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BrainStuff

iHeartPodcastswww.iheart.com
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.
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Episodes

Could Human Waste Feed Astronauts?

It sounds gross, but stick with us: Researchers are working on recycling astronauts' waste into food for edible stuff. Learn how (and why) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 23, 20184 min

Can Autonomous Vehicles Break the Speed Limit?

In the incredible future, robots may be able to drive your car -- but will they be able to speed? Today's self-driving cars can. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 22, 20183 min

An Ice Cream that Doesn't Melt

Researchers and chefs in Japan have invented an ice cream that doesn't melt on sunny days -- and it's all thanks to deformed strawberries. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 21, 20183 min

Can Used Books Spread Germs?

Libraries are bastions of knowledge -- but are they also bastions of germs? Short answer: Nope! For the long answer, tune in to this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 21, 20186 min

Did Velociraptors Really Hunt in Packs?

Did real-life raptors work together they way they do in 'Jurassic Park' movies? Do we even have the right raptors? Learn the leading theories in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 19, 20187 min

How Can Technology Help Stop Rhino Poachers?

A database of rhinoceros DNA is helping catch violent poachers looking to sell rhino horns on the black market. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 16, 20183 min

Can Magic Mushrooms Help Stop Depression?

Although psychadelic drugs are largely recreational these days, scientists are looking into potential therapeutic uses -- especially in patients for whom nothing else works. Learn how psilocybin may fight depression in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 16, 20184 min

Can You Be Addicted to Love?

Feelings of euphoria leading to obsessive behavior and potentially life-ruining decisions: Love can be as powerful as any drug. Learn how love affects the brain in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 15, 20184 min

Do Automatic Toilets Waste Water?

Automatic-flush toilets are supposed to be more sanitary, but does that come at an environmental price? Learn why phantom flushes happen and what the industry is doing about it in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 13, 20186 min

What Happens to Mardi Gras Beads?

Festive beads are key to New Orleans' Mardi Gras celebration, but they're also causing a major headache to the city's sanitation department. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 12, 20183 min

Can People Be Allergic to Water?

OK, it's not technically an allergy, but yes: People can have extreme skin reactions to water. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 09, 20183 min

How Much of the Internet Is Underwater?

Undersea internet cables connect continents and transmit virtual tons of data. Amidst concerns that these cables could be sabotaged, digital industry experts weigh in on this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 08, 20185 min

Are We in an Insect Armageddon?

A recent study found that bug biomass has been steadily decreasing -- in some areas, we may only have 25% of the insects that we had 30 years ago. But what's to blame, and what could this mean for the future? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 08, 20185 min

What on Earth Are Skyquakes?

There are plenty of potential reasons for a boom to rumble through the air, but skyquakes don't seem to be attached to any of the usual suspects. Learn more about these mysterious phenomena on BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 06, 20185 min

Do Vegetarians' Farts Smell Worse?

Not all flatulence is created equal -- your diet has a huge impact on the gas you pass. So whose farts are smellier: vegetarians or omnivores? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 05, 20183 min

Are Wine Glasses Getting Bigger?

People are drinking more wine than they used to. Could the ever-increasing size of wine glasses be behind this trend? Learn how today's average serving stacks up against history's in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 02, 20184 min

Should You Give Cats Milk?

Pop culture often shows cats happily sipping saucers of milk, but giving a cat milk isn't actually the best treat for it -- or you. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 01, 20183 min

Which States Get the Most Money from the Federal Government?

Due to states' differing taxes and needs, some give the U.S. federal government far more money than they receive, and some receive far more than they pay. Interestingly, this tends to fall along party lines. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 31, 20186 min

How Do Astronauts React to Lunar Landing Conspiracy Theories?

Fringe theorists sometimes question whether the 1969 moon landing actually happened. In this episode of BrainStuff, we explore how astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have reacted when asked whether it's all a conspiracy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 30, 20186 min

Could Drones Replace News Helicopters?

Flying robotic drones equipped with cameras are a lot cheaper than helicopters for catching events as they happen. But they do have downsides. Could they really replace news choppers? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 29, 20186 min

Do Some Fabrics Make Body Odor Worse?

Body odor happens when bacteria thrive in our sweat, so the ways your clothes deal with sweat can make a difference. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 26, 20186 min

What Is the 25th Amendment?

With some reports questioning the American president's mental stability, some pundits have asked whether the 25th Amendment might be enacted to remove him. But what does this Amendment say, and what can it really do? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 25, 20186 min

How Did a Parisian Lemonade Craze Fight the Plague?

While the black plague ravaged the rest of France, Paris remained relatively untouched -- and they may have had their fondness for lemonade to thank. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 24, 20184 min

Could Colonists Dig Up Ice on Mars?

Spoiler Alert: Yes. Researchers have found nearly pure water ice just below the surface of Mars, in regions easy to reach by human explorers or colonists. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 24, 20183 min

Can the Speed of Video Make Us Look More Innocent or Guilty?

Slow-motion video is often used to show jurors how a possibly criminal event took place, but is this practice fair to the accused? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 22, 20184 min

What Animal Has the Best Echolocation Abilities?

Bats, dolphins, and other animals all use sonar to navigate, but the narwhal has them all beat, and it's thanks to narwhals' distinctive horns. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 19, 20184 min

How Does Anxiety Cause Underarm Sweat?

Anxiety can cause sweaty palms and armpits -- but why? And how can you combat it? Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 18, 20183 min

What Do (and Don't) We Know About the Pentagon's UFO Program?

Over the years, the U.S. government has funded several programs that investigate alleged UFO sightings. How much does the public know about what they found? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 18, 20186 min

How Green Is Your Favorite Superhero?

To draw attention to the average citizen's carbon footprint, a team of researchers calculated the eco-rating of a number of superheroes. Learn how they rank in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 16, 20183 min

Why Doesn't Airline Food Taste Good?

If you've ever noticed that airplane food is a little lackluster, the recipe isn't necessarily to blame. Learn how a plane's altitude and even engine noise can affect flavors in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 15, 20184 min
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