Episodes

Everyone has loose batteries somewhere in the house. And if you keep those batteries in your junk drawer, that could be dangerous. Listen as I explain why and a better way to store batteries. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/612670/never-store-batteries-your-junk-drawer Did French fries really originate in France? Why do we call them hot dogs? Why is there no cream in cream soda? And what’s the deal with chicken fingers? Joining me with the fun origins of some of your favorite foods is Kim Za...

“Fragrance” is a common ingredient listed on perfumes, colognes, soaps, and lotions. Clearly, just the word "fragrance" doesn’t tell you very much. This episode begins with a discussion on why manufacturers can be so vague about this and why you should be at least a little concerned. https://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/fragrance/ Ever wonder why you get a headache? Or bad breath? Ever wonder how vomiting actually works? Or why people get jet lag? And what causes bad ...

Just because you are a good driver doesn’t protect you from bad drivers. And there are a lot of those bad drivers on the road. So how do you protect yourself? This episode begins with some potentially life-saving advice on where and how serious traffic accidents happen and how to avoid being in one. Source: Reader’s Digest article titled “How Good Drivers Get Killed” A lot goes on in your neighborhood grocery store you likely never knew. For example, did you know that some of the “fresh produce...

More and more people are opting to remove their shoes before they come into the house and asking guests to do it as well. Is it really necessary? Does it do any good? This episode begins with a look at what your shoes actually track into your home and whether or not it is dangerous. https://www.sharp.com/health-news/should-shoes-be-removed-at-home When you throw something into the trash or the recycle bin, you likely feel confident that it goes where it is supposed to go. But does it? Where exac...

Doodling – it is just something people do, particularly when listening to a boring speaker. While people often think of it as a distraction, doodling can actually help your memory. Listen as I begin this episode by explaining how that works. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226210039.htm The Internet is messing with your mind according to Nicholas Carr. He took a close look at the research on this for his book The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains (https://amzn.t...

An amazing number of dogs get stolen every year. And it’s all about the money. This episode begins with a look at this growing crime and why you should keep a close eye on your pet. https://petkeen.com/dognapping-dog-theft-statistics/ When people are told they are too sensitive, it is usually not a compliment. Being sensitive is often looked at as a weakness – a character flaw. What sensitive people need to do is toughen up. Well, not so fast, says Jenn Granneman. While being sensitive can have ...

On a hot summer day, lots of things can get dangerously hot. Your street, the dashboard and steering wheel inside your car, even your patio furniture can get hot enough to burn you. Listen as I explain just how hot. https://www.rd.com/article/things-that-get-dangerously-hot/ Why are some things harder to learn than others? Why do some people seem to learn things faster? Are there ways to make learning something easier? Joining me to explain all this and other aspects of the science of learning i...

Isn’t salt – salt? I’ve always thought so. Sure there is kosher salt and sea salt and regular salt but now there are all these different colored designer salts? Does it really matter or make a difference This episode begins with a salty explanation. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/sea-salt/faq-20058512 We crave to have love in our lives, yet love can also be the source of immense pain, misery and sadness. It seems odd sometimes that as muc...

People claim to get great ideas in the shower. But is that a real thing? Is there something about taking a shower that can actually generate ideas and solutions? Listen as this episode begins with some interesting research about the power of a shower. https://www.headspace.com/articles/shower-epiphanies You are about to amazed at some of the unusual and random things that can affect your health in significant ways. Things like your birthday, if there is EZ Pass on a highway nearby, if there is a...

Is it true that a bee will die after it stings you? Or that YOU can die after a black widow spider bites you? This episode begins with a look at some facts and myths about summertime bugs and pests. https://www.ledfordspestcontrol.com/blog/pest-facts/7-common-pest-myths/ There are a lot of bad people who want to steal and scam you out of your money. While most of us like to think we are too smart to fall for scams, it’s just not true. Some of the smartest people have fallen victim to some very c...

Ever noticed that aluminum foil has a shiny side and a dull side? Why do you suppose that is? Maybe it is significant – after all some recipes call for it to be either shiny side up or shiny side down. But how much difference could it possibly make? Listen and find out. https://culinarylore.com/food-science:aluminum-foil-shiny-side-up-or-down/ Bet you didn’t know that radio technology helped to create the quartz watch. Or that railroad technology reshaped how we celebrate Christmas. And how in t...

Somehow blue jeans, which are basically just work clothes, became this worldwide fashion staple, and have remained so for decades. How did that happen? This episode begins by discussing the origins of jeans and how they became such a big deal. Source: James Sullivan, author of Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon (https://amzn.to/2F0wyID) Do coincidences happen for a reason or are they just quirky random events? Why is it so hard to find a 4-leaf clover – or any other plant with 4 leaf ...

What is the best (or worst) seat on a commercial airliner? That kind of depends on whether you mean safest, healthiest, or most comfortable seat. This episode begins with a look at how to choose the best airplane seat for you. https://www.menshealth.com/health/a19536853/the-worst-place-to-sit-on-a-plane/ Albert Einstein was a cultural rock star. He was arguably one of the most popular people on the planet for much of his life. He was Time magazine’s Man of the Century. Even today, most people kn...

When you order something online, do you then track the package to see where it is and when it is coming? This episode begins with the results of a survey about how people track their orders and why and how they hate it when a package is late. https://blog.4over.com/delivery-tracking-consumers-statistics Do you know how soap works to get the dirt out – or how moisturizers work? What is it about caffeine that keeps you awake? The answer is - chemistry! With everything you do and anywhere you go th...

A lot of people still send checks in the mail. Increasingly that is becoming a bad idea. Listen as I reveal why postal authorities and banks are recommending you not use the U.S. Mail to send money anymore. https://www.businessinsider.com/post-office-check-fraud-mailing-be-careful-usps-scam-2023-6 The world is full of strange and bizarre stories. And if you listen to this episode, you will hear a bunch of them, such as how one U.S. President prevented his own assassination; how The Beatles drumm...

Is it bad to charge your phone overnight? Is it okay to use your phone while it is charging? We start this episode with some of the facts and myths about charging your smartphone and how to improve the life and performance of the battery. https://www.makeuseof.com/myths-misconceptions-charging-your-phone-debunked/ Your brain is constantly making predictions. For example, when your doctor is about to give you a shot, your brain predicts how painful it will be. If you predict it will hurt a lot – ...

We have probably all gotten a little more conscientious at washing our hands more frequently. Still, a lot of us are not washing correctly or with proper technique. This episode begins with some expert hand washing advice to make sure your hands are really clean. https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/tips/10-ways-youre-washing-your-hands-wrong Don’t you just hate it when businesses tack on fees to the price? In many cases, like concert tickets, or hotels or airline fares, the stated price...

People often complain they get sick when they fly on an airplane. And they claim the problem is the recirculated air passengers breathe. That’s actually not quite right. This episode begins with an explanation of what does cause people to get sick from air travel and why it is likely not the air. https://www.rd.com/article/recirculated-air-on-airplanes/ You are about to be amazed when you hear how often we miscommunicate with each other. It happens when we speak, when we send a text or email, on...

Did you know that all people with blue eyes are related to each other? That is just one of the fascinating things we explore as I begin this episode with a look at how your eyes work and how they help you navigate your world. http://www.buzzfeed.com/acuvue/impossibly-cool-facts-you-may-not-know-about-yo#.kjpwxlkvO It often seems that great new ideas and inventions come out of the blue. However, that’s not usually true. There is actually an innovation process according to Matt Ridley. Matt is a j...

A lot of health and beauty advice has been passed down over many generations. And a lot of it is just plain wrong! Listen as this episode begins with a little myth busting when it comes to some of the things mom told you to do and not do to stay healthy and beautiful. https://www.everbeautiful.com/2010/1622/ten-popular-beauty-myths-debunked Are there actual benefits to watching sports? Yes – several, according to Larry Olmsted author of the book Fans: How Watching Sports Makes us Happier, Health...

Want to significantly improve your chances of a getting a good night’s sleep? This episode begins with a simple technique you can do today that can improve your sleep tonight. https://sleepopolis.com/news/make-bed-better-sleep/ In every language and in every culture, people swear. While we were all taught from an early age, not to say “bad words,” we all know what those words are, whether we choose to say them or not. Is swearing really so bad? Are there actual benefits to using curse words? App...

Ever wonder how spiders get into your house? This episode begins with an explanation and some ideas on how to make your home less appealing to spiders. https://www.prevention.com/life/a32332424/how-to-get-rid-of-spiders/ Probably a day doesn’t go by when you don’t laugh at something. So what is it that makes something funny? What do humor and laughter do for us? Is laughter really the best medicine? Why do we seek out comedy in movies, TV shows and standup comedy shows? Believe it or not, there ...

Before the mid 60s, a can of beer on a hot summer day was worthless without a can opener. Then along came the pop-top can. This episode begins with the interesting story of how the pop-top can changed our world. https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Ermal_Fraze No doubt, you have a secret. Everyone has a secret – perhaps more than one. The problem is that carrying around secrets can cause real harm according to Michael Slepian, one of the leading researchers on the psychology of secrets and a profess...

A common recommendation for people trying to control their weight is to get enough sleep. Why? What could sleep have to do with losing weight? This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.webmd.com/obesity/features/cant-shed-those-pounds “Cut to the chase.” “ Made from scratch.” Close but no cigar.” Where did these phrases come from? That’s just one of the things I discuss with Erin McCarthy, VP/Editor-in-Chief of MentalFloss.com author of the book Mental Floss: The Curious Compendium of...