BrainStuff

Though we take medicines for their active ingredients, the inactive ones can affect us, too -- from allergens to sugars to animal-based gelatin capsules. Learn how a compounding pharmacy can help in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Men can experience postpartum depression, too. Learn why researchers think it happens -- and why it's so important to get treatment -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cramming for a test or other deadline may give you decent short-term results, but research shows it sacrifices long-term comprehension and memory. Learn why study methods like spacing and interleaving are better in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your local weather report may include a pollen count, but what does that mean, and how do they calculate it? Learn the science behind this sneeze factor in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some snakes still carry the genes necessary to grow legs -- so why don't they? Learn how snakes may have lost their legs, evolutionarily speaking, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Delivering mail to all 372 million Americans along all 214,000 postal routes is no easy task. Learn how the U.S. Postal Service designs those routes in this episode of BrainStuff.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A human fetus doesn't develop retinas until around gestational week 28. Learn how researchers have tried to figure out what babies can see in the few remaining weeks before they're born in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although some driving skills can deteriorate with age, experienced drivers tend to be the safest drivers. To an extent. Learn when and how experts think drivers should be retested in this episode of BrainStuff.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Horseshoe crab blood is one of the most valuable fluids on Earth due to it's ability to detects endotoxins released by bacteria. But what does this mean for the species? Learn what the future may hold for these primitive animals in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

California legislators are considering creating speed-limit-free areas on some of their roadways. Learn how this might work (and why it might NOT work) on today's episode of BrainStuff.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When many people share a false memory, that's the Mandela Effect in action -- but how does it happen? Learn how our individual brains misremember stuff and how false memories can spread in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After you donate blood, it goes through a complex system of testing, processing, and storage before it can be delivered to patients who need it. Learn how the system works in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some liberal U.S. politicians are promoting concepts of 'Medicare for All'. Learn how these proposals are different than the current American health care system (and how they compare to other countries' systems) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cashmere can be more expensive than other wools because producing it is such an intensive process -- for the goats that grow it and the humans who care for them. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1960s, advances in technology allowed brave aquanauts to explore deeper into the ocean than ever before, but the project was shut down. Learn how Sealab worked -- and how that technology is still used today -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To prepare for the search for microbial life on Mars, researchers are probing some of the harshest environments on Earth -- like the Atacama Desert. Learn how this work will inform future space missions in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lucille Ball's ex-husband wasn't just her 'I Love Lucy' co-star and writing partner -- Desi Arnaz changed the way television is produced and watched. Learn about his contributions to the industry in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our galaxy isn't a flat disk -- it's warped like melted vinyl record. Learn how researchers discovered this and why they think it happened in today's episode of BrainStuff.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A U.S. insurance companies has started cracking down on expensive emergency room visits by labeling some 'avoidable' and kicking the bills to the patients. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 'modern' toilet was invented in the 1700s. So what was it like in the past, and how could we improve on it in the future? Learn more about waste technologies in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some geologists say that humans have had a big enough impact on the Earth that we should declare a new epoch -- the Anthropocene. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emotional support animals are a real and useful therapy tool, but not all of them are trained to deal with the crowds and stresses of air travel. Learn what airlines can and can't do to prevent accidents in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As many as 7 in every 10 Americans have a fear of public speaking. Learn how this type of social anxiety develops -- and what you can do to fight it -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans tend to max out at a couple minutes of breath holding, but some air-breathing reptiles and even mammals have evolved to spend extreme lengths of time underwater. Learn how long (and how they manage it) in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The salty, buttery popcorn sold in movie theaters is nigh irresistible, but there's zero butter involved. Learn what it's made of in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.