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Why is the sky blue?

Blue light travels as shorter, smaller waves, so the gases and particles in the air scatter it more than other colors; the ocean has no part in it.

▶ As it aired · Weird News

Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger on this story, from BBN Overnight at 1:44 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are NASA's, the jokes are ours.

At a glance

  • First reported by NASA: “Why is the sky blue?”
  • Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 1:44 AM ET on BBN Overnight, by Hank Ledger.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

  1. Professor Doug FenwickThe sky is blue because it's the ocean's reflection, and since the ocean takes up sixty percent of Earth, well, the math checks out.

  2. Professor Doug FenwickThat is settled science.

  3. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA viewer asks why the sky is blue.

  4. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorOur guest is Professor Doug Fenwick, Director of Hunches at The Institute of Probably, and he holds an honorary degree in Confidence.

  5. Professor Doug FenwickSimple. The ocean is blue, the sky sits above it, and the ocean looks up.

  6. Professor Doug FenwickA study found that. I can't recall which one, but it had a staple in it.

  7. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThat's wrong, Professor. The sky does not reflect the ocean.

  8. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorPer NASA Space Place, sunlight is scattered in every direction by the gases and particles in the air, and blue light scatters more than the other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves.

  9. Professor Doug FenwickYes, that's what I said, only without the waves.

  10. Professor Doug FenwickScattering is just the ocean being flicked off a wet dog. The atmosphere is the dog, obviously. I've owned that dog.

  11. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe dog is not the atmosphere.

  12. Professor Doug FenwickThen why does the dog shake? Answer me that, Hank.

  13. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorBlue light has shorter waves than red light, so the air scatters it more. That's all of it. There is no dog.

  14. Professor Doug FenwickFine. Shorter waves.

  15. Professor Doug FenwickI'll admit it, the study I keep citing is a drawing I did on the back of a menu, and the Institute is my garage.

  16. Professor Doug FenwickThe dog is real, though.

  17. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThank you, Professor. The sky will stay blue whether the Institute approves or not. Please move your car.

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From the archive: everything BBN aired on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 · the Weird News archive · all months