BrainStuff

BrainStuff

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How Does Aspirin Know Where to Go in Your Body?

OK, that's a trick question. Aspirin goes everywhere in your body -- and wherever it goes, it works by preventing processes that amp up pain signals, encourage inflammation, cause fever, and more. Learn about the history and workings of aspirin (aka acetylsalicylic acid) in this ...  Show more

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How Does Aspirin Know Where to Go in Your Body?

OK, that's a trick question. Aspirin goes everywhere in your body -- and wherever it goes, it works by preventing processes that amp up pain signals, encourage inflammation, cause fever, and more. Learn about the history and workings of aspirin (aka acetylsalicylic acid) in this ...  Show more

What Is the Deepest Hole in the World?

Alongside the Space Race, the mid-1900s saw another contest of engineering -- a race downward, into the Earth. Learn why the USSR created the Kola Superdeep Borehole (the deepest artificial or natural hole we know of), what we learned from it, and how this research continues in t ...  Show more

BrainStuff Classics: Is Canned Food Really Worse Than Fresh or Frozen?

Canning foods preserves them, but the texture and nutritive value can suffer -- and what about the potential dangers of BPA and botulism? Learn what's true and what's myth when it comes to canned food in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.h ...  Show more

How Do Octopuses Work?

These marine invertebrates can solve puzzles, use tools, and camouflage themselves by changing their very skin -- yet they live only three to five years, and die after mating. Learn more about octopuses in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on these articles: https://animals.ho ...  Show more

How Do We Get Iron and Steel Out of Stone?

Iron processing is a benchmark of civilization for good reason -- this metal makes a lot of technology possible. Learn about the history and science of refining iron and steel in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/iron.htmSee o ...  Show more