Why Are Some Words Funny?

When every minute counts, search-and-rescue dogs can help locate disaster victims far faster than humans alone. Learn about how they're trained in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/sar-dog.htm/printableSee omnystudio ... Show More

The tradition of dropping a ball in Times Square to mark the beginning of a new year only goes back about a century. Learn about the history -- plus four weird things that other cities drop instead -- in this classic episode of BrainStuff.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i ... Show More

No, you can't literally die of boredom -- but it can lead to some high-risk behaviors. Learn more about boredom, ennui, and how to shake them in this episode of BrainStuff, based on these articles: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/bored-to-death.htm ... Show More

From the brain’s point of view, what is humor? When something is funny, why do we breathe in and out rapidly? Do other animals laugh? Why do most jokes come in threes? What do mystery novelists, magicians, and comedians have in common? Could AI be truly funny? Join Eagleman this ... Show More

Major storms all get names: Milton, Katrina, Ian, Sandy etc. Why do we name storms? Do the names of storms ever get used again for other storms? Find out as we start this episode with a brief look at the tradition of naming major storms. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-do-hurric ... Show More

<p>This ep is LOL! Chewing loudly, nails on a chalkboard, LEAVING FOOD IN THE SINK!? Everyone has a pet peeve, but where do they come from, why do they exist and HOW CAN YOU OVERCOME THEM!? We are speak with the HILARIOUS DUO Stacey Kay and Kayla Bulmer of the AMAZING HILARIOUS p ... Show More

Daniel and Kelly answer listener questions about how we measure and define intelligence, hypotheses for why it arises, and why flies are so dumb. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Laughter is a powerful force so use it to build your relationship! Learn how to be mindful and explore humor theories on this episode of Small Things Often. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

Why are Mindy and Guy Raz telling jokes to make a cake? And what does this have to do with the science of COMEDY? We've got the questions AND the answers on today's ground-breaking round of Two Whats?! And A Wow! We're challenging you to find the facts from the fiction about come ... Show More

In this episode, Andrew and Anna continue their chat about the challenges and joys of using humor in different languages. They share stories of failed jokes, moments when humor brought people together, and discuss how different cultures approach comedy. They also share their favo ... Show More

<p>I. Me. My. You. He. She. They. It. To. Of. For. These are all words we use without a second thought. But psychologist <a href="https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/psychology/faculty/pennebak">James Pennebaker</a> says if we pay close attention to the patterns in speech and writing, ... Show More

If you enjoy eating nuts – good for you! Nuts are healthy. But you might be surprised to hear just how healthy they are - and you don’t have to eat very many to get the benefits. This episode begins with a look at a fascinating study on nuts that has been going on for decades. ht ... Show More

Funding cuts and research censorship have shaken the foundations of America’s health and science agencies, leaving researchers shocked, confused, and afraid. What does this mean for the future of science? For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vox.com/ ... Show More