Brain Junk

  • Autor: Vários
  • Narrador: Vários
  • Editor: Podcast
  • Duración: 62:05:11
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Sinopsis

Brain Junk is where Amy Barton and Trace Kerr shake up science, history & culture in the hunt for off the wall, totally unbelievable but true, answers to questions you never knew you wanted to know. What are Supernumerary teeth? Do ants pass the Mirror Test? Why do kids in Denmark get to murder their birthday cakes? We will be cannon balling off the question high dive every Tuesday to bring you the answers -- those of you in the front seats, bring your ponchos -- we're out to flood your brain.

Episodios

  • 308: I'm Stuck on Band-aids

    02/04/2024 Duración: 13min

    2024 is the 100th anniversary of Band-aids. But before they were the little strips in cool tins, they came in a roll you could cut to size.Show Notes:Johnson & Johnson history of Band-aidsWikipedia: Band-aid historyDisposable AmericaThe Atlantic: The Story of the Black Band-aidTruColour BandagesTranscript:[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to brain junk. I'm Amy Barton.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Trace Kerr. And I do have a cold.[00:00:08] Speaker A: Yes.[00:00:08] Speaker B: But today is everything you never knew you wanted to know about band aids.[00:00:13] Speaker A: I want to know many things. Did you buy picturey ones for your children, or were you kind of scroogey?[00:00:20] Speaker B: Here's the thing. I kind of felt like the picturey ones didn't have enough of the nick.I'm a fan of the fabricy ones because I feel like they stay on better.[00:00:32] Speaker A: Yeah, but.[00:00:33] Speaker B: Okay, so, 2024, I just figured this out when I was doing research, is the 100th anniversary of the eponymous b

  • 307: 52 Cards

    19/03/2024 Duración: 15min

    From poker to games played to pass the time, those 52 cards are so ubiquitous it's hard to figure just when we started using them. We go all the way back to ancient China for a possible origin of cards.images: Cloisters Deck from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and and example of cards from today from pixabayShow Notes:The strange coincidence of the Instagram guy & 52 card decksMetropolitan Museum of Art: The Cloisters Playing CardsAtlas Obscura: Playing cards around the world and through the agesJSTOR: an excerpt from The Game of Leaves: An Inquiry into the Origin of Chinese Playing CardsWikipedia: Chinese Playing CardsTranscript:[00:00:03] Speaker A: Hey there. Trace here. So Amy and I have a couple projects coming up over the next couple months. She's taking some classes. She's got to do homework. I've got some projects, a fiction podcast that I'm working on writing, and a novel that I'm working on editing. And we need a little more space, a little more time. So we're not stopping brain junk. Absolutely

  • 306: The Flip That Flopped

    12/03/2024 Duración: 23min

    Call them slippahs, flip flops, chanclas, slops, plakkies, slaps, pantofles, or thongs...whatever word you choose says a lot about your age and what part of the world you grew up in. We came up with this episode topic as kind of a joke. Turns out there's way more about to know about these summer shoes than we thought.Show Notes:Wikipedia on the history of flip flopsThe PadukaKanye West being weird as usual with diamond studded flipsSatra: History of the flip flop Forbes: This Brand Reinvented Flip-Flops (And Made Them A Sustainable Product)Business Wire: Global Flip Flops Market to Reach $28.5 Billion by 2030, Fueled by Work-from-Home Trend and Growing Demand in Developing Countries - ResearchAndMarkets.comObama first US President photoed in slippahsGuinness account on X: Andre Ortolf running in flip flopsLongest flip flop throwFlip Flops History and Production ProcessHarper's BazaarYouTube: Mexican Moms play chancla or no chanclaWashington Post Flip Flop vs Thongsrecycled rubber flopsTranscript:[00:00:03] Sp

  • 305: Deadly Animal Mimics

    05/03/2024 Duración: 12min

    It's easy to believe that a snake might be a deadly mimic. But butterflies that start life as carnivorous caterpillars? Oh heck yeah!Show Notes:YouTube BBC: Ants Adopt a CaterpillarYouTube Entomological Society of America: Ants and BluesThe Pattern of Social Parasitism in Maculinea teleius Butterfly Is Driven by the Size and Spatial Distribution of the Host Ant NestsEntomology Today: Carnivorous Caterpillars Fool Ants by Sounding like QueensPLOS One: Variation in Butterfly Larval Acoustics as a Strategy to Infiltrate and Exploit Host Ant Colony ResourcesScientific American: Actual audio of the caterpillar mimicking an ant Avian deception using an elaborate caudal lure in Pseudocerastes urarachnoides (Serpentes: Viperidae)Herpetological.org Pseudocerastes urarachnoides: the ambush specialist (great pictures of the viper!)Discover: Meet the SnakeTranscript:00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to brain junk. I'm Amy Barton.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Trace Kerr. And today is everything you never knew you wanted to kno

  • 304: The Wrong Wipe

    27/02/2024 Duración: 14min

    If you haven't figured it out by now, Amy is not afraid to ask tough questions! Today she talks butt health, bidets, and the dangers of wet wipes. It's funnier than you'd think, we promise. Show Notes:Business Insider: interview with Dr. GoldsteinAm I Doing it Wrong? Jan 2024The Spruce: 7 Best Bidet AttachmentsSplinter free toilet paperHistory Channel: All the Ways We've WipedCBS news article about Johnny Carson creating a toilet paper shortageAnd just in case you're not a dinosaur like Trace and Amy, this is Walter CronkiteTranscript:[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain Junk. I'm Trace Kerr.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Amy Barton. And today we're going to be discussing personal care, which is, I know, one of the things you come to brain junk for, because we care about you, and we want you to know you might not be wiping correctly.[00:00:21] Speaker A: Oh, no.[00:00:22] Speaker B: This is a hard truth that we need to share with you.And this comes from Chris Barton.[00:00:29] Speaker A: Oh, no.[00:00:29] Sp

  • 303: The Birds!

    20/02/2024 Duración: 21min

    Trace found some delightful random facts about birds! Today we're talking "anting", talons locked to the death, and musical cockatoos. Show Notes:Journal of Ornithology: Anting behavior in birdsVideo of crow anting: aka the spicy spaBird Note: antingFacebook video of bald eagles cartwheelingBird Note: Eagles cartwheelingPalm Cockatoos playing their instrumentsResearch paper on Palm CockatoosFunny vid with Conan O'Brien and a palm cockatoo guestTranscript:[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain Junk. I'm Amy Barton.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Trace Kerr. And I just saw a spider and I'm terrified. But we're going to do this episode because I'm an adult.Today we're going to, today we're going to talk about everything you never knew you wanted to know about birds.[00:00:20] Speaker A: Just everything about birds.[00:00:21] Speaker B: Everything.[00:00:22] Speaker A: People grab a hot beverage.[00:00:24] Speaker C: Yep.[00:00:24] Speaker B: This episode, it's going to be like 12 hours. It's an eight part episode.

  • 302: Potato Chip Taste Test

    13/02/2024 Duración: 26min

    We recorded IN PERSON! Trace brought back a whole bunch of fun flavored chips from Uwajimaya, a fantastic Asian grocery store in Seattle! Check out the show notes for our 5 other taste test episodes!Show Notes:P.S. If you like the Non Newtonian fluid cup, it's in our Merch store!P.S.S. in defense of the Pizza flavored chips, when Trace tried them the next day, she could taste the peperoni. Other Taste Test episodes:9: Crazy food (we eat cherry pickles) 138: Turkey Candy Corn142: Socially Distanced Taste Test229: Taco Truck Jelly Bean Taste Test!235: Tailgate Candy CornTranscript:[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain Junk. I'm Amy Barton.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Trace Kerr. And we're in the same room together.[00:00:09] Speaker A: I was just debating. Can I interrupt and say we're here together, right by each other.[00:00:14] Speaker B: It's kind of weird. And we only have one microphone because equipment. And so we're very close. We're standing very not. We're not huggers. We're very close to each other

  • 301: Pregnancy & Pee

    06/02/2024 Duración: 14min

    From wheat to mice to rabbits to...you won't believe the techniques we've used to determine if a woman is pregnant. The history of detecting pregnancy is long, inexact, and strange. Buckle up for some crazy science.Show Notes:Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: Pee is for Pregnant: The history and science of urine-based pregnancy tests NIH timeline of the history of the pregnancy testMargaret Crane the 26 year old inventor of the home pregnancy testDollar Store pregnancy testsTranscript:[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain junk. I'm Amy Barton.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Trace Kerr. And today is everything you never knew you wanted to know about pregnancy and pee.[00:00:14] Speaker A: I feel like I've experienced enough and I'm done with that. But I'm sure you're going to dazzle me.[00:00:19] Speaker C: Well, yeah.[00:00:20] Speaker B: Okay. So have you ever done the pregnancy? I mean, you have two kids, you've done the little stick, like the ept kind of thing? I've had two different

  • 300th Episode!!!!!

    30/01/2024 Duración: 25min

    We're officially pros now right?!?! We dug deep into the internet's brain junk drawer for a random smash-up of whatever facts tickled our fancy. Thank you for listening and loving this show as much as we do.Show Notes:Check out our shop for fun stuff SHIRTS, CUPS, & MOREGuinness book of World Records: Most hugs, fastest 300km cycle, 300 pound dead weight hangBones in a baby's bodyJulia Child Mastering the Art of French Cooking page 300EF5 Moore TornadoOn This Day things that happenedWootz steelThe Measure of Things website if you're like Amy and want to know random measurements This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

  • 299: Master of Magic

    23/01/2024 Duración: 11min

    We might quit Brain Junk and run off to the University of Exeter for their brand new Masters program in MAGIC. Not Hogwarts (darn) but you'd be studying the role of magic in society. Listen to our podcast while you apply!!!!Show Notes:University of Exeter Magic and Occult Science MANPR interview with Prof. Sajjad RizviFun book recommendation (that is not for young kids): The MagiciansA second fun book rec because Trace cannot be stopped: The Lefthanded Booksellers of LondonTranscript[00:00:02] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain Junk. I'm Trace Kerr.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Amy Barton. And this is everything you never knew you wanted to know about getting a master's degree in magic and occult science.[00:00:17] Speaker A: Oh, this is. Okay, I'm going to shut up. You start talking. I'm interested. Let's go.[00:00:22] Speaker B: Okay. This caught my eye and I'm like, I would like to talk with trace about how we could actually have a degree in magic and magical things and all because trace and I both, I think you a

  • 298: Pomology: Fruits, yo!

    16/01/2024 Duración: 14min

    Apologies for the sound quality. Trace solemnly swears this is our last Zoom recorded episode.In 1886, the US government decided it was time we cataloged every fruit. Lacking the ability to take color pictures, a small group of artists, led by a talented female painter, began to create a record of over 6,000 fruits.Show Notes:USDA Pomological WatercolorsUnited States Dept of Agriculture: Ag magazine article on pomological watercolorsDaily "old fruit pictures" bot on that site formerly known at twitterDeborah Griscom Passmore's lovingly written obituary Page 1 of 4 and Page 4 of 4.P.S. We mention a mangosteen and then never explain what it is. Mangosteen is an evergreen tree from Central Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, etc.) The ripe fruits are purple and considered a food and a medicinal item.Transcript[00:00:03] Speaker A: Should we do a different one? Welcome, Brain Junk. I'm Amy Barton. I'm here with my cozy cup of tea. And today we have with us Trace Kerr. Trace, tell us a little about yourself.[00:0

  • 297: Pedestrianism

    09/01/2024 Duración: 13min

    Hold onto your top hats, we're striding into the historical world of competitive race walking! Can you even imagine walking 1000 miles in 1000 hours (FYI 1000 hours is nearly 42 days)Image: Emma SharpShow Notes:BBC: The strange 19th century sport that was cooler than footballWikipedia: Foster PowellNational Galleries of Scotland: Captain Robert Barclay-AllardyceUltrarunninghistory.com: The Barclay MatchOld Weird Scotland: The Celebrated PedestrianAtlas Obscura: How competitive walking captivated Georgian EnglandWiki: Emma Sharp and her very fancy walking suitAda AndersonThe Pedestriannes: America's Forgotten SuperstarsWikipedia: PedestrianismEdward Payson WestonUltrarunning history: The first Astley beltFirst Women's six day footraceSmithsonian: The terrible 1904 Olympic marathonTranscript[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain Junk. I'm Trace Kerr.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Amy Barton. And today we are going to talk about the exciting world of competitive walking.[00:00:18] Speaker A: Okay, so you said ped

  • 296: Diving Bell Ships

    02/01/2024 Duración: 11min

    Go look up the Carl Straat diving bell ship. It's insane to think that it's possible for people to walk on the bottom of a river in regular clothes and rubber boots. There's no special equipment except for the boat and compressed air. Show Notes:Carl Straat diving bell ship (the video Amy watches during the episode): https://www.tiktok.com/@machinepix/video/7255824577534725418wocomoMOTORS video shortShip technology magazine article on the Carl StraatHow the ship works, interview with the captain: https://www.damen.com/insights-center/articles/your-questions-answered-the-german-diving-bell-vesselNeed more weird ships? Check out this wiki of the now decommissioned R/P FLIP Transcript[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain Junk. I'm Amy Barton.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Trace Kerr. And today is everything you never knew you wanted to know about diving bell ships.[00:00:13] Speaker A: I am delighted by swimming, but terrified of drowning. So I'm sort of morbidly fascinated with anything with the word diving. An

  • 295: Cat Allergies...achooo

    26/12/2023 Duración: 17min

    Up until 2020, If you loved cats but your allergies didn't love them back, you had to live with runny eyes, hop yourself up on Benadryl, or live a sad cat free life. Now there's something that might reduce the amount of Fel d1 that cats produce! The less Fel d1 in your environment, the less severe your allergic response. Stay tuned at the end for Amy's recap of how Thanksgiving and Christmas went with her allergenic eldest kiddo!Show Notes:NIH National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biological Information: Anti-Fel d1 immunoglobulin Y antibody-containing egg ingredient lowers allergen levels in cat saliva by Ebenezer Satyaraj et al.Very Well Health overview of the paperIn case you're curious, here's the Purina cat food (not sponsored)Transcript[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain Junk. I'm Trace Kerr.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Amy Barton. And today we're going to talk all about cat allergies and the people you love who get mucusy and how to solve that problem.[00:00:18] Speaker A: Okay. Because

  • 294: Wave Washing

    19/12/2023 Duración: 14min

    Are you team killer whale or team crab eating seal? We're cheering for both... Watch the movies in the show notes if you dare. There's no blood and guts but the hunting style of the B1 pod is still a complete horror show. image: AlKalenski from pixabay, Antarctic seal and iceberg Show Notes:Lindblad Expedition with national Geographic movie More National GeographicResearch Gate diagrams of wave washingCBS 8 San Diego, killer whales attacking boats in SpainWe mentions sharks hunting seals in a very sneaky way: Marine Dynamics Shark and Whale ToursTop 10 animals that kill people. Hippos are top of the listTranscript[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain Junk. I'm Amy Barton.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Trace Kerr. And today is everything you never knew you wanted to know about wave washing.[00:00:13] Speaker A: Um, is this going a laundry direction or are we tumbling rocks?[00:00:18] Speaker B: I know. You're like, it's a wave. Why do we need to clean it? We're not talking about that.[00:00:23] Speaker A: That

  • 293: Sheep and Mummies

    12/12/2023 Duración: 11min

    From Sugar the long lost Australian sheep to an unfortunate Bulgarian man who became mummified way faster than scientists would expect, Amy's bringing it with a fact double header! P.S. Sugar the sheep had 28 pounds of wool shorn off. That'd make a lot of sweaters!Show Notes:Brain Junk MerchSugar the Sheep article on UPI with a great link to an Instagram video of Sugar getting shearedLittleCreekMontana.com history of why sheep need to be shearedTrigger warning on this scholarly article on precocious mummification; there are full on color photos of an autopsy. Cureus article: A Rare Phenomenon of Natural Precocious Mummification A less juicy review of the Cureus paper on IFLscience.comTranscript[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain Junk. I'm Trace Kerr.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Amy Barton. And today on brain junk, we are going to talk about a couple little shorties that I'm just excited about and that have absolutely no relationship to one another. Oh, I feel like this is the true spirit of brain junk. Li

  • 292: Magnets

    05/12/2023 Duración: 16min

    First off, we recorded on Zoom ( I KNOW it's ). Sorry about the sound quality. Trace is working on a new platform for us. But okay, magnets! You asked & we are here to demystify those wacky magnets you've got stuck all over your fridge. Show notes:US Energy Information Administration magnetism explanation with diagramsMagnets and repelling sharks!YouTube sharks vs magnets! Jenny Lawson and her experience with transcranial magnetic stimulationMore info on the science of magnets and your brain from the Mayo ClinicFrontiers in Zoology: Dogs and pooping on the north south axis...maybe NASA archive on the history of magnetismAdvanced Functional Materials paper on magnets used to clean oil spillsFriedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) collab on Another paper on magnets and oilTranscript[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to Brain junk. I'm Amy Barton.[00:00:05] Speaker B: And I'm Trace Kerr. And today is everything you never knew you wanted to know about how magnets work.[00:00:13] Speaker A: Magnets,

  • 291: Critter-palooza

    28/11/2023 Duración: 19min

    It's our last week of Thanksgiving break! Hope this finds you contentedly full from a good meal and hanging out with the people you adore. Trace pulled out all the stops with audio buffet of animal episodes. The bell bird, honeypot ants, and unexpected animal buddies. Also shout out to Hank the dog, he was a goofy guy and much loved by Amy and her family. RIP Hank, you'll be missed. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

  • 290: Brach's Turkey Corn

    21/11/2023 Duración: 21min

    Brain Junk is still on break but whooo-boy we've got a trip down memory lane for y'all! Picture it, September 2020, Trace and Amy sitting a million socially distant miles apart while tasting the flavor sensation of the season--turkey flavored candy corn. We still have TFSD (turkey flavored stress disorder). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

  • 289: Amy Double Header

    14/11/2023 Duración: 16min

    Brain Junk is taking Thanksgiving break! Trace has some writing projects she needs to get off the ground and Amy has a teenager at home(do we need to say more?) We've got some fun episode mashups coming the next three weeks. Don't worry, we'll be back with all new stuff in December! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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