BrainStuff

France's beautiful Fosse Dionne spring has been keeping its secrets close for centuries -- no one has ever found its source. Learn the myths and history surrounding it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/fosse-dionne-spring.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Antarctica belongs to no one nation -- so who has jurisdiction when someone dies under mysterious or criminal circumstances? Learn why it's messy in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/whos-charge-investigating-deaths-antarctica.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It might sound gross, but it's eco-friendly: Paper is made from plant pulp. Animals that eat plants excrete plant pulp. Learn why some researchers have high hopes for poo-pyrus in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/poo-pyrus-eco-friendly-paper-made-from-poop.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a genetic condition called chimerism, DNA from someone else (an unborn twin, an organ donor, or even your own baby) is at work in your body. Learn how it works in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/chimerism-be-own-twin.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Preservation techniques like curing and smoking create tasty, longer-lasting dishes like lox, gravlax, and nova. Learn the difference between these salmon preparations in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/tools-and-techniques/lox-gravlax-nova-whats-difference.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Businesses say noncompete agreements protect their interests -- but when they apply to everyone from VPs to janitors, are they overkill? Learn how noncompetes work in this episode of BrainStuff: https://money.howstuffworks.com/noncompete-agreements-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're all too familiar with hurricanes here on Earth, but scientists have discovered storms with similar patterns right near the edge of space. Learn about space hurricanes in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/atmospheric/space-hurricane.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Originally, the only Americans granted the right to vote were white male landowners. Learn how white women gained suffrage in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/19th-amendment.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will coffee really stunt your growth? Or give you heart problems? What about your teeth? Learn the truth behind common myths about that cuppa joe in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/coffee-stunt-growth.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A snail's shell is its permanent home -- but how do these wee, soft, slimy creatures grow hard, beautiful shells? Learn how it works in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/do-snails-get-shells.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whole swaths of the world's population use chopsticks for their daily meals. Learn where they originated and how they evolved in this episode of BrainStuff: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/chopsticks.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Breakthrough infections happen when, like with the flu or COVID-19, a vaccinated person still gets infected. Learn why this is normal -- and why breakthrough infections are much less deadly -- in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/infectious/breakthrough-infections-COVID-19-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are trees all over the U.S. (and the world) grown from seeds that orbited the Moon. Learn about NASA's moon trees in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/nasa-moon-trees.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonnie and Clyde, the infamous power couple of Depression-era crime, had their luck run out eventually. Learn how it happened in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/bonnie-and-clyde.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Green iguanas can really thrive in ecosystems where they don't belong -- and that can be a real problem. Learn more about these large reptiles in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/iguana.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not a joke: Scientists have confirmed that Uranus stinks. Learn how they found out -- and why it's actually really cool -- in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/scientists-confirm-uranus-stinks.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans love popping zits so much precisely because it's gross. Learn about all the reasons why we find pimples so fascinating in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/problems/treating/why-do-love-to-pop-zits.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some startling fossils are being found in the world's rivers, but it takes dangerous diving teams to extract them. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geology/underwater-fossil-hunting.htm?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=feed Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The term 'blue moon' was figurative a long time before astronomers assigned various definitions. Learn why blue moons aren't blue and what they can mean in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/is-blue-moon-really-blue.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you break a bone, it's best to go to a doctor -- though your body begins the healing process before you even get there. Learn how broken bones heal (with medical help) in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/musculoskeletal/heal-broken-bones.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Atlantic Ocean's 2021 hurricane season started strong and is expected to end the same way. Learn how the predictions are made and what they're saying in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/storms/2021-atlantic-hurricane-season-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Apollo space mission brought the first humans to the Moon -- but two tortoises from Russia were the first vertebrates to orbit Earth's satellite. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/space-tortoises.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Days before his death, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking finished what would be his final research paper. Learn about his last take on the multiverse in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/famous-scientists/physicists/stephen-hawkings-last-paper-takes-on-multiverse.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some toothaches are caused by an abscess -- an infection that can spread beyond the mouth. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/oral-care/problems/absecessed-tooth.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Racketeering is a type of crime that can be difficult to prosecute because the people at the top don't get their hands dirty. Learn how rackets and RICO work in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/racketeering.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Animals need oxygen in order to live -- or so we thought. Learn about a tiny parasite that evolved to do without it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/animal-doesnt-need-oxygen.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've tried to rent a vacation spot through services like Airbnb in the past year, you may have felt blindsided by the final fee tally. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://money.howstuffworks.com/airbnb-vrbo-prices-skyrocketed-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Box jellyfish may look ethereal (or a little goofy), but they're some of the most dangerous animals in the world. Learn more about them in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/box-jellyfish.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over-simplifications about how our brains work abound. Learn what these myths are, and why it's important to fight them, in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/even-educators-believe-common-myths-about-learning-study-shows.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Birds everywhere add insect-repelling plants to their nests, but urban birds have to get a little creative. Learn how cigarette butts help city birds stay healthy in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/urban-birds-oust-bugs-with-butts.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Both throughout American history and today, governments and other groups have made it more difficult for particular people to vote. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/10-ways-us-has-kept-citizens-from-voting.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sleep can be elusive here on Earth, so how do astronauts manage it in space? Learn what it takes in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/sleep-in-space.htm/printable Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wallace's giant bee is rarely sighted, but is five times the size of the honeybees we're familiar with. Learn more about it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/wallaces-giant-bee-worlds-largest-rediscovered.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ransomeware attacks have been targeting larger organizations with more to lose if they don't pay up. Learn how these attacks work in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/ransomware-attacks-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unlike many other nuts, pistachios are often sold roasted and seasoned in their shells. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/why-pistachios-are-sold-in-their-shells.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spoiler alert: Yep! Well, sometimes. Learn how one African ant species nurses its wounded soldiers, yielding a surprising survival rate, in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/ants-rescue-treat-wounded-comrades.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chinese 5-spice powder can contain a lot of things (including more than five spices), but it's all rooted in ancient medicine and philosophy. Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/chinese-five-spice-powder-tasty-and-not-necessarily-five-spices.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's rare that all of a plane's engines fail, but when they do, a pilot can still glide the aircraft to a safe landing. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/how-far-can-plane-go-no-engines.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These nocturnal feathered predators have been capturing our imaginations for millennia. Learn about how owls work in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/owls.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A shortage of microchips is driving up the cost of everything from consumer electronics to used cars. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/semiconductor-shortage-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After much debate, the world officially has a fifth ocean: the Southern Ocean, surrounding Antarctica. Learn about it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/oceanography/southern-ocean-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Infrastructure -- all the pipes, roads, rails, and everything else that makes civilization work -- must be maintained and replaced as it ages. Learn how the U.S. ranks in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/civil/americas-infrastructure-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The heat of nuclear weapons is enough to melt sand into glass. Learn the story of trinitite, the glass from the first atomic test site, in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/trinitite-first-nuclear-bomb-turned-sand-to-glass.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It turns out that people who talk about themselves in the third person may be giving themselves a mental boost. ("You're nailing this episode description, Lauren!") Learn why in today's classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/benefits-talking-like-egomaniac.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It turns out that bug zappers are too effective -- they kill a lot of helpful insects along with the pests they target. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/conservation/issues/bug-zappers-are-bad-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's true that some sharks breathe most easily when they're swimming, but that doesn't mean they can't find ways to rest. Learn about buccal pumping, ram ventilation, and more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/sharks/shark-drown.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This French national holiday celebrates a lot more than the Storming of the Bastille. Learn about le Quatorze Juillet (July 14th) in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/bastille-day.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The animals that kill the most people every year aren't the ones featured in scary movies or sensational documentaries. Learn about the world's most dangerous animals in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/dangerous-animals.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tall tales about the logger Paul Bunyan and his big blue ox, Babe, are American classics. Learn about the real people they're based on and how they got so popular in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/real-paul-bunyan.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OK, 'happy' is a stretch, but researchers are looking into how cows given positive interactions (like back scritches) grow and produce milk versus less-content cows. Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.