BrainStuff
2,727 episodes — Page 39 of 55
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.
Is Our Tipping System Gratuitous?
The way we tip and pay servers in North American restaurants fosters unfair and unequal paychecks for the whole staff. But it's so entrenched -- how can we fix it? 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 Were Fruit Flies the First Animal in Space?
In 1947, U.S. military scientists launched the very first Earth animals into space: fruit flies. But why these diminutive bugs in particular? Learn about their trip to the final fronteir in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Did an 19th-Century Man Predict Your Death?
In the 1820s, an insurance actuary by the name of Benjamin Gompertz wrote an equation that reliably predicts when people are going to die. 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.
Is the Human Brain Hardwired for Poetry?
Poems activate different parts of the human brain than other types of literature do, and our brains seem hardwired to enjoy the patterns in poetry. Learn why this may be in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What Happens to Wine Grape Waste?
After winemakers extract grapes' juice, they're left with a lot of fruit skins and pulp. Learn what happens to all that goo in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why Are So Many People Nearsighted?
By 2050, half the world will be nearsighted. Researchers tracking the spread of this eye condition (also called myopia) have a few hypotheses about why it's happening. 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 a Plant Outsource Photosynthesis?
Plants use photosynthesis to survive, but some plants outsource that job to other living things, like fungus. 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.
How Much Electricity Can Urine Provide?
Researchers have created pee-powered fuel cells that can light outdoor portable bathrooms. 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.
Could Platypus Milk Fight Antibiotic-Resistant Disease?
For everything that's weird and wondrous about the platypus, we probably shouldn't be surprised that its milk may help save countless lives, but here we are. 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 Diabetes Lead to Disordered Eating?
People with Type 1 diabetes are more likely to experience eating disorders, and the consequences can be serious. Learn why, and what can be done to help, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What Makes Durian Fruit Smell So Bad?
Durian fruit is prized as a delicacy and staple -- and it smells like rotting. Learn how a group of cancer researchers mapped its genome to get to the bottom of this stench (and hopefully find something medicinally useful) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is There a Gene for Infidelity?
Some animals mate for life -- and others decidedly don't. Learn what researchers have discovered about cheating by studying voles and humans alike in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Much Salt Is Too Much?
You've probably heard you should cut back on salt, but we need it to survive -- we're hardwired to crave it. So why cut back? And how much is actually harmful? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Is New Laser Technology Discovering Ancient Ruins?
Ancient ruins, long grown over by massive forests, can now be found painlessly -- all thanks to lasers. Learn how LiDAR techology is preserving forests and uncovering lost Mayan infrastructure in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is Prozac Endangering Crabs' Survival?
When we take medications, we sometimes excrete chemicals that get flushed into our oceans. In the case of fluoxetine (Prozac), those chemicals seem to be chilling crabs out -- which is bad for the crabs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Botox Exists Thanks to Bad Sausages
Botox wrinkle therapy contains a tiny dose of a deadly bacterial toxin, but the story of how it was discovered is even stranger than that fact. Learn the history of botulinum toxin, plus how it's used in non-cosmetic medicine, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can Your Face's Temperature Reveal Your Mood?
Research shows that parts of a person's face grow cooler depending on their mood and stress level. Could this be used to help people in stressful jobs, like pilots? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What's the Difference Between Eggs of Different Colors?
Brown, white, blue, or green: Chicken eggs come in a spectrum of colors, but they all cook up the same. Learn what makes eggs different colors 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 Most Dangerous Air Pollution?
The most hazardous air pollution may be particles too tiny to see, but it also may be easily avoided. Learn what researchers have found in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What If Cockroaches Went Extinct?
Being surprised by a roach in your kitchen (which is very clean, thank you) can be enough to wish the whole genus would just go away. But what would the world be like if there were no cockroaches? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Did Spring Break Get Its Start?
College spring break has brought millions of students to Southern beaches and cities to party, but how did this tradition get started? And what are the alternatives? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.