Why does the sound of nails on a chalkboard b...

We’re back! We’ve officially moved into our new headquarters! Come unpack with us and get a tour while we fill you in on some big news. Plus, new episodes of Brains On coming later this month and new Smash Boom and Forever Ago after that. If you want to support the show or drop u ...  Show more

We're moving the Brains On Universe Headquarters, and that means we have to stop putting out new episodes until we get settled. We know: not cool. But, our new home is going to be bigger and better and the absolute BEST. We can't wait until it's ready for you to visit.In the mean ...  Show more

Let’s face it there are certain sounds that are just annoying to be exposed to, or sometimes even to think of! Someone chewing loudly with their mouth open, slurping soup, or making noise while eating pasta are a few examples.  But for some people, the impact of these sounds goes ...  Show more

Why do some people find noises like a fork scraping a plate so terrible? asks Findlay in Aberdeenshire. Rutherford and Fry endure some horrible noises to find out the answer.Warning - This episode contains some horrible soundsTrevor Cox, Professor of Acoustic Engineering at the U ...  Show more

Does the sound of someone smacking gum drive you crazy? It's possible you're just a cranky jerk, but science presents another possibility: misophonia. Tune in to learn more about the mysterious condition that makes some noises so difficult to cope with.

If you’re asking yourself whether cracking your knuckles is a bad thing, we'll take it as a given that you do crack your knuckles. You’ve probably also been told at some point that doing so will give you arthritis, most likely by someone already annoyed at you doing it! So, just ...  Show more