logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2019
4m 13s

Why Don't Snakes Have Legs?

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Some snakes still carry the genes necessary to grow legs -- so why don't they? Learn how snakes may have lost their legs, evolutionarily speaking, in this episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Jul 8
Why Is North Sentinel Island Totally Off-Limits?
This small island in the Bay of Bengal is home to one of the last uncontacted peoples on the planet -- and they seem to want to keep it that way. Learn how North Sentinel Island has remained independent in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuf ... Show More
9m 41s
Jul 7
How Have Obituaries Changed?
Public death notices about common people are a fairly recent development, and they've changed a lot since their inception. Learn how obituaries went from dry statements to tributes to truth in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/cul ... Show More
8m 20s
Jul 6
BrainStuff Classics: What Is the Mandela Effect?
When many people share a false memory, that's the Mandela Effect in action -- but how does it happen? Learn how our individual brains misremember stuff and how false memories can spread in this classic episode of BrainStuff.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
6m 35s
Recommended Episodes
May 2021
Selects: How Snake Handlers Work
Snake handling ranges from professional snake milkers for antivenin to religious handlers who tend to get bitten and sometimes die from it. Either way, it can be a dangerous business. Learn all about snake handling in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at http ... Show More
54m 30s
Aug 2020
Pit of Serpents
The Well of Souls sequence from “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is a memorable slice of blockbuster history but a very dubious presentation of snake behavior -- but that doesn’t mean the snake pit is mere fantasy. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe grab a torch ... Show More
1h 7m
Aug 2022
How do snakes slither?
Field trip time! Today we’re learning all about snakes while out on a search for timber rattlesnakes in New York with state wildlife biologist Lisa Pipino. Some of the questions we tackle: How do some snakes make venom? Why are some snakes venomous and others are not? Why do ratt ... Show More
33m 53s
May 2022
Ep 97 Snake Venom: Collateral Damage
How do you feel about snakes? Intrigued or terrified? In awe or creeped out? Of course, those aren’t the only options; the sight or thought of a snake can evoke many different emotions, but chances are indifference isn’t one of them. And is it any wonder? Some snakes can produce ... Show More
1h 30m
Nov 2021
Python-a-palooza!
Pythons are big snakes. Really big. But there's more to them than their size. Learn all about these big daddies in today's episode.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
43m 4s
Jul 2020
Why Do Flying Snakes Wiggle In The Air?
Some snakes can fly, and we don't mean on a plane. Certain snakes that live in South and Southeast Asia can leap off branches, undulating through the air, onto another tree. But why do they wiggle? NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce shares one researcher's quest to fi ... Show More
12m 11s
May 2022
Special Episode: Snake Venom Evolution
Our snake venom episode last week took us down some fascinating roads, from the pathophysiological effects of these compounds to the snake detection hypothesis and from the development of antivenom to the incidence of snakebite around the world today. But how did we make it throu ... Show More
59m 32s
Sep 2021
All About Alligators
Here at SYSK, we love alligators? Why? Because they're basically living dinosaurs. Dive in (metaphorically) and swim with these beasts today! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
51m 22s