BrainStuff

By iHeartRadio

Technology Natural Sciences

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.

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BrainStuff Classics: Will A...

07.25.2021

Spoiler alert: Yep! Well, sometimes. Learn how one African ant species nurses its wounded soldiers, yielding a surprising survival rate, in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/ants-rescue-treat-wounded-comrades.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

BrainStuff episodes:

07.25.2021 BrainStuff Classics: Will Ants Rescue Wounded Comrades? Spoiler alert: Yep! Well, sometimes. Learn how one African ant species nurses its wounded soldiers, yielding a surprising survival rate, in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/ants-rescue-treat-wounded-comrades.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.24.2021 BrainStuff Classics: How Does Chinese Five Spice Work? Chinese 5-spice powder can contain a lot of things (including more than five spices), but it's all rooted in ancient medicine and philosophy. Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/chinese-five-spice-powder-tasty-and-not-necessarily-five-spices.htm Learn more about your ...
07.23.2021 How Far Can a Plane Glide Without Engines? It's rare that all of a plane's engines fail, but when they do, a pilot can still glide the aircraft to a safe landing. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/how-far-can-plane-go-no-engines.htm Learn more about your ...
07.22.2021 Why Are We So Obsessed with Owls? These nocturnal feathered predators have been capturing our imaginations for millennia. Learn about how owls work in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/owls.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.21.2021 Why Is There a Semiconductor Shortage? A shortage of microchips is driving up the cost of everything from consumer electronics to used cars. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/semiconductor-shortage-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.20.2021 How Did Earth Gain a New Ocean? After much debate, the world officially has a fifth ocean: the Southern Ocean, surrounding Antarctica. Learn about it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/oceanography/southern-ocean-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.19.2021 How Bad Is America's Infrastructure? Infrastructure -- all the pipes, roads, rails, and everything else that makes civilization work -- must be maintained and replaced as it ages. Learn how the U.S. ranks in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/civil/americas-infrastructure-news.htm Learn more ...
07.18.2021 BrainStuff Classics: How Did Nuclear Weapons Testing Create 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 classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/trinitite-first-nuclear-bomb-turned-sand-to-glass.htm Learn more about your ...
07.17.2021 BrainStuff Classics: Can Talking About Yourself in the Third Person Make You Feel Better? 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 classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/benefits-talking-like-egomaniac.htm Learn ...
07.16.2021 Are Bug Zappers a Bad Idea? It turns out that bug zappers are too effective -- they kill a lot of helpful insects along with the pests they target. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/conservation/issues/bug-zappers-are-bad-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices ...
07.15.2021 Will Sharks Die If They Stop Moving? It's true that some sharks breathe most easily when they're swimming, but that doesn't mean they can't find ways to rest. Learn about buccal pumping, ram ventilation, and more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/sharks/shark-drown.htm Learn ...
07.14.2021 How Does Bastille Day Work? This French national holiday celebrates a lot more than the Storming of the Bastille. Learn about le Quatorze Juillet (July 14th) in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/bastille-day.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.13.2021 What Animals Are the Deadliest in the Wild? The animals that kill the most people every year aren't the ones featured in scary movies or sensational documentaries. Learn about the world's most dangerous animals in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/dangerous-animals.htm Learn more about your ...
07.12.2021 Is Paul Bunyan Based on a Real Person? Tall tales about the logger Paul Bunyan and his big blue ox, Babe, are American classics. Learn about the real people they're based on and how they got so popular in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/real-paul-bunyan.htm ...
07.11.2021 BrainStuff Classics: Do Happy Cows Really Make Better Milk? OK, 'happy' is a stretch, but researchers are looking into how cows given positive interactions (like back scritches) grow and produce milk versus less-content cows. Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.10.2021 BrainStuff Classics: 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 discovered in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.09.2021 How Much Money Is There in the World? With all the different types of currency in the world, it's nigh impossible to count it all -- but there are estimates. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://money.howstuffworks.com/how-much-money-is-in-the-world.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at ...
07.08.2021 What's the Difference Between Brown and Black Bears? Black and brown bears are two different species, and they're easy to tell apart -- from a safe distance, even. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/brown-bear.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.07.2021 How Do Coronavirus Variants Work? Mutations of the virus that causes COVID-19, called variants, can be even more dangerous than the original. Learn about delta and other SARS-CoV-2 variants in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/infectious/delta-variant-coronavirus-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at ...
07.06.2021 Why Is Pink the World's Oldest Color? Before the oceans were blue, they were pink. Learn about the cyanobacteria that caused this coloration in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/earths-oldest-color-was-pink.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.05.2021 Is Drought the New Normal for the Western U.S.? Drought has no singular definition, but it seems that the standard for rainfall is changing in some places. Learn what that means in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/western-us-drought-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.04.2021 BrainStuff Classics: 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 classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.03.2021 BrainStuff Classics: 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 classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
07.02.2021 Why Are Gasoline Prices Higher in the Summer? U.S. drivers pay more at the pump during the summer because of supply and demand, but also because the blends of gasoline sold change with the seasons. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/fuel-consumption/summer-fuel.htm/printable Learn ...
07.01.2021 How Do Muons Work? The muon is a type of subatomic particle that researchers are still learning about -- and what they're learning may change our concept of physics as we know it. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: ...
06.30.2021 Why Don't Ground Bees Sting? Honey bees are the type of bee most of us are familiar with, but most of the world's bees don't live and behave in the same ways. Learn about ground bees in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: ...
06.29.2021 How Did Fannie Lou Hamer Work? Fannie Lou Hamer was an iconic Civil Rights and voting rights activist who still inspires us today. Learn about her life and her work in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/fannie-lou-hamer.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at ...
06.28.2021 How Did Pride Parades Get Their Start? Heat stroke is a serious medical issue, and as temperatures reach record highs this summer, heat safety could save lives. Learn how to keep cool and what to watch for in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/5-tips-for-heat-wave-safety.htm ...
06.27.2021 BrainStuff Classics: 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 classic episode of BrainStuff, based on ...
06.26.2021 BrainStuff Classics: 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 classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/what-do-winemakers-do-with-grape-waste.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
06.25.2021 What Is a Coup D'Etat, and Could It Happen In America? A number of factors can contribute to a military taking over its government. Learn about them, and why it's unlikely to happen in the U.S., in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/coup.htm Learn more about your ad-choices ...
06.24.2021 How Could Lab-Grown Meat Change the Pet Food World? Our dogs' and cats' diets aren't very environmentally friendly, but lab-grown meat could change that. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/lab-grown-meat-pet-food-world.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
06.23.2021 What's the Deadliest Spider in the World? Most spiders are completely harmless to humans, but a few can do damage. Learn which ones are the most potentially dangerous in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/arachnids/deadliest-spider.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
06.22.2021 Why Did England and Spain Go to War Over an Ear? In the 1700s, a war was (technically) started over a lost ear. Learn about the War of Jenkins' Ear in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/jenkins-ear.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
06.21.2021 How Does the Summer Solstice Work? In the Northern Hemisphere, the longest day of daylight in the year happens every June. Learn what causes this and how it works in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/5-things-didnt-know-about-summer-solstice.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
06.20.2021 BrainStuff Classics: 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. Learn about their trip to the final frontier in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/why-fruit-flies-were-first-animals-in-space.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at ...
06.19.2021 BrainStuff Classics: How Did Juneteenth Get Started? Juneteenth is a holiday celebrating Black American independence and commemorating the ongoing struggle for equality. Learn the history of Juneteenth in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-civil-war/juneteeth.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
06.18.2021 Is Vaccine Hesitancy a New Phenomenon? Vaccine hesitancy has existed for as long as vaccines have. Learn why it's normal and how to help people calm their concerns in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/preventive-care/vaccine-hesitancy-not-new-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
06.17.2021 What Happens to Whales When They Die? When whales die, they can either wash up on the shore (and explode!) or sink to the bottom of the ocean and feed entire ecosystems. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on these articles: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/beached-whales-explode.htm and https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/whale-death.htm Learn ...
06.16.2021 Why Does the Monthly Jobs Report Matter? On the first Friday of every month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its Employment Situation Summary for the previous month. Learn what the jobs report contains and why it's important in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this ...
06.15.2021 How Do Lyres Work? These stringed instruments had their heyday thousands of years ago and are still played today. Learn about the history and mythology behind the lyre in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/lyre.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at ...
06.14.2021 What Was the Tulsa Massacre? In 1921, white citizens of Tulsa stormed the prosperous Black district of the city, destroying homes and businesses and murdering a number of people still unknown today. Learn what's being done to recover and reintroduce this history in this episode ...
06.13.2021 BrainStuff Classics: 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 in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/how-poetry-affects-human-brain.htm Learn more ...
06.12.2021 BrainStuff Classics: 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 classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://home.howstuffworks.com/public-toilet-electricity-light-urine-chemical-reaction.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
06.11.2021 How Can You Stop an Opioid Overdose? Opioid drugs (like fentanyl) can cause death due to overdose -- but there is an antidote to opioid overdose, and it's easy and safe to administer. Learn how naloxone (including brands Narcan and Evzio) works in this episode of BrainStuff. ...
06.10.2021 How Do Plate Tectonics Work? Plate tectonics are responsible not just for the shape of Earth's continents, but for life as we know it. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geology/plate-tectonics.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
06.09.2021 Are Pentagon-Confirmed UFOs a Threat to National Security? The U.S. military has been collecting reports of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) for years. Learn what the public knows about them so far in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/space/aliens-ufos/ufos-news.htm Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
06.08.2021 Why Do Seabirds Eat Plastic? One of the problems with plastic trash ending up in our oceans is that some seabirds will eat it. But why? Learn what researchers have found in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/theres-a-stinky-reason-seabirds-eat-plastic.htm Learn more about your ...
06.07.2021 Have the Olympic Games Ever Been Canceled? The 2020 Olympic games were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but as of yet they haven't been canceled. Learn when the Olympics were canceled in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/olympics-skipped.htm Learn more about your ad-choices ...
06.06.2021 BrainStuff Classics: Why Are So Many People Nearsighted? By 2050, half the world will be nearsighted. Researchers tracking this eye condition (also called myopia) have a few hypotheses about why it's happening. Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/eye/half-the-world-will-be-nearsighted-2050.htm Learn more about ...

Older episodes

BrainStuff

What's BrainStuff about?

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BrainStuff episodes:

BrainStuff Classics: Will Ants Rescue Wounded Comrades?

BrainStuff Classics: How Does Chinese Five Spice Work?

How Far Can a Plane Glide Without Engines?

Why Are We So Obsessed with Owls?

Why Is There a Semiconductor Shortage?

How Did Earth Gain a New Ocean?

How Bad Is America's Infrastructure?

BrainStuff Classics: How Did Nuclear Weapons Testing Create New Minerals?

BrainStuff Classics: Can Talking About Yourself in the Third Person Make You Feel Better?

Are Bug Zappers a Bad Idea?

Will Sharks Die If They Stop Moving?

How Does Bastille Day Work?

What Animals Are the Deadliest in the Wild?

Is Paul Bunyan Based on a Real Person?

BrainStuff Classics: Do Happy Cows Really Make Better Milk?

BrainStuff Classics: How Can Your Birth Season Determine Your Allergies?

How Much Money Is There in the World?

What's the Difference Between Brown and Black Bears?

How Do Coronavirus Variants Work?

Why Is Pink the World's Oldest Color?

Is Drought the New Normal for the Western U.S.?

BrainStuff Classics: Why Shouldn't Compressed Air Canisters Be Shaken?

BrainStuff Classics: Why Can't I Taste My Tongue?

Why Are Gasoline Prices Higher in the Summer?

How Do Muons Work?

Why Don't Ground Bees Sting?

How Did Fannie Lou Hamer Work?

How Did Pride Parades Get Their Start?

BrainStuff Classics: Is Our Tipping System Gratuitous?

BrainStuff Classics: What Happens to Wine Grape Waste?

What Is a Coup D'Etat, and Could It Happen In America?

How Could Lab-Grown Meat Change the Pet Food World?

What's the Deadliest Spider in the World?

Why Did England and Spain Go to War Over an Ear?

How Does the Summer Solstice Work?

BrainStuff Classics: Why Were Fruit Flies the First Animal in Space?

BrainStuff Classics: How Did Juneteenth Get Started?

Is Vaccine Hesitancy a New Phenomenon?

What Happens to Whales When They Die?

Why Does the Monthly Jobs Report Matter?

How Do Lyres Work?

What Was the Tulsa Massacre?

BrainStuff Classics: Is the Human Brain Hardwired for Poetry?

BrainStuff Classics: How Much Electricity Can Urine Provide?

How Can You Stop an Opioid Overdose?

How Do Plate Tectonics Work?

Are Pentagon-Confirmed UFOs a Threat to National Security?

Why Do Seabirds Eat Plastic?

Have the Olympic Games Ever Been Canceled?

BrainStuff Classics: Why Are So Many People Nearsighted?

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