Hello From the Van

Ever wonder what causes a brain freeze? In this episode we go into the science of a brain freeze, different cultural views on icy foods, and the statistics of ice cream. It's a super cooool episode of Hello From the Van!  Sources:  Brain freeze . (2025, September 24). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21478-brain-freeze Golen, T., MD. (2023, June 1). What causes...

Ever wonder why peppers are painful? In this episode we take a look at the fascinating world of plant evolutions, digestive designs, and the history of the pepper plant.  Sources:  Borrell, B. (2013, November 18). What's So Hot About Chili Peppers? Smithsonian Magazine . https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/whats-so-hot-about-chili-peppers-116907465/ Farr, K. (2019, May 3). The Scovi...

Ever wonder why some people have life threatening allergies and others do not? In this episode we take a dive into the world of antigens and antibodies as we explore the world of allergies.  Sources:  Allergies . (2026, May 7). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8610-allergies Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Allergies explained . Better Health Chann...

Happy Labor Day to those in the United States and Canada. To those of you outside of North America...Happy May Day when the time comes around!  This week we talk about the history and cultural significance of Labor Day as well as it's mysterious origins.  Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources.  Youtube: Hello From The Van!  Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan...

One of the most important discoveries of the last century has been blood typing and donation. This week we dive into how blood types got their names, why blood typing is important, the history of the man responsible for it all.  Sources:  Stanford Blood Center. (2019, September 13). Blood types — Stanford Blood Center . https://stanfordbloodcenter.org/donate-blood/blood-donation-facts/blood-types/...

Some animals are smart...but others are smarter. This week we discuss the different types of animal intelligence, and the most commonly studied "smart" animals of the animal kingdom.  Sources: Vidal, J. (2021, October 29). The grey parrot and the race against Africa’s wildlife extinction. The Guardian . https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/24/cites-endangered-species-meeting-...

Motorcycles may have gotten their start in the late 1800's, but their use during World War is what truly solidified their cultural foothold. In honor of the 86th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, this week we talk about invention, muddy history, and the future of the motorcycle.  SOURCES: Sturgis. (2025, May 12). History of the Sturgis Rally. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally SD. https://sturgis.com/re...

Cursive has largely fallen out of fashion...but it seems that physically writing anything down is also on it's way out. In this episode we explore where cursive came from, why it stopped being taught, and discuss the future of writing.  SOURCES: Pokemon Evolutions. Pokemon DB dot Net.  Bergland, Christopher, Why Cursive Handwriting is Good For Your Brain. Psychology Today. 2 October 2020. Kut...

Lemons have always been around in the East, but their known history in the West is relatively recent. In this episode we talk about the history of citrus fruit, how explorers brought it to the west, and how all citrus are related. #HelloFromTheVan SOURCES:  The Nursery at TyTy, The History of the Citrus Tree.  https://www.tytyga.com/History-of-the-Citrus-and-Citrus-Tree-Growing-in-America-a/381.ht...

A laughter and a yawn-- both are contagious-- but why do we perform these "useless" functions?? This week we dive into the long scientific history around laughter and yawns. Warning, we don't know why, but you'll probably yawn while listening to this episode. So please use caution while listening.  Citations:  Wani PD, Agarwal M. The science of yawning: Exploring its physiology...

Looking for a way to introduce the topic of artificial intelligence with your kids, but don't want the politics and opinion? In this episode we cover the physical side of AI, how it reasons, and the trade-offs required for instant access to a world of knowledge.  Sources:  How Much Energy Can AI Use?, Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/18/energy-ai-use-electrici...

Flavor and Taste are powerful parts of our every day lives...but what *are* they? This week we talk about the physical function of flavor, how and why our bodies process tastes the way they do, and how flavor can even warn us of danger.  Sources:  Gravina SA, Yep GL, Khan M. Human biology of taste. Ann Saudi Med. 2013 May-Jun;33(3):217-22. doi: 10.5144/0256-4947.2013.217. PMID: 23793421; PMCID: PM...

Note: As always, our 5 Minutes Smarter series is intended to help adults talk about difficult topics with kids. The episodes are not meant as an exhaustive explainer, but more of a jumping-off point for family discussion.  Divorce has officially hit the Faatz extended family. We've been trying to figure out how to explain it to kids. To help others in the same situation, here's this week...

Humans spend roughly a third of our lives sleeping...but what actually happens while we're sleeping?? In this episode we talk about the great mystery that is sleep science, what we know, and the great big things we don't know about this daily activity.  Sources:  Cleveland Clinic, "Why Do We Dream?" published August 18, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/12148-sle...

To help introduce our new series, "5 Minutes Smarter", we'll be releasing three smaller episodes this week! In this first installment, we're talking about what it takes for a person to be happy and healthy both in their body and their mind.  Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources.  Youtube: Hello From The Van!  Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan...

In this July 4th episode, we explore the history of National Anthems from around the world! Where they came from, why we have them, and how they impact nations around the world.  It's a short one this week, but we'll be back with our regular longer episode after the holiday.  SOURCES:  One song under Heaven: A history of China’s national anthems, "A survey of nearly 150 years of Chi...

If you live in the Western Hemisphere (North or South America) this episode is for you! We're talking about hummingbird conservation and how to help out your local hummingbird population. In this episode we'll talk about what hummingbirds need to survive, their life cycle, and how to support these incredible pollinators!  HUMMINGBIRD FOOD RECIPE: 1 cup white table sugar (Do NOT use honey...

Did you know that not all color blindness is the same? In this episode we talk about the different types of color vision deficiency, how color blindness effects everyday life, and signs to look out for if you suspect a loved one is color blind.  A HUGE thank-you to the organization Colour Blind Awareness. They were a wealth of knowledge in researching this episode!  Sources: Colour Blind Awareness...

In this episode we talk about the science of glass and the difference between glass that shatters into pieces and glass that crumbles. It's a SCIENCE EPISODE of Hello From the Van! Sources:  SG Glass Manufacturers, "The History of Tempered Glass."  https://www.sggglassmanufacturer. com/news/The-history-of-tempered-glass.html Invent . Org, "Harold McMaster".  https://www.in...

I recently took my kids on a field trip to Dana Point, California to visit the tide pools at low tide. That field trip led to a lot of questions from the kids and from me! In this episode we talk about why tides happen, how long humans have known about it, and the effect of tides on humans for thousands of years.  SOURCES:  Encyclopedia Brittanica Kids, "Tides". https://kids.britannica.c...

What do the Civil War, parking lots, and Memorial Day have in common?! We talk about all of them today on Hello From the Van. In this shorter holiday episode, we discuss the origins of the Memorial Day and it's close ties to the rich history of the United States.  A huge thank-you to The Wounded Warrior Project, The United States Archives, and PBS who had a wealth of reference knowledge criti...

** SUMMER STORYWRITING RULES BELOW EPISODE DESCRIPTION** Aristotle wasn't just a philosopher, he was a playwright and scientist. This week we learn all about plot structure as explained in the Poetics. Using the story of The Three Little Pigs, we dive into what makes a compelling story. #hellofromthevan #educationalpodcast #aristotle #thepoetics #threeactstructure #3act #storywriting #storyti...

Is the Fox a feline or a canine, a cat or a dog?? This week we learn all about this amazing animal and it's impact (for better or for worse) all across the world. And yes, we do answer the question, "What does the fox say?".  #educationalpodcast #familyfriendlypodcast #homeschoolingfun #homeschoollesson #sciencelesson #taxonomy #foxes #foxesofinstagram  This week's Works Cited:...

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources.  Youtube: Hello From The Van!  Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan HelloFromTheVan.com 

In this episode we take a clinical overview of cancer, what it is, why it happens, and it's different stages.  This is a great episode is a great place for families to start when facing rouge mutating cells.  #cancerexplained #hellofromthevan #cancerforkids #educationalpodcast #sciencepodcast   Episode Resources:  Kids Health . org, "Kids and Cancer". Britannica Kids, "Cancer&q...