The famous Hollywood sign that overlooks Los Angeles is turning 100 this year -- but its longevity wasn't always assured. Learn its history in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: sign-birthday.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/hollywood-sign-birthday.htm

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Low- and no-alcohol beers are now just as tasty as the alcoholic versions thanks to a few advances in brewing technology. Learn the basics of how brewers do it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: non-alcoholic-beer.htm">https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-science/brew-non-alcoholic-beer.htm

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E-commerce retailers like Amazon are able to offer next-day or even same-day shipping thanks to highly organized, centralized, data-driven systems of warehousing and transportation. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: fast-delivery.htm">https://money.howstuffworks.com/amazon-fast-delivery.htm

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It's not your imagination: Some seasons and dates have more birthdays than others. Learn the most and least popular birthdates (and how they're changing) in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: popular-birthdays.htm">https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/genealogy/most-popular-birthdays.htm

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Science fiction tells us our future depends on giant, humanoid robots protecting us and punching monsters. But could we really build those machines? Learn how close we are in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: build-own-gundams.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/could-build-own-gundams.htm

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As Prohibition came to an end, Al Capone's mobsters set their sights on the Chicago milk market. Learn about the Milk Wars in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: milk-wars.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/chicago-milk-wars.htm

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For the past hundred years, paleoartists have depicted T. rex with a mouth like a crocodile's -- toothy and lipless. But new research suggests these dinos may have had lizard-like lips. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: rex-lips.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/dinosaurs/t-rex-lips.htm

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Terms like 'alpha wolf' are misleading -- in the wild, wolf packs are ruled by the wolves' parents, not through a pecking order. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: pack-mentality.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/wolf-pack-mentality.htm

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Einsteinium is a heavy, radioactive element that only exists on Earth when humans create it. Learn how it was first discovered and what we're still learning about it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/einsteinium.htm

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Bulletproof vests have certainly saved lives, but exactly how bulletproof are they? Learn what they're made of and how they can fail to protect wearers in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: bulletproof-are-bulletproof-vests.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/how-bulletproof-are-bulletproof-vests.htm

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We've teamed up with the podcast On the Job to bring you a preview of episode 4: If You Build A Pizza Oven, They Will Come. Jake Wright is a self-described rambling pizza rover. After a failed attempt at a career in music production, Jake decided to combine the two things in life that most excite him: pizza and welding. Now, he tows his mobile pizza oven around Texas, making pizzas at music festivals and rodeos.

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Before the U.S. Civil War, American mercenaries called 'filibusters' attempted to claim territory in Mexico and Central America for themselves. Learn about the well-deserved fate of one William Walker in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: walker.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/william-walker.htm

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The etymology of the term 'piggyback' goes back to the 1500s, when it had nothing to do with pigs. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: ride.htm">https://people.howstuffworks.com/piggyback-ride.htm

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In the United Kingdom in the 1800s, anatomists wanted to study real bodies, but laws and cultural stigma made bodies hard to come by. Learn how the shocking Burke & Hare murder trials changed that in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: and-hare-murderers-for-moneyand-science.htm">https://people.howstuffworks.com/burke-and-hare-murderers-for-moneyand-science.htm

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We've teamed up with the podcast On the Job to bring you a preview of episode 3: Four Decades and Counting. Meet Terri Weldon, who has been working for Express Employment Professionals for over 40 years. She shares her secrets to long-term professional happiness -- ones that can apply to any workplace.

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The Utahraptor was the largest known raptor -- up to 800 pounds, about the size of a large black bear or small grizzly. Learn how salt helped preserve their fossils in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/dinosaurs/utahraptor.htm

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Artists and sculptors have adorned their work with foliate heads for over a thousand years, but the myth of the Green Man only goes back a century. Learn how this motif became an icon in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: man.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/green-man.htm

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Many of our ideas about Cleopatra are based in contemporary propaganda and later pop culture, from Shakespeare to cinema. Learn the truth behind some of these myths in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/cleopatra.htm

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We've teamed up with the podcast On the Job to bring you a preview of episode 2: A Mother to the Rescue. As a thrill seeker and born caretaker, Aysia Bly found her dream job as a pediatric flight nurse — where she performs her duties while soaring above Philly in a helicopter. But the job is inherently dangerous, and as a mom to a young son, Aysia must contend with that risk every day.

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Brightly colored fruit stands out against green leaves, but why is some red or pink, while others skew yellow or purple? And why are some fruits smellier than others? Learn what new research says about fruits' evolution in this episode of BrainStuff.

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In the late 1800s, a Georgian businessman retooled a giant painting of the Battle of Atlanta to portray the South winning. Learn the history of this epic cyclorama -- and where you can see it today -- in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: cyclorama.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-civil-war/atlanta-cyclorama.htm

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You can miss a period for lots of reasons other than pregnancy. Learn how stress (be it mental or physical), illness, and other factors can prevent menstruation in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: common-reasons-for-late-period.htm">https://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/pregnancy/conception/5-common-reasons-for-late-period.htm

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Cans make preserving and transporting food and drinks simple, but canning technology is very complex. Learn the history of pull-tabs and can openers in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: cans-pull-tabs.htm">https://money.howstuffworks.com/food-cans-pull-tabs.htm

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We’ve teamed up with the podcast On the Job to bring you a preview of their new season. In this first episode, ‘Now’s the Time’, economist, author, and baseball fan Michael Walden gives us a macro look at an economy that has bounced back surprisingly well post-COVID, and offers a generally favorable outlook about what’s coming down the pike. You can purchase his 'economic thrillers' at this Amazon Author Page.

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Every May, the U.S. celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in recognition of the contributions of this diverse group, past and present. Learn how two women campaigned to get it started in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: month-may.htm">https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural-traditions/aapi-month-may.htm

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A genus of flatworms called banded broodsacs have a lifecycle that seems to involve purposefully getting eaten first by snails and then by birds, using a combination of biomimicry and biohacking. Learn about Leucochloridium worms in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: worms-snails.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/parasitic-worms-snails.htm

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The first machine for computation was designed in the 1800s! Learn how its creators, Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace, set about inventing it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: invented-the-computer.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/who-invented-the-computer.htm

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Elephants have a thick hide that's wrinkled from birth, but why? Learn about the research that's revealed the secrets to elephant skin in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: figure-out-why-elephants-skin-so-cracked.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/scientists-figure-out-why-elephants-skin-so-cracked.htm

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The world's slimmest skyscraper is in New York City, where it's less than one-third of the width of comparable buildings. Learn about Steinway Tower in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: tower-news.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/architecture/steinway-tower-news.htm

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Aboveground nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s and '60s has exposed every living thing on Earth to harmful radiation -- but has also made dating the remains of living things much more accurate. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: tests-bomb-pulse.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-tests-bomb-pulse.htm

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Sometimes our guts rumble when we're hungry, and sometimes when we're full. What gives? Learn about the digestive system and borborygmus in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: growling.htm">https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/digestive/stomach-growling.htm

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Buying into disproven conspiracy theories has been scientifically linked with a few unhelpfully human patterns of thought, including illusory pattern perception and confirmation bias. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: theorists-brains-really-are-different.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/conspiracy-theorists-brains-really-are-different.htm

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Motor vehicle license plates have been in use since 1903 in the U.S., and they've changed a lot over the years, from lifetime leather plates to newfangled digital ones. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: license-plates-in-us.htm">https://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/cost-of-car-ownership/history-license-plates-in-us.htm

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Researchers have found tiny glass beads on the moon, created by meteorite strikes, with droplets of water attached. Learn how they work -- and how we might be able to harvest that water -- in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: glass-beads-water.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/moon-glass-beads-water.htm

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Sudden exposure to bright light makes some people sneeze -- but why? Learn the leading theory in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Hollywood bombshell Hedy Lamarr was as interested in engineering as she was in acting, but she's only recently been recognized for her scientific contributions. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this episode: lamarr.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/famous-inventors/hedy-lamarr.htm

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cherries.htm">https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-science/maraschino-cherries.htm

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Even identical twins have different fingerprints -- that's because more than just genetics goes into their formation. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: even-identical-twins-have-different-fingerprints.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/why-even-identical-twins-have-different-fingerprints.htm

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The spirituals created by enslaved African Americans as a means of expression and communication have impacted both artistic and social movements throughout U.S. history. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: spiritual-music.htm">https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural-traditions/slave-spiritual-music.htm

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Rainbows may look like they touch the ground somewhere off in the distance, but it's physically impossible for the viewer to reach the spot where it touches. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff.

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This angular, stemmed glass has been synonymous with the martini cocktail for nearly a hundred years. Learn more about the history of both the martini glass and cocktail in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: glass.htm">https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/martini-glass.htm

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When you get the wind knocked out of you, your normally automatic breathing system is being temporarily interrupted. Learn how phrenospasm works in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: knocked-out.htm">https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/respiratory/wind-knocked-out.htm

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Researchers have identified at least one asteroid from another sun that's been hanging out in our solar system for billions of years. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: asteroids-been-lurking-in-solar-system-since-beginning.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/alien-asteroids-been-lurking-in-solar-system-since-beginning.htm

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In the early 1900s, women who fell deathly ill from working with radioactive paint fought back when their employers denied responsibility. They changed workers' safety laws -- though many didn't live to see the results. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: girls.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/radium-girls.htm

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Recent health claims about coconut oil range from 'superfood' to 'pure poison'. Learn why the truth is somewhere in between in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: oils-superfood-pure-or-poison.htm">https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/coconut-oils-superfood-pure-or-poison.htm

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To crack ciphers written centuries ago, historical cryptologists have to be half artist, half accountant, and use some of the most powerful computing tools known today. Learn how a team cracked Mary, Queen of Scots's code in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: cryptologists.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/math-concepts/historical-cryptologists.htm

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Even seemingly passive activities (like listening to music) can interrupt our brains while we're doing something important (like driving). Learn why we're so bad at multitasking in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: down-radio-when-lost.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/turn-down-radio-when-lost.htm

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Hi, BrainStuff fans! Listen to Inner Cosmos hosted by David Eagleman! Neuroscientist David Eagleman tackles the big and totally unexpected questions that live at the intersection of our brains and our lives. Don't just take our word for it, check out the trailer to decide for yourself!

About Inner Cosmos: Stanford neuroscientist and bestselling author David Eagleman explores wacky and insightful questions to reveal how modern brain science intersects with our lives, passions, and behaviors. Through thrilling journeys into your Inner Cosmos, Eagleman unfolds totally unexpected facets of our brains, allowing us to see the world from new angles.

Listen to Inner Cosmos on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!

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One of the earliest, most common medical treatments in history (and prehistory!) involved drilling a hole in the patient's skull. Learn more about trepaning in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/surgeries-procedures/trepanation.htm

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These large, land-dwelling flatworms are invasive and toxic -- but they're not dangerous (unless you eat a lot of them, or happen to be an earthworm). Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: worms.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/hammerhead-worms.htm

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In 1781, Elizabeth Freeman successfully sued her enslaver for her own freedom. Learn how freedom suits worked pre- and post-American Revolution in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: bett.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/mum-bett.htm

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Short answer: No one is sure. But it may have once been practical during production, and the dents (a.k.a. punts) in wine bottles are certainly useful now. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: bottle-dent-bottom.htm">https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/wine-bottle-dent-bottom.htm

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A team of experts has come together to create a scholarly work that's long overdue: a dictionary detailing the historical and modern use of African American English. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: dictionary-african-american-english.htm">https://people.howstuffworks.com/oxford-dictionary-african-american-english.htm

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During his 35-year career with General Foods, William Mitchell invented some of America's favorite, fun, and time-saving junk foods. From quick-set Jell-O to Cool Whip, learn how he did it in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: man-invented-cool-whip-tang.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/famous-inventors/meet-man-invented-cool-whip-tang.htm

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Tales of squid attacking ships go way back, and there are some known instances of squid attacking subs, but could a cephalopod really take down a modern vessel? Learn what researchers think in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: attack-submarine.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/squid-attack-submarine.htm

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We humans are fairly squishy, and we eat fairly squishy food. So how do we grow hard bones? Learn how it happens in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

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In France, the baguette isn't just the most popular type of bread -- it's an artisan product that's become a social keystone. Learn how French laws and UNESCO are upholding its traditions in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: baguette-unesco.htm">https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/french-baguette-unesco.htm

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In the 1400s through the 1900s, many kitchens made a specific breed of dog run in a wheel in order to rotate a spit of meat over the hearth's open fire. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: dogs.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/turnspit-dogs.htm

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After a snowfall, the world seems hushed -- for a while, at least. Learn why fresh snow muffles sound in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: after-snow.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/atmospheric/quieter-after-snow.htm

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Black American inventors have given us everything from secure mailboxes and practical lightbulbs to gas masks and blood banks. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: inventions-by-african-americans.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/10-inventions-by-african-americans.htm

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When concepts are as intertwined as weather and climate, it can be easy to mix them up. Learn the difference, and why it matters so much in discussions about the environment, in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: and-climate-whats-difference.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/atmospheric/weather-and-climate-whats-difference.htm

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These flightless birds are the second heaviest birds in the world -- they can grow as large as an adult human. Learn about them in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/cassowary.htm

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Kidney stones are urinary tract blockages known for causing a lot of pain, but it's the blockage itself (not the sharpness of the stones) that does it. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: stone-pain.htm">https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/kidney-urinary/kidney-stone-pain.htm

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The global ocean covers some 70 percent of our planet, and its depths are still unexplored. Learn about its deepest trenches in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: deep-is-ocean.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/oceanography/how-deep-is-ocean.htm

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Shrinkflation is when brands downsize their products while keeping their prices the same -- thus passing inflating costs on to you. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: news.htm">https://money.howstuffworks.com/shrinkflation-news.htm

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Fluffy biscuits are a cornerstone of Southern cusisine, but they're a relatively recent invention. Learn the history behind this baked good in today's classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: light-and-fluffy-biscuits.htm">https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/history-light-and-fluffy-biscuits.htm

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Mildew is an early stage of mold that grows on surfaces before digging deeper. Learn how both work and how to stop them from growing in your home in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: between-mold-mildew.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/difference-between-mold-mildew.htm

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Legal inqueries into divorce go way up in January, but March and August also see spikes in filings. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: rates-january-new-year.htm">https://people.howstuffworks.com/divorce-rates-january-new-year.htm

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These tiny packets are able to give off a lot of heat for a few hours thanks to the same process that causes rust to form -- just sped way up. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: hand-warmers.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/disposable-hand-warmers.htm

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Fish do rest, but their versions of sleep doesn't look the same as ours. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: fish-sleep.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/do-fish-sleep.htm

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There's a millennia-old idea that milk causes mucus production, and therefore that you should avoid milk if you're sick. Learn the truth in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: and-mucus-myth-busted.htm">https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/respiratory/milk-and-mucus-myth-busted.htm

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Kwanzaa is a relatively new holiday celebrating Pan-African culture, and the unity, creativity, and determination of its peoples. Learn the basics about Kwanzaa in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/kwanzaa.htm

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On Christmas Eve of 1826, dozens of West Point cadets had a bit too much (prohibited) alcoholic eggnog -- luckily, only reputations and barracks were hurt. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: history-heres-why-west-point-cadets-rioted-eggnog-1826.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/ridiculous-history-heres-why-west-point-cadets-rioted-eggnog-1826.htm

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Holidays can be expensive when you're only distributing a few gifts, not a few billion. Learn what Santa's yearly workshop budget must be in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: claus-workshop-budget-will-blow-mind.htm">https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/santa-claus-workshop-budget-will-blow-mind.htm

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Medical professionals give us shots in different body parts based on how much medicine we need and what the medicine needs to do. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: in-arm-bum.htm">https://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/medication/shots-in-arm-bum.htm

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On average, tiny dogs live almost twice as long as really big ones -- and science isn't entirely sure why. Learn what we know (and don't know) in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: living-dog-breeds-tiny.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/longest-living-dog-breeds-tiny.htm

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Latkes (that is, fried potato pancakes) are nearly synonymous with Hanukkah today -- but they've only been around for a couple centuries. Learn how they developed in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/latkes.htm

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Sports stadiums have a lot of grass that needs to be fertilized, and a lot of urine to dispose of. Learn how researchers are working to solve both problems at once in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: stadium-urine-fertilizer.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/repurposed-inventions/recycling-stadium-urine-fertilizer.htm

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It is known that housecats will sit in any box available, large or small -- but science set out to determine whether cats can perceive (and will sit in) illusory boxes as well. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: in-squares-study-news.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/cats-in-squares-study-news.htm

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The tradition of kissing under mistletoe around Christmas is fairly new, but the traditions it's based on go way back. Learn about the hemi-parasitic roots of mistletoe in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/mistletoe.htm

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You can contract an allergy to red meat from a tick bite thanks to a compound called alpha-gal. Learn how it works in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: allergy-lone-star-tick.htm">https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/allergies/food-allergy/dairy-eggs-meat/meat-allergy-lone-star-tick.htm

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Researchers who are currently looking into inexplicable lights and objects in the sky are calling them unexplained aerial phenomena (UAPs), not unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/space/aliens-ufos/uaps.htm

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What's happening when you get hiccups, and how can you stop them? Learn what science knows -- and doesn't know -- in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

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Snowflakes fall by the trillions during every snowstorm, so how could each one be unique? Learn about the incredible crystal physics behind snowflake development in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: every-snowflake-actually-unique.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/atmospheric/is-every-snowflake-actually-unique.htm

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We may never know exactly why Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer's nose glows -- but we have a few scientific suspicions. Learn about bioluminescence and atavisims in this episode of BrainStuff, based on these articles: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/bioluminescence.htm; red-nose-reindeer.htm">https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/rudolph-red-nose-reindeer.htm

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Research into a new wearable electronic patch made of graphene may make it possible to monitor blood pressure continuously and unobtrusively in the next few years. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: pressure-tattoo-news.htm">https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/cardiovascular/blood-pressure/blood-pressure-tattoo-news.htm

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The Artemis space program is an international effort to put people back on the Moon within the next several years. Learn how the first mission is going in this episode of BrainStuff, based on these articles: news.htm;">https://science.howstuffworks.com/artemis-news.htm; artemis.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/snoopy-artemis.htm

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How high can helium balloons go before they burst? Do they always burst? Learn about the physics of escaped balloons in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

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Snoring can root from a number of causes, but sleeping on your side can usually help prevent it. Learn the science of snores in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: sleeping-on-side-stop-snoring.htm">https://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/sleep/disorders/does-sleeping-on-side-stop-snoring.htm

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Asking customers for charitable donations at checkout can raise a lot of money -- and a lot of goodwill for the business. (And no, businesses can't write off your donations on their taxes.) Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: charity-is-good-for-business.htm">https://money.howstuffworks.com/checkout-charity-is-good-for-business.htm

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This odd tradition seems to stem from early in the history of Thanksgiving being a national holiday, and has only gotten more formal (and more silly) in recent years. Learn about turkeys in the White House in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: turkey-pardon.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/presidential-turkey-pardon.htm

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In California, human development has taken away migrating shorebirds' habitats -- so conservationists are renting rice fields during the farmers' off season to act as temporary habitats. Learn how it works in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: rice-fields-farmers-migrating-water-fowl.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/conservation/issues/renting-rice-fields-farmers-migrating-water-fowl.htm

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From 1920 to 1930, after the indigenous Osage people struck it rich with oil on their land, grifters scammed them out of millions -- and murdered a number of them in the process. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: tribe-murders.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/osage-tribe-murders.htm

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We know that eels spawn, like many marine mammals -- but spawning can take many forms. So how do eels do it? Learn what we know (and don't know) in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: do-eels-reproduce.htm">https://animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/how-do-eels-reproduce.htm

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The holder of this title is debated, but Earth's oldest tree is at least (at least!) 4,800 years old -- and may be much older. Learn about the contenders in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: tree-in-world.htm">https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/botany/oldest-tree-in-world.htm

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Not having a permanent address or access to identifying documents can make voting in U.S. elections nearly impossible. Learn more about these challenges -- and what some organizations are doing to help -- in this episode of BrainStuff.

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You've heard of smallpox, but what was the great pox? And did Shakespeare have it? Learn about the spread of (spoiler alert) syphilis in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: on-that-refers-to.htm">https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/literature/pox-on-that-refers-to.htm

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These social fish are fascinating for reasons far beyond their unique shapes. Learn about them in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/seahorses.htm

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There's very little that any U.S. president can do to affect gas prices in the short term. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: gas-prices.htm">https://money.howstuffworks.com/president-gas-prices.htm

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Short answer: Yes, totally. Human bodies all work a little differently, so it's possible to have an egg ready to go while you're having your period. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on these articles: menstrual-cycles-and-fertility.htm;">https://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/pregnancy/fertility/abnormal-menstrual-cycles-and-fertility.htm; during-period.htm">https://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/pregnancy/fertility/pregnant-during-period.htm

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