Brain Junk

How did we go from no green spaces in city neighborhoods to the perfectly manicured lawn that defines American suburbia? It all comes down to Frederick Law Olmsted and properties in a housing development in 1860's Illinois.Show Notes:The Duncan Gardens at Manito Park in our own beautiful Spokane-Designed by Frederick Law OlmstedNew York City and Charleston SC neighborhoods prior to Olmsted's lawn movement.  This one is a listener request from my son Will, and my sister Ruth. This article has a cool map of the development that Olmsted was called in to develop. BB Barns Olsmtead LawnsPop Sci Olmsted LawnsSpokesman Olmsted InfluenceCannon Hill Park – the Olmsteds designed it.Finch Arboretum – the Olmsteds conceived it.Downriver Park – the Olmsteds suggested it.Manito Park – the Olmsteds improved it.Rockwood Boulevard – the Olmsteds plotted it.Gorge Park – the Olmsteds dreamed of it, 100 years early.Wikipedia Xeriscaping This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get acc

No joke, the best and last line of defense to protect the drinking water for an entire city in Poland is eight clams. Let's chat about bivalve science!image from Fat Kathy 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

During the 13th century, in the part of the world that would become Germany, husbands and wives could settle marital disagreements with an elaborate battle that used clubs and rocks. It was a drastic argument resolution of last resort. Amy explains all.Show Notes:In 1476 Hans Talhoffer wrote a manual on various kinds of combat. One of his chapters had illustrations with examples of men and women dueling. It is thought that his depictions of marital duels were common but by no means universal.Luckily, we found a video where you can see his illustrations in action.[embed]https://youtu.be/uH9Eqzcejws[/embed] Show Notes:It's tough to find illustrations that we are allowed to share here, so visit the links and get the whole scoop. You can also check out Medieval Justice: Cases and Laws in France, England and Germany, 500-1500 on Google Books if you'd really like to dig in!Marital Duels Neatorama.comMarital Duels-futilitycloset.comMedieval Justice: Cases and Laws in France, England and Germany, 500-1500 This is a p

Trace dug deep for this animal symbiosis extravaganza. Frogs and tarantulas, blind snakes and owls; it's so so good.Show Notes:Bonus content: an article with a sound recording of screech owls. Some info on blind snakes from the SmithsonianSkip in to :28 for the frog CLIMBING UNDER the tarantula. 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

In 1836, the Belville family began their business of selling time. It started with Ruth Belville's father and passed down to his daughter, Ruth. She sold time until 1939. Give it a listen, you know you want to learn more.Show Notes:Ruth Belville at the Greenwich clock.Visit the museum that has Ruth Belville's watch. 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

There might be longer names, but Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff Sr. probably comes the closest. Amy reads it all. Because there's more. SO MUCH MORE to his very long name. Show notes:Wikipedia Record for Longest Personal Name     *Visit Wikipedia for a great picture of Hubert holding his birth certificate. Mental Floss Record for Longest Personal Name UsedThe longest name in it's full form Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.Creative Commons License His Name as it appeared on ID: Hubert Blaine Wolfe­schlegel­stein­hausen­berger­dorff Sr   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

In the movie Good Will Hunting, Will is a janitor at MIT--he solves some impossible math problems and shocks the professors. That origin story is taken straight from real life (sort of). George Dantzig was a brilliant mathematician who got his start when he was late to class one fateful day and solved some math problems nobody thought could be solved. 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

In this time of COVID19 and staying at home (if you happen to be at home with more than just yourself) you might be finding family harmony is getting a little rough around the edges. Amy has the perfect solution for you, the Scottish tradition of the Isle of Discussion. The Isle of Discussion, or Eilean a' Chomhraidh can be seen on the left. Disputants were left on the island to settle their differences over whiskey and cheese. Show Noteshttps://vinepair.com/articles/scotland-island-discussion-whisky/https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/scottish-island-where-highland-clans-buried-their-dead-243491  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

In 1930, the Kutol company came up with a putty to clean coal dust off of walls. Impending bankruptcy forced them to shift gears to find news ways of making a profit. A new company was formed and Play-Doh was born.Show Notes:Trace's Mom's Most Excellent Play dough recipe:2 cups flour1 cup salt2 cups water2 Tablespoons neutral oil3 teaspoons cream of tartara few drops of the food coloring of your choiceAdd everything to a saucepan and stir while cooking over medium low heat until it forms a ball. When the dough comes together, knead when it is cool enough to touch to smooth.Keep sealed in plastic when not in use. 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

Margaret and Matilda Roumania Peters were sisters and tennis champions in the 1930s, long before Serena and Venus Williams. While still in high school, they were recruited by Tuskegee University's tennis coach, Cleve Abbott.The Peters sisters were accepted into the Tuskegee Hall of fame in 1977.Margaret and Matilda: Tennis doubles championsBlackpast.org Pete & Repeattheroot.com Before Venus and Serenathegeorgetowndish.com Honoring Pete & Repeat 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

It's one of those episodes where you think you know where your research is leading and then it takes a sharp right turn. Trace follows a trail from shoving boulders downhill to the 18th century sport of hoop rolling.P.S. Trace mentions in the beginning of the episode a video she'd seen on Instagram of guys rolling a giant boulder. That vid has since been removed. In many cases, trundling is illegal--people can cause immense damage to natural spaces and also put lives at risk. This episode is fun, but please, do not rock trundle.Show Notes:There's some bad language in the Youtube Video--but this is trundling that you must see.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6L_EZHPwFISkip forward to 27 seconds to see the rock go!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poLBGJLLeDg 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

The science of how bubbles work changes a bit when they go into space. Amy explains why.Show Notes: These show notes are super cool. Click all the links and watch all the videos. You'll go down a space bubbles worm hole into fluid dynamics and it's great! Wired.com Bubbles in space videoWatch an astronaut play with bubbles and antacid in space. Worth waiting through the commercial.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLCeAD6Z6FIScience Focus: Can you blow a bubble in space?ISS Water In SpaceUSGS Water In Spacehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFLo07H2p8UWatering plants in space is tricky with no gravity to pull the water down into the soil.Image Courtesy NASAI didn't talk about these videos, but they're fun!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCK5wFHZG5ohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_-7PmG_RYE 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

Welcome to a socially distanced Brain Junk Episode. Hopefully by the time this comes out, Amy and I are back to recording face to face. This was tapped at the end of April and we were each in our own houses recording remotely. Sorry about the less than super sound quality--I hope the content more than makes up for it. How could you not LOVE sharks that like heavy metal music?!?!Show Notes:Nature articleFrom the Independent UKDiscovery Channel Southeast Asia speakers in the water attracting sharks! 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

This episode was a struggle-and-a-half to get into the world. It was one of the first we recorded remotely because of COVID19 and I (Trace. Me, I did it!) lost the first TWO versions we did due to technical glitches. I'm so happy to bring you Amy's episode about the wonders of the Upside Down Jellyfish! It's a story of mutualism, stinging globs, algae, and the divers who finally studied them.  Images courtesy Wikimedia Commons-https://www.flickr.com/photos/33037982@N04/PopSci Upside Down JellyfishSyFy Upside Down Jellyfish (This is my favorite video because you see the cassiosomes at work!)Nature Upside Down Jellyfishhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MWMcBRvNFI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjvNfiNnRl4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DNnapDxf9M 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

Necco Wafers and Jelly Beans were candies that citizens were urged to “send to the troops” during the Civil War. Easy to transport and not likely to melt or spoil, they were a sweet treat that reminded the Union soldiers of home.An old NYT advertisementJelly Belly factory (Fairfield, CA.)Check out Claire Saffitiz from Bon Appetite as she attempts gourmet jelly beans from scratch.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPYhem4GRGY 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

From 1920 to 1933, the United States had a ban against the sale and import of alcohol. Almost immediately the whole nation began to find innovative ways to smuggle booze past the law.Image Courtest Wikimedia Commons: Creative CommonsSHOW NOTES:https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/65110/footwear-helped-moonshiners-evade-policeA 1922 article from a Florida newspaper called The Evening Independent ran a piece on the development:https://www.thevintagenews.com/2019/04/13/bootleggers/  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

Amy’s dug to the bottom of her pockets to find us a linty handful of random coin fact gems. Did you know there was a white cent or that coins are pickled before they get printed?Let’s see if I have any change in my wallet. Wait! Is that an orange Tic-Tac in the bottom of my bag? I call dibs! SHOW NOTES:https://grammarist.com/idiom/dollars-to-doughnuts/ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/71300/15-delicious-facts-about-doughnutshttps://www.beano.com/posts/the-10-weirdest-doughnut-flavourshttps://www.factretriever.com/doughnut-facts  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

If you grew up in the 80s and early 90s, you were certain that someday you’d fall into a pit of quicksand. It was everywhere. In cartoons, in tv shows, in our favorite movies. Turns out, quicksand isn’t quite as ubiquitous as we thought. Show Notes:Nature.com-QuicksandBBC-Dry Quicksand    Creative Commons License 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

It’s freezing but that flock of ducks is standing barefoot on an icy pond. Why don’t they have frostbite? Turns out, ducks (any many other birds) have something in their legs humans don’t, rete mirabile. Brrrrr! image: Capri23auto (pixabay.com)Rete mirabile at work, warming blood coming in from the feet and cooling blood going out into those webbed toes. A perfect internal heat exchanger for standing on the ice. 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

I’ve heard so many of these from my Dad around the kitchen table, we should call these “dad-isms” instead of aphorisms. Those pithy phrases that are so true, they’re almost a cliche. Trace and Amy explore a few of their favorites.Show Notes:The largest list of eponymous laws Trace has ever seen! Thank you Wikipediar/aphorisms (be wary: it’s reddit–there are words that are not pg-13)Please don’t use this on Brain Junk! Wadsworth Constant: the first 30% of any video can be skipped be cause it contains no interesting or worthwhile information (this is from a redditor named Wadsworth on 2011 There was even a website called Wadsworth It which would clip that first 30% for you. 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