BrainStuff

Crooke's radiometer is a device containing vanes that appear to spin because they're pushed by light itself, but that's not quite right. Learn what's really happening in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

White noise generators are useful for masking all kinds of annoying sounds -- but what is white noise, and how does it work? Learn about white noise (and other 'colors') in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With most goods and services, as their price goes up, demand goes down -- but not so with luxury items from diamonds to college educations. Learn how Veblen goods work in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mongooses are small, weasely mammals that can -- and do -- kill and eat big, venomous king cobras. Learn how they manage to come out on top in this grudge match in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stacks of rocks called cairns have long been used for navigation and decoration, but scientists are now asking hikers to stop making them. Learn how simply moving rocks can be hugely destructive (even if you put them back) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The phrase 'holy cow' is an example of a minced oath -- a substitute for a taboo phrase. Learn how baseball was involved in its popularity in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Land animals tend to have an upper limit of size, beyond which they risk extinction. Learn why (and how King Kong is a great example of this) in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sure, dogs age differently than humans -- but is a year for us really like seven years for them? Learn the truth about your dog's age in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ranch is the most popular salad dressing in the United States, but what is that flavor supposed to be? Learn the history and modern make-up of ranch flavor in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The most expensive 30-second commercial slot in this weekend's Super Bowl sold for $5.6 million, but the total cost to make these ads is more like $30 million. Learn what kind of return on investment companies hope to make in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Press briefings have been a regular event at the White House since the late 1800s, so why has the Trump administration cancelled them? Learn about the history behind the practice (and what's replaced them) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Replacing vintage engines with electric motors can help keep classic cars on the road (though don't worry, we're not coming for your collector's items). Learn why companies like Jaguar and Volkswagen are leading the charge in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some beers develop in interesting and pleasant ways as they age -- but it's a science experiment with a lot of variables. Learn how to embark on the art and science of aging beer in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taking your dog out on walks is great for it (and you!), but certain kinds of leashes can help keep you both safer. Learn why an expert recommends braided leather leashes (and when they recommend harnesses) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us don't have to worry about ionizing radiation -- that is, the kind of radiation that can make you sick. Learn why (and what ionizing radiation can do) in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’ve heard of fracking, and you’re pretty sure lots of people don’t like it, but do you know what it really entails? Learn what goes into the fracking process in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bengal cats are a hybrid of domestic cats and a small, wild type of leopard cat. Learn how this breed began and why they're an intensive pet in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yes, there is a difference! Roadways in the United States are given designations based on what lines them and how they connect. Learn the differences between these and other passages in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Botanically speaking, bananas are berries and strawberries are not. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a long time, scientists thought monkeys and non-human apes simply lacked the vocal anatomy for human speech, but new research indicates otherwise. Learn what was found in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a myth that the trees that cork comes from are endangered, but they're doing just fine. Learn how the rumors may have started in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The exclamation point, once scorned by most, is appearing more and more in online communication — even in professional settings. Learn the history of this punchy punctuation in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It may seem like magic, but microwave ovens employ the physics of the electromagnetic spectrum to heat your food. Learn how in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If the moon suddenly disappeared from existence, Earth would be missing more than just our nightlight. Learn how the moon affects the Earth in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It took a series of British courts to decide whether Pringles count as potato chips (or, rather, potato crisps). Learn why -- and what they decided -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists have been studying the four fundamental forces (gravity, electromagnetism, the strong force, and the weak force) since the 1950s, but new research indicates that there may be a fifth. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often use the two interchangeably (especially in times of need), but toilet paper and facial tissues are composed differently. Learn why you shouldn't flush tissues in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The technology already exists to put Breathalyzers in cars to prevent drunk driving, and some lawmakers are working towards mandating it. Learn how it might work in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's in a name? Research shows that your name can indeed influence your career and your behavior. Learn how in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pushing the tab on a car's rearview mirror seems to dim the headlights of the car behind you -- but how? Learn how rearview mirrors work in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The internet's Wayback Machine isn't a time machine in the traditional sense, but it does archive web pages to provide a living history for users to explore. Learn how it works in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When fish abandon unhealthy coral reefs, the whole ecosystem can collapse -- but new research shows that playing sounds from healthy reefs can lure fish back, helping stabilize the reef. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research indicates that permanent hair dyes and hair straighteners can increase women's risk of breast cancer. Remember, cancers are caused by many genetic & environmental factors -- but learn what the researchers found in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When something or someone is particularly emblematic of the U.S., we often say they're 'as American as apple pie'. Learn the history of apple pie, plus how that phrase got started, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

School buses are much safer than other vehicles on the road, statistically speaking, but they'd be even safer with seat belts. Learn why they haven't traditionally had them, and how that might change, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Museums and movies alike feature representations of dinosaurs, but how can we reconstruct their appearance from a bunch of million-year-old fossils? Learn what we can (and can't) glean from the fossil record in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One unpleasant effect of drinking alcohol can be the collection of symptoms known as a hangover -- a pulsing headache, dry mouth, nausea, and more. Learn what's actually happening to your body -- and whether there's any way to fix or prevent it -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The two aren't interchangeable -- baking powder consists of baking soda plus other stuff. Learn how both work -- and how to make baking powder from soda -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spoiler alert: Yep, Dr. Seuss modeled the Grinch on himself. Learn how the generally joyful writer created such an infamous sourpuss in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Champagne is a type of sparkling wine made under a particular set of rules to protect it from imitators -- but it wasn't always so prized. Learn the history and science of what goes into a bottle of bubbles in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tradition of dropping a ball in Times Square to mark the beginning of a new year only goes back about a century. Learn about the history -- plus four weird things that other cities drop instead -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Though it started as a symbol of nuclear disarmament, the peace sign has grown to apply to (and be applied to) all kinds of things -- but the creator didn't mind; he'd hoped it'd take off. Learn the history of the peace sign in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s true – some people hear colors, or taste words. Learn how synesthesia works in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a lot of natural variation in the color of human hair. Learn the physical explanation for the difference in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know "stop, drop, and roll," but a new fire safety tip is equally important: "close before you doze". Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yes, there's a secret apartment atop the Eiffel tower -- and it's filled with science! Learn how it came to be -- and how it actually saved the tower from destruction -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bing Crosby and hundreds of other singers have expressed their desire to see snow on Christmas, by why? Learn the history of this popular holiday song in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How could a reindeer have developed a glowing red nose, and how does it work? Learn the science behind Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer's distinctive feature in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Male humans very rarely lactate, so why do they have nipples? Learn why evolution didn't edit that feature out in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may have heard that the Brontosaurus never existed, but that isn't quite right. Learn how a feud between ex-friends created confusion surrounding this dinosaur in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.