BrainStuff

Latest Episodes:

How Does Building Muscle Work? Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

Building muscle isn't just about getting ripped -- it's a way all of us can be healthier. Learn about the facts and fictions behind building muscle (aka mucle hypertrophy) in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/exercise/hypertrophy.htm

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Deinonychus: The Dinosaur That Sparked a Renaissance Mar 06, 2026

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The discovery of Deinonychus, an agile theropod that may have hunted in packs, changed the way we think about dinosaurs -- and inspired 'Jurassic Park' to boot. Learn about Deinonychus and the real (smaller) Velociraptor in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/dinosaurs/deinonychus.htm

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How Do Scales Measure Weight? Mar 05, 2026

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Scales range from simple machines that weigh your produce to precision instruments that measure anything from molecules to massive cargo -- but they all work on related principles. Learn how different types of scales work in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/fitness/digital-scale.htm

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How Did the Penn Center Become a Civil Rights Sanctuary? Feb 23, 2026

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In South Carolina, the first school for formerly enslaved people during the Civil War shifted to become a center for social activism during the Civil Rights movement, and stands today as a landmark of African American culture and history. Learn more about the Penn Center in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-civil-war/penn-center-strategic-secret-pivotal-to-civil-rights-movement.htm

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BrainStuff Classics: Why Is Cramming the Worst Way to Study? Feb 21, 2026

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Cramming for a test or other deadline may give you decent short-term results, but research shows it sacrifices long-term comprehension and memory. Learn why study methods like spacing and interleaving are better in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/why-cramming-is-worst-way-to-study.htm

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How Can We Separate Ninja Fact from Ninja Fiction? Feb 20, 2026

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Over a few hundred years, real stories about secretive agents developed into the legend of the ninja. Learn how this myth captured the world's imagination -- and about the work being done at the world's first International Ninja Research Center -- in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/first-ninja-research-center-out-to-solve-myth-behind-legend.htm

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How Did 'Bourgeois' Become a Bad Word? Feb 19, 2026

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The French word 'bourgeois' originally just meant a middle-class town dweller, but it's taken on a lot of different (and often derogatory) connotations over the centuries, including in the English slang term 'bougie'. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/bourgeoisie.htm

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How Did the Jane Collective Work? Feb 18, 2026

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When abortion was illegal throughout the U.S., it was still perfomed -- just dangerously or expensively. Learn about the Jane Collective -- an underground network that helped people access safe, affordable, illegal abortions -- in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/jane-collective.htm

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How Do Ducks Float? Feb 17, 2026

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Ducks can hold extra air in their feathers and bodies, making it easy for them to float -- and to squeeze out the air and dive when they want to. Learn more about ducks and bouyancy in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/duck-float.htm

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BrainStuff Classics: What Was the Emu War? Feb 01, 2026

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Following World War II, Austrialia became embroiled in another war -- with a population of emu. Learn how the Emu War unfolded in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/ridiculous-history-emu-war.htm

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