BrainStuff
2,648 episodes — Page 37 of 53
Why Do We Feel Hungry When We're Not?
Feeling hungry doesn't just happen when our bodies need calories (lots of things, from boredom to advertisements, can trigger hunger) and there's no one way that we feel hunger to begin with. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Boxer Crabs Use Anemones as Weapons
Researchers have observed a species of crab clutching anemones and using them as weapons. Even weirder: The crabs clone their anemones. Weirder still: The anemones might be otherwise extinct. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can Beaches Be Saved by Adding Sand?
Beaches around the world are erode faster than we've ever seen. Some efforts to save them involve adding more sand from offshore -- but can that really work? Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Will Arlington Cemetery Run Out of Space?
The U.S.'s most honored national cemetery is vast, but it only has so much space -- and it's running out. Learn some of the proposed solutions in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Can the Fashion Industry Better Serve People with Disabilities?
Finding something to wear can be especially challenging for people with limited dexterity or mobility, but some fashion designers are starting to change that. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is Type 2 Diabetes Reversible?
Although doctors have long believed that Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong condition, research shows that it can be reversed -- and that with work to maintain weight loss, former patients can live without medication. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What Is Music's 'Word' for Death?
Composers use musical references to classics in their own work to help create mood -- and as a wink at other music lovers. Learn how one such reference, 'Dies Irae', or 'The Day of Wrath', is often used in film soundtracks in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can Copper Create Mummies?
After anthropologists discovered a child's mummified hand, they discovered that a copper coin might be responsible for the preservation. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Do Dogs Use Facial Expressions to Communicate with Us?
It seems that dogs make more expressive faces when humans are watching. Are they trying to communicate? Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is Life on Earth of Alien Origin?
The idea that life on Earth was seeded from outer space is called Panspermia, and some researchers are looking into how (and when) it could've happened. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is Cockroach Milk the Next Big Thing?
The food industry has brought us all kinds of non-dairy milk alternatives, but researchers are working on what's arguably the weirdest yet: cockroach milk. Learn how (and why) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Are We Moving Closer to 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'?
We build memories through our experiences. But what if we could transfer memories to other people? It's happening -- in snails. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why Does Microwaved Coffee Taste So Bad?
Once a cup of coffee goes cold, it'll never taste the same -- but why? Learn the science behind the weird flavors of microwaved coffee in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Man Behind Rube Goldberg Machines
Who was Rube Goldberg, and how did he come up with his famously weird contraptions? Learn the history behind this classic American cartoonist in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can You Really Catch Up on Sleep?
Good news, fellow weekend sleep-in-ers: recent research shows that 'catching up' on sleep on your off days can help you stay healthy. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Do Sea Spiders Breathe Through Their Legs?
Sea spiders have way more leg than body, and scientists have never been able to pinpoint how they breathe -- until now. Learn what they found in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How One Blood Donor Saved Over 2 Million Babies
A man with a rare antibody in his blood spent 63 years donating, and has touched millions of lives. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Does Spicy Food Burn Your Tastebuds?
Hot chili peppers can make you feel like your mouth is on fire, but are they actually doing any damage? Learn about the science of spice in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Could a Plastic-Eating Enzyme Help Save the Planet?
We humans produce a LOT of plastics that wind up as harmful waste, but researchers have isolated an enzyme that may help reduce the problem. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What Can't You Name Your Baby?
The possibilities for a baby's name aren't quite as endless as they seem -- some national and local governments restrict what you can legally name your baby. Learn what some of those restrictions are (and why they exist) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What Happens to Red Carpet Dresses?
After celebrities wear a gown to a glitzy award show or festival, it's often archived, but sometimes sold, reproduced, or even stolen. Learn the life story of red carpet fashion in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Will the Paper of the Future Be Made from Poop?
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 episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Does Earth's Crust Have Its Own Tides?
You've probably seen ocean tides making the seas rise and fall, but solid land has tides, too. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Can You Be Your Own Twin?
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 episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can You Microwave a Steak to Perfection?
While it may not be our first choice in cooking methods, yes, you can microwave a steak to a perfect medium-rare. Learn how, plus how microwaves work, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why Do Turtles Have Shells?
It seems obvious that turtles' shells would have evolved to protect them from predators, but researchers have found that they probably first evolved to help turtles dig. Learn what that's all about in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why Does Uranus Stink?
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 episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?
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 episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Do Snails Grow Their Shells?
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 episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What Was Stephen Hawking's Final Project?
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 episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why Is Popping Zits So Satisfying?
Humans love popping zits so much precisely because it's gross. Learn about all the fascinating reasons why we find pimples so fascinating in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can We Save the Moai?
The beautiful moai statues of Rapa Nui (aka Easter Island) are in danger from rising sea levels and erosion -- but what can be done to save them? Learn what researchers are saying in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Should Airplanes Have Shoulder Seat Belts?
Cars have shoulder seat belts to protect passengers, so why not large airplanes? Learn the physics involved, plus why buckling up on planes is important, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Easy Is It to Immigrate to the U.S.?
From the way some people talk, it may seem like immigrating to America is simple -- but the wait list can actually be more than 20 years long. Learn more about how immigration works in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What Are the Most-Believed Myths About Our Brains?
Over-simplifications about how our brains work abound, even among educators and neuroscientists. Discover what these myths are, and why it's important to fight them, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
City Birds Use Cigarette Butts as Bug Repellent
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 episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Do We Define 'Suspicious Behavior' Without Bias?
If you see something, say something' works great -- until racial bias and other prejudices enter the picture. Learn what some organizations are doing to fight those prejudices (and what you can do, too) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Will Ants Rescue Wounded Comrades?
Spoiler alert: Yep! Well, sometimes. In this episode of BrainStuff, learn how one African ant species nurses its wounded soldiers, yielding a surprising survival rate. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What Is Red Snow?
Snow usually appears white, but it can come in a few other colors -- and in the case of red snow, that vibrant color may be a warning from Mother Nature. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What Is Chinese Five Spice?
Including 'tasty' and 'not necessarily made up of five spices,' Chinese 5-spice powder can be a lot of things, but it's all rooted in ancient medicine -- and philosophy. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What's the Happiest Country in the World?
The World Happiness Report usually ranks wealthy Nordic countries as the happiest, but what factors is it taking into account? Based on other data, Colombia and El Salvador come out on top. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What's Chocolate's Carbon Footprint?
We're not asking anyone to give up chocolate, but researchers have posed an important question: How can we make it more environmentally friendly? Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can a New Egyptian Dinosaur Fossil Explain How the Continents Formed?
Scientists have figured out a lot about Earth's history, but there are still a few gaps. Learn how a dinosaur may help fill in one of those gaps in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Nuclear Weapons Testing Created New Minerals
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 episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can Talking About Yourself in the Third Person Make You Feel Better?
It can sound off-putting, but 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 episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Do Happy Cows Really Make Better Milk?
OK, 'happy' might be a stretch, but researchers are looking into how cows given positive interactions (like back scritches) grow and produce milk versus less-content cows. Learn what the results say in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Can Your Birth Season Determine Your Allergies?
The season you were born in helps determine whether you'll have allergies, but science has never understood why. Learn what a team of researchers are discovering in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why Shouldn't Compressed Air Canisters Be Shaken?
Many spray canisters call for being shaken, but not compressed air. Learn how both types work (and the dangers of shaking the wrong type) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why Can't I Taste My Tongue?
Your tongue is an amazing sensory instrument -- so why can't it taste itself? Many philosophers have pondered the same thing. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What Was the First Killer Robot?
Science fiction buzzes with evil robots and AI, but real-life machines are much less sinister -- if not less potentially deadly. Learn the real concerns (and possible solutions) about killer robots in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.