Brainstuff

If you've ever gotten a painful shock from biting down on a piece of aluminum foil, it's becauce dental metal in your mouth formed a type of battery with the foil. Learn how it works in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bridge connecting San Francisco to the Marin Headlands was proposed 60 years before construction actually began. Learn how it finally happened (and why you shouldn't call the iconic Golden Gate Bridge 'red') in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tortoises are a type of turtle, but the differences among these reptiles aren't always clear. Learn more about these shelled reptiles in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Of all things to run low on during a pandemic: Why toilet paper? Learn the reasons behind the perceived shortage and empty shelves in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Glass isn't a liquid, but it's not quite a normal solid, either. Learn why glass is an amorphous solid (and why old window panes have ripples) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early 1800s, one swindler tricked hundreds of people into investing in a nonexistent country -- and even into moving there. Learn about Gregor MacGregor's invented kingdom of Poyais in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dressing up to feel powerful may have been a fashion fad of the 1970s and '80s, but do we really think and act differently if we wear formal clothes? Learn the psychology of power dressing in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clowns are usually goofy, raucous characters designed to be the life of any party. But they’re not universally adored. Learn why some people find clowns downright frightening in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The American dollar has been the de facto world currency for decades. Learn why -- and what would need to happen for that to change -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tiny South Pacific island nation of Niue is the first in the world to designated an International Dark Sky Place. Learn how it achieved this -- and why it's more than a title -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the world changing so quickly, it may seem strange that Plato is still so often required reading in philosophy and education programs. Learn why his work has survived in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The reef manta rays of eastern Australia are normally black and white, but one specimen is a shocking bight pink. Learn about the manta ray nicknamed Inspector Clouseau in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COVID-19 is not a foodborne illness, but to be careful, you might want to disinfect food packaging and fresh produce using a doctor-approved modified sterile technique. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fire extinguishers are nearly ubiquitous, and they can be invaluable, life-saving devices. Learn what’s inside those little red cylinders, and how they can stop a fire, in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GDP, GNP – what does it all mean? Learn what economists are saying when they bring up these common economic indicators in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mural 'The Last Supper' made da Vinci famous, but it wasn't what he wanted to work on at the time. Learn the history of the painting (and what historians still argue about within it) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's OK if you're confused by the concept of entropy -- it can mean different things in different situations and disciplines. Learn about the second law of thermodynamics in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a person is having trouble breathing on their own, ventilators can help keep them alive until the underlying problem can be treated. Learn how they work and how they're being improved in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ghee is a shelf-stable, nutty-flavored type of clarified butter. Learn how to make it and cook with it in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Because being a globetrotter isn't always practical, many cultural sites and museums have virtual tours available online. Learn about a few of our favorites in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.