BrainStuff

These small appliances help home cooks achieve excellent rice via two categories of technology: ingeniously simple physics, or incredibly complex algorithms. Learn about heat-sensitive switches and fuzzy logic in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://home.howstuffworks.com/rice-cooker.htm/printable For more about the history of rice cookers, check out this episode of Lauren's other podcast, Savor: The Warm and Fuzzy Rice Cooker EpisodeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mudlarking means sifting through riverbank muck in hopes of finding lost or discarded historical artefacts. Learn how it works, especially in the River Thames, in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/archaeology/mudlarking.htmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These arctic animals have complex social structures and may eat 6,000 clams in a single meal. Learn more walruses in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/walrus.htm/printableSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your adaptive immune system remembers specific germs and fights them really effectively -- but it can sometimes make mistakes and attack your own healthy cells. Learn how the adaptive immune system works (and how it can go wrong) in this episode of BrainStuff.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Slime molds are collectives of single-celled organisms that don't have neurons, much less brains, but they can move, solve mazes, and remember where food is located. Learn what we know (and don't know!) about them in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/biology-fields/slime-mold-facts.htmSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.