Brain Junk

It wasn’t just fame and glory that inspired Lewis and Clark’s expedition across this great land. It took a “medication” so powerful that people would pray before they took it. Researchers figured out how to locate campsites from that 1804-1805 trip by analyzing dirt for Mercury. Because of course they were using medicine that was […] 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

Anything that scatters when you turn on the light…does it have a personality? Is the cockroach urge to run an indicator of a bold or timid world view? So many questions. Of course Amy found us some answers. Cockroaches with their little monitors. image from Reuters and Science Alert 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

Set aside your mammal bias because this week we’re celebrating the unexpected smarts of archerfish and goldfish! Turns out, goldfish might be able to drive a car and archerfish might just be able to count. Sit back and get ready for your mind to be blown. Goldfish research with cars. Watch out Tesla, they’re coming […] 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 pulled out all the stops for this shenanigan filled episode. Don’t be an April’s Fool like Trace. image from Snopes Amy’s Sources (aside from her shenanigan-filled heart):  Snopes.com  Blandx.com 1936 Olympics Article 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 1978, Dr. Alexander Schauss and a research assistant mixed 1 gallon of white latex paint with a pint of shiny red and created P-618 aka Baker Miller Pink. They thought it would relax people, especially people in stressful situations, like prison. Take a look at that powerful pink and you be the judge. 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

We always hear about research “wins”. Rarely do we discuss “failures”–and we should. Today we dive into a few examples of how not getting the “right” answer isn’t wrong. Loma Pendergraft: Fussing Over Food Amy’s Sources: Clever Hans:Wikipedia: Observer Expectancy EffectWikipedia Clever HansCrow Vocalizations:Corvid Research Blog Part ICorvid Research Blog Part II 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

Imagine you’re an ant living in an arid climate. There’s no grocery stores! How do you keep enough food on hand for when things are scarce? You won’t believe it. Watch the below IF YOU DARE Amy’s Sources: Nat Geo: Honeypot Ants Alexanderwild.com Ants Myrmecocystus 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

What happens when you are the Emperor of France and your hunting party plans go completely wrong? You get attacked by rabbits. This isn’t a Monty Python skit, its history! Napoleon meets his Bunnyloo image from CuriousRambler 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

To celebrate our 200th episode, we’re going back to 1822 to share cool facts from two-hundred years ago! Listen in to a cornucopia of historical cooking, human experimentation, the discovery of stork migration, general Amy and Trace wackiness, one of the earliest versions of a computer, and MORE. We appreciate you Brain Junkies so much! Enjoy the show.Check out The Cook and Housekeeper’s Complete and Universal DictionaryPfeilstorch! 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

Gifts. Just because that decorative paper is slapped on with yards of tape doesn’t mean what’s inside isn’t something you’d want. Amy dives into a study about how we feel about gifts based on shabby wrapping paper. 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

Mary McLeod Bethune was the daughter of former slaves and a founder of Bethune-Cookman University. She was often the only woman of color with a seat at the table in the early political history of the 1900s. Mary McLeod Bethune with girls from the Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in Daytona, c. […] 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

Give a captive gorilla tasty food, they often vocalize in ways that sound a lot like singing. It’s so charming! But scientists thought this “singing” was a response to living close to humans. Turns out, wild gorillas sing too. Check out this YouTube for an example! Gorillas Sing!! 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

One of the highest achievements in martial arts is the black belt. And Amy, OUR Amy Barton has reached that pinnacle in Taekwondo. How cool is that?!? To celebrate we’re talking about the history of the belt system. Raise your glass to congratulate Amy!! https://traditional-dojo.com/blog/88092/The-true-and-not-so-true-history-of-the-Martial-Arts-belt-system-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_belt_(martial_arts) 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

We’re diving into a long episode chock-a-block full of weird facts. Get ready for German phrases, the history of bullion, hot dogs, neurons, and more (and OF COURSE a little Chuck Norris!)image: journal with the literal bug in the system. National GeographicAmy’s Miscellany:German Wordshttps://www.fluentu.com/blog/german/weird-german-words-vocabulary/Morgenmuffle-not a good morning personFernweh (Distance pain)Kummerspeck (Grief bacon)Innerer Schweinehund (Inner pig dog)Fremdschämen (Exterior shame)Lebensmüde (Life tired)Weltschmerz (World pain)Zungenbrecher (Tongue breaker)Hot Dogs!https://www.hot-dog.org/ NHDSC Hot Dog Ambassador.  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

You might think you’re special because you can flex your nostrils or flap your ears–but it turns out that there is a person out there who can voluntarily move their pupillary sphincters. What the heck are those? Listen to this one, it’s worth it.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW2iwEshWMEWant to know more? Check out the scientific paper!Amy’s Links:  https://www.livescience.com/man-can-control-pupil-dilation.html https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167876021008448?via%3Dihub 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 US military uses more than boats to protect our Naval bases. This episode brings a whole new meaning to “Navy seals”.Check out this AP archive video — it’s remarkable!More cool resources! Marine Mammal Program 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 2022!! Over the next few episodes we’re changing things up a bit. Let us know what you think! Email us at Brainjunkpodcast@gmail.com or drop us a message on our InstagramThis week we dive into the origin of the word pothole. It’s funnier than you might think.P.S. Trace does mention the word penis one time…but it’s not explicit. We promise.Photo from the Pothole Gardener 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

We don’t know about y’all, but 2020 and 2021 have been a whole thing. Right?! So Trace and Amy are taking the month of December to recharge their love of facts and weirdness. We’ll be back on Jan 4, 2022 with new episodes! Until then, this episode has some fun facts about winter.Also, here’s where you can find us until we’re back! Click on the buttons to visit our socials 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

Those of you with a thick beard, that hair does more than make you look suave or rugged. Turns out, a beard might be protecting your face. There’s even an Ig Nobel winning study to prove it.Feeling super scientific? Read the study: Impact Protection Potential of Mammalian Hair: Testing the Pugilism Hypothesis for the Evolution of Human Facial Hair 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

Brain Junk 189: Disco Clams Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 30 seconds 00:00 / 00:04:12 Subscribe Share RSS Feed Share Link Embed //><!-- /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(c,d){"use strict";var e=!1,n=!1;if(d.querySelector)if(c.addEventListener)e=!0;if(c.wp=c.wp||{},!c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage)if(c.wp.receiveEmbed