Ask Dr. Universe

Why do we get brain freezes? Asked by Hannah, 9, Monroe Elementary.

Dear Hannah,

You’re enjoying some ice cream, when suddenly you feel a pain in your head that hurts a whole lot. It’s like it came out of nowhere, and in a matter of seconds, it’s gone.

These instant headaches, or brain freezes, often strike when we eat or drink something cold. And like you, some scientists are curious about why brain freezes happen. So they’re testing out some different ideas.

That’s what I found out from my friend Bill Griesar, a brain scientist at Washington State University.

One theory is that when you eat...