BrainStuff

BrainStuff

Whether the topic is popcorn or particle physics, you can count on BrainStuff to explore -- and explain -- the everyday science in the world around us.

Episodes

May 31, 2023 6 mins

Terms like 'alpha wolf' are misleading -- in the wild, wolf packs are ruled by the wolves' parents, not through a pecking order. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/wolf-pack-mentality.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

Einsteinium is a heavy, radioactive element that only exists on Earth when humans create it. Learn how it was first discovered and what we're still learning about it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/einsteinium.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

Bulletproof vests have certainly saved lives, but exactly how bulletproof are they? Learn what they're made of and how they can fail to protect wearers in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/how-bulletproof-are-bulletproof-vests.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
May 27, 2023 6 mins

We've teamed up with the podcast On the Job to bring you a preview of episode 4: If You Build A Pizza Oven, They Will Come. Jake Wright is a self-described rambling pizza rover. After a failed attempt at a career in music production, Jake decided to combine the two things in life that most excite him: pizza and welding. Now, he tows his mobile pizza oven around Texas, making pizzas at music festivals and rodeos.

See omnystudio.com/l...

Mark as Played

Before the U.S. Civil War, American mercenaries called 'filibusters' attempted to claim territory in Mexico and Central America for themselves. Learn about the well-deserved fate of one William Walker in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/william-walker.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

The etymology of the term 'piggyback' goes back to the 1500s, when it had nothing to do with pigs. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/piggyback-ride.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

In the United Kingdom in the 1800s, anatomists wanted to study real bodies, but laws and cultural stigma made bodies hard to come by. Learn how the shocking Burke & Hare murder trials changed that in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/burke-and-hare-murderers-for-moneyand-science.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
May 20, 2023 6 mins

We've teamed up with the podcast On the Job to bring you a preview of episode 3: Four Decades and Counting. Meet Terri Weldon, who has been working for Express Employment Professionals for over 40 years. She shares her secrets to long-term professional happiness -- ones that can apply to any workplace.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
May 19, 2023 8 mins

The Utahraptor was the largest known raptor -- up to 800 pounds, about the size of a large black bear or small grizzly. Learn how salt helped preserve their fossils in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/dinosaurs/utahraptor.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
May 17, 2023 6 mins

Artists and sculptors have adorned their work with foliate heads for over a thousand years, but the myth of the Green Man only goes back a century. Learn how this motif became an icon in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/green-man.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
May 15, 2023 8 mins

Many of our ideas about Cleopatra are based in contemporary propaganda and later pop culture, from Shakespeare to cinema. Learn the truth behind some of these myths in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/cleopatra.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
May 13, 2023 6 mins

We've teamed up with the podcast On the Job to bring you a preview of episode 2: A Mother to the Rescue. As a thrill seeker and born caretaker, Aysia Bly found her dream job as a pediatric flight nurse — where she performs her duties while soaring above Philly in a helicopter. But the job is inherently dangerous, and as a mom to a young son, Aysia must contend with that risk every day.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

Mark as Played

Brightly colored fruit stands out against green leaves, but why is some red or pink, while others skew yellow or purple? And why are some fruits smellier than others? Learn what new research says about fruits' evolution in this episode of BrainStuff.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

In the late 1800s, a Georgian businessman retooled a giant painting of the Battle of Atlanta to portray the South winning. Learn the history of this epic cyclorama -- and where you can see it today -- in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-civil-war/atlanta-cyclorama.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

You can miss a period for lots of reasons other than pregnancy. Learn how stress (be it mental or physical), illness, and other factors can prevent menstruation in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/pregnancy/conception/5-common-reasons-for-late-period.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

Cans make preserving and transporting food and drinks simple, but canning technology is very complex. Learn the history of pull-tabs and can openers in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://money.howstuffworks.com/food-cans-pull-tabs.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
May 6, 2023 14 mins

We’ve teamed up with the podcast On the Job to bring you a preview of their new season. In this first episode, ‘Now’s the Time’, economist, author, and baseball fan Michael Walden gives us a macro look at an economy that has bounced back surprisingly well post-COVID, and offers a generally favorable outlook about what’s coming down the pike. You can purchase his 'economic thrillers' at this Amazon Author Page.

See omnystudio.com/lis...

Mark as Played

Every May, the U.S. celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in recognition of the contributions of this diverse group, past and present. Learn how two women campaigned to get it started in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural-traditions/aapi-month-may.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

A genus of flatworms called banded broodsacs have a lifecycle that seems to involve purposefully getting eaten first by snails and then by birds, using a combination of biomimicry and biohacking. Learn about Leucochloridium worms in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/parasitic-worms-snails.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

The first machine for computation was designed in the 1800s! Learn how its creators, Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace, set about inventing it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/who-invented-the-computer.htm

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

The Latest News

Popular Podcasts

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.

    Crime Junkie

    If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.

    CounterClock

    In order to tell the story of a crime, you have to turn back time. Every season, Investigative journalist Delia D'Ambra digs deep into a mind-bending mystery with the hopes of reigniting interest in a decades old homicide case.

    Morbid

    It’s a lighthearted nightmare in here, weirdos! Morbid is a true crime, creepy history and all things spooky podcast hosted by an autopsy technician and a hairstylist. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor.

    20/20

    Unforgettable true crime mysteries, exclusive newsmaker interviews, hard-hitting investigative reports and in-depth coverage of high profile stories.

Advertise With Us

Follow Us On

Hosts And Creators

Josh Clark

Josh Clark

Jonathan Strickland

Jonathan Strickland

Ben Bowlin

Ben Bowlin

Lauren Vogelbaum

Lauren Vogelbaum

Cristen Conger

Cristen Conger

Christian Sager

Christian Sager

Show Links

AboutStore

For You

    Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

    Connect

    © 2023 iHeartMedia, Inc.