BrainStuff

In many cases, it's possible to recover files that have been deleted by using your computer's Recycle Bin. Marshall Brain reveals ways to recover deleted files -- and how to erase them permanently -- in this episode.

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When white light hits a film of oil floating on water, most of it passes through the film, but some of the light is reflected off the top and bottom layers of the film. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about light wave interference.

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Phone companies use generators to ensure that landline phones will work, even in the event of a power outage. Learn more about phone systems in this HowStuffWorks podcast.

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By cooling smoke, the hydrocarbons forming smoke can be condensed, thinned, and bottled in a liquid form. Learn about the process of bottling liquid smoke in this HowStuffWorks podcast.

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It only takes two wires to connect a phone, but most house wiring contains four wires. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn why.

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The embalming process is designed to keep the body preserved until the funeral, but how exactly does it work and what happens to bodily fluids like blood? Get the gory details in this HowStuffWorks podcast.

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Yawning is a universal human behavior, yet scientists still don't know exactly why we do it or what purpose it serves. Marshall Brain explores some of the theories behind yawning in this episode.

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Safe Mode is a feature of the Windows operating system that allows users to load a limited version of the system in order to troubleshoot problems. Learn more about using Safe Mode in this episode.

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The transparency of materials has to do with their molecular state. Discover how silica and heat produce the transparent material we call glass in this episode of BrainStuff.

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The massive oil spill that flooded the Gulf of Mexico should have been prevented by a fail-safe device called a Blowout Preventer, or BOP. Find out how this safety mechanism is supposed to work -- and why it didn't -- in this episode.

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