Brainstuff

From eldritch aspen colonies to immortal jellyfish, the world is lousy with long-lived organisms. But what’s the oldest? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sleeping is frustrating for many of us. So why do we have to do it? Christian reviews several possibilities and reveals all the bad things that can happen if you sleep too much... or not at all. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's take a look at the fictional history of Captain America's indestructible shield and try to figure out how it might have been forged and how aerodynamic it could be. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever walked in your sleep? Somnambulism isn't as rare as you might think. Join Christian as he explores the facts and fiction about sleepwalking, from its many possible causes to whether you can safely wake up a somnambulist mid-stroll. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robbing a bank is a dumb idea. And not just because it's illegal. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.comSee 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.comSee 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.comSee 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.comSee 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.comSee 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.comSee 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.comSee 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.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.comSee 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.comSee 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.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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