Brain Junk

We went on an epic field trip around our home town of Spokane and found all sorts of canned gems, like a whole chicken, silkworms and cheese in cans. Amy also discovers that Trace is a mountain woman who doesn’t use a hand crank can opener. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

African Wild Dogs appear to vote on pack activities by sneezing.     Sneeze Voting Transcript: Welcome to Brain Junk! I’m Amy Barton.   And I’m Trace Kerr and it’s time for a Brain Storm.   AB: I’m just going to tell you right now the whole big thing that’s most exciting about this. African wild dogs vote on important pack matters by sneezing.   TK: I love this! Tell me more! Tell me more! AB: Afr...

Brain Storms about an MRI study of dog brains and Zebra Finches singing in their sleep. SO GOOD!   Animal Brains Transcript: Welcome to Brian Junk, I’m Amy Barton, TK: And I’m Trace Kerr, and it’s time for a Brain Storm. AB: I found a headline, and it said dog brains show that they see their owners as family and they prioritize the smell of humans over everything, and I for sure clicked through, b...

Trace and Amy talk about the history of puppets in Britain and explore the giant (not kidding, they’re over twenty feet tall) marionettes of Royal de Luxe. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

Learn a bit about the women and men of the IIP who monitor icebergs in the northern reaches of our Atlantic ocean.   International Ice Patrol Transcript: AB: Welcome to Brain Junk. I’m Amy Barton. TK with enthusiasm: And I’m Trace Kerr, and it’s time for a Brain Storm. TK: Well I want to tell you about the IIP. The International Ice Patrol. AB: That’s not what I thought it might stand for, but tha...

Smash cuts of Brain Storms #8 Devil Frogs and #9 Skinks in honor of Trace’s dad’s birthday. Frank (Trace’s dad) is a freak for amphibians and reptiles…we hope you enjoy these as much as he did.   Devil Frogs and Skinks Transcript: 41: Devil Frogs and Skinks!   Wecome to Brain Junk! I’m Amy Barton, and I’m Trace Kerr, and it’s time for a Brain Storm.   AB: Wherein I’m going to share about Beelzebuf...

Happy New Year! Trace and Amy talk about those royals on the other side of the pond. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

Social network plasticity. Ohhh. Big words.    Sick Ants Transcript: AB:Welcome to Brain Junk, I’m Amy Barton, TK: And I’m Trace Kerr. And it’s time for a Brain Storm. And this Brain Storm is special for two reasons. One, because we’re going to talk about penguins, and two because I want to make a quick shout-out to one of our biggest fans, Madelaine. AB singing: Shout out Madelaine! TK: This Brai...

A bonded pair of male penguins make for unexpectedly great foster parents!   Holiday Penguins Transcript: AB:Welcome to Brain Junk, I’m Amy Barton, TK: And I’m Trace Kerr. And it’s time for a Brain Storm. And this Brain Storm is special for two reasons. One, because we’re going to talk about penguins, and two because I want to make a quick shout-out to one of our biggest fans, Madelaine. AB singin...

The unsinkable Violet. 3 ships, one girl who survived them all.   37_ Violet Jessup Transcript   TK: Welcome to Brain Junk! I’m Trace Kerr, AB: and I’m Amy Barton, and this is a Brain Storm! Today I am talking about Violet Jessup, who is known as Miss Unsinkable. She was a stewardess on many of the big shipping lines in the early 1900’s. She was born in Argentina, but she was of Irish descent, so...

Cougars are beautiful stealthy hunters. Until they want to mate. Then they sound like a person being run through a garbage compactor. Have a listen.   36_ Cougar Screams  Transcript Welcome to Brain Junk, I’m Amy Barton, TK: And I’m Trace Kerr, and it’s time for a Brain Storm. Let’s take a little listen. Audio of screaming sound. AB: Holy cow. Wow! TK: That is the scream of a cougar. AB: It’s supe...

When she isn’t talking about dentists, Amy has an eye for those dangerous doctors. FYI This episode has some up close discussion of amputation and the history behind why they had to do it fast so if you aren’t into that, it’s okay, listen to the wombat episode again. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkp...

It’s there and it’s square. And now we know why. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

Welcome to the wonderful world of Brain Storms. Short, funny and TO THE POINT. Today is brought to you by those people who make you crazy and why your brain thinks they are moving soooo slooooow. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

We’re going back to the 70s, 80s, & 90s. Don’t worry kids, It’ll totally explain why your parents are the way they are. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

We fell down a Pinterest hole and found a whole bunch of women who we’d NEVER heard about in history classes. Ching Shih, an infamous Chinese pirate, a Viking fighter historians have dubbed, the Birka Warrior, Dame Susan Jocelyn Bell Burnell who discovered pulsars & Julie d’Aubigny, a swashbuckling, bisexual, opera singing extraordinaire. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss...

Why wait to do those things on your “bucket list”? Amy got us both thinking about things we haven’t done, but would love to do. Juggling, riding a unicycle, travel, rally driving, who knows what trouble we could get up to next year if we ACTUALLY do the stuff on our lists? Hey! What’s on yours? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonu...

Why do we do the things we do while in public? Simple actions like using the restroom or riding the bus get a lot more complicated when thinking about what other people might expect. Throw in the possibility of cross-cultural miscommunication and the probability that you’ll “put your foot in it” goes up a thousand percent. Fun right?!? Let’s explore some social conventions. This is a public episod...

Round two of bloopers. This time there is one swear…way at the end and after the outro. If you want to miss it (and you shouldn’t, it’s super funny) hit stop after we sign off. It’s part of the “Easter egg” at the very end. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

The episode is FUN SIZE this week! Hand me that tiny Snickers bar and let’s have a listen to a fright night science experiment you can do at home. Amy dishes on spooky cats, we cover the history of the Jack-o-lantern & more! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

It’s almost Halloween! Get in the mood with superstitions from around the world. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

There are so many laws that are still on the books, but never enforced. Some of the MANY we touched on are: Blue Laws, Washington State concealed weapons over six feet are a no-no, windows in bathrooms, all computers banned in Florida, no dancing to the Star Spangled Banner, California lifeguard Frisbee approval. How about protection for Big Foot? Thank you Washington. There’s more, let’s talk abo...

All those things that you simply MUST have! We might start out with the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL), but then it’s a hard right down memory lane. Tape clubs, cinnamon toothpicks, Han Solo season, Pinterest, cupcakes, Cabbage Patch Kids…so many things that we can remember wanting. And if you’re like Amy, you stopped by Starbucks before this episode and PSL’d while doing the show. This is a public epi...

Pavlov’s dogs, Enclothed Cognition, and that phantom buzzing phone in your pocket feeling are just a taste of what we cover in this episode on your brain. Take the Stroop Test and learn all about selective attention. Did you see that gorilla run through the basketball game?!?! Neither did we. Amy will tell you why. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers...

We’re going back to the slightly shorter episode format, but don’t think we haven’t packed it with all the fun facts. Let’s adventure into Extreme Ironing, Fire Hula Hooping, and super daring hobbies for the retired set that are far too cool for us to try. Also Competitive Dog Grooming and Rube Goldberging…you know you need a new hobby. Check ’em out. This is a public episode. If you would like to...