HowStuffWorks NOW

By iHeartPodcasts and HowStuffWorks

What's HowStuffWorks NOW about?

Your weekly dose of some of the world’s latest and greatest science news, technological advancements, absurd curiosities, and groundbreaking research in everything from ancient history to the future of astrophysics. Join Lauren Vogelbaum and the HowStuffWorks team as they explore humanity’s newest discoveries in HowStuffWorks NOW.

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HowStuffWorks NOW episodes:

05.31.2017
Why We're Not Sex Zombies, Wednesday's Pronunciation, and British Lawyers' Wigs
Since sexual contact can transmit disease, why don't any diseases increase our sex drive? Why is Wednesday pronounced differently than it's spelled? Why do British lawyers and judges still wear powdered wigs? The answers, plus a fond farewell.
05.23.2017
Reheated Coffee, More Comfortable Mammograms, and the Chemist Who Created Home Ec
There's science behind why reheated coffee is terrible. In the incredible future, we may have better ways to mammogram. Plus, the woman who founded home economics was all kinds of amazing.
05.16.2017
Missing Limbs, Naked Mole Rats, and a Blood-Red Waterfall
Research into missing limbs indicates that our brains control function differently than we thought. Underground mole rats can live without oxygen. Plus, the mysteries of Blood Falls have been solved.
05.09.2017
Gender Bias in the Supreme Court, Stair Climbing vs. Caffeine, and Teens Are OK, Really
Female Supreme Court justices get interrupted three times as often as male justices. Climbing stairs may be as effective as caffeine at perking you up. Plus, today's teens are doing pretty OK. Really.
05.01.2017
Cannibalism Nutrition, a Border Wall Hyperloop, and the FBI's Facial Recognition
Are humans nutritous enough to make cannibalism feasible? Could Trump's proposed border wall be improved with a Hyperloop?. Plus: Should the FBI be able to use everyone's photos in their crime-solving facial recognition program?
04.25.2017
Thought Experiment: Transhumanism and Space Exploration
Humans are ill-suited to the rigors of space, but augmenting ourselves with technology may create opportunities to explore and colonize worlds beyond our own. In this episode, we experiment in such a future.
04.18.2017
A U.S. Space Force, Why the Weather's Getting Stuck, and Maple Syrup Medicine
Is it time for the United States to have a military Space Force? Weather patterns are getting stuck in place - climate change is to blame. Plus, research shows that a substance in maple syrup has some incredible medicinal properties.
04.10.2017
Scattering Ashes, Circular Airport Runways, and the TSA's Power Over Electronics
Is scattering ashes technically littering? Will circular runways be the future of airports? Can the TSA search the data in your electronic devices? In this episode, these questions are answered and only two bad puns are made.
04.03.2017
Bird Poop Politics, Double Pregnancies, and How 'Citizens' Became 'Consumers'
Bird excrement was once so valuable to farmers that the U.S. government tried to claim all of it. It's possible to get pregnant a second time when you're already pregnant. Plus: When did we start calling citizens consumers?
03.27.2017
The Psychology of Picky Eating, the Secret Service's Services, and a Self-Driving Car Kit
Researchers are working to improve the lives of adult picky eaters. We break down who the Secret Service protects, and at what costs to taxpayers. Plus, there's a $700 kit that turns certain cars into self-driving cars -- and it...
03.20.2017
What Happens When You Swallow a Leech?
Although cases are rare, a non-zero number of patients have gone to doctors with a leech stuck in their throat over the years. In this special episode, we explore this gross but fascinating circumstance. Music by Eric Matyas www.soundimage.org
03.13.2017
Stealing Sand, Communicating via Poop, and Clinical Trial Participation
and is in such high demand that tons of it are being stolen from beaches. White rhinos use middens as a complex communal message board. Plus, clinical trials need more volunteers -- we explain why.
03.06.2017
Hallucinogenic Honey, Squid Brains, and Why Hot Food Is So Satisfying
Ancient armies sometimes used hallucinogenic honey as a bioweapon. New research shows how different squid brains are from human brains. Plus, we break down why hot food seems more satisfying than cold food.
02.28.2017
Face Punching Legality, Misophonia, and Ties Between Honesty and Profanity
Morality aside, is it ever legal to punch someone in the face? Unrelated: Researchers have identified the brain bits responsible for finding certain sounds incredibly annoying. Plus, highly profane people may be more honest.
02.21.2017
The Danger Episode: Solar Flares, Cosmic Rays, and App Terms of Service
Solar flares may be responsible for deadly whale beachings. New research clarifies cosmic radiation exposure for frequent fliers. Plus, purposefully complex terms of service let apps harvest our personal data.
02.14.2017
Virgin Shark Births, Weighted Anxiety Blankets, and a Border Wall's Impact on Wildlife
A zebra shark has given birth to viable babies without a mate. Weighted blankets may help people battle anxiety and insomnia. Plus: How much damage would a U.S. boarder wall do to local wildlife?
02.06.2017
The Blood of the Young, Crustacean Bioweapons, and Our Oldest Ancestor
A proposed anti-aging treatment transfuses young people's plasma into old people's blood. A species of boxer crab clones and carries sea anemones as weapons. Plus, the oldest known ancestor of all vertebrates was a wee sack of teeth.
01.31.2017
Tornadoes Demystified, Global Medicine, and Why the President's First 100 Days Matter
Tornadoes' centers leave you cold and breathless; now we know how. Underuse and overuse of particular medical treatments is a global problem. Plus, the history and politics behind the importance of a president's first 100 days.
01.23.2017
Wonder Woman's Creator, School Suspensions' Effects, and Charging in Airplane Mode
Wonder Woman's iconic themes of truth, matriarchy, and bondage reflect on her fascinating creator. Schools are suspending more students than ever, with lasting effects. Plus: Do smartphones really charge faster in airplane mode?
01.17.2017
Gun Violence Contagion, Pregnancy Brain, and Dirty Towels
Research indicates that gun violence is contagious like a disease. Pregnancy causes measurable changes in the brain. Plus, science tells us how frequently we should wash our bath towels.
01.09.2017
Lunar Lava Caves, Letting Kids Lose, and Air-Seat Shrinkage
Future moon settlers could live in caves carved by ancient lunar lava flows. Letting kids lose games can actually help them in the long run. Plus, your fellow airplane passengers are closer to you than ever.
01.02.2017
Asparagus Pee Science, Tardigrades' Weird Mating Habits, and Criminal Software
You have some specific genes to thank if you can smell asparagus in urine. Tardigrades were finally observed mating and it's suitably strange. Plus, a software glitch is sending innocent people to prison.
12.26.2016
The Bees of the Sea, Tasting Garlic Via Skin, and Probing Alpha Centauri
Tiny invertebrates pollinate underwater flowers like bees. Fun party trick: How to taste garlic through your feet. Plus, Stephen Hawking is helping send a probe the size of a cherry tomato to explore another solar system.
12.19.2016
When Christmas Was Illegal, and Why 2016 Will Be One Second Longer
christmas, puritans, history, culture, holidays, celebration, 2016, leap second, timekeeping, new years eve, time
12.12.2016
Space Poop, Contact Congress and Elf on the Shelf
How can we better deal with waste in space? Should we rise up against the panopticonic Elf on the Shelf? Plus: Is the internet actually an effective way to contact our elected officials?
12.05.2016
Conversational Eye Contact, Presidential Housing, and Samoan Solar Energy
Researchers may have pinpointed why it's hard to maintain eye contact while we speak. If Trump declined to live in the White House, it would be unprecedented. Plus, a Samoan island is prepared to switch entirely to solar energy.
11.28.2016
A Hot Tub of Despair, Fast Bats, and Teen Tech Creators
A warm, salty area deep in the Gulf of Mexico kills everything it touches. Bats can fly faster than anyone thought, beating out even the fastest birds. Plus, young women in South Africa plan to launch a satellite as part...
11.21.2016
Whether California Could Secede, Spotify's Destructive Bug, and Ambient Music Therapy
Increasingly, Californians are considering a campaign to secede from the union. An error in Spotify's desktop app could damage your computer -- update it! Plus, thankfully, ambient music is a proven therapy, and we've got a bit for you to...
11.14.2016
A Sweating Robot, the Best Way to Merge, and What Your Phone Battery Wants
A new humanoid robot keeps its components cool by sweating, just like you and me. Drivers who wait until the last second to merge are scientifically correct - and safer. Plus, we bust a few myths about what will (and...
11.07.2016
History’s Worst Coffee, Learning Without Concentrating, and Why America Votes on Tuesdays
Demand for coffee during the American Civil War lead to a noxious innovation. Haptic feedback may let you learn certain skills without concentrating. Plus, the history behind Super Tuesday – and questions into whether weekdays work for modern voters.
10.31.2016
Robots that Live in Your Clothes, the Life of Jack Chick, and the Smell of Water
In the future, tiny personal-assistant robots may crawl all over your clothing. We look back at the life of the infamous evangelical cartoonist Jack Chick. Plus: Why didn’t humans evolve the ability to smell water like other animals can?
10.24.2016
A Weird Keystone Species, Julian Assange's Internet Access, and a Vicious Facebook Cycle
The spiny, egg-laying echidna has been identified as one of Australia's keystone species. The Ecuadorian embassy that harbors Wikileaks' founder has cut off his internet access. Plus, certain behaviors on social networking sites can make us less happy.
10.17.2016
A Driver with Quadriplegia, A Chair to Help You Wait, and Who The Joneses Were, Anyway
The first semi-autonomous driver's license now belongs to a man with quadriplegia. Autonomous driving tech has also brought us self-driving chairs for long lines. Plus, the phrase "keeping up with the Joneses" may have been inspired by a real family.
10.10.2016
What Your Walk Says, How Horses Communicate, and Whether Airbag Helmets Are Safer
The way you walk can predict your personality and behavior. Horses can be taught to communicate using symbols. Plus, the advantages (and disadvantages) of bicycle helmets equipped with airbags.
10.03.2016
A Secret Nuclear Base, A Rosetta Retrospective, and A Petition for Saudi Women’s Rights
Global warming may reveal a secret U.S. nuclear base buried under Greenland’s icecap. Now that the Rosetta spacecraft is offline, we take a look back at what it taught us about comets. Plus, thousands of women in Saudi Arabia have...
09.27.2016
Outlawing Sarcasm, an Antikythera Skeleton, and a Falling Space Station
North Korean authorities are attempting to ban some types of sarcastic speech. A set of human remains was found at the site of the Antikythera Mechanism shipwreck. Plus, China’s decommissioned Tiangong-1 space station may be out of control and heading...
09.19.2016
Your Cat Is Bored, Robots Will Eliminate Jobs, and China Has Ancient Superhero Myths
Indoor cats are healthier (and less likely to be jerks) when you let them hunt. Market research predicts that robots will take 6 percent of U.S. jobs in the next 5 years. Plus, meet the mythical Chinese characters who have...
09.12.2016
Cuttlefish Can Count, Catfish Catch Mice, and China Wants a Sea Lab
It seems that cuttlefish have the number sense to rival human babies. Some catfish have added small land mammals to their diets. Plus, China is looking to build a laboratory on the ocean floor – but why?
09.05.2016
Spiders Overshare, Women’s Autism Is Underdiagnosed, and Earth’s in a New Epoch
Some spiders live in colonies with thousands of neighbors and share themselves to death. Autism in women is often misunderstood and undiagnosed, but new campaigns and research may help. Plus, Earth may have entered a new geological epoch due to...
08.29.2016
A Squishy Octobot, A Legal Heroin Safe House, and MS Excel vs. Genetics
The first completely soft-bodied robot is an octopus. Seattle plans to experiment with lowering heroin risks by providing safe drug houses. Plus, a default setting in Microsoft Excel has caused errors in a whole lot of genetics research papers.
08.22.2016
Venus May Have Been Habitable, Chemtrail Theories Are Bunk, and Dogs Love Us More Than Food
Just 715 million years ago, Venus might have supported life as we know it. According to atmospheric chemistry experts, fringe theories about chemtrails don’t add up. Plus, most dogs prefer their owners’ praise to food rewards.
08.15.2016
Vigilante Humpback Whales, Parasitic Guinea Worms, and Your Musical Personality
Humpback whales save other sea creatures from orca attacks. The parasitic Guinea worm, faced with extinction, has jumped from human hosts to a new species. Plus, your personality may shape your taste in music more than any other factor.
08.08.2016
Geology Confirms a Myth, Private Industry Shoots for the Moon, and Ontario Plans to Give Away Money
Geological evidence may prove that a legendary flood really happened in ancient China. A private company now has permission to land on the Moon. Plus, the government of Ontario is moving forward with their plan to test universal basic income.
08.01.2016
Crash-Proof Humans, GMO Mosquitoes, and CEO Pay vs. Stock Performance
Researchers created a (hypothetical) human body evolved to withstand car crashes. Genetically modified mosquitoes could save millions of lives. Plus, higher compensation for CEOs doesn’t indicate better long-term business performance: Why?
07.25.2016
Lab-Grown Human Leather, Minesweeping Drones, and Acoustic LEGOs
An artist proposes making human-leather fashion grown from Alexander McQueen’s DNA, raising genetic ownership questions. Drones might dismantle land mines quickly and safely. Plus, engineers designed interlocking blocks that change and encode sound.
07.18.2016
Bread Materials Science, Painted Cow Rumps, and Police Violence Rates
Researchers are making aerospace insulation out of bread. Saving both cows and lions from harm may be as simple as painting eyes on the cows’ rumps. Plus: Are gun violence and police violence on the rise, or are we just...
07.11.2016
Transhumanism, Tesla’s Car Accident, and Your Brain on Weed
The U.S. has a Transhumanist Party presidential candidate: What IS transhumanism? A car accident is raising questions about the safety and responsibility of autonomous vehicles. Plus, a study indicates that marijuana has a long-term impact on emotions.
07.04.2016
Chatbot Fixes Tickets, Moving Hurts Kids, and Man Marries Smartphone
A chatbot has helped people save $4 million in unfair parking tickets. A comprehensive study linked moving during adolescence to adverse life outcomes. Plus, some people fall in love with inanimate objects: It’s called objectum sexuality.
06.27.2016
Shocking Chocolate, Flowing Shampoo, and Illegal Evidence
Applying an electric charge to chocolate makes it flow easier and removes fat. New research may end the eternal struggle to get that last bit of shampoo out of the bottle. Plus, a Supreme Court decision loosens the reins on...
06.20.2016
Black Market Avocados, Exercise-Enhanced Memory, and a Heat-Powered Polymer
A crime wave in New Zealand is targeting avocados. Exercise a few hours after studying may enhance memory recall. Plus, heating this polymer to human body temperature can make it do some heavy lifting.

What's HowStuffWorks NOW about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

HowStuffWorks NOW episodes:

Why We're Not Sex Zombies, Wednesday's Pronunciation, and British Lawyers' Wigs

Reheated Coffee, More Comfortable Mammograms, and the Chemist Who Created Home Ec

Missing Limbs, Naked Mole Rats, and a Blood-Red Waterfall

Gender Bias in the Supreme Court, Stair Climbing vs. Caffeine, and Teens Are OK, Really

Cannibalism Nutrition, a Border Wall Hyperloop, and the FBI's Facial Recognition

Thought Experiment: Transhumanism and Space Exploration

A U.S. Space Force, Why the Weather's Getting Stuck, and Maple Syrup Medicine

Scattering Ashes, Circular Airport Runways, and the TSA's Power Over Electronics

Bird Poop Politics, Double Pregnancies, and How 'Citizens' Became 'Consumers'

The Psychology of Picky Eating, the Secret Service's Services, and a Self-Driving Car Kit

What Happens When You Swallow a Leech?

Stealing Sand, Communicating via Poop, and Clinical Trial Participation

Hallucinogenic Honey, Squid Brains, and Why Hot Food Is So Satisfying

Face Punching Legality, Misophonia, and Ties Between Honesty and Profanity

The Danger Episode: Solar Flares, Cosmic Rays, and App Terms of Service

Virgin Shark Births, Weighted Anxiety Blankets, and a Border Wall's Impact on Wildlife

The Blood of the Young, Crustacean Bioweapons, and Our Oldest Ancestor

Tornadoes Demystified, Global Medicine, and Why the President's First 100 Days Matter

Wonder Woman's Creator, School Suspensions' Effects, and Charging in Airplane Mode

Gun Violence Contagion, Pregnancy Brain, and Dirty Towels

Lunar Lava Caves, Letting Kids Lose, and Air-Seat Shrinkage

Asparagus Pee Science, Tardigrades' Weird Mating Habits, and Criminal Software

The Bees of the Sea, Tasting Garlic Via Skin, and Probing Alpha Centauri

When Christmas Was Illegal, and Why 2016 Will Be One Second Longer

Space Poop, Contact Congress and Elf on the Shelf

Conversational Eye Contact, Presidential Housing, and Samoan Solar Energy

A Hot Tub of Despair, Fast Bats, and Teen Tech Creators

Whether California Could Secede, Spotify's Destructive Bug, and Ambient Music Therapy

A Sweating Robot, the Best Way to Merge, and What Your Phone Battery Wants

History’s Worst Coffee, Learning Without Concentrating, and Why America Votes on Tuesdays

Robots that Live in Your Clothes, the Life of Jack Chick, and the Smell of Water

A Weird Keystone Species, Julian Assange's Internet Access, and a Vicious Facebook Cycle

A Driver with Quadriplegia, A Chair to Help You Wait, and Who The Joneses Were, Anyway

What Your Walk Says, How Horses Communicate, and Whether Airbag Helmets Are Safer

A Secret Nuclear Base, A Rosetta Retrospective, and A Petition for Saudi Women’s Rights

Outlawing Sarcasm, an Antikythera Skeleton, and a Falling Space Station

Your Cat Is Bored, Robots Will Eliminate Jobs, and China Has Ancient Superhero Myths

Cuttlefish Can Count, Catfish Catch Mice, and China Wants a Sea Lab

Spiders Overshare, Women’s Autism Is Underdiagnosed, and Earth’s in a New Epoch

A Squishy Octobot, A Legal Heroin Safe House, and MS Excel vs. Genetics

Venus May Have Been Habitable, Chemtrail Theories Are Bunk, and Dogs Love Us More Than Food

Vigilante Humpback Whales, Parasitic Guinea Worms, and Your Musical Personality

Geology Confirms a Myth, Private Industry Shoots for the Moon, and Ontario Plans to Give Away Money

Crash-Proof Humans, GMO Mosquitoes, and CEO Pay vs. Stock Performance

Lab-Grown Human Leather, Minesweeping Drones, and Acoustic LEGOs

Bread Materials Science, Painted Cow Rumps, and Police Violence Rates

Transhumanism, Tesla’s Car Accident, and Your Brain on Weed

Chatbot Fixes Tickets, Moving Hurts Kids, and Man Marries Smartphone

Shocking Chocolate, Flowing Shampoo, and Illegal Evidence

Black Market Avocados, Exercise-Enhanced Memory, and a Heat-Powered Polymer