BrainStuff
Right Now in BrainStuff
For millions of moviegoers, memories visiting the local theater automatically conjures the smell of popcorn. But this wasn’t always the case – so why, out of all snacks, did popcorn become #1 for film? Learn the history in this classic episode of BrainStuff.
Despite being a widespread condition, Alzheimer's is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat. Learn why (plus how researchers hope to make it easier) in this episode of BrainStuff.
Birds can migrate thousands of miles and back home again with no prior knowledge or assistance thanks to their superpowered vision. Learn about magnetoreception in this episode of BrainStuff.
One guy is responsible for what we think pirates sounded like. For Talk Like A Pirate Day, learn how Robert Newton changed the world in this episode of BrainStuff.
Research shows that artists' brains don't respond to monetary motivation the way that other people's do. Learn why this might be -- and whether it means we create types are doomed to poverty -- in this episode of BrainStuff.
Most hydrogen peroxide sold to consumers comes in opaque brown bottles. Learn why in today's episode of BrainStuff.
It’s very common to see the number 9 at the right end of a price tag. But why? Learn about the psychology of pricing -- and nines in particular -- in this episode of BrainStuff.
You probably remember your last birthday, but not your first – or your zeroth. Learn why scientists think we lose those early memories in this episode of BrainStuff.
In the United States, 17.6 million American lack access to healthy food because there aren't any grocery stores or other establishments that sell fresh food in their area. Learn about food deserts and how we can fix them in this episode of BrainStuff.
Large rockets are great at getting delicate equipment (and people) into space, but at a huge financial cost. Learn about some of the potential alternatives to ground-launched rockets in this episode of BrainStuff.
Dogs are pretty much guaranteed to find the smelliest stuff to roll in -- but why? Learn what may be behind this gross instinct in today's episode of BrainStuff.
When you freckle or tan, your skin is trying to protect you from damage. Learn how it works in this episode of BrainStuff.
Hundreds of new religions pop up every year, but only a few survive and become widespread. Learn why some religions have staying power while others don't in this episode of BrainStuff.
Tattoo machines (sometimes called tattoo guns) haven’t changed much since the 1890s because they’re such elegant devices. Learn how the most common types work in this episode of BrainStuff.
Some hair dyes are basically fine-grained paint, but dyes that stick with you for more than a couple weeks physically and chemically change each hair. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff.
An ancient Egyptian pregnancy test has been found to work with about 70% accuracy. Learn how it works in this episode of BrainStuff.
Some parents and advocacy groups recommend against allowing children to play with toys that resemble weapons, like toy guns. But is there any science to back that up? Learn about play, parenting, and aggression in this episode of BrainStuff.
Smells seem to disappear after a while because our brains lie to us. Not maliciously -- they think they're helping. Learn about olfactory adaptation in this episode of BrainStuff.
Medical marijuana is now FDA-approved for some uses even though it's still illegal federally. Some researchers and journalists, including Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN, believe it could help solve the opioid crisis. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff.
Who were the first people to drink lemonade? How did it turn pink? Learn the folklore behind lemonade in this episode of BrainStuff.
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