Videos
Podcasts
Blogs
Quizzes
GamesArchive for September, 2009
If you’ve ever sweated your way through a work-out on a stair machine, you know that calories are definitely being burned in the process. But how? Learn more about foot-pounds, horsepower and stair machines in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
The Grand Canyon offers visitors a gorgeous, unparalleled slice of geological history. Explore the many layers of the Grand Canyon and take a walk in the sky in this video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
Before Nils Bohlin created the modern seatbelt, he designed ejection seats for Saab aircraft. Learn how Nils’ Stuff of Genius changed the world — and saved millions of lives — in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
You Asked: Does filling a plastic bag with water and dropping a penny in the bottom keep flies away? — Melinda, Joshua, Texas Marshall Brain answers: You can find lots of Web pages describing this idea. Basically you take a one-gallon Ziploc bag, fill it with water and either hang it or set it on [...]
I finally figured out the way to get people to comment on the blog — post something on Jimmy Carter. Lately, the former president has been stirring up more controversy than usual in the news due to his comments about racism and President Obama. But what usually gets people talking are his views on the Middle East, because he is vocal in his criticism of Israel and advocacy for Palestine.
President Carter wrote a piece for the Washington Post earlier this month in which he discusses a visit to Gaza and his backing of the two-state solution. He also says that a one-state solution is more likely, according to Israeli and Palestinian leaders, before saying that the two-state is preferable and has been embraced by the people.
You Asked: How is beef jerky made? — David, Long Beach, Calif. Marshall Brain answers: Before the age of refrigeration, beef jerky was one popular way to preserve meat. The advantage of beef jerky is that it only takes a day to make it. The other way to preserve meat was to salt it, but [...]
Good question – what is it like to have the swine flu?
by Marshall Brain | September 24, 2009
What is it like to have the swine flu? Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN fame got the H1N1 strain and talks about his experience: H1N1 comes close to home His symptoms included a fever, an incredible cough, light headedness and chills. Here Dr. Joe Bresee of the CDC talks about the symptoms: [[[Jump to previous [...]
First public demonstration of Intel’s Larrabee chip
by Marshall Brain | September 24, 2009
Intel gave its first public demonstration of the Larrabee chip this week. Larrabee is intended to provide a new way to develop graphics cards. Instead of custom processors, Intel’s approach is to use many cores running an industry-standard instruction set. Here is the demo: How to program the Larrabee chip: How Larrabee will change game [...]
Senator Al Franken of Minnesota called on his dramatic roots recently when he stepped into the halls of the Senate Judiciary Committee and read the 4th amendment to David Kris, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. Seems that counsel was there to testify to the committee that certain provisions of the controversial Patriot Act be renewed — like wedding vows, but with wiretaps.
Students, Secretary Arne Duncan invites you to create a video about why education is important to fulfilling your dreams. Submit your video to the I Am What I Learn contest. You could win $1000. Max time is two minutes long. Deadline is November 2, 2009. You need to be an active student to enter (complete [...]
Recent Postings by Category
BrainStuff
- Thank You and Best Wishes to Marshall Brain
- Contest – Design a $300 house and win $25,000
- How the Philtrum works – the place under your nose where your face comes together
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
- Vacation Deprivation: Who’s got it?
- Have a Coke and a Smile
- The Latest in Frugal Lodging: Camping in Somebody Else’s Backyard
Keep Asking
- Why can a 5 foot 8 inch man dunk a basketball on a 10 foot rim while some people of taller stature can’t?
- What happens to our sun once it runs out of fuel?
- How do we know the age of the universe?
Stuff Mom Never Told You
- Who invented the Christmas card?
- How the Kinsey Report Fueled Whiskey Sales
- How to Get Your Wedding Announcement into The New York Times
Stuff to Blow Your Mind
- Space Music: DJ Food and ‘The Search Engine’
- Stuff to Blow Your Mind: Hug it Out
- Space Music: Jay-Z and Beyoncé to Film Music Video in Orbit
Stuff You Should Know
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
- Deformed Baby Spider Brains
- Amazing Medical Conditions: Maple Syrup Urine Disorder
The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Why is NASA studying car safety?
- Tips for in-car Navigation Systems
- Tips for Using Bluetooth in the Car
How-to Stuff
- How to Swim with Dolphins (When Deep Water Terrifies You)
- How to Cure a Homemade Cookie Craving Without Turning on the Oven
- How to Know When It’s Time for a New Pet
PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 36: Now Available in 3-D
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 35: Let’s do brunch!
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 34: Play it again, Sam
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
Stuff to Change the World
- Who will own the Arctic?
- Obesity: The New Global Crisis
- Bill Gates Makes For A Pretty Decent Cartoon
Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Butch Cassidy: Should we read between the lines?
- Are we rooting for D.B. Cooper?
- Party Time: A Look at Unconventional Politics
