Hello From the Van

Some animals are smart...but others are smarter. This week we discuss the different types of animal intelligence, and the most commonly studied "smart" animals of the animal kingdom. 

Sources:

Vidal, J. (2021, October 29). The grey parrot and the race against Africa’s wildlife extinction. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/24/cites-endangered-species-meeting-johannesburg

Blanket octopus. (n.d.). Great Barrier Reef Foundation. https://www.barrierreef.org/the-reef/animals/blanket-octopus

Holdredge, C. (n.d.). Elephantine Intelligence — The Nature Institute. The Nature Institute. https://www.natureinstitute.org/article/craig-holdrege/elephantine-intelligence

Wikipedia contributors. (2026c, August 11). Corvidae. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corv

American Birding Association, & Kanning, S. (2026, April 6). The Blue Crow. American Birding Association. https://www.aba.org/the-blue-crow/

Caird, J. (2026, June 15). 10 smartest animals on the planet: Discover the world’s cleverest creatures, including some unexpected species redefining intelligence. Discover Wildlife. https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/smartest-animals

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Motorcycles may have gotten their start in the late 1800's, but their use during World War is what truly solidified their cultural foothold. In honor of the 86th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, this week we talk about invention, muddy history, and the future of the motorcycle. 

SOURCES:

Sturgis. (2025, May 12). History of the Sturgis Rally. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally SD. https://sturgis.com/resources/about-sturgis-rally/history-of-rally/

Wikipedia contributors. (2026, May 3). History of the motorcycle. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_motorcycle

"The Past - 1800s: First motorcycle". The History and Future of Motorcycles and motorcycling - From 1885 to the Future, Total Motorcycle Website. Retrieved 2007-06-28.

Planet, R. (2019, May 10). Motorcyclists point two fingers down, why? Riderz Planet. https://www.riderzplanet.com/blogs/posts/motorcyclists-point-two-fingers-down-why?srsltid=AfmBOopvbgbFZbunY7_HLB1AgmR7rJDLnVSif6O0mTYPelvFTdkysiZI

 Baxter, Ian (30 December 2024). German Motorcycles at War, 1939–1945: The Kradschützen Truppen. Images of War. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 9781036100575. 

Wikipedia contributors. (2026b, July 22). Roper steam velocipede. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roper_steam_velocipede 

Wilson, Hugo (1993), The Ultimate Motorcycle Book, Dorling Kindersley, pp. 8–9, ISBN 1-56458-303-1

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Cursive has largely fallen out of fashion...but it seems that physically writing anything down is also on it's way out. In this episode we explore where cursive came from, why it stopped being taught, and discuss the future of writing. 

SOURCES:

Pokemon Evolutions. Pokemon DB dot Net. 

Bergland, Christopher, Why Cursive Handwriting is Good For Your Brain. Psychology Today. 2 October 2020.

Kuta, Sarah. Can You Read Cursive? The National Archives Want Your Help. Smithsonian Magazine. 17 January 2025

FontFabric. Fonts With Ligature. 7 August 2026. 

Sesko, Marcus. Identifying Japanese Cursive Script. 28 October 2018. 

Wikipedia, “Cursive”. Accessed August 2026. 

Jason Gelb, Lucio Bollettieri, and Maggie Seidel. Cursive: A Storied Past and Complicated Future. The Spectrum. 29 September 2021. 

Noel Pretorius and María Ramos. The evolution of lettershapes, children’s handwriting, and type. June 2023. NMType Magazine. 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Lemons have always been around in the East, but their known history in the West is relatively recent. In this episode we talk about the history of citrus fruit, how explorers brought it to the west, and how all citrus are related. #HelloFromTheVan

SOURCES: 

The Nursery at TyTy, The History of the Citrus Tree. 

https://www.tytyga.com/History-of-the-Citrus-and-Citrus-Tree-Growing-in-America-a/381.htm

Jerry James Stone, “The History of Lemons”, April 22, 2023.

https://jerryjamesstone.com/how-to/history-of-lemons-what-am-i-even-eating/ 

17th Centery New York Blog, “Lemons, Limes, and Oranges: 1600-1750.” 

https://17thcenturynewyork.blogspot.com/2018/02/lemons-limes-and-oranges-1600s-to-1750s.html

Ancient Greece Dot Org, Ancient Greece Timeline. 

https://ancient-greece.org/history/timeline/ 

Fatta, F., Mediati, D. Geometric References of Roman Mosaics in North Africa. Nexus Netw J 22, 91–111 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00004-019-00433-8  

The Fruit Explorer, The Fruit Explorer Encounters Papeda, March 2015. 

https://fruitexplorer.blogspot.com/2015/03/fwd-fruit-explorer-encounters-papeda.html

The Genetic Literacy Project, Mother of Citrus, February 2018. 

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2018/02/12/mother-citrus-oranges-grapefruit-lemons-limes-descended-single-ancestor/

White, Marcus. James Lind: The Man Who Helped Cure Scurvy. 4 October 2016. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-37320399

Skellet, Captain. The Science of Scurvy: How Things Work. 2 August 2009. 

https://aschoonerofscience.com/science-at-home/the-science-of-scurvy/ 

Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, “How the Great Freeze of 1894-95 Nearly Destroy Central Florida”. 30 January 2026. 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/01/30/orlando-sentinel-150-how-great-freeze-of-1894-95-nearly-destroyed-central-florida/ 

The Fruit Guys, “Citrus Family Drama: Meet the Original Citrus Fruits”.

https://fruitguys.com/blog/citrus-family-drama-meet-the-original-citrus-fruits/?srsltid=AfmBOor2dViNQEXEwtuIC6uYOxqEDbTage9w_HQ-x_g-yRa-4nv2EXpO 

Lovell, Lucy. The Art Curator Saving the World’s Rarest Fruit. 12 March 2025. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250307-the-art-curator-saving-the-worlds-rarest-fruit 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

A laughter and a yawn-- both are contagious-- but why do we perform these "useless" functions?? This week we dive into the long scientific history around laughter and yawns. Warning, we don't know why, but you'll probably yawn while listening to this episode. So please use caution while listening. 

Citations: 

Wani PD, Agarwal M. The science of yawning: Exploring its physiology, evolutionary role, and behavioral impact. J Family Med Prim Care. 2025 Aug;14(8):3115-3120. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1677_24. Epub 2025 Sep 24. PMID: 41041241; PMCID: PMC12488162.  

BARBIZET J. Yawning. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1958 Aug;21(3):203-9. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.21.3.203. PMID: 13576171; PMCID: PMC497319. 

Gupta S, Mittal S. Yawning and its physiological significance. Int J Appl Basic Med Res. 2013 Jan;3(1):11-5. doi: 10.4103/2229-516X.112230. PMID: 23776833; PMCID: PMC3678674. 

Provine, Robert R. “Yawning: The Yawn Is Primal, Unstoppable and Contagious, Revealing the Evolutionary and Neural Basis of Empathy and Unconscious Behavior.” American Scientist, vol. 93, no. 6, 2005, pp. 532–39. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27858677. Accessed 24 July 2026.

BARBIZET J. Yawning. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1958 Aug;21(3):203-9. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.21.3.203. PMID: 13576171; PMCID: PMC497319.  

Romundstad S, Svebak S, Holen A, Holmen J. A 15-Year Follow-Up Study of Sense of Humor and Causes of Mortality: The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study. Psychosom Med. 2016 Apr;78(3):345-53. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000275. PMID: 26569539. 

Lawrence Robinson, Melinda Smith, M.A. and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. , Laughter is the Best Medicine. Help Guide, February 2026. 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Looking for a way to introduce the topic of artificial intelligence with your kids, but don't want the politics and opinion? In this episode we cover the physical side of AI, how it reasons, and the trade-offs required for instant access to a world of knowledge. 

Sources: 

How Much Energy Can AI Use?, Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/18/energy-ai-use-electricity-water-data-centers/

Mineo, Liz. Is AI Dulling Our Minds?, Harvard Gazette, 13 November 2025. 

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/11/is-ai-dulling-our-minds/

Kosmyna, Natalia, et al. Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2506.08872v1

Colorado State University Staff, How Does AI Actually Work?. 9 April 2026. https://csuglobal.edu/blog/how-does-ai-actually-work

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Flavor and Taste are powerful parts of our every day lives...but what *are* they? This week we talk about the physical function of flavor, how and why our bodies process tastes the way they do, and how flavor can even warn us of danger. 

Sources: 

Gravina SA, Yep GL, Khan M. Human biology of taste. Ann Saudi Med. 2013 May-Jun;33(3):217-22. doi: 10.5144/0256-4947.2013.217. PMID: 23793421; PMCID: PMC6078535. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6078535/

Fontanini A, Taste. Current Biology, 33, R130-R135. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(23)00005-2

Dictionary.com, "Taste", https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/taste

National Institute of Aging, How Smell and Taste Change as You Age. November 14, 2024, https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/teeth-and-mouth/how-smell-and-taste-change-you-age

Trivedi, Bijal P. (2012). "Gustatory system: The finer points of taste". Nature. 486 (7403): S2–S3. Bibcode:2012Natur.486S...2T. doi:10.1038/486s2a. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 22717400. S2CID 4325945.

Witt, Martin (2019). "Anatomy and development of the human taste system". Smell and Taste. Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Vol. 164. pp. 147–171.

 Maehashi K, Matano M, Wang H, Vo LA, Yamamoto Y, Huang L (January 2008). "Bitter peptides activate hTAS2Rs, the human bitter receptors". Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 365 (4): 851–5.

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Note: As always, our 5 Minutes Smarter series is intended to help adults talk about difficult topics with kids. The episodes are not meant as an exhaustive explainer, but more of a jumping-off point for family discussion. 

Divorce has officially hit the Faatz extended family. We've been trying to figure out how to explain it to kids. To help others in the same situation, here's this week's episode of 5 Minutes Smarter: Divorce Edition. 

We break down what divorce is, a very brief explainer of what happens when a couple divorces, and explain how kids can talk about it with someone they trust. 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Humans spend roughly a third of our lives sleeping...but what actually happens while we're sleeping?? In this episode we talk about the great mystery that is sleep science, what we know, and the great big things we don't know about this daily activity. 

Sources: 

Cleveland Clinic, "Why Do We Dream?" published August 18, 2022.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/12148-sleep-basics 

Cleveland Clinic, "All About Sleep Deprivation". 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23970-sleep-deprivation 

Sleepoplis, "A Kids Guide to Understanding Sleep", Sharon Brandwin, April 9, 2025.

https://sleepopolis.com/education/kids-guide-understanding-sleep/

Kids Health, "What Sleep is and Why All Kids Need It", Marvin L. Gavin MD, June 2020.

https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/not-tired.html 

John Hopkins Medicine, "The Effects of Sleep Deprivation".

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-effects-of-sleep-deprivation 

Kaiser Permanente, "Sleep Stages", Ignite Healthwise Staff, Updated February 2026. 

https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/health-encyclopedia/he.stages-of-sleep.hw48331 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

To help introduce our new series, "5 Minutes Smarter", we'll be releasing three smaller episodes this week! In this first installment, we're talking about what it takes for a person to be happy and healthy both in their body and their mind. 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com