BrainStuff

Latest Episodes:

How Were Neanderthals Smarter Than We Think? Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

Neanderthals have been portrayed as much less intelligent than humans, but they developed technologies and cultural practices similar to ours -- and sometimes much earlier. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Do Roadrunners Work? Feb 03, 2021

Show notes

These birds are the subject of a lot of myths, ancient and modern. Learn what roadrunners are really like in this episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Did Human-Skin Shoes Feature in a Politician's Wardrobe? Feb 02, 2021

Show notes

In the late 1800s, a doctor who autopsied a criminal had the man's skin made into human leather. Learn the macabre story in this episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Do Unrelated Species Develop Similar Traits? Feb 01, 2021

Show notes

Some traits and abilities -- like flight, for example -- are so useful that completely different species evolved them independently over time. Learn about convergent evolution (and divergent evolution) in this episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BrainStuff Classics: What on Earth Are Skyquakes? Jan 31, 2021

Show notes

There are plenty of potential reasons for a boom to rumble through the air, but skyquakes don't seem to be attached to any of the usual suspects. Learn more about these mysterious phenomena on BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BrainStuff Classics: How Do We Find Planets That Might Harbor Life? Jan 30, 2021

Show notes

Ross 128 b is an Earth-sized planet only 11 light years away that might have the right conditions to sustain life as we know it. Learn how scientists are studying it in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Often Should You Wash Your Pillow? Jan 29, 2021

Show notes

The pillows we sleep on can collect grime aplenty, but they can't all be washed the same way. Learn what the experts recommend in this episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the Difference Between Burrata and Mozzarella? Jan 28, 2021

Show notes

These two cheeses look similar on the outside, but it's what inside that counts. Learn about the differences between buratta and mozzarella, and how to use them, in this episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Do We See Faces in Inanimate Objects? Jan 27, 2021

Show notes

If you've ever seen a face in a cloud or thought your electrical outlet was looking at you funny, you've experienced pareidolia. But why does this happen so often? Learn more about how the eyes and brain work together in this episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Did 'The Green Book' Work? Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

For decades, 'The Green Book' was a lifeline connecting Black travelers in the U.S. with businesses that were happy to serve them. Learn how it got started in this episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.