Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd was a fairly common criminal until he got involved in shootout with federal agents in 1933. Learn about his life and crimes in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/pretty-boy-floyd.htm

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It's not just malice -- there are several psychological reasons why people get so mean and angry online. Learn what experts say (and how to stop the cycle) in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/psychological-reason-mean-on-internet.htm

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Barbie is an American icon now -- but she wasn't an instant success, and she actually has roots in a slightly ribald German cartoon from the 1950s. Learn how Ruth Handler made Barbie a phenomenon in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/barbie-history.htm

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These bright winter houseplants are better known for their leaves than their flowers, and they only get their color by being kept in the dark. Learn the history and science behind poinsettias in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/poinsettia.htm

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Book collectors may spend thousands on signed copies or rare editions, but the biggest price tag in book-buying history was in the millions. Learn why the world's priciest book is essentially a treatise on plumbing in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Human blood is red -- yes, even when it's in your body. Learn why -- and why your veins appear blue through your skin -- in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Email systems are designed to keep BCC recipients hidden, but mistakes -- and attacks -- can happen. Learn about CCing, BCCing, etiquette, and email security in this episode of BrainStuff.

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There are indeed gusts of wind strong enough to knock a person off their feet, but for most of us, it'd take a lot of wind. Learn more about how wind works in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Shangri-La began as a work of fiction, but it's loosely based in Buddhist mythology and has borne a couple namesakes in the real world. Learn about Shangri-La in this episode of BrainStuff.

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NASA tests everything it sends into space for a lot of things -- including stinkiness. Learn who NASA's odor volunteers are and what they do in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Since the Civil War, Americans have taken a day in late May to honor fallen soldiers. Learn two theories on how this tradition began in today's episode of BrainStuff.

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If you've ever gotten a hot shock from someone flushing a toilet while you were taking a shower, there's an easy fix for that. Learn why it happens and how to fix it in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

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Depending on the camera settings and recording technology used to film helicopters, the blades can appear to bend, fragment, stand still, or move backwards. Learn why in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

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Karl Marx was one of the most influential (and, ultimately, destructive) thinkers in history. Learn about his life, what he wrote, and why his ideas are still worthwhile in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Zionism is the nationalist movement that established Israel and continues to support Judiaism's claim to that aland. It's also one of the most controversial and complex movements of our time. Learn how it got started in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/world-history/zionism.htm

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The eighth planet in our solar system is fairly mysterious: Why is it tilted on its side? Why is it so much colder than similar planet? Learn what we know -- and what we don't know -- about Uranus in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Cuttlefish are clever cephalopods that communicate with color. Learn the basics about cuttlefish in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Together, Mitsuye Endo and James C. Purcell -- a Japanese-American woman and her lawyer -- brought down Executive Order 9066, which interred Japanese Americans during WWII. Learn about the order and its demise in this episode of BrainStuff.

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From an uncertain start to an empire of kitsch, Chia Pets have become an American icon. Learn the history behind the trend in this episode of BrainStuff.

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It’s almost impossible to trick your brain in order to tickle yourself. Learn why, and how tickling works to begin with, in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

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Anxiety is a normal, healthy response in the human body, but when it interferes with daily life it can become a disorder. Learn about anxiety's symptoms and biochemistry -- and how you treat it -- in this classic episode of BrainStuff..

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Antibodies are an important part of our immune system's toolkit in identifying and fighting infections. Learn how they work -- and what antibody tests can tell us -- in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Yes, NASA has a beach house, and yes, it's the setting for some fabulous stories. Learn the history of the the Kennedy Space Center Beach House and Conference Center in this episode of BrainStuff.

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African American folk spirituals were participatory music meant not just to comfort but to convey messages among enslaved people. Learn how historians think they worked -- and how they influenced modern music -- in this episode of BrainStuff.

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If you've ever heard a group of birds cawing their little lungs out for minutes on end, you may have heard a bird mob. Learn how bird mobs work in this episode of BrainStuff.

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These social, tree-dwelling monkeys are some of the smallest in the world. Learn more about them in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/marmoset.htm

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Tales of honorable samurai and unscrupulous ninja abound, but are these legends based in reality? (Spoiler alert: uh, sorta.) Learn about the real history of samurai and how the stories came about in this episode of BrainStuff.

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You may have heard that if you keep your eyes open during a sneeze, they could pop out of their sockets -- but is that true? Learn the science of how your eyes stay in your head -- and why they can pop out -- in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

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Sure, night vision looks cool in the movies - but what is it, exactly? Learn how can a scope or a pair of goggles help you see in near-absolute darkness in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

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The largest jigsaw puzzles in the world have hundreds of thousands of pieces, but the hardest have less than a dozen. Learn about record-breaking jigsaw puzzles -- including the first one in history -- in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Motor vehicles need to be driven to keep them in working order. Learn how just 20 minutes a week can help, plus other tips for maintenance, in this episode of BrainStuff.

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NASA has announced the first launch of American astronauts from U.S. soil in almost a decade -- and it will be on a privately developed spacecraft. Learn about the mission and what it could mean in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Plankton can barely be seen with the naked eye, but they're responsible for the air we breathe and the energy we use. Learn more about these tiny aquatic organisms in this episode of BrainStuff.

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In the late 17- and early 1800s, rumors of vampires ran rampant through New England. Learn what happened (and why tuberculosis was to blame) in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Some people seem to attract tons of mosquito bites -- others, none at all. Learn what factors attract more mosquitoes -- and why they 'bite' us in the first place -- in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

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Do animals have a sixth sense that can detect earthquakes and tsunamis -- or do they just make better use of their other senses than humans? Learn what research has found in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

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The Inca never developed a system of writing, but they kept records and told stories through intricate knotwork. Learn what researchers know -- and what they're still looking to find out -- about Inca khipu in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural-traditions/unraveling-khipu-inca-knot-language.htm

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Long before Lewis Carroll wrote 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,' hatters had a reputation for health issues -- mental and physical. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff.

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This Australian marsupial has officially been deemed extinct since 1936, but reports of sightings continue to this day. Learn about the uncertain existence of the thylacine in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Although thousands of lynchings were committed after the American Civil War, Emmett Till's shook America's conscience and became a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Before the late 1970s, almost all pistachios found in the U.S. were dyed bright red. Learn why -- and why a famous diplomatic standoff changed that -- in this episode of BrainStuff.

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This distant blue ice giant boasts incredible winds, storms, and moons. Learn why the coldest planet is so cool in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Agoraphobia is a complicated and difficult psychological condition that is easily misunderstood. Learn about life with agoraphobia in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Juice can contain good stuff, and cleansing sounds like a good thing -- but can juice cleanses deliver the results they promise? Learn about how your body uses nutrients and removes toxins in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Cleopatra is a fascinating historical figure, but a lot of stories about her were misinformation spread by her enemies. Learn what historians think the real Cleopatra was like in this episode of BrainStuff.

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It seems like a simple question, but the answer involves a combination of physics, geometry, electromagnetic radiation, and biology. Learn why we perceive the sky as blue in this episode of BrainStuff.

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For nearly 80 years, the New York Times Crossword puzzle has been an institution -- but the paper didn't even want to publish one at first. Learn the history and modern workings of the puzzle in this episode of BrainStuff.

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You may have heard that the tryptophan in turkey causes holiday naps, but it might not be the real culprit. Learn some turkey science in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/question519.htm

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There's a modern myth that using your cell phone while pumping gasoline may cause a fire or explosion, but it's been debunked. Learn why (and why static electricity may have started the myth) in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Don't worry, there isn't any kind of shortage of food in the United States due to COVID-19 -- but our supply chain is changing. Learn how it works in this episode of BrainStuff.

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