The BrainFood Show

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Latest Episodes:

The Dumbest Murders that Resulted in the Trial of the Century Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

⁠⁠In this episode of The Brain Food Show, we start by looking at how exactly Al Capone got the scars that got him the nickname “Scarface”.

Moving on to the meat of today’s episode, we jump into the rather interesting story behind one of the many so called “trial of the century” of the 20th century. In this case involving a housewife and her lover and their plot to murder her husband. We also discuss the case of the first woman ever to be executed in an electric chair and one of the most iconic journalistic photos ever taken.

In the Bonus Facts today, we look at the first two women ever to be sentenced to death via the electric chair, what they did to get that sentence, and how they both got off.

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Was the First Jet Plane Really Flown in 1910? Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

In October 1910, the city of Paris played host to a historic event: the Second International Aeronautical Exhibition, a grand showcase of the very latest in aviation technology. To the average visitor, the rickety canvas-and-wire flying machines lining the halls of the Grand Palais [“Grahn Pal-ay”] would have seemed exotic and cutting-edge. But one exhibit stood out among the rest. Set aside in a separate exhibition hall, the brick-red aircraft was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. Its sleek wings lacked the drag-producing bracing wires that festooned most contemporary aircraft, while its tail featured unique x-shaped stabilizers. But strangest of all, the odd contraption lacked a seemingly vital component: a propeller. Instead, the aircraft was propelled by an unusual barrel-shaped device mounted to its nose which its creator, Romanian-born Henri Coanda, dubbed a “turbo-propulsor” - the ancestor of the modern jet engine. Later in life, Coanda would claim that his creation was the first jet-powered aircraft to take to the air - a title traditionally claimed by the German-built Heinkel He-178 on August 27, 1939. But is this true? Did the first jet aircraft actually fly all the way back in 1910, barely seven years after the Wright Brothers’ pioneering flight? The answer is a lot more complicated than you might think, and depends a great deal on how you define the term “jet aircraft.” This is the controversial story of the Coanda 1910, a forgotten aircraft decades ahead of its time. Author: Gilles Messier Host/Editor: Daven Hiskey Producer: Samuel Avila

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Prison Break- One of the Most Daring Aerial Missions in Military History Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

As the clocks struck noon on February 18, 1944, the citizens of Amiens, France, heard an ominous rumbling in the air and the crackling of anti-aircraft guns. Suddenly, from a blustery, overcast sky burst a flight of British de Havilland Mosquito light bombers. Roaring along at treetop level, the aircraft followed the long, straight Avenue de la Défence Passive towards their target: the looming brick and concrete hulk of Amiens Prison. A series of deafening blasts ripped through the air, and within minutes the aircraft were gone, leaving the prison walls a smoking ruin. In the ensuing chaos hundreds of prisoners, many of them members of the French Resistance, clambered out through the breaches and into the safety of the countryside, free to continue the fight against the occupying Nazis. Ramrod 564, better known as Operation Jericho, was one of the most daring air raids of the Second World War, dramatically showcasing the Royal Air Force’s ability to carry out pinpoint strikes and work in concert with allied resistance movements. But over the past 80 years the operation has become the subject of considerable controversy, with historians questioning whether it was worth the considerable collateral damage inflicted and even the motivations for the raid itself. This is the story of one of World War Two’s most contentious aerial operations.

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What would REALLY Happen to You if You Were Exposed to the Vacuum of Space Without a Space Suit? Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

In the climax of the groundbreaking 1968 science fiction film 2001: a Space Odyssey, astronaut Dave Bowman, the sole survivor of an ill-fated mission to Jupiter, finds himself locked out of his spacecraft by the psychotic computer HAL-9000. Though temporarily safe inside his EVA pod, having forgotten to put a helmet on his spacesuit - whoopsie-doodle - Bowman cannot even use the emergency airlock and faces a slow, agonizing death from suffocation. But for Bowman, as for so many astronauts, failure is simply not an option, so he resorts to drastic measures to get back aboard his ship. After using the remote manipulators on his pod to open the airlock door, he backs the pod hatch up to the opening, takes a deep breath, and fires the hatch’s explosive bolts, launching himself into the vacuum of space. What follows is one of the most extraordinary sequences ever put to film as Bowman bounces weightlessly around the airlock, nearly drifting back out into space before finally grabbing hold of the control panel, closing the outer door, and re-pressurizing the compartment. Safely back aboard Discovery, he finds a spare helmet and makes a beeline for HAL’s central processor where, in yet another iconic scene, he methodically lobotomizes the computer as it begs for mercy and sings an eerie, distorted version of ‘Daisy Bell.’ The director and cowriter of 2001, Stanley Kubrick, was a notorious perfectionist, and went to great lengths to ensure that not only the moon landings looked real, including going so far as insisting they be filmed on location, but also that this sci-fi epic was as scientifically and technically accurate as possible. But could Dave Bowman have actually survived such an unprotected sojourn into outer space? Or would he have frozen solid, his blood boiled, or even his body exploded as gruesomely depicted in so many other films like Total Recall, Gravity, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. II? Well strap on your space suit, or don’t, you do you- as we explore what actually happens if you were to venture unprotected into the final frontier, which it turns out is VERY different from what most people think. Along the way we’re going to learn a lot of interesting things about breathing, airplane and fighter pilot oxygenation, including how to get your spouse to conk out in a plane if you’re the pilot, that time a NASA astronaut accidentally poked a hole in his suit while on a space walk and NASA’s humorous reaction, and in the end the surprisingly long time you can survive in space without a space suit with no long term damage. Author: Gilles Messier Editor/Host: Daven Hiskey Producer: Samuel Avila 0:00 Intro 3:00 Pressure and Breathing and the Armstrong Limit 7:42 Exposed to the Vacuum 13:31 Will Your Blood Actually Boil? 17:14 Could Duct Tape Work as a Space Suit? 21:41 Would You Freeze Solid? 24:45 Summing Up and How Long Could You Survive Without a Space Suit?

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WTF is up with Twinkies? Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

In this food themed compilation, we are diving into what Twinkies are actually made of and how long they last before going bad, if there is any cheese in cheeze whiz, is it safe to eat cheese rinds The Cheese in Cheez Whiz, the Difference Between “Regular”, Virgin and Extra Virgin Olive Oils, The Momentous Peanut Butter Hearings, Tapioca and Cyanide, The Truth About the Surprisingly Recent Invention of the Tea Bag, and the Women Who Really Invented It, What are the Black Spots on Corn Chips?, Thomas Jefferson, The “First Foodie” of America, The Russian Roulette of Food- Japan’s Deadly Delicacy, Why Fruits Change Color and Flavor as They Ripen, How Cap’n Crunch Gave the World the iPhone and the Surprisingly Heated Debate Over Whether He’s Really a Captain, The Curious Case of the Fruit That Transforms Sour to Sweet, and the story of Hulk Hogan, George Foreman, and a Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Machine. 0:00 WTF is Up with Twinkies? 12:57 Is There Any Cheese in Cheez Whiz? 20:19 Is It Safe to Eat Cheese Rinds? 23:49 The Difference Between Regular, Virgin, and Extra Virgin Olive Oils 28:26 The Momentous Peanut Butter Hearings 38:58 Tapioca and Cyanide 43:04 The Truth About the Surprisingly Recent Invention of the Tea Bag, and the Women Who Really Invented It 48:43 What are the Black Spots on Corn Chips? 49:49 Thomas Jefferson, The “First Foodie” of America 57:49 The Russian Roulette of Food- Japan’s Deadly Delicacy 1:09:29 Why Fruits Change Color and Flavor as They Ripen 1:15:58 How Cap’n Crunch Gave the World the iPhone and the Surprisingly Heated Debate Over Whether He’s Really a Captain 1:27:22 The Curious Case of the Fruit That Transforms Sour to Sweet 1:31:10 Hulk Hogan, George Foreman, and a Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Machine

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You're Playing Monopoly Wrong and It's Making It Way Worse Sep 18, 2026

Show notes

⁠In this episode of The Brain Food Show, we start by looking at the interesting story behind where the Monopoly pieces came from.

Moving on to the meat of today’s episode, we jump into the truth about who actually invented Monopoly, which is not the person who has long been given credit for it. That guy, it turns out, flat out stole it from someone else and then proceeded to get rich off it while the original creator mostly got nothing.

We then move into the many, many ways everyone plays Monopoly wrong which is largely why it takes so long to play and lends itself to why it has a reputation for being a game sure to make everyone angry who plays it. If people would just read the rule book, turns out it’s a lot more fun when played the way it’s supposed to be played.

Finally we discuss Simon and Daven’s favorite movies, as well as get around to answering the question of whether horses actually sleep standing up, or just seem like they do.

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The Top Secret Mission to Steal Hitler's Radar Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

In the summer and autumn of 1940, the skies above Southern England were filled with tangling white and black contrails, the roar of aero engines, and the rattle of machine guns as the island nation fought desperately for its very survival. Many factors contributed to the Royal Air Force’s legendary victory over the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, from the brave pilots and ground crews of Fighter Command to the eagle-eyed spotters of the Royal Observer Corps and the fact that German escort fighters had only enough fuel to linger for thirty minutes over Britain. But one key factor stood out among all the others: radar. Known to the British as radio direction finding or RDF, radar allowed RAF Fighter Command to spot incoming German bombers the moment they left their bases in France and to direct fighter squadrons where they were most needed, making the most of scarce resources. But the British were not alone in the field of RDF, and soon German radar systems began inflicting atrocious losses on RAF bombers operating over the continent. If their strategic bombing offensive was to succeed, the British had to penetrate the secrets of German radar and develop effective countermeasures. So in early 1942, military leaders hatched a daring plan: a nighttime assault to snatch a German radar set and its operators from an isolated clifftop in Northern France. It was to be the baptism of fire for a fledgling unit that would soon go on to far greater glory - and infamy: the 1st Parachute Regiment AKA “The Paras”. This is the story of Operation Biting, the forgotten WWII raid to steal Hitler’s radar. Author: Gilles Messier Editor: Daven Hiskey Host: Simon Whistler Producer: Samuel Avila

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How Long Can You Live After Death? Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

Pushing daisies. Kicked the bucket. Bought the farm. Six feet under. Crossed over. Passed away. Shuffled off this mortal coil. It is said that the more important - or taboo - a concept is to a society, the more euphemisms that society will have for it, and death is no exception. Death is central to the human experience, with every culture on earth having developed elaborate rituals to mourn the deceased and help them go gentle into that good night. But…what is death, anyway? How is it actually defined? Author: Gilles Messier Host/Editor: Daven Hiskey Producer: Samuel Avila 0:00 Intro 2:45 How the Ancients Determined Death and the Disturbing Frequency of Burying People Alive 6:21 Changing the Game WITH SCIENCE! 9:22 So Where Does That Leave Us with the "When are They Dead?" Question? 29:44 What Killed George Washington and the Last Minute Pitch to Re-Animate His Days Old Dead Body

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What's the Difference Between Dynamite and TNT? Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Ever wonder what the difference between dynamite and TNT is or how they were invented? Well, wonder no more! Despite what the likes of AC/DC and Wile E. Coyote might have you believe, dynamite and TNT are very different substances with distinct properties. So what’s the difference between TNT and Dynamite? And just who invented them? Well, let’s find out as we dive into the fascinating and destructive history of these high explosives, and along the way in the Bonus Facts we’re also going to look at the truth about why there is no Nobel Prize for mathematics, which is likely to be different from what seemingly every mathematics professor the world over will tell you because, well, they are mathematicians, not historians. But to begin with, for much of modern human history, the only practical explosive available was black gunpowder, a mixture of charcoal, sulphur, and potassium nitrate AKA saltpetre. As covered in our previous video Who Invented Gunpowder, this mixture was likely discovered in China around the 9th Century C.E, making its way west across the Middle East to Europe by the 13th. Initially used in fireworks, it did not take long for gunpowder to find military uses, leading to the development of artillery and handheld firearms. It was also packed into various closed casings to produce explosive charges such as hand grenades, buried mines for breaching the walls and doors of fortifications, ‘torpedoes’ for defending harbours against ships, and shells and bombs for cannons and mortars. But while gunpowder completely changed the face of warfare, quickly rendering - for example - castles and plate armour obsolete, it also suffered from several serious drawbacks. For example, burning gunpowder produced large quantities of thick, white smoke... Author: Gilles Messier Host/Editor: Daven Hiskey Producer: Samuel Avila

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WTF is Up with Worcestershire Sauce? Is Honey Vegan? And Much More Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

In the episode today, we're looking at the rather disgusting ingredients of Worcestershire sauce and how it's made. Whether honey is vegan. How Cereal became part of a complete breakfast. What started the cops eating doughnuts stereotype. Who invented the Food Pyramid. How Napoleon helped invent margarine. Why Asian nations use chopsticks. The difference between brown and white eggs. How people used to use frogs to keep milk from spoiling. The corrupt individual that gave us Monterey jack cheese. And finally the Cornell professor who gave the world the chicken nugget. 00:00 What is in Worcestershire Sauce and Why is It Called That? 04:44 Is Honey Vegan? 09:45 How Did Cereal Become “Part of a Complete Breakfast”? 23:43 What Started the “Cops Eating Doughnuts” Stereotype 27:01 Who Invented the Food Pyramid? 36:20 Napoleon and the Invention of Margarine 42:30 Why Do Asian Nations Use Chopsticks? 45:50 The Difference Between Brown and White Eggs 51:07 Frogs and Milk- How to Keep Milk from Spoiling Without Refrigeration 53:50 The Corrupt and Ruthless Californian Who Gave us the Name for “Monterey Jack” Cheese 01:01:31 The Cornell Professor Who Gave Us the Chicken Nugget

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