BrainStuff

If you've seen rippling patterns in the blades of knives or swords, that's Damascus steel. Learn its history and how it's made today in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices...

Flightless birds that live in brutal Antarctic temperatures and partner up for life -- penguins are cool (pun absolutely intended). Learn more about them in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more...

For decades, the Arecibo Radio Telescope has let us investigate parts of our universe near and far. Learn its history -- and why it had to be shut down -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more...

Many local governments pass out stickers to the voters who cast a ballot on election day. It might seem silly, but those stickers have a real effect. Learn about the psychology behind 'I Voted!'...

Graham crackers are a sweetened, mass-produced baked good today, but they started out as a homemade, ascetic-diet food. Learn about Sylvester Graham and the history of his crackers in this episode...

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 classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your...

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 classic episode of BrainStuff....

A farm in South Carolina ensured the health and welfare of the monkeys that were instrumental in the development of polio vaccines. Learn the history of Okatie Farms in this episode of BrainStuff....

Auld Lang Syne' is the most popular New Year's Eve song in the English-speaking world, but not all of its lyrics (including that title) are in English. Learn about the history and meaning of this...

🤔 Is Dr. Anthony Fauci a cat or a dog person? 📰 What’s happening with the Covid vaccine? 👨‍⚕️ When will kids be able to get the vaccine? 🧪 And when does the nation’s top infectious disease expert,...

The lionfish is beautiful, fascinating, invasive, and venomous. Learn more about lionfish in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Snow is made up of ice crystals, which are mostly clear -- so why does snow appear white? Learn how particle physics gives us those dazzling white snow drifts in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn...

Kwanzaa is a relatively new holiday celebrating Pan-African culture, and the unity, creativity, and determination of its peoples. Learn the basics about Kwanzaa in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn...

Most of us break our New Years resolutions — and researchers have found a few reasons why. Learn how to build a better resolution in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your...

Although it's an integral part of many people's lives today, the smartphone is bound to be replaced by the next big thing. We explore what (and when) that might be in this classic episode of...

When the Puritans began colonizing North America, they did not bring Christmas traditions with them. Learn why celebrating was not widespread and sometimes even illegal in this episode of...

Santa Claus is known for getting gifts to every child in the world on Christmas Eve, but how could such a quick, efficient sleigh work? With all due respect to the reindeer, we propose an...

In a traditional Nativity scene in Catalonia, you're likely to find a figure of 'el caganer' -- a person squatting with a pile of poop. Learn how this sometimes cheeky tradition may have gotten...

In many cities, the most ancient monuments are obelisks taken from Egypt. Learn more about why and how these architectural masterpieces were constructed (and moved) in this episode of BrainStuff....

The Soviet Union's Tsar Bomba, tested in 1961, was thousands of times more powerful than even the large nuclear weapons of its time. Learn more about this bomb and why such large designs were...