The Best of Stuff

Latest Episodes:

FunStuff Playlist 02: Why Are Some Words Funny? Mar 20, 2020

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Words like 'poop' and 'wiggle' are inherently humorous, and science may have figured out why. Learn what science has to say about why some words tickle us in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Offbeat History: The Great Moon Hoax of 1835, Part 1 Mar 20, 2020

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This offbeat 2015 episode covers a series of 1835 news articles about some utterly mind-blowing discoveries made by Sir John Herschel about the lunar surface. The serial had everything: moon poppies, goat-like unicorns, lunar beavers and even bat people.

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FunStuff Playlist 04: Do Humans and Bananas Really Share Half Their DNA? Mar 20, 2020

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You may have heard that people share about 50 percent of their DNA with bananas, and while there's a seed of truth to that, it's not quite right. Learn about our genetic similarity to fruit and other life forms in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Offbeat History: The Mystery of the Devil’s Footprints Mar 20, 2020

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In October 2017, we talked about mysterious prints that looked like hoof marks appeared all over the English seaside county of Devon in February 1855.

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FunStuff Playlist 08: Can Absurdly Big Numbers Be Useful? Mar 20, 2020

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The bigger that numbers get, the harder they are for us to conceive of -- but that doesn't mean they can't be useful. Learn about some just ridiculously huge numbers in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Offbeat History: The Great Moon Hoax of 1835, Part 2 Mar 20, 2020

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The second part of this offbeat revisit! As the New York Sun's series of astonishing moon discoveries concluded, most people recognized that it was a hoax. But what made people buy into the tall tale in the first place?

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FunStuff Playlist 01: Why Do Flying Squirrels Glow Hot Pink in UV Light? Mar 20, 2020

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As it turns out, most flying squirrels glow hot pink in ultraviolet light. Learn what researchers think may be the reason in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Offbeat History: The Crash at Crush and Other Train Wreck Spectacles Mar 20, 2020

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In fall 2017, we talked about a strange cultural phenomenon. For a brief window from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, people in the United States were watching train wrecks for fun.

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Offbeat History: A Culinary History of Spam Mar 20, 2020

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Back in 2014, we tackled SPAM's story. This famous Hormel Foods product was invented in the 1930s to make use of a surplus of shoulder meat from pigs. It played a huge role in WWII, and shaped the cuisines of many Pacific Island nations.

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FunStuff Playlist 09: How Did Desi Arnaz Change Television? Mar 20, 2020

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Lucille Ball's ex-husband wasn't just her 'I Love Lucy' co-star and writing partner -- Desi Arnaz changed the way television is produced and watched. Learn about his contributions to the industry in this episode of BrainStuff.

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