BrainStuff

By iHeartRadio & HowStuffWorks

Technology Natural Sciences Science & Medicine

SHOW DESCRIPTION

Whether the topic is popcorn or particle physics, you can count on BrainStuff to explore -- and explain -- the everyday science in the world around us.

4.1

874 ratings

	EPISODES LIST
		How Does a 500-Year Experiment Work? Bacteria can survive way longer than humans under the right conditions, so a team of researchers designed an experiment on microbes that will take 500 years to complete. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.20.2019
		Should You Be Squatting More? Short answer: Yeah, probably. Most Westerners have traded squatting for sitting and standing, to the detriment of our backs and joints. Learn the benefits of a good squat -- and how you can incorporate them into your day -- in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.19.2019
		What Did the Opportunity Rover Teach Us? After 15 years, NASA has officially ended the mission of the Mars rover Opportunity. Learn what the little-robot-that-could helped us discover about the planet (and interplanetary missions) in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.19.2019
		Was Earth's Oldest Rock Found on the Moon? The oldest known intact Earth rock was collected on the moon in the 1970s. Learn how researchers think it got there it in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.15.2019
		Could Genetics Grow a Square Tomato? Researchers have found genes that help determine the shapes of fruits and vegetables. Learn how this could (and couldn't) change what you see at the grocery store in today's episode of BrainStuff.	02.14.2019
		Why a Gaggle of Geese? Where Do Collective Nouns Come From? About 500 years ago, creating clever collective nouns for groups of animals, objects, and people was trendy, and some of those nouns of assemblage stuck. Learn the history of this quirk of the English language in today's episode of BrainStuff.	02.13.2019
		Why Are People Fascinated with the Number 23? Some people hold that the number 23 has near-magical significance, but how did this fascination start? And can mere coincidences have real meaning? Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.13.2019
		Why Are Sloths' Toilet Habits So Dangerous? Sloths only defecate once a week or so, and more sloths die during the process than at any other time. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.12.2019
		Why Are Suburbs So Unwalkable? Many modern cities feature grided streets made for walking, but suburbs' wide, winding roads require cars to get around. Learn why, plus how it might change, in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.08.2019
		What's Up with the New 'Tesla Tower'? A company has built a tower in Texas that resembles Nikola Tesla's famed Wardenclyffe Tower. Learn what we know (and don't know) about it so far in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.07.2019
		Why Are Whales Big (But Not Bigger)? Whales are some of the largest creatures on Earth -- but why? And why aren't they bigger? Learn a whale of a tale about ocean mammals in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.06.2019
		Is Quinoa Unhealthy For Its Producers? Quinoa is hailed as a healthy, high-protein substitute for grains, but some reports have indicated that its popularity hasn't been good for the people who farm it. Learn why, and what researchers are doing about it, in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.05.2019
		Are Electric Cars or Gasoline-Powered Cars Faster? A car's quickness and overall speed depend on both the power of the engine and the way that energy is routed throughout the vehicle. Learn why electric vehicles can be quicker (but aren't as fast) as gas-powered cars in this episode of BrainStuff.	02.04.2019
		Why Are Peat Bogs So Good at Preserving Human Remains? Human bodies buried in bogs can retain some features -- like perfectly preserved skin, right down to forehead wrinkles -- for thousands of years. Learn how this natural mummification process works in today's episode of BrainStuff.	02.01.2019
		Will Saturn's Rings Last Forever? Short answer: Nope! As it turns out, Saturn's rings are fairly new, and they'll only be around a while longer. Relatively speaking. Learn how researchers discovered this in today's episode of BrainStuff.	01.31.2019
		Why Don't Penguin Feet Freeze? Standing barefoot on a glacier, human feet would freeze solid -- but penguin feet are fine. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.30.2019
		What Is Light? Is light a particle or a wave? Or both? Or neither? Learn how humans have defined light throughout history -- including our best attempts today -- in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.29.2019
		How Many People Really Have Food Allergies? There's a lot of confusion over food allergies, intolerances, and other disorders with similar symptoms. So how can you tell the difference, and how many of us should be concerned? Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.29.2019
		Can We Save the World's Coral? Much of the world's coral is in danger, but a recently developed farming technique could help it regrow. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.25.2019
		Why Do Coffee Drinks Often Have Italian Names? Many popular coffee drinks in America have Italian (or faux-Italian) names, but why? Learn the history behind these names in today's episode of BrainStuff.	01.24.2019
		How Can a Star Become a Giant Crystal? After our sun dies, it and many other stars will eventually crystallize. Learn how astrophysicists figured this out -- and how it works -- in today's episode of BrainStuff.	01.23.2019
		Do Footballs Fly Farther in Denver? Denver's Mile High Stadium sits a full mile above sea level -- is that distance really enough to make a difference in the air compared with other stadiums, and thus in how footballs fly there? Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.22.2019
		Are the Dare Stones Forgeries or the Key to the Roanoke Mystery? In the 1930s, stones surfaced that might explain what happened to the settlers of the lost colony of Roanoke. Learn their story -- plus how modern science might help determine whether they're real -- in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.21.2019
		Could a Vaccine Help Save Honey Bees? Honey bees are dying off due to a number of dangers, including bacterial diseases. Learn how researchers are hoping to help these important pollinators in today's episode of BrainStuff.	01.18.2019
		How Did the 'Green Book' Change Life for Black Travelers? Before the Civil Rights Act made racial discrimination illegal, black Americans faced even greater dangers while on the road. Learn how a Bronx mailman made travel safer and supported black entrepreneurs in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.17.2019
		Why Is Lobster So Expensive? Lobster hasn't always been a luxury -- and prices have the potential to drop again. Learn the history and politics behind these tasty crustaceans in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.16.2019
		What's the Biggest Building on Earth? To create the biggest-ever airplanes, Boeing created the biggest-ever building. (Before they learned to control the temperature, clouds formed near its ceiling.) Learn more about this mammoth structure in today's episode of BrainStuff.	01.15.2019
		Why Do Bruises Change Color? Bruises can turn a rainbow of colors before they heal -- but why? Learn the science behind color-changing contusions in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.14.2019
		Could Hemp Become America's Biggest Crop? New legislation in the United States allows farmers to grow hemp -- cannabis's non-psychoactive cousin. Learn why this could become big business in today's episode of BrainStuff.	01.11.2019
		What's the History of Nail Polish? The nail polishes popular today owe their existence to the automotive industry, but the history of nail colors and varnishes goes back millennia. Learn the history of nail polish in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.10.2019
		What Makes Some Lakes Explode? Given the right depth, temperature, and access to volcanic gases, lakes can explode and kill thousands in the process. Learn how these limnic eruptions happen in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.09.2019
		Why Do Scorpions Glow Under Black Light? Scorpions light up a glowing green under ultraviolet light. Science isn't entirely sure how but has a few theories on why. (Y'know, aside from "Scorpions are metal.") Learn more about scorpions' fluorescence in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.08.2019
		Skim Versus Whole Milk: Which Spoils Faster? Some food safety charts claim that whole milk goes off more quickly than skim milk, but the scientific evidence is mixed. Learn more about milk science in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.07.2019
		BrainStuff Classics: Why Does Gasoline Smell So Good? Some of you are giving this episode title serious side-eye, but believe us: some other folks think gasoline smells excellent. Delicious, even. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.06.2019
		BrainStuff Classics: Does Eating Before Bed Give You Nightmares? Popular wisdom holds that eating before bed -- and especially eating spicy or 'strange' food, however you define strange -- will doom you to nightmares. But is there any science behind that? Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff.	01.05.2019
		Is the Earth Humming to Us? Our planet Earth produces a constant hum too quiet for our ears to detect, but researchers have finally captured a recording of it. Learn more about the sound, called permanent free oscillations, in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.04.2019
		How Do Cold-Blooded Animals Survive the Winter? Reptiles and amphibians have all sorts of adaptations for surviving cold weather, even in places where temperatures dip below freezing. Learn how they manage the cold in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.03.2019
		Are Restaurants' Michelin Stars Related to Michelin Tires? Receiving one or more Michelin stars is one of the highest honors in the restaurant industry. Learn how a tire company started this prestigious tradition in today's episode of BrainStuff.	01.02.2019
		Why Does Helium Make Your Voice Squeaky? If you take a pull of air from a helium balloon, you'll sound like a cartoon version of yourself for a few seconds. Learn why helium makes you so high pitched in this episode of BrainStuff.	01.01.2019
		How Can We Make Better Resolutions? Humans have been making New Years' resolutions for millennia, but we're still bad at keeping them. Learn some science behind building better resolutions in this episode of BrainStuff.	12.31.2018
		BrainStuff Classics: Why Don't Humans Have Tails? Lots of other mammals make great use of their tales, so why don't humans have them? Learn about the science of tails in this episode of BrainStuff.	12.30.2018
		BrainStuff Classics: Is There A Noise Loud Enough To Kill You? You've probably experienced a noise loud enough that it hurt your ears, but could a noise be so loud that it could actually kill you? Spoiler alert: Yes. Learn more in today's episode of BrainStuff.	12.29.2018
		Do Whales Have Pop Songs? Whale songs are eerie, beautiful, and -- as it turns out -- completely on-trend. Learn how humpback whales share tunes among herds in this episode of BrainStuff.	12.28.2018
		Why Are Some Words Funny? Words like 'poop' and 'wiggle' are inherently humorous, and science may have figured out why. Learn what research has to say about why some words tickle us in this episode of BrainStuff.	12.27.2018
		Why Does Beer Foam Last Longer Than Soda Foam? Beer and soda both form sudsy bubbles when you pour them, so why does soda's foam dissipate while beer's forms a head? Learn about foam physics in this episode of BrainStuff.	12.26.2018
		What Exactly Are Frankincense and Myrrh? Frankincense and myrrh play a part not only in the story of Christmas, but in lots of other religious traditions as well -- and a few practical ones, too. Learn more about these aromatic substances in this episode of BrainStuff.	12.25.2018
		Why Are Christmas Trees That Shape? Most of the trees decorated for Christmas don't naturally grow in a perfect cone shape -- so how do they get that way, and why did we decide on that shape in the first place? Learn about the history of Christmas trees in this episode of BrainStuff.	12.24.2018
		Why Is Holly a Christmas Decoration? Why exactly do folks deck the halls with boughs of holly during the Christmas season? Learn about the history and legends behind holly in this episode of BrainStuff.	12.23.2018
		BrainStuff Classics: How Do Accents Work? Everybody has an accent -- some are just considered neutral by native speakers. Learn how accents develop and how they influence us in this episode of BrainStuff.	12.22.2018
		What Happens When Elevator Cables Break? Elevators cables are inspected on the regular, but what happens when one breaks? Learn about the ingenious systems that keep elevators safe when even the worst happens in this episode of BrainStuff.	12.21.2018

LAST EPISODE

How Does a 500-Year Experim...

02.20.2019

Bacteria can survive way longer than humans under the right conditions, so a team of researchers designed an experiment on microbes that will take 500 years to complete. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff.