BrainStuff

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.

If the sound of gum being chewed or the crinkle of plastic fills you with inarticulate, homicidal fury (or any other inexplicable emotion), you may be experiencing misophonia. Learn how researchers think it works in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a German Jewish woman who came of age around WWI, Hedwig Kohn defeated all odds against her to live a long, successful life as a physicist. Learn her story in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our use of electric lights after dark can mess with our circadian rhythms and make it harder to get a good night's sleep. Learn how a mere weekend of camping might help you reset 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 about a red tide menacing ocean beaches, but what causes it -- and can it be stopped? Learn about the algae that cause Florida's red tide in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Outside of Japan and the fanciest restaurants, most "wasabi" served with sushi is an imitation of the real thing. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First, yes, there was once a job in royal courts called Groom of the Stool, and yes, it involved dealing with the king's poop. Learn why it was actually a covetable position in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did Pop Rocks really blow the door off of a delivery van? Has anyone ever died from eating this unique (and uniquely loud) candy? Learn the truth behind the rumors surrounding Pop Rocks in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We may not have mutant powers like the X-Men, but natural selection is still changing humanity… for the better. Learn about some of humanity's most useful modern mutations in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spoiler alert: Sometimes! Not all molds are harmful, and some are even helpful -- but it's not always OK to cut away spots of mold and eat the food it was growing on. Learn when it is in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Modern concrete crumbles when exposed to the elements, but ancient Roman concrete only gets stronger over time. Learn how this is possible -- and why we're not using their recipe -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We live in the incredible future of scanners, internet connectivity, and digital signatures -- so why do people still use fax machines? Learn why faxing perseveres in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's no call to be pedantic, but sometimes a tiny punctuation mark can make a huge difference in meaning. Learn how the Oxford comma changed a judge's decision in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans and other animals tend to tune out the noises they themselves make. Learn how and why this happens in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a more complicated question than it seems because oceans definitely get in the way, but there are a few ways to attempt to walk around the entire globe -- and a few people who have tried. Learn about them in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short answer: Nope! Learn how long it really takes, plus how nuclear weapons helped scientists find the answer, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Macadamias are delicious and nutritious in small servings, but they're also the most expensive nuts in the world. Learn what they are and how they're grown in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Honeybees can heat and cool their hives to keep the temperature comfortable. Learn about one method -- bearding -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers have found a sea slug that incorporates pieces of algae cells into its body to live off of photosynthesis. Learn more about it in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The star Polaris, when viewed in the Northern Hemisphere, points you almost due north. Learn how it's aided navigators for centuries, but why it won't always do so, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Walt Disney based Sleeping Beauty's castle -- the centerpiece of Disneyland and the Disney logo -- on a real castle in the Bavarian Alps of Germany. Learn about Neuschwanstein Castle's strange and tragic history in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OK, this one is no contest: Your dishwasher can get dishes cleaner, but that doesn't necessarily mean that using one is healthier. Learn about the science behind the suds in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thousands of participants and millions of viewers turn out every year for the spectacle that is the Macy's Parade. Learn its history and what goes into running it in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.