BrainStuff

Today's cell phones are amazingly compact, complex devices that provide a wide array of services. Discover the origins of these technological wonders, and the technology that makes them work, in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Toasting is a tasty way to increase the durability of bread, and automatic toasters are a convenient way to make toast. Learn more about the chemical change that turns bread into toast and the mechanism behind toasters in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Diesel engines are more efficient than engines that run on gasoline, yet they've never really caught on in passenger cars in the United States. Discover the many reasons why diesel engines aren't the norm in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Almost all cell phones have a capacity for caller ID, which identifies the phone number at the other end of a telephone connection -- but how does it work? Listen in as Marshall Brain breaks down the basics of this surprisingly simple technology.

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The word 'hamburger' seems to imply that pork is a main ingredient, but in fact, this famous beef sandwich got its name from a city. Learn more about the origins and spread of the hamburger in this episode of BrainStuff.

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A Harley Davidson motorcycle emits a very distinctive sound because of the unique way its engine works. Find out more in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

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When you drink cold water, your body exerts an effort to warm up the liquid and, in doing so, burns calories. So does that make drinking ice water an effective weight loss strategy? Find out in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Some gasoline contains MTBE, or methyl tertiary butyl ether. Find out why MTBE is added to gasoline in the first place, and why it's no longer a popular additive, in this episode of BrainStuff.

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When manual transmissions are put in reverse, they produce a loud, whirring noise. What's the culprit? Gears. Marshall Brain explains how helical and spur gears work in manual transmissions in this episode.

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The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is the world's largest emergency oil stockpile. But why do we have it? Where do we keep it? Find out why the United States created this reserve and where the oil is stored in this episode.

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