BrainStuff
Right Now in BrainStuff
Statues of this jolly fellow adorn the register counters of many Chinese American restaurants, but he's not the Buddha. Learn about this Buddhist diety in today's episode of BrainStuff.
You've heard of smallpox, but what was the great pox? And did Shakespeare have it? Learn about the spread of (spoiler alert) syphilis in this episode of BrainStuff.
Snoring can root from a number of causes, but sleeping on your side can usually help prevent it. Learn the science of snores in this episode of BrainStuff.
Water is essentially free, so why do Americans spend billions on bottles of it? Learn the history behind bottled water's popularity, from marketing to health scares, in this episode of BrainStuff.
The sensation of itchiness can be maddening. Learn what's going on in your nerves and brain when you itch -- and when you scratch that itch -- in this classic episode of 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.
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