BrainStuff

By iHeartRadio & HowStuffWorks

Technology Natural Sciences Science & Medicine

What's BrainStuff about?

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.

4.0

1,071 ratings

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LAST EPISODE

Does Sigmund Freud Still Ma...

09.13.2019

Though he was the father of psychoanalysis, Freud and his theories don't hold up so well today. Learn about his famous Oedipus complex concept and what modern psychiatrists and psychologists think in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ...

BrainStuff episodes:

09.17.2019 Do Fish Experience Thirst? Fish live in water, but, just as our land-dwelling bodies have to carefully regulate our water and salt levels, so do fish bodies. Learn how fish stay hydrated in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
09.13.2019 Does Sigmund Freud Still Matter? Though he was the father of psychoanalysis, Freud and his theories don't hold up so well today. Learn about his famous Oedipus complex concept and what modern psychiatrists and psychologists think in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ...
09.12.2019 Why Is Declawing Cats Controversial? New York state recently banned cat declawing. Learn what the process entails and why veterinary groups recommend against it in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
09.11.2019 What Is the U.S. Presidential Seal? American presidents can opt to affix the presidential seal to official documents and have used it as an official decoration. Learn the how and why the seal was created, plus the symbolism behind it, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn ...
09.10.2019 What's the Buzz on Alcohol in Space? There hasn't been any official research into the effects of alcohol on the body in space, but at least a few astronauts and cosmonauts have imbibed. Learn about the history and potential future of booze in space in this episode ...
09.10.2019 Can Automated Lights Really Stop Burglars? Motion-activated porch lights and app-controlled interior lights are commonly used to prevent burglaries, but do they really work? Learn what burglars themselves say in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
09.06.2019 How Can We Film Giant Squid? These legends of the deep are notoriously shy, but researchers have recently captured images and video of living giant squid. Learn how they did it in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
09.05.2019 How Does Cobalt Work? The element cobalt is responsible for brilliant blue paints and rechargeable batteries alike. Learn how it works and why its supply is uncertain in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
09.04.2019 Can Going Sockless Be Bad for Your Feet? Socks aren't just a fashion accessory -- they can help keep your feet healthy! Learn how to stay safe while sockless in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
09.03.2019 What's the Oldest Active Building Project in the World? The Sagrada Familia Basilica was started by Antoni Gaudí in 1882 and is still undergoing its initial construction today. Learn more about the architect and his long-running project in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
09.02.2019 How Can Jupiter Have 79 Moons While Other Planets Have None? If you guessed 'gravity' you're right -- but a few specific factors make Jupiter so much moonier than planets like Earth. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
08.30.2019 Who Was Marjory Stoneman Douglas? Long before scientists fully understood how important the Everglades are to Florida's weather and ecosystem, Marjory Stoneman Douglas campaigned to preserve them. Learn about this journalist and activist in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
08.29.2019 Should You Really Punch an Animal in the Nose If Attacked? Rumor has it that a jab to the nose will stop anything from a shark to a bear from attacking you, but how effective would that really be? Learn the circumstances under which nose punching might actually help in this ...
08.28.2019 How Are Animal and Plant Cells Different? The cells that make up plants and animals are incredibly similar considering how different a carrot is from a corgi. Learn the small factors that make all the difference in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at ...
08.27.2019 Does Aging Always Increase Risk of Death? For most mammals, aging increases our probability of dying -- it seems like a given. Learn about one animal, the naked mole rat, for which age has no impact on mortality in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ...
08.26.2019 What's the World's Biggest Food Fight? On the last Wednesday in August every year, up to 30,000 people participate in La Tomatina, a massive tomato fight in Buñol, Spain. Learn how it goes down in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
08.23.2019 Why Is Building Muscle Important for Everyone? The fancy science word for building muscle is hypertrophy, but it's not inaccessible. Learn how hypertrophy works and why building muscle keeps us healthy in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
08.22.2019 What Can You Do If Your U.S. Money Gets Mangled? Shredded, chewed, exhumed, or burnt American bills aren't necessarily lost -- a service of the Department of Treasury may reimburse you for their cash value. Learn about the Mutilated Currency Redemption Service in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about ...
08.21.2019 How Did Fish & Chips Become England's National Dish? Light and tender fried fish plated with crisp fried potatoes is a classic English comfort meal, but it's only a little over a century old. Learn the history of fish and chips in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about ...
08.20.2019 Why Is the Ocean Different Colors? Ocean water can appear many dazzling shades of blue and green depending on where you are. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
08.19.2019 How Do Starling Murmurations Work? Starlings flock in swooping, harmonious groups of thousands of birds called murmurations. Learn how these birds pull off such an amazing feat through simple actions in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
08.16.2019 Is Sparkling Water Good For You? More people are drinking fizzy water, both plain and in a boggling array of flavors. Learn about the different types of sparkling water and what you should watch out for in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices ...
08.15.2019 Why Is There a Rhino-Shaped Cave in Washington State? Yes, there’s a cave shaped like a rhinoceros in Washington State. Learn how it was created and discovered in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
08.14.2019 How Many Trees Would We Need to Plant to Slow Climate Change? Trees pull and store carbon, but lots of land that could support them is deforested. Learn how researchers think planting trees could help mitigate climate change in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
08.13.2019 Why Aren’t There Female CPR Mannequins? Research shows that women are less likely to receive CPR when they need it, and fixing that might require introducing training mannequins with breasts. Learn about a project that’s trying to help in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about ...
08.12.2019 Do Beaches Need Seashells? Seashells are a pretty sight on beaches, but it turns out that they play an important role in seaside structures and ecosystems. Learn why -- and why shell poaching is a problem -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more ...
08.10.2019 Introducing: Parklandia A married couple packed up everything from their home in Chicago and bought an RV to travel the country full-time, with one goal: to visit as many national parks as possible along the way. With each stop in each park, ...
08.09.2019 What's the History of Paternity Testing? Humans have only very recently developed scientific ways of proving who a child's biological father is, but that didn't stop us from trying beforehand. Learn the weird history of paternity tests in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ...
08.08.2019 How Do Blue Whales Work? The blue whale is the largest known animal to ever grace the planet -- they may be twice as big as Megalodon was! Learn what science knows (and doesn't know) about blue whales in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more ...
08.07.2019 What Is Peyote? In brief, peyote is a cactus with hallucinogenic properties that's been used in religious ceremonies for centuries. Learn how it works and why it's endangered in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
08.06.2019 Why Does America Use Fahrenheit Instead of Celsius? Most of the rest of the world uses the Celsius scale to describe temperature, but the U.S. uses Fahrenheit. Learn the origins and histories of these two scales in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
08.05.2019 How Are Ethnicity and Race Different? The concepts of ethnicity and race are both human inventions with no basis in science, but these concepts have huge impacts on us and our world. Learn the difference between ethnicity and race in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more ...
08.02.2019 What Is the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon? Also called the frequency illusion or recency illusion, the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon occurs when you learn something new, then notice instances of it everywhere. Learn how it works and how it got its name in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more ...
08.01.2019 Could Frozen Zoo DNA Stave Off Species' Extinction? As human civilization encroaches on wild animals' habitats, some face extinction. Learn how researchers hope to someday use frozen DNA sample taken from zoo animals to replenish wild populations in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at ...
07.31.2019 How Does the Hippocampus Work? Without the hippocampus, our brains have serious trouble recalling and recording certain types of long-term memories. Learn how this brain structure works in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
07.30.2019 Is Permafrost Really Permanent? Despite its name, permafrost doesn't necessarily last forever -- and when it melts, it can have a negative effect on the environment. Learn how permafrost works (and how it preserves long-dead creatures so well) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn ...
07.30.2019 What's the Difference Between Coroners and Medical Examiners? These two types of professional death investigators often work together, but their jobs are usually distinct. Learn the difference in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
07.26.2019 How Do Animals Get Their Scientific Names? The person who discovers a new species gets to name it -- but what do 'new' and 'discover' mean here? And do all names get approved? Learn how scientific naming and taxonomy work in this episode of BrainStuff (plus, meet ...
07.25.2019 Should You Rent Grass-Mowing Goats? Goats were the original weed wackers, and they're still super effective at controlling lawns and brush today. Learn why they're gaining popularity again in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
07.24.2019 How Will Exploring Saturn's Moon Titan Be Different? NASA recently announced that they're sending a rotorcraft to explore Saturn's giant moon Titan from the land and air. Learn how the Dragonfly mission will be different than other otherworldly explorations in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ...
07.23.2019 Does the Military Teach a Sleep Meditation Technique? According to the guy who popularized a famous meditation technique for getting to sleep fast, the results are excellent. Learn its history and how it works in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
07.23.2019 How Do Food Forests Help Fight Hunger? Food forests are free, edible community gardens that make the most of the land by following nature's lead on design. Learn how they work and how they may help end food deserts in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about ...
07.19.2019 How Do Birds Sing? Birds are the only creature in the world that have the specially evolved organ called the syrinx, and it's what lets them sing. Learn how it works in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
07.18.2019 How Do Tidal Bores Work? Tidal bores are huge, fast waves that travel the wrong way up rivers, and they only form during very specific circumstances. Learn how they work in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
07.17.2019 How Could Hypersonic Missiles Work? There's a new global arms race: to build missiles that could travel at hypersonic speeds. Learn where the technology stands and what it might be capable of in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
07.16.2019 How Health-Helpful Is Turmeric? Adding turmeric to recipes and taking supplements with it (or its active ingredient, curcumin) has become a global trend. Learn what science has to say about turmeric's medicinal properties in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at ...
07.15.2019 How Do We Find Asteroids Inside Earth's Orbit? Although researchers think we've found most large asteroids whose orbits bring them near Earth, some are still surprising us. Learn why -- and how we find them -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
07.12.2019 Can You Live Without a Working Amygdala? The amygdala is a part of the brain that handles fear -- so would having one that doesn't fully function be a good thing or a bad thing? Learn about how fear hurts and helps us in this episode of ...
07.11.2019 What Is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? American soldiers have stood guard over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every minute of every day since July 2, 1937. Learn what this monument means and who's interred there in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices ...
07.10.2019 Who Was History's Most Successful Pirate? In the early 1800s, a woman known as Mrs. Cheng or Ching Shih commanded the world's largest-ever pirate crew -- and she managed to retire and live a long, peaceful life. Learn about Mrs. Cheng's pirate empire in this episode ...

Older episodes

BrainStuff

What's BrainStuff about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

BrainStuff episodes:

Do Fish Experience Thirst?

Does Sigmund Freud Still Matter?

Why Is Declawing Cats Controversial?

What Is the U.S. Presidential Seal?

What's the Buzz on Alcohol in Space?

Can Automated Lights Really Stop Burglars?

How Can We Film Giant Squid?

How Does Cobalt Work?

Can Going Sockless Be Bad for Your Feet?

What's the Oldest Active Building Project in the World?

How Can Jupiter Have 79 Moons While Other Planets Have None?

Who Was Marjory Stoneman Douglas?

Should You Really Punch an Animal in the Nose If Attacked?

How Are Animal and Plant Cells Different?

Does Aging Always Increase Risk of Death?

What's the World's Biggest Food Fight?

Why Is Building Muscle Important for Everyone?

What Can You Do If Your U.S. Money Gets Mangled?

How Did Fish & Chips Become England's National Dish?

Why Is the Ocean Different Colors?

How Do Starling Murmurations Work?

Is Sparkling Water Good For You?

Why Is There a Rhino-Shaped Cave in Washington State?

How Many Trees Would We Need to Plant to Slow Climate Change?

Why Aren’t There Female CPR Mannequins?

Do Beaches Need Seashells?

Introducing: Parklandia

What's the History of Paternity Testing?

How Do Blue Whales Work?

What Is Peyote?

Why Does America Use Fahrenheit Instead of Celsius?

How Are Ethnicity and Race Different?

What Is the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon?

Could Frozen Zoo DNA Stave Off Species' Extinction?

How Does the Hippocampus Work?

Is Permafrost Really Permanent?

What's the Difference Between Coroners and Medical Examiners?

How Do Animals Get Their Scientific Names?

Should You Rent Grass-Mowing Goats?

How Will Exploring Saturn's Moon Titan Be Different?

Does the Military Teach a Sleep Meditation Technique?

How Do Food Forests Help Fight Hunger?

How Do Birds Sing?

How Do Tidal Bores Work?

How Could Hypersonic Missiles Work?

How Health-Helpful Is Turmeric?

How Do We Find Asteroids Inside Earth's Orbit?

Can You Live Without a Working Amygdala?

What Is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?

Who Was History's Most Successful Pirate?

Other shows like BrainStuff: