Hey gang, it’s time for our (semi)weekly listener mail blog. Our Facebook friend Liam recently asked us a fascinating question: Why not do a podcast on huge engines? It’s a great idea. Since we’re still on a hiatus, we decided to tackle a related question in this blog. So: What’s the world’s largest engine? Well, [...]
We recently republished our episode on antique car plates, in which we examine what it takes to get your own antique plate — and stumble into a conversation about what exactly makes a car ‘classic.’ These are two very, very different questions. The first one is easy: To get the plate, you’ll need to satisfy [...]
Was it even intended to be political at all? Maybe that’s a better question to ask. By now, you know the one I’m talking about, right? The Clint Eastwood “It’s Halftime in America” commercial for Chrysler. I won’t say too much about this, mainly because I want to hear what you think in the comment section below. However, I will tell you this…
I’m sure by now you’ve heard the latest Toyota news: A little less than a week ago, it was announced that “NASA found no evidence that a malfunction in electronics caused large unintended accelerations.” That’s according to Michael Kirsch, the principal engineer and team lead of the study from the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.
And if you recall, reports of unintended acceleration were being blamed on three possible factors: sticking accelerator pedals, a design flaw that enabled accelerator pedals to become trapped by floor mats and electromagnetic interference and/or software…
OK. So I’m guessing that by now most of you know at least a little something about Bluetooth technology, correct? Well then, at least you’ve heard about Bluetooth technology, right? Well, just in case you answered no to either one of those questions, here’s a super-fast way to get up-to-speed on what it’s all about. And if you took the time to follow that link, then you’ll understand why Bluetooth technology has been a very popular feature in cars and trucks ever since…
Believe it or not, there once was a time when everyone riding in a vehicle had to agree on a single temperature setting. And, of course, this inevitably led to some friction between travelers: Some preferred it cooler while the others rubbed their hands together and claimed to be freezing. Or maybe there was someone in the car who wanted it warmer while others were left sweating and sticking to the vinyl seats. Some compromise might be had by opening a window — but that often led to other issues with wind and road noise. So what’s the solution?
Most people take garbage trucks for granted, but without these vehicles — and the dedicated teams running them — modern cities would quickly deteriorate. Tune in as Scott and Ben take a look at the history and importance of refuse collectors.
Cars have fueled the growth of the modern world, and they’ve also been responsible for an enormous amount of pollution. But how much air pollution is really due to cars? Scott and Ben give you the stats.
You’ve probably heard of the Wienermobile (a vehicle shaped like a gigantic hot dog), and perhaps you’ve actually seen it on the road. But it’s not the only promotional vehicle. In this podcast, Scott and Ben look at promotional vehicles across the world.
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
- Golden Fields of Canola
- The Park That Never Sleeps: Central Park
- Draw a Pretty Picture With Your Bike and Your Phone
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
- Blow Your Mind: Nebula in a Box
- Blow Your Mind: Three Minutes Till Impact
- Touching the Void: Psychedelics and Death
Stuff You Should Know
- Stuff You Should Know at SXSW
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
- Deformed Baby Spider Brains
The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Listener Mail: What’s the world’s largest engine?
- Listener Mail: What makes a “classic car” classic?
- Was Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” Super Bowl commercial a little too political?
How-to Stuff
- How to Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor
- How to Travel the World in 4 Days
- How to Smell Like Someone at HowStuffWorks
PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 68: Astrology: What’s PopStuff’s Sign?
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 67: Collecting: PopStuff’s Cabinet of Curiosities
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 66: Tracy and Holly’s Running Playlists
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
- Good News from the Oldest Mayan Calendar
- One Year Later: Colony Collapse Disorder
- Who Killed Martin Luther King, Jr.?
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


