Smartest Year Ever

Can art be so beautiful it literally overwhelms your brain? In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy explores the bizarre and fascinating world of Stendhal Syndrome—a mysterious condition where people experience dizziness, palpitations, even hallucinations in response to aesthetic overload. From the Renaissance masterpieces of Florence to the neuroscience of emotional regulation, this story blends psychology, art theory, and neurology into one unforgettable ride through the power of beauty.

You’ll hear about:

• The real-life tourists who fainted after seeing Botticelli.
  

• A 19th-century writer whose breakdown gave the syndrome its name.
  

• Why your brain sometimes can’t handle sublime art—and what that says about human consciousness.
  

• The connection to other culture-bound syndromes like Jerusalem Syndrome and Paris Syndrome.
  

• And what science has to say about the line between awe and overload.
  

Whether it's a myth, a metaphor, or a real neurological event, Stendhal Syndrome is a reminder that beauty might just be too much for some brains to handle.

Sources

• Magherini, G. (1989). La Sindrome di Stendhal. Feltrinelli Editore.
  

• Kunitz, D. (2013). Can You Die From Beauty? The Daily Beast.
  

• Tatu, L., et al. (2020). Stendhal Syndrome: Between Neurology and Psychiatry. Revue Neurologique, 176(3).
  

• Nayeri, F. (2018). When Art Is Too Much to Take. The New York Times.
  

• Freeland, C. (2001). But Is It Art? An Introduction to Art Theory. Oxford University Press.
  

#StendhalSyndrome #psychology #neuroscience #artlovers #BrainFacts #DidYouKnow #mentalhealth

Music thanks to Zapsplat.

What’s the longest anyone has ever stayed awake—and what actually happens to your brain when you push the limits of sleep deprivation?

In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy dives into the wild, real-life story of a 17-year-old student who broke the boundaries of human endurance in the name of science—and lived to tell the tale. From hallucinations and microsleeps to the strange truth behind why your brain literally cleans itself during deep sleep, this is one of the most fascinating stories in the history of neuroscience.

Why did Guinness ban sleep deprivation records? What’s the deal with the brain’s glymphatic system? And is it really possible to die from not sleeping?

This episode is part of Brain Week—a 7-day exploration of the mind’s weirdest, wildest, and most misunderstood quirks.

Don’t miss it.

Sources:

• Dement, W. C. (1999). The Promise of Sleep. Delacorte Press.
  

• Durmer, J. S., & Dinges, D. F. (2005). Neurocognitive consequences of sleep deprivation. Seminars in Neurology, 25(1), 117–129.
  

• Mednick, S. C., Nakayama, K., & Stickgold, R. (2002). The restorative effect of naps on perceptual deterioration. Nature Neuroscience, 5, 677–681.
  

• National Sleep Foundation. (n.d.). What happens when you don’t sleep?
  

• BBC Future. (2021). The strange tale of the teenager who stayed awake for 11 days. 

• Harvard Health. (n.d.). What happens when you don’t sleep?
  

#SleepDeprivation #BrainFacts #SmartestYearEver #Neuroscience #DailyFacts #SleepScience Music thanks to Zapsplat.

Welcome to Brain Week on Smartest Year Ever—a 7-day exploration of the most mind-blowing facts about the human brain. In today’s episode, Gordy takes aim at one of the most enduring neuromyths in pop culture: the claim that we only use 10 percent of our brains.

This idea shows up everywhere—from self-help gurus and pop psychology books to movies like Lucy and Limitless. But is there any truth to it? And where did this weird myth even come from?

Along the way, Gordy unpacks the real story behind William James, tracks down a confusing sidetrack involving child prodigy William James Sidis (highest IQ ever?), and reveals what modern neuroscience can actually tell us about brain usage.

You’ll hear about:

• The real origin of the “10% myth”
  

• Why functional MRI scans disprove it
  

• What Sidis had to do with made-up IQ scores of 300
  

• How your brain is more like a Las Vegas casino than an unused warehouse
  

• And why every part of your brain matters (just ask your neurologist)
  

Perfect for fans of neuroscience, psychology, and viral myths that just won’t die.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with someone who still quotes that 10% line. And stay tuned all week long for more astonishing facts during Brain Week!

Sources

• Beyerstein, B. L. (1999). Whence Cometh the Myth that We Only Use Ten Percent of Our Brains? In S. Della Sala (Ed.), Mind Myths: Exploring Popular Assumptions About the Mind and Brain (pp. 3–24). John Wiley & Sons.
  

• Jarrett, C. (2014). All You Need To Know About The 10 Percent Brain Myth, In 60 Seconds. Wired Magazine.
  

• Boyd, R. (2008, February 7). Do People Only Use 10 Percent Of Their Brains? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-people-only-use-10-percent-of-their-brains/
  

• Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Ruscio, J., & Beyerstein, B. L. (2010). 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions About Human Behavior. Wiley-Blackwell.
  

#BrainFacts #Neuroscience #PsychologyMyths #MindBlown #SmartestYearEver Music thanks to Zapsplat.

Why do we read from left to right? It seems natural—but it’s far from universal. Some languages go right to left. Others go top to bottom. And in ancient times, some scripts flipped directions each line, like an ox turning in a field.

In this episode, Gordy investigates the surprising reasons why reading direction varies across cultures—and how it’s shaped not by our brains, but by our hands, tools, and history.

From ancient Greek scribes to Roman copycats, and from stone chisels to ink-soaked reed pens, discover how practical choices became permanent habits. And why we still read the way we do today.

Perfect for fans of writing systems, linguistics, cultural history, and the hidden logic of everyday things.

➡️ Watch to find out what tool choices scribes made over 2,000 years ago that still shape our reading habits now.

Sources:

• Coulmas, F. (1989). The Writing Systems of the World. Blackwell Publishing.
  

• Daniels, P. T., & Bright, W. (Eds.). (1996). The World's Writing Systems. Oxford University Press.
  

• Sampson, G. (1985). Writing Systems: A Linguistic Introduction. Stanford University Press.
  

• Robinson, A. (2007). The Story of Writing. Thames & Hudson.
  

• National Museum of Language. (n.d.). Writing Direction in Different Scripts.
  

• Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). Why Do Some Languages Write Left to Right and Others Right to Left?
  

#WritingSystems #ReadingDirection #LeftToRight #LinguisticsFacts #CulturalHistory Music thanks to Zapsplat.

Why do some countries drive on the left side of the road… while others drive on the right?

It’s one of those strange things we never think about—but it’s not based on engineering, safety, or modern logic. It goes back to knights, horses, class warfare, revolutions, and colonialism—and a few extremely dramatic moments in history that permanently altered the way people move through the world.

From ancient Roman chariots to the French Revolution, from Napoleon's conquests to a massive overnight road-switch called Dagen H, this episode peels back the pavement on one of the world’s weirdest cultural splits.

This is Episode 200 of the Smartest Year Ever. Buckle up—this one’s global.

Sources:

• Lethbridge, C. (2012). Driving on the Left or Right: Origins and Reasons. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-16245391
  

• McCarthy, T. (2015). Why Do the British Drive on the Left? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/shortcuts/2015/feb/16/why-do-the-british-drive-on-the-left
  

• Reid, C. (2015). Roads Were Not Built for Cars. Island Press.
  

• Swedish National Road Administration. (1967). Dagen H: The Changeover to Right-Hand Traffic in Sweden.
  

#DrivingHistory #RoadRules #GlobalCulture #SmartestYearEver #WorldFacts #DailyKnowledge

Music thanks to Zapsplat.

 Who was the first person ever busted for speeding? And how fast was he going? Gordy takes you back to the bizarre, steam-powered birth of traffic laws—when the speed limit was 2 miles per hour, and men waving red flags had to walk in front of cars.

In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, we explore the world’s first speed limits, the wild origin of automotive laws, and the truly unhinged way authorities handled “dangerous” new tech. From steam tractors to bicycle chases, you’ll get a wild ride through Victorian-era overregulation, protectionist policies, and one very bold man with a heavy foot.

If you’ve ever questioned modern traffic enforcement—or cursed at a school zone sign—this one’s for you.

Like and subscribe to keep up every single day on our quest to become the World’s Greatest Conversationalists.

Sources:

• Plowden, D. (1971). The Motor Car and Politics: 1896–1970. The Bodley Head.
  

• Department for Transport (UK). (2021). A Short History of Road Safety.
  

• BBC News. (2010). First UK speeding fine was in Kent in 1896.
  

• Historic UK. The Red Flag Act.
  

• City of Boston Archives. (1903). Ordinances Relating to the Use of Automobiles and Motor Vehicles.
  

#SpeedingHistory #TransportationFacts #TrafficLaws #SteamEngines #DailyFacts Music thanks to Zapsplat.

 Most people never question it—but why are pencils always yellow? Were they always that way? And who decided yellow was the right color?

In this episode, Gordy digs deep into the surprising history behind one of the most familiar objects on your desk. From imperial China to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, you’ll learn how a color associated with royalty, luxury, and exoticism became the default shade of classroom supplies. This is a story of branding, graphite, and international mystique—not utility.

So if you've ever stared blankly at a No. 2 pencil and wondered why it looks the way it does… you’re not alone. And you’re about to find out.

Sources:

• Petroski, H. (1990). The pencil: A history of design and circumstance. Knopf.
  

• Staedtler. (n.d.). Why Are Pencils Yellow? Retrieved from https://www.staedtler.com/intl/en/discover/why-are-pencils-yellow
  

• Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.koh-i-noor.cz/en/about-us
  

• Smithsonian Magazine. (n.d.). How the Pencil Became Yellow. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/how-the-pencil-became-yellow-90312250/
  

• Rees, J. (1990). The pencil: A history of design and circumstance. Knopf.
  

#HistoryOfEverydayThings #DesignFacts #BrandingHistory #SmartestYearEver #CuriosityDriven Music thanks to Zapsplat.

Why does “buccaneer” mean pirate? It wasn’t always about swords and sea raids. The word buccaneer has a much stranger backstory—one that starts with wild pigs, Indigenous cooking methods, and a crew of angry Frenchmen smoking meat in the Caribbean.

In this episode, Gordy traces how a word that once meant “guy who slow-cooks feral pork on a wooden rack” drifted into naval warfare, state-sanctioned raiding, and eventually into the Golden Age of Piracy. Along the way, you’ll meet real historical buccaneers, uncover how privateering blurred the lines between war and crime, and even discover a surprise connection to modern barbecue.

From the shores of Hispaniola to bottles of spiced rum, the story of “buccaneer” is more bizarre—and more delicious—than you might think.

Follow along to uncover the strange origin of a word you thought you understood.

Sources:

• Keegan, W. F. (2020). The Caribbean before Columbus. Oxford University Press.
  

• Marley, D. (2012). Daily Life of Pirates. Greenwood Press.
  

• Oxford English Dictionary. (n.d.). Entry for buccaneer.
  

• BBC History. (n.d.). The Real Pirates of the Caribbean. 

• Smithsonian Magazine. (n.d.). The Real History of Pirates.
  

• National Park Service. (n.d.). Barbecue: A History.
  

#piratehistory #wordorigins #historyfacts #languagefacts #etymology #SmartestYearEver #pirates #buccaneer Music thanks to Zapsplat.

Some flames never die—and they don’t need a match to start.

In today’s episode, Gordy investigates the wild phenomenon of natural eternal flames—fires that have been burning for decades or centuries, powered by nothing but Earth’s leaking gases. From a burning mountain in Azerbaijan to a flickering flame behind a New York waterfall, these natural wonders reveal the geological secrets right beneath our feet.

Why do these flames keep going? What fuels them? And what can they tell us about our planet’s inner workings—or even about life on other worlds?

If you’ve ever wondered whether nature can light a pilot light and walk away forever, this is the one to watch.

Like, follow, and subscribe if you want to keep getting smarter every single day.

Sources

• Etiope, G., & Schoell, M. (2014). Abiotic Gas in Hydrate-Bearing Sediments: The Eternal Flames Case Study. Marine and Petroleum Geology.
  

• Johnson, E. W. (2013). Methane Seepage and Eternal Flames: Geochemical Evidence from Chestnut Ridge Park, NY. Chemical Geology.
  

• Guliyev, I. S., et al. (2018). Mud Volcanoes of Azerbaijan. Springer.
  

• Haines, L. (2007). The Baba Gurgur Burn: A Historical Review of Kirkuk’s Eternal Fire. Journal of Near Eastern Studies.
  

• Valdiya, K. S. (2011). Sacred Eternal Flames of Jwala Ji: Geological Controls. Indian Journal of Geosciences.
  

#eternalflames #naturalwonders #earthscience #geologyfacts #firephenomena 

Music thanks to Zapsplat.

What was the largest land mammal to ever walk the Earth? Gordy digs into the prehistoric past to uncover one of the most jaw-dropping megabeasts you've never heard of. Think rhino meets giraffe meets double-decker bus—but real. With fossil evidence stretching across Asia and competing contenders for the crown, this episode explores the true giants of the mammalian world, how they lived, and why they vanished.

If you're into prehistoric animals, megafauna, paleontology, or just want a wild card animal fact to drop in conversation, this is one of the biggest episodes we’ve done—literally.

💡Follow along for a new, mind-expanding fact every single day. Comment, like, and share with someone who still thinks dinosaurs were the biggest thing to ever walk the Earth.

Sources:

• Prothero, D. R. (2013). Rhinoceros Giants: The Paleobiology of Indricotheres. Indiana University Press.
  

• Larramendi, A. (2016). Proboscideans: Shoulder height, body mass and shape. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 61(3), 537–574.
  

• Fortelius, M., & Kappelman, J. (1993). The largest land mammal ever imagined. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 108(1), 85–101.
  

• Naish, D. (2014). Palaeoloxodon: the largest terrestrial mammal of all time? Scientific American Blogs.
  

#prehistoricanimals #landmammals #megafauna #paleontology #animalfacts #dailyfacts #didyouknow # paraceratherium #palaeoloxodon Music thanks to Zapsplat.