Brainstuff

Hair is much softer than steel. So how can shaving cause a razor blade to dull? Learn how a few researchers figured out the answer -- and how they may provide a solution -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spoiler alert: Marie and Pierre Curie started the family that has won more Nobel prizes than any other in history. Learn the Curie family's story in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In some countries, important fossils are considered shared cultural heritage and can't be privately owned; in others, private sellers can make millions off dino fossils at auction. Learn more about owning dinosaur remains in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White House's Rose Garden is a presidential sanctuary and event space for gatherings big and small -- but how did it get started? Learn about the history of the Rose Garden in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's an urban myth that daddy longlegs are the world's most venomous spiders, but most creatures by this name are neither venomous nor spiders. Learn more about daddy longlegs in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hurricanes are the strongest storms on the planet, but there's a big difference between a Category 1 and a Category 5 (and all the storms in between). Learn more about how we classify hurricanes in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ancient Plesiosaurs moved through the water unlike any other animal since. Learn what recent research found about them in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In America, most of the Underground Railroad moved enslaved people north to freedom -- but Florida's Saltwater Underground Railroad moved people south, to the Bahamas. Learn how it worked in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know sunscreen can help save our skin, but new research indicates that most of us aren't using it correctly. Learn how to get the most out of your UV protection in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are adventures to be had everywhere, but we've picked a few of our favorite science-themed road trip destinations to spark your curiosity. Learn about beautiful places to explore fossils, geology, and rocket science in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tanuki are East Asian animals that look like a dog with the face of a raccoon. Learn about their behavior and the myths surrounding them in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new rover is on its way to Mars to search for signs of ancient life. Learn about the Perseverance and its mission (including testing the Ingenuity robotic helicopter) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent research has deepened our understanding of balloons' hair-raising effect. Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do people who back their cars into parking spaces slow down the flow, or are they the smartest in the lot? Learn what science has to say about it in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, but it's often also the closest planet to Earth. Learn why -- and lots of other strange-but-true facts about Mercury -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has been experiencing a shortage of coins in circulation. Learn why -- and what may help fix it -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andean condors are seriously fuel efficient -- they only flap their wings for one percent of their total time in the air! Learn more about these amazing birds in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These two alcohols can both be used to make hand sanitizer, but only ethyl alcohol is drinkable. Learn how ethanol and isopropanol differ in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frederick Douglass's skills as a writer an orator made him a face of the abolitionist movement and went on to help inform and inspire the Civil Rights movement. Learn more about Douglass in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As casual computer use shifts to touchscreens, the wear patterns on computer keyboards have evolved. Learn what keys now wear out first in this classic episode of BrainStuff Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.