# Defective popcorn **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 2, 2001, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defective-popcorn/79419 "2001-09-02T17:17:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defective-popcorn/79419/1 "2001-09-02T17:17:11Z")
Why do I always find that some kernels just won’t pop in every batch of popcorn that I hear up? And for that matter, why does popcorn expand? Can any corn be popped? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defective-popcorn/79419/2 "2001-09-02T17:25:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grienspace \* > \*\*Why do I always find that some kernels just won’t pop in every batch of popcorn that I hear up? And for that matter, why does popcorn expand? Can any corn be popped? \*\* There’s a little bit of water inside each kernel. When you heat it up, the water turns to steam and expands thereby causing a mini explosion that blows the insides out of the kernal. Haj ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defective-popcorn/79419/3 "2001-09-02T19:54:05Z")
And the non-popping ones are too dry, or they have leaks in the husk so the steam can’t build up. Most varieties of corn don’t have a husk that’s strong enough to hold popping pressure.