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Viewer questions, 2024

39 viewer questions, requests and challenges answered in 12 videos uploaded in 2024, grouped by topic (the domain of the part of the video the answer is in), in upload order within a topic. Each question is followed by the answer as summarised, with the speaker and timestamp. Question Tuesday marks the Q&A series. Back to the overview.

Topics: Science & nature (9) · Health (4) · Nerdfighteria (4) · Personal life (4) · Books & writing (3) · Everyday life (3) · Philosophy & meaning (3) · Projects (3) · History & curiosities (2) · Internet & YouTube (2) · Sports (1) · US politics & society (1)

Science & nature

  • Q: “Does running heat in your car take from the gas?” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:01:07) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Hank explains a gas car's engine also drives a small generator for electricity, so even running the windows uses a little gasoline. (00:01:37)
  • Q: “Do you think electric cars are the future?” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:02:26) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Asked whether electric cars are the future, Hank says they are. (00:02:26)
  • Q: “If all the cars are electric and all of them get hacked, what happens?” — asked by Bobbi Lanier (00:02:26) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Hank says many different car companies would make hacking all cars at once hard, though Kia and Honda this year (2024) had an easy way to steal them spread as a TikTok trend. (00:03:03)
  • Q: “is it true that the sun is gonna explode” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:09:26) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Hank confirms that in about four billion years the Sun will grow very large and swallow the Earth. (00:09:26)
  • Q: “so it's okay to like in a while have a kid” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:10:22) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Asked whether it is okay to have a kid someday, Hank encourages it because it is fun. (00:10:22)
  • Q: “what about this new planet they found that has water and stuff” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:10:22) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Hank says water is common in the solar system: Mars has lots, the Moon has some, and some of Jupiter's moons hold more water than Earth. (00:10:22)
  • Q: “How do people know that?” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:10:51) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Hank explains scientists know these moons have ice over liquid water because they are visibly icy and their volcanoes erupt ice water. (00:10:51)
  • Q: “He wants to know, since you're the Secretary of Transportation, if you own secretary birds.” — asked by Orin Green (00:17:33) — Three Whole Onions with Secretary Pete Buttigieg
    • Hank: Hank explains secretary birds are African birds of prey that eat snakes among other meat, though Wikipedia says snakes' importance has been exaggerated. (00:17:33)
  • Q: “People have been asking me why we featured a fig on the reverse side of this year's Crash Course coin.” (00:03:12) — Eating an 11,000 Year Old Fruit
    • Hank: Hank says this story is why a fig is featured on the reverse side of this year's (2024) Crash Course coin, which people have been asking him about. (00:03:12)

Health

  • Q: “Both of our moms told us that you can't mix” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:06:54) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Hank says the guests' mothers' rule against mixing starches has no basis for digestion, though limiting servings may be sensible. (00:07:23)
  • Q: “What about drinking while you eat? Is it bad for your digestion?” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:08:57) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Hank says drinking while you eat is fine and, if anything, good for digestion. (00:08:57)
  • Q: “Can it heal a cold?” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:11:46) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Hank says ginger ale often contains no ginger, so it probably cannot heal a cold. (00:11:46)
  • Q: “can you mold a baby like a newborn” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:13:14) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Hank says some babies with oddly shaped heads wear little hats that squeeze the head into shape, for health or sometimes looks, like braces. (00:13:55)

Nerdfighteria

  • Q: “Would you rather be the juiciest Hank in the world or the driest Hank in the world?” — asked by Tyler Thrasher (00:00:42) — The Juiciest Hank in the World
    • Hank: Hank would rather be the juiciest Hank in the world than the driest: any human is far juicier than dry, so max juicy is closer. (00:00:42)
  • Q: “Would you rather have gummy teeth or noodle fingers?” — asked by Tyler Thrasher (00:00:42) — The Juiciest Hank in the World
    • Hank: Hank would rather have gummy teeth than noodle fingers, because fingers matter more to him than teeth. (00:01:16)
  • Q [request]: “Devin says no questions just have fun maybe do some car karaoke?” (00:00:58) — Hank and John Reunited WITH RAX · Question Tuesday
    • John & Hank: Asked by a viewer for car karaoke, the brothers sing an a cappella Rax parody of a Fastball song about Hank going to Rax for roast beef. (00:00:58)
  • Q: “Hank, do you miss the four minute videos? Should we go back?” (00:03:05) — Is the Inside of Your Mouth a Soup? (a vidcon reunion video)
    • John: Asked whether they should go back to four-minute videos, John says no, but they should make them more often. (00:03:05)

Personal life

  • Q: “Anna says, who of you is the Taskmaster and who is Alex Horn?” (00:02:16) — Hank and John Reunited WITH RAX · Question Tuesday
    • John: Asked which brother is the Taskmaster and which is Alex Horne, John says he thinks he is the Taskmaster. (00:02:16)
  • Q: “What did you get at Rax, Riley asks.” (00:02:16) — Hank and John Reunited WITH RAX · Question Tuesday
    • John: John says they got four sandwiches: his childhood Rax order, the Big Boy (a big roast beef), and three for Hank: a roast beef, a beef and cheddar, and a hoagie-like roast beef with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. (00:02:16)
  • Q: “Melissa wants to know who picks the music driver or shotgun.” (00:03:22) — Hank and John Reunited WITH RAX · Question Tuesday
    • John & Hank: Asked who picks the music, they say they play none, only singing Rax parodies, because they rarely get to hang out in person and are just chatting. (00:03:22)
  • Q: “Abby asks, is cereal a soup?” (00:01:13) — Is the Inside of Your Mouth a Soup? (a vidcon reunion video)
    • Hank: Reading a Dear Hank and John live-show question from Abby on whether cereal is a soup, Hank calls it well-trodden ground and says a backstage conversation with YouTubers hit an unfortunate hypothetical: is the inside of your mouth a soup? (00:01:13)

Books & writing

  • Q: “Will Turtles All The Way Down be available to watch in the UK?” (00:04:57) — Hank and John Reunited WITH RAX · Question Tuesday
    • John: Answering viewers, John says the Turtles All the Way Down film will stream on Max in the UK, the Netherlands and other listed places, out May 2 in most places including the US. (00:04:57)
  • Q: “Molly wants to know what you've been reading lately.” (00:28:39) — Dear Hank and John Livestream!
    • John: Answering a patron, John says he still reads mostly about tuberculosis because he is in the last edit of his book. (00:28:39)
  • Q: “what's your signature count” (00:37:33) — Some New Things…
    • John: Asked for his signature count, John says he is at 31,400 of 100,000 signatures, which will take 200 hours. (00:37:33)

Everyday life

Philosophy & meaning

  • Q: “And if you– if– Sarah was like, if you kill someone, do you die?” — asked by Sarah Urist Green (00:02:16) — If Hank and John Were God for 15 Minutes
    • John & Hank (hypothetical): Hank says killing someone would not kill you but would just hurt really badly; John adds that it would last forever, like chronic pain, and that ordering someone else to hurt a person brings at least as much pain. (00:02:36)
  • Q: “show me a non-religious image that feels religious to you.” (00:00:02) — One of the Most Important Images On Earth
    • Hank: Asked on Bluesky for a non-religious image that feels religious, Hank first thought of this one: a ladder-like shape with animals, dots, and what looks like a three-armed bunny driving a fan boat. (00:00:02)
  • Q: “People often ask me why I am so skeptical that there are aliens” (00:13:09) — Fine, I'll Talk About the Drones…
    • Hank: Hank says he is not skeptical that aliens exist: there definitely are aliens in so large a universe; he has just seen no compelling evidence that they are here. (00:13:09)

Projects

  • Q: “What's wrong with oversteeped tea?” — asked by Henry Green (00:34:53) — Some New Things…
    • Hank: Hank explains that oversteeped black tea turns bitter: caffeine and theanine are mostly out within three minutes, aromatics immediately, but bitter tannins keep coming out steadily. (00:35:54)
  • Q: “Jesse asks, could there be a secret third type of fun?” (00:46:24) — Some New Things…
    • John: Asked about a third type of fun, John describes type 3 fun: fun only because you survived and it makes a good story, though it was traumatic. (00:46:46)
  • Q: “how is p4a prep coming along” (00:48:24) — Some New Things…
    • John: Asked about P4A prep, John says they just had a board meeting and are getting the perks and prices figured out. (00:48:24)

History & curiosities

  • Q: “If you had to count, how many things do you think you know?” — asked by Flyana Boss (00:03:32) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Asked to count what he knows, Hank says knowledge can be broken out almost infinitely, down to the atoms in his socks. (00:04:01)
  • Q: “What do you think about know-it-alls?” — asked by Bobbi Lanier (00:06:54) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Hank says know-it-alls are a real fine line and a concern of his. (00:06:54)

Internet & YouTube

  • Q: “Our last question is, do you have any big brand ideas for Bobby and I to go viral again?” — asked by Folayan Opeyemi (00:15:55) — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything
    • Hank: Asked how the duo can go viral again, Hank says their video worked because it was captivating and different, and being different is hard. (00:16:24)
  • Q: “Edward asks, how do you guys navigate this world while dripping with so much riz?” (00:02:36) — Is the Inside of Your Mouth a Soup? (a vidcon reunion video)
    • Hank: Hank says CG5 approached him in the VidCon lobby, knowing Hank once tweeted that he unironically enjoys CG5's music, and Hank apologized. (00:02:36)

Sports

  • Q [challenge]: “Hank, you forgot about judo!” (00:00:29) — The Olympics Mystery Explained!!!
    • Hank: After viewers told him he forgot judo, Hank explains that several sports award two bronze medals per event, so every Games awards more bronze than gold or silver. (00:00:29)

US politics & society

  • Q: “What can the policy world, what can Washington do better to support people living with and surviving cancer?” — asked by Pete Buttigieg (00:11:44) — Three Whole Onions with Secretary Pete Buttigieg
    • Hank: Hank says he had a 'cheap cancer', scans being the costliest part, plus flexible work, support systems and money, so he didn't have to worry. (00:11:44)