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101: Why is the Sky Blue & Speech Disfluency

Mar 12, 2026
A lively dive into why the sky appears blue, covering Rayleigh scattering, historical theories, sunsets, green flashes, and how other planets' skies differ. Then a playful look at speech disfluency, exploring fillers like um and uh, their types, functions in conversation, and cultural perceptions.
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ANECDOTE

Tyndall Brought The Sky Into A Lab

  • John Tyndall accidentally recreated a bit of sky in his lab when intense light revealed a faint blue tint from scattering in cleaned air.
  • He noticed that clouds of very fine precipitated particles always appeared blue regardless of substance.
INSIGHT

Long Path At Sunset Removes Blue Light

  • Sunsets turn red/orange because sunlight travels a longer path through the atmosphere, scattering away shorter wavelengths before reaching the observer.
  • The remaining long wavelengths (reds/oranges) dominate the direct light we see at sunrise and sunset.
INSIGHT

Sky Turned Blue After Great Oxidation Event

  • Earth's sky became blue after the Great Oxidation Event ~2.4 billion years ago when oxygen-producing life changed atmospheric chemistry.
  • Earlier atmosphere rich in methane produced complex hydrocarbons and an orange haze, so the sky looked orangey then.
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