BrainStuff (iHeartPodcasts)

The most hazardous air pollution may be particles too tiny to see, but it also may be easily avoided. Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/when-it-comes-to-air-pollution-tiniest-particles-might-be-worst.htm

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When we take medications, we sometimes excrete chemicals that get flushed into our oceans. Learn how fluoxetine (Prozac) is chilling crabs out -- which isn't great -- in this classic BrainStuff episode, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/prozac-water-ocean-crab-behavior.htm

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You've probably heard you should cut back on salt, but we need it to survive -- we're hardwired to crave it. Learn how to reduce sodium and why in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/salt-breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.htm

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Some animals mate for life -- and others decidedly don't. Learn what researchers have discovered about cheating by studying voles and humans alike in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/good-excuse-or-is-there-actually-cheating-gene.htm

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Plants use photosynthesis to survive, but some plants outsource that job to other living things, like fungus. Learn how it works in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/botany/underground-plant-outsources-photosynthesis-fungus.htm

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Jackalopes are mythical creatures with the body of a jackrabbit and the horns of a deer or pronghorn. Learn how tales about them got started in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/jackalope.htm

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Humpback whales are back from the brink of extinction thanks to conservation efforts. Learn about their songs, acrobatics, and life cycle in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/humpback-whale.htm

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Poe was a writer known for his eerie and mysterious stories, but his own life ended just as strangely. Learn about him in this special episode of BrainStuff, with a reading of his poem 'The Raven' in iHeart 3D, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/edgar-allan-poe.htm

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Before modern surgical techniques and materials, artists sometimes created realistic face masks for veterans and other patients. Learn about the work of Anna Coleman Ladd in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/anna-coleman-ladd-helped-disfigured-soldiers-live-better-lives.htm

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The American film, television, and music industries host award galas every year -- but how did these awards get their names? Learn the history in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/oscar-tony-emmy-award-names.htm

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Tourism has taken a serious hit during COVID-19, but some port cities are glad for the loss of the crowding and pollution that the cruise industry brings. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://money.howstuffworks.com/cruise-ships-bans.htm

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Hematite is a mineral that we've been using for pigments, as a source of iron, and in other applications for pretty much ever. Learn how it works in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geology/hematite.htm

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You might blame scary or surreal dreams on your bedtime snacks, but is there any scientific evidence to back that up? Learn about research into diet and dreams in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/pizza-nightmares-diet-determine-dreams.htm

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A perfect storm of events in 2020 led to a chlorine shortage across America that has continued into 2021. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/us-chlorine-shortage-news.htm

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You may have heard that we swallow eight spiders a year in our sleep, but is that really true? We debunk this myth in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/arachnids/do-we-swallow-spiders-in-sleep.htm

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The story goes that one Captain Sluman Gray died during a voyage in the 1860s, and was laid to rest in a barrel of rum then shipped back home for burial -- barrel and all. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/ballad-pickled-whaling-captain-from-connecticut.htm

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In the 1850s, a newspaper published anonymous details about a mysterious set of encoded papers that supposedly point to buried treasure -- but they've never been cracked. Learn about the Beale Ciphers in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/beale-ciphers.htm

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Paprika is a lot more than a just pretty topping. Learn how paprika is made and where it comes from in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/paprika.htm

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Cryptocurrency has many benefits, but currently comes at a high energy cost -- and a huge, negative environmental impact. Learn what the industry is doing about it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/conservation/issues/cryptocurrency-climate-change-news.htm

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Researchers are developing a paint that can reflect over 98 percent of sunlight, which could help keep buildings cool during hot summers. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/ultra-white-paint.htm

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This massive Jurassic-era predator may have grazed on flesh the way we pick at cheese plates. Learn about the allosaurus in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/dinosaurs/allosaurus.htm

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If you struggle with weeds in your home garden or landscaping, you don't have to turn to hazardous commercial herbicides. Learn how to make safer weedkillers at home in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://home.howstuffworks.com/green-living/natural-weed-killers.htm

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Common sense dictates that since light-colored clothing is more reflective than dark, it'll help keep you cooler in hot weather. Learn why this myth doesn't hold water in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/light-colored-clothes-in-hot-weather.htm

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Sharks can be hatched from eggs, born live, or hatched in the womb and then born live -- if their siblings don't eat them first. Learn about shark reproduction and birth in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/sharks/shark-pup.htm

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People with Type 1 diabetes are more likely to experience eating disorders, and the consequences can be serious. Learn why, and what can be done to help, in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/diabetes/why-diabulimia-is-so-dangerous.htm

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Durian fruit is prized as a delicacy and staple -- and it smells like rotting. Learn how researchers mapped its genome to get to the bottom of this stench (and hopefully find something medicinally useful) in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/durian-smell-origin-genome.htm

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Ancient ruins, long grown over by massive forests, can be found painlessly -- thanks to lasers. Learn how LiDAR is preserving forests and uncovering lost Mayan infrastructure in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/future-tech/scientists-use-lidar-to-discover-massive-lost-mayan-city.htm

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Botox wrinkle therapy contains a tiny dose of a deadly bacterial toxin originally found in spoiled sausages. Learn the history of botulinum toxin, plus how it's used in non-cosmetic medicine, in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/digestive/rotten-sausages-botox-botulism.htm

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Research into a new wearable electronic patch made of graphene may make it possible to monitor blood pressure continuously and unobtrusively in the next few years. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/cardiovascular/blood-pressure/blood-pressure-tattoo-news.htm

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Chicken eggs come in a spectrum of colors, but they all cook up the same. Learn how they're created in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/white-brown-green-chicken-eggs-whats-difference.htm

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Elephants get cancer so rarely that researchers went looking for a genetic reason, and they found one. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/zombie-gene-protects-elephants-from-cancer.htm

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Rare animals called bilateral gynandromorphs can exhibit male traits on one side of their bodies and female traits on the other. Learn more about chimeras in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/yes-half-male-and-half-female-animals-do-exist.htm

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Though they were denied the ability to even apply for citizenship for decades, Asians and Pacific Islanders helped shape civil rights and workers' rights in America. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural-traditions/asian-american-history.htm

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For everything that's weird and wondrous about the platypus, we probably shouldn't be surprised that its milk may help save countless lives, but here we are. Learn how in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/platypus-milk-best-hope-against-post-antibiotic-future.htm

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Researchers have created pee-powered fuel cells that can light outdoor portable bathrooms. Learn how (and why) in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://home.howstuffworks.com/public-toilet-electricity-light-urine-chemical-reaction.htm

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Juneteenth is a holiday celebrating Black American independence and commemorating the ongoing struggle for equality. Learn the history of Juneteenth in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-civil-war/juneteeth.htm

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After winemakers extract grapes' juice, they're left with a lot of fruit skins and pulp. Learn what happens to all that goo in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/what-do-winemakers-do-with-grape-waste.htm

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Every year on January 1, a new batch of movies, books, songs, and other works of art enters the public domain, meaning they're free to use and repurpose. (In 2024, after 95 years of copyright, we got the original Mickey Mouse cartoon, 'Steamboat Willy'.) Learn how public domain and copyright law intersect to encourage artists in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/what-does-public-domain-mean.htm

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A number of factors can contribute to a military taking over its government. Learn about them, and why it's unlikely to happen in the U.S., in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/coup.htm

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Vaccine hesitancy has existed for as long as vaccines have. Learn why it's normal and how to help people calm their concerns in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/preventive-care/vaccine-hesitancy-not-new-news.htm

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Opioid drugs (like fentanyl) can cause death due to overdose -- but there is an antidote to opioid overdose, and it's easy and safe to administer. Learn how naloxone (including brands Narcan and Evzio) works in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Today's hearing aids incorporate all kinds of smart technology to help the deaf and hard of hearing community. Learn about the tech in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/ear/modern-hearing-aids.htm

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The Westminster Dog Show has been educating and enchanting the public for 145 years. Learn how it's going to be different this year in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/westminster-dog-show.htm

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Plate tectonics are responsible not just for the shape of Earth's continents, but for life as we know it. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geology/plate-tectonics.htm

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When whales die, they can either wash up on the shore (and explode!) or sink to the bottom of the ocean and feed entire ecosystems. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on these articles: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/beached-whales-explode.htm and https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/whale-death.htm

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Our dogs' and cats' diets aren't very environmentally friendly, but lab-grown meat could change that. Learn how in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/lab-grown-meat-pet-food-world.htm

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Honey bees are the type of bee most of us are familiar with, but most of the world's bees don't live and behave in the same ways. Learn about ground bees in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/ground-nesting-bees.htm

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Most spiders are completely harmless to humans, but a few can do damage. Learn which ones are the most potentially dangerous in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/arachnids/deadliest-spider.htm

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On the first Friday of every month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its Employment Situation Summary for the previous month. Learn what the jobs report contains and why it's important in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://money.howstuffworks.com/monthly-jobs-report-news.htm

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The U.S. military has been collecting reports of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) for years. Learn what the public knows about them so far in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/space/aliens-ufos/ufos-news.htm

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The LGBTQ+ Pride parades that happen throughout the U.S. every June are joyful celebrations today, but got their start as riots and protests against persecution. Learn the history of Pride in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural-traditions/pride-parades.htm

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Macaws are beautiful birds that can talk (yes, including bad words) and can make excellent pets for the right person. Learn about them in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/macaw.htm

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One of the problems with plastic trash ending up in our oceans is that some seabirds will eat it. But why? Learn what researchers have found in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/theres-a-stinky-reason-seabirds-eat-plastic.htm

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These stringed instruments had their heyday thousands of years ago and are still played today. Learn about the history and mythology behind the lyre in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/lyre.htm

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In the 1700s, a war was (technically) started over a lost ear. Learn about the War of Jenkins' Ear in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/jenkins-ear.htm

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Fannie Lou Hamer was an iconic Civil Rights and voting rights activist who still inspires us today. Learn about her life and her work in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/fannie-lou-hamer.htm

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Heat stroke is a serious medical issue, and as temperatures reach record highs this summer, heat safety could save lives. Learn how to keep cool and what to watch for in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/5-tips-for-heat-wave-safety.htm

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In the Northern Hemisphere, the longest day of daylight in the year happens every June. Learn what causes this and how it works in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/5-things-didnt-know-about-summer-solstice.htm

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In 1921, white citizens of Tulsa stormed the prosperous Black district of the city, destroying homes and businesses and murdering a number of people still unknown today. Learn what's being done to recover and reintroduce this history in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/tulsa-race-massacre.htm

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The 2020 Olympic games were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but as of yet they haven't been canceled. Learn when the Olympics were canceled in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/olympics-skipped.htm

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Marzipan is a sweet, moldable almond paste that gets worked into all kinds of holiday traditions. Learn about it (and about Glücksschwein, the good luck pig of the New Year) in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article and podcast: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/marzipan.htm; https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-savor-28019899/episode/the-marzipan-episode-is-shaping-up-90864626/

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By 2050, half the world will be nearsighted. Researchers tracking this eye condition (also called myopia) have a few hypotheses about why it's happening. Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/eye/half-the-world-will-be-nearsighted-2050.htm

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Poems activate different parts of the human brain than other types of literature do, and our brains seem hardwired to enjoy the patterns in poetry. Learn why in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/how-poetry-affects-human-brain.htm

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In 1947, U.S. military scientists launched the very first Earth animals into space: fruit flies. Learn about their trip to the final frontier in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/why-fruit-flies-were-first-animals-in-space.htm

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The way we tip and pay servers in North American restaurants fosters unfair and unequal paychecks for the whole staff. But it's so entrenched -- how can we fix it? Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://money.howstuffworks.com/when-will-reach-tipping-point-for-tipping.htm

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The apples you find in your chain grocery store may have been picked a year ago -- but that's OK. Learn about apple storage technology in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/grocery-store-apple-one-year-old.htm

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Hi, BrainStuff fans! Listen to Inner Cosmos hosted by David Eagleman! Neuroscientist David Eagleman tackles the big and totally unexpected questions that live at the intersection of our brains and our lives. Don't just take our word for it, check out the trailer to decide for yourself!

About Inner Cosmos: Stanford neuroscientist and bestselling author David Eagleman explores wacky and insightful questions to reveal how modern brain science intersects with our lives, passions, and behaviors. Through thrilling journeys into your Inner Cosmos, Eagleman unfolds totally unexpected facets of our brains, allowing us to see the world from new angles.

Listen to Inner Cosmos on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Most scientific inquiry into birdsong has studied male birds because they're sometimes chattier. Learn what studying female birds might teach us in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/know-why-female-bird-sings.htm

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As it turns out, most flying squirrels glow hot pink in ultraviolet light. Learn what researchers think may be the reason in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Researchers have created pee-powered fuel cells that can light outdoor portable bathrooms. Learn how (and why) in this episode of BrainStuff. 

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A lot of what's taught about 'the first Thanksgiving' is actually more Civil-War-era propaganda than true fact. Learn how this brief moment of peace might've gone down, plus how we got today's traditions, in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/10-thanksgiving-history-myths.htm

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As Prohibition came to an end, Al Capone's mobsters set their sights on the Chicago milk market. Learn about the Milk Wars in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/chicago-milk-wars.htm

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The human eye is basically only limited by the curvature of the Earth and stuff that gets in its way. (Well, and various medical conditions.) Learn how far we can see in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/question198.htm

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In the 1400s through the 1900s, many kitchens made a specific breed of dog run in a wheel in order to rotate a spit of meat over the hearth's open fire. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/turnspit-dogs.htm

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Up to 1 in every 50 pregnancies are ectopic -- that is, they implant outside the uterus and cannot be saved. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and confusion surrounding this common issue in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/pregnancy/complications/10009-what-is-an-ectopic-pregnancy.htm

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We've teamed up with the podcast On the Job to bring you a preview of episode 7: Torque Wrenches Are This Girl's Best Friend. Demeny Pollitt is an automotive technician and the founder of Girlington Garage, a woman-run auto garage in South Burlington, Vermont. In operation since 2009, Pollitt’s business has not only survived, but thrived. Ms. Pollitt talks about taking the leap to entrepreneurship, entering a male dominated industry, and the joys/challenges of business ownership. Website

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Before DNA-based paternity tests were accurate and inexpensive, scientists (and pseudoscientists) claimed all kinds of things could work. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/history-paternity-testing.htm

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At the age of 17 and toting her infant son, Sacagawea was instrumental to the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the early 1800s. Learn more about her life in this episode of BrainStuff.

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When we take medications, we sometimes excrete chemicals that get flushed into our oceans. In the case of fluoxetine (Prozac), those chemicals seem to be chilling crabs out -- which is bad for the crabs.

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The amphibious anaconda is arguably the biggest snake in the world. Learn how it works in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/snakes/anaconda.htm

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Doctors prescribed alcohol for centuries before modern medicine taught us its dangers, but this practice was really profitible during Prohibition. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/ridiculous-history-when-doctors-prescribed-alcohol-during-prohibition.htm

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Hundreds of similar-shaped ponds called the Carolina Bays pock the Eastern United States. Learn more about them in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/carolina-bays.htm

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Blisters can be unsightly and painful -- luckily, it's usually OK to pop them. Learn when and how to do so safely in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/problems/treating/pop-blisters.htm

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Carbon dioxide is a waste product of gasoline- and coal-burning engines, and it's a serious pollutant. But what if we could capture that carbon and recycle it into usable fuel? Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/carbon-capture-to-fuel-is-almost-here.htm

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When we mean that someone has not quite succeeded, what do cigars have to do with it? Learn the carnival roots of this idiom in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/close-but-no-cigar.htm

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Museums collect all kinds of art and artifacts -- this one collects pieces of broken hearts. Learn about some of the items and stories held in the Museum of Broken Relationships in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/museum-broken-relationships-houses-heartache.htm

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Most people identify as being at least a little superstitious, mariners included. Learn why bananas and suitcases, of all things, are often turned away from fishing boats in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/fishing-superstition.htm

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It would take a LOT of carrots (or other veg pigmented with carotenoids), but yes, the color from carrots can build up in your skin. Learn how carotenemia works in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/carotenosis.htm

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Around ten of the world's smallest porpoise, the vaquita, are alive today -- but researchers think they can be brought back from the brink of extinction. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/vaquita.htm

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The coconut crab is the world's largest land-dwelling arthropod -- they grow longer than your average dog and can open coconuts with their claws. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/coconut-crabs.htm

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The first woman to ride around the world on a bicycle embarked in 1894, a time when it was still a little scandalous for women to ride bikes at all. Learn the story of Annie 'Londonderry' Kopchovsky in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/annie-londonderry.htm

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When some massive stars go supernova, they then collapse into magnetars -- the most powerful magnetic objects in the known universe. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/magnetars.htm

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Poets like Shakespeare have written extensively in a particular type of verse called iambic pentameter. Learn what it is and how to write in it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/literature/iambic-pentameter.htm

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We attribute lots of potential health effects to green tea, but the Victorians had a strange one: they thought it caused hallucinations. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/herbal-remedies/does-green-tea-cause-hallucinations.htm

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Celebrities and Instagrammers have been singing the praises of activated charcoal as a health supplement, but can it really help make you healthier? Learn the real science in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/why-are-people-eating-activated-charcoal.htm

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When asphalt pavement cracks, a squiggle of black sealant can help prevent further damage. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://auto.howstuffworks.com/road-tar-squiggle-drizzle.htm

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Scientists were able to release the mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 (from Pfizer and Moderna) quickly because of decades of prior research -- and how adaptable mRNA treatments are. Learn the history and what the incredible future may hold in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/modern-technology/mrna-technology-news.htm

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What started as a simple remembrance of a mother and schoolteacher has become a worldwide movement dedicated to reading and sharing books. Learn how Todd Bol started LFL in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/literature/todd-bol-and-little-free-library-movement.htm

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Practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of disease isn't just solid science -- it's an instinct in other mammals, like bats. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/social-distance-vampire-bats.htm

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It's a gross but very useful fact that some insects will eat deceased humans, because scientists can observe those insects to learn about where and when a person died. Learn about forensic entomology in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/forensic-entomology.htm/printable

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