Episodes

  • What Does Habeas Corpus Mean?
    Jul 4 2025

    Habeas corpus is a centuries-old legal concept that basically means that the government has to have a valid legal reason if it's going to detain you. Learn why habeas corpus is so important -- and when it's been suspended in the U.S. -- in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/habeas-corpus-important.htm

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show more Show less
    11 mins
  • Who Named the Planet Earth?
    Jul 3 2025

    In most European languages, the planets are all named after Roman gods -- except for the planet you're hanging out on right now. Learn how Earth and the other planets got their names in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/who-named-planet-earth.htm

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show more Show less
    6 mins
  • How Does Foreign Accent Syndrome Work?
    Jun 10 2025

    Patients with Foreign Accent Syndrome seem to develop a whole new accent overnight. Learn how it can happen in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/neurological-conditions/foreign-accent-syndrome.htm

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show more Show less
    9 mins
  • How Did Tetris Go from Soviet Passtime to Smashing Success?
    Jun 9 2025

    During the Cold War, a programmer in the USSR created Tetris as a fun break for his coworkers. Learn how it became one of the best-selling video games of all time in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/tetris.htm

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show more Show less
    9 mins
  • BrainStuff Classics: Why Is Our Galaxy Warped?
    Jun 4 2025

    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 this classic episode of BrainStuff.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show more Show less
    4 mins
  • BrainStuff Classics: How Long Can Animals Hold Their Breath?
    Jun 3 2025

    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 classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/what-animal-can-hold-its-breath-longest.htm

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show more Show less
    4 mins
  • How Did the Dawes Act Steal 90 Million Acres of Land from Native Americans?
    Jun 2 2025

    In the 1880s, an unlikely collaboration between land-hungry capitalists and social progressives ended in the sale of over 60 percent of Native American lands to non-Native people and corporations. Learn how it happened in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/dawes-act.htm

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show more Show less
    10 mins