Brainstuff

What does it take for an oven to clean itself? A whole lot of heat! Marshall Brain explains how these special ovens use intense temperatures to burn off baking spills and debris in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FM radio stations have high operating costs, so they're seldom affordable to individuals and small organizations that want to use them for not-for-profit purposes. Find out how LPFM stations work in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're trying to access the Internet in a very rural or remote place, satellite Internet is probably your best bet. In this episode, Marshall explains how satellite Internet works. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every computer that's connected to the Internet has its own unique "address." Tune in as Marshall explains how IP addresses work -- and how many of them exist -- in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When pregnant women smoke, they expose their developing babies to a host of addictive, harmful chemicals. In this episode, Marshall Brain explains how nicotine and other compounds found in cigarettes affect developing fetuses. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A funicular railway combines the technology of an elevator and a train. But how do they actually work? Learn more about these fascinating railways -- and how old they are -- in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Marshall explains the two technologies that are used to backlight LCD panels. Tune in to learn more about the science behind LCD panels. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stratospheric aerosols have been proposed as a new way to combat global warming -- but what's the science behind this proposal? Discover how stratospheric aerosols would work in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tiny houses are part of a growing trend, but why would someone want an itty bitty house? In this episode, Marshall talks about the benefits and challenges of building a tiny home. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nor'easters are storm systems that frequently occur in the eastern United States during winter. In this episode, Marshall explains where Nor'easters get their name, how they work and why some Nor'easters are more powerful than others. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some AC-powered smoke detectors are wired to communicate with each other. So when one unit is triggered, all of the units go off. Find out how this intercommunication works in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Potato chips were invented in 1853 by an American cook named George Crum, and they've been a popular food item ever since. Learn more about George Crum and the evolution of the potato chip in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When people get a rash from poison ivy, their bodies are reacting to a chemical called urushiol. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about poison ivy rashes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mood rings claim to reflect changes in your emotional state -- and, in a way, they do. Discover the science behind mood rings in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about the anatomy (and chemistry) behind that popping sound your knuckles make when you crack them in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you shone a flashlight beam from Earth, would you be able to see it from the moon? It depends. Find out why -- and get a lesson in how light works -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tools that say "drop forged" have been created using a technique called drop forging. Find out how drop forging and several other kinds of forging work, and why drop forging is a sign of a sturdy tool, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A barbeque grill has a push-button lighter that relies on piezoelectricity to generate a spark. Learn more about how piezoelectricity works -- and the kinds of devices that use piezoelectric materials -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of BrainStuff, Marshall reveals three common techniques for measuring the height of tall objects like towers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the moon is near the horizon, it appears to be much bigger than when it's high in the sky. But is it really larger? Tune in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.