Physical Science

Cubes of trash

How to conquer Garbage Mountain

After getting a firsthand look at the history of trash, we’re having visions from garbage’s present and future this week. Producer Kunsang Dorjee visits a landfill to see what happens to our trash after we throw it away, and producer Ruby Guthrie shows us how we can make less trash and dispose the trash we do make in ways that are better for the planet. Plus: we hear from a kid who helped her class produce almost no waste during the school year. And our Moment of Um answers the question: if ants like sweet things, why don’t they attack beehives?

An astronaut wearing a spacesuit during a spacewalk on the ISS

The secrets of the spectacular spacesuit

Never explore the final frontier without your trusty, white, puffy space suit! But why is it puffy and white? And why do astronauts need them? Turns out space is super dangerous and these suits can save your life. We’ll give you a tour of all the features of NASA’s iconic EMU suit and explain why it looks like a squishy marshmallow. Plus, we’ll interview an engineer working on the next generation of space suits and hear a funky new space jam by singer Jamie Lidell. Add in a mystery sound, a Moment of Um looking at knuckle cracking and some rad ideas for super suits of the future and you’ve got an action packed episode of Brains On.

How do spiders walk on walls?

Walking on walls: How ants and spiders do it

Ants and spiders are able to defy gravity -- but how do they do it? We'll learn about how awesome their feet are and how one predator takes advantage of these powers. Plus: A very challenging mystery sound and a Moment of Um that answers the question, "How do bananas ripen other fruit?" Today’s episode is sponsored by KiwiCo (kiwico.com/brainson), Bona (bona.com/brainson) and Panama City Beach (VisitPanamaCityBeach.com). You can support Brains On at brainson.org/donate.

How do airplanes fly?

How do planes stay in the air? And how did humans figure out that it wasn’t enough to just strap wings to our arms and flap them like birds?

We’ll find out about the invention of airplanes and our co-hosts will share the frustrations and joys of being inventors themselves. Plus: An aviation-inspired mystery sound and paper airplane tips! Plus a new Moment of Um answers the question: “What’s the most sour thing in the world?”

Today’s episode is sponsored by Madison Reed (madison-reed.com and offer code BRAINS). You can help us find new sponsors by filling out this anonymous survey: podsurvey.com/brains