BrainStuff

Absinthe has a dangerous reputation. But will you really meet The Green Fairy if you drink it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether they’re swatting away horseflies or helping a monkey swing through the forest, tails are a pretty amazing adaptation. So why don’t humans have them? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even though 80% of trash starts on land, tons of it ends up in the ocean, swirling around in a massive patch of plastic debris. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might have heard this odd advice from fashion gurus before – “don’t wash your jeans!” But why? Is it real advice, or just a prank pulled on unsuspecting, dim-witted denim rubes? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For most men, losing your hair is an inevitable side effect of aging. Christian describes the growth cycle of hair, types of baldness that affect men and women, and how most ladies feel about bald dudes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We may not have mutant powers like the X-Men, but natural selection is still changing humanity… for the better. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s almost impossible to trick your brain so you can tickle yourself. Unless you're schizophrenic… Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did Pop Rocks really blow the door off of a delivery van? Has anyone ever died from eating these popping bits of sugar? The answers might surprise you. Join Christian as he looks into the truth behind the rumors surrounding the uniquely (and surprisingly loud) candy called Pop Rocks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

We see hypnosis in movies and TV all the time – after a few swings of a watch, some poor sap starts clucking like a chicken or crying like a baby – but is there any truth to this? Can you actually hypnotize someone? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all get bags under our eyes that make us look tired. Here's how it inevitably happens and some remedies to look your best.​ Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christian explains the science behind the healthy green glow. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Loud noises suck. But are they deadly?​ Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christian explains the process and risks of LASIK surgery, from preoperative exams, to lasers in your eyes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At first, it sounds crazy -- wouldn't hot water take longer to freeze? Weirdly enough, the opposite is sometimes true. Join Christian to learn more about a mystery that's puzzled humanity for centuries in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You probably remember your 18th birthday, but not your first – or your zeroth. Why is that? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If money is only valuable when we believe in it, how much is a Bitcoin actually worth? Christian explains the virtual currency as well as how to mine it and the risks involved in investing. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a popular and effective method of birth control. So why don't Americans ​use them? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is silica gel, and why do I find little packets of it in everything I buy? Christian explains it all in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sure, rearview mirrors are cool -- but how do they actually work? How can the same piece of glass have two different amounts of reflection? Join Christian as he explains the science behind these handy devices. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some figs need fig wasps to pollinate their fruit. But are we eating dead wasps every time we bite into a fig? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered how accents work? Tune in to this episode of BrainStuff to find out about the ever-evolving accent. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For some people, winter means a daily battle against cracking, scaling or peeling lips. But what actually causes chapped lips? How can you prevent it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cats purr for all kinds of reasons, including communication and healing themselves. Christian explains how purring works and which cats can't do it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They’re just horses with stripes, right? So why don’t we ride them around like Seabiscuit or Black Beauty? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The stomach is a hollow, many-layered organ that produces powerful acids to break down food -- and another substance to protect the stomach from being digested. Find out what this substance is, and learn more about the stomach, in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.