Brainstuff

People who live in areas that depend on cars for transportation may be so used to car alarms that they ignore them completely -- but that doesn't mean the alarms aren't useful. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people know Shel Silverstein for his books of children's poetry like "Where the Sidewalk Ends," but he was a prolific writer. Learn more about Silverstein's life in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a lot of (valid, understandable) fear about novel Coronavirus in the news -- it can be deadly, but you can protect yourself and your community. Learn how -- and what Coronavirus is -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our bodies are used to fairly regular patterns of sleep and wakefulness, and moving across time zones can mess that up royally. Learn why -- and what you can do to prevent it -- in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Astronauts have left over a hundred items on the moon's surface. Learn what telescopes are powerful enough to spot them in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We humans have blood types that help determine what transfusions we can give and receive -- and other animals do too. Learn about cat, dog, and horse blood types, among others, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legal pads' defining characteristics all date back to the turn of the 20th century. Learn how they came about in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smallpox epidemics swept the colonies several times, but one African-American man known as Onesimus helped save Boston from the brunt of it. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone's brain works a little differently, but research shows that there's a time of day when most of us make decisions quickly, and another when most of us make decisions accurately. Learn when both occur in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most hedgehog bodies are not meant for supersonic speeds, but most hedgehogs are not Sonic. Learn how Sonic's speed compares with other animals and how he might survive in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All the times a character in science fiction has gotten tossed out an airlock got us wondering: What would really happen to the human body if it were exposed to space without a protective suit? Learn what we found in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're enjoying a delicious frozen treat, and then, suddenly, it hits: brain freeze! Learn why this short, stabbing pain occurs in today's classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King cake is a tasty part of Mardi Gras celebrations today, but the traditions behind it go way back. Learn about the history of king cake, and why many now come with a small plastic baby, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air pollution can carry the same compound that we use to make ink -- so why not capture that pollution and turn it into art? Learn how an innovative technology is making it possible in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may have heard of other animals' trips into space, but France's spacefaring cat, Félicette, has been all but lost to history. Learn about her journey in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vermont is considering a bill that would allow its drivers to add emoji to license plates -- and Queensland, Australia already has that option. Learn how it works in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black History Month helps celebrate the achievements and contextualize the experiences of black people in America, past and present. Learn the history behind it in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may have heard rumors that wireless internet is a health hazard, but, spoiler alert: It's probably just fine. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Car horns are both important safety feature and an instrument of rage. Learn the physics behind the honk in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crops like sugar and cotton are notoriously tied to slavery in the U.S. (and around the world), but indigo deserves infamy, too. Learn the dark history of this natural dye in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.