actually makes a chair a chair? Again, according to the Oxford Dictionary, a chair is a four-legged seat for one person that supports one’s back. But what about our school desk chairs or office chairs? They don’t have four legs, yet we still call them chairs. Also, what if someone buys an expensive, luxury chair just to look at? One so nice, it can’t be sat on! You could argue that it isn’t a chair either! It seems we have another continued debate, thanks to the dictionary. 

Why is pizza round, but in a square box? Well, cardboard printing machines would be harder to print circular boxes, as the round edges are difficult to compose. It is also more expensive, and easier to travel. In a van, it won’t slosh around if it fits with the other boxes. It doesn’t even really save space! The dimensions are the same. Pizza is round though, as it is easier to cut. If it were square, there would be more pieces, which are harder to cut. So, in the end finance plays a big role in the pizza box industry.

Last, a really odd question that some might wonder about: What does human meat taste like? Surprisingly, historical and medical records have given us an answer. Technically, in some places, it is legal to eat part of another person, as long as they give permission. There have been TV instances where two consenting people exchanged body parts for the other to eat. In 2006, entrepreneur Marco Everistii even started a company using his own fat to make meatballs!

Of course, eating part of someone without permission is illegal and can lead to serious consequences. This will likely send people to jail for life. In 1931, Frenchman William Seabrook was curious about the taste of humans, so he tried some for himself. He described it as being remarkably similar to “good, fully developed veal,” not young but not yet beef. He noted that it was mild, tender, and lacked the sharply defined characteristics of pork or game. Although considered cannibalism, some wandering minds may be intrigued.

Even though some of these questions are a bit strange, wanting to know the answers is perfectly natural. Answers to our curiosities help us understand life, even if the question is what happens when you put a NeeDoh in a microwave oven, or what does human meat taste like. Exploring every question, even the completely absurd ones, is how we build knowledge of our world.