Brainstuff

We’ve all seen movies with supervillains building catastrophic Doomsday devices – but one exists in the real world, too. In this classic episode, learn how the Cold War led to the most dangerous nuclear system in history: Russia’s 'Dead Hand' Perimeter system. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a lot of hype about high-definition TV, ultra-high definition, and beyond. But does this race to jam more pixels into screens actually matter? Learn more about the human eye and digital resolution in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As public spaces begin to open, safety measures to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 are more important than ever. So how could a public pool or beach be safe? Learn about the CDC's recommendations in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mason-Dixon Line started as a tax-related land survey -- so how it come to stand as the barrier between slave states and free states during the Civil War? Learn the history of Mason and Dixon -- and how they contributed to science -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A study found that nearly half of all U.S. citizens have an immediate family member who's been incarcerated for at least one night. Learn how the numbers break down in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many myths about the Civil Rights movement have arisen in the past few decades, including the idea that MLK was always considered an American hero. Learn how public opinion was divided, and how that changed over time, in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tropical manchineel tree bears apple-like fruit, but eating it -- or just touching its leaves or bark -- can cause a world of hurt. Learn about the 'apple of death' in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book collectors may spend thousands on signed copies or rare editions, but the biggest price tag in book-buying history was in the millions. Learn why the world's priciest book is essentially a treatise on plumbing in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human blood is red -- yes, even when it's in your body. Learn why -- and why your veins appear blue through your skin -- in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Email systems are designed to keep BCC recipients hidden, but mistakes -- and attacks -- can happen. Learn about CCing, BCCing, etiquette, and email security in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are indeed gusts of wind strong enough to knock a person off their feet, but for most of us, it'd take a lot of wind. Learn more about how wind works in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shangri-La began as a work of fiction, but it's loosely based in Buddhist mythology and has borne a couple namesakes in the real world. Learn about Shangri-La in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NASA tests everything it sends into space for a lot of things -- including stinkiness. Learn who NASA's odor volunteers are and what they do in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the Civil War, Americans have taken a day in late May to honor fallen soldiers. Learn two theories on how this tradition began in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've ever gotten a hot shock from someone flushing a toilet while you were taking a shower, there's an easy fix for that. Learn why it happens and how to fix it in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Depending on the camera settings and recording technology used to film helicopters, the blades can appear to bend, fragment, stand still, or move backwards. Learn why in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karl Marx was one of the most influential (and, ultimately, destructive) thinkers in history. Learn about his life, what he wrote, and why his ideas are still worthwhile in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The eighth planet in our solar system is fairly mysterious: Why is it tilted on its side? Why is it so much colder than similar planet? Learn what we know -- and what we don't know -- about Uranus in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cuttlefish are clever cephalopods that communicate with color. Learn the basics about cuttlefish in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Together, Mitsuye Endo and James C. Purcell -- a Japanese-American woman and her lawyer -- brought down Executive Order 9066, which interred Japanese Americans during WWII. Learn about the order and its demise in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.