HowStuffWorks NOW

Since sexual contact can transmit disease, why don't any diseases increase our sex drive? Why is Wednesday pronounced differently than it's spelled? Why do British lawyers and judges still wear powdered wigs? The answers, plus a fond farewell. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's science behind why reheated coffee is terrible. In the incredible future, we may have better ways to mammogram. Plus, the woman who founded home economics was all kinds of amazing. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Research into missing limbs indicates that our brains control function differently than we thought. Underground mole rats can live without oxygen. Plus, the mysteries of Blood Falls have been solved. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Female Supreme Court justices get interrupted three times as often as male justices. Climbing stairs may be as effective as caffeine at perking you up. Plus, today's teens are doing pretty OK. Really. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are humans nutritous enough to make cannibalism feasible? Could Trump's proposed border wall be improved with a Hyperloop?. Plus: Should the FBI be able to use everyone's photos in their crime-solving facial recognition program? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans are ill-suited to the rigors of space, but augmenting ourselves with technology may create opportunities to explore and colonize worlds beyond our own. In this episode, we experiment in such a future. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it time for the United States to have a military Space Force? Weather patterns are getting stuck in place - climate change is to blame. Plus, research shows that a substance in maple syrup has some incredible medicinal properties. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is scattering ashes technically littering? Will circular runways be the future of airports? Can the TSA search the data in your electronic devices? In this episode, these questions are answered and only two bad puns are made. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bird excrement was once so valuable to farmers that the U.S. government tried to claim all of it. It's possible to get pregnant a second time when you're already pregnant. Plus: When did we start calling citizens consumers? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers are working to improve the lives of adult picky eaters. We break down who the Secret Service protects, and at what costs to taxpayers. Plus, there's a $700 kit that turns certain cars into self-driving cars -- and it works. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although cases are rare, a non-zero number of patients have gone to doctors with a leech stuck in their throat over the years. In this special episode, we explore this gross but fascinating circumstance. Music by Eric Matyas www.soundimage.org Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

and is in such high demand that tons of it are being stolen from beaches. White rhinos use middens as a complex communal message board. Plus, clinical trials need more volunteers -- we explain why. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ancient armies sometimes used hallucinogenic honey as a bioweapon. New research shows how different squid brains are from human brains. Plus, we break down why hot food seems more satisfying than cold food. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Morality aside, is it ever legal to punch someone in the face? Unrelated: Researchers have identified the brain bits responsible for finding certain sounds incredibly annoying. Plus, highly profane people may be more honest. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Solar flares may be responsible for deadly whale beachings. New research clarifies cosmic radiation exposure for frequent fliers. Plus, purposefully complex terms of service let apps harvest our personal data. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A zebra shark has given birth to viable babies without a mate. Weighted blankets may help people battle anxiety and insomnia. Plus: How much damage would a U.S. boarder wall do to local wildlife? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A proposed anti-aging treatment transfuses young people's plasma into old people's blood. A species of boxer crab clones and carries sea anemones as weapons. Plus, the oldest known ancestor of all vertebrates was a wee sack of teeth. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tornadoes' centers leave you cold and breathless; now we know how. Underuse and overuse of particular medical treatments is a global problem. Plus, the history and politics behind the importance of a president's first 100 days. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wonder Woman's iconic themes of truth, matriarchy, and bondage reflect on her fascinating creator. Schools are suspending more students than ever, with lasting effects. Plus: Do smartphones really charge faster in airplane mode? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Research indicates that gun violence is contagious like a disease. Pregnancy causes measurable changes in the brain. Plus, science tells us how frequently we should wash our bath towels. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Future moon settlers could live in caves carved by ancient lunar lava flows. Letting kids lose games can actually help them in the long run. Plus, your fellow airplane passengers are closer to you than ever. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You have some specific genes to thank if you can smell asparagus in urine. Tardigrades were finally observed mating and it's suitably strange. Plus, a software glitch is sending innocent people to prison. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tiny invertebrates pollinate underwater flowers like bees. Fun party trick: How to taste garlic through your feet. Plus, Stephen Hawking is helping send a probe the size of a cherry tomato to explore another solar system. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

christmas, puritans, history, culture, holidays, celebration, 2016, leap second, timekeeping, new years eve, time Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can we better deal with waste in space? Should we rise up against the panopticonic Elf on the Shelf? Plus: Is the internet actually an effective way to contact our elected officials? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers may have pinpointed why it's hard to maintain eye contact while we speak. If Trump declined to live in the White House, it would be unprecedented. Plus, a Samoan island is prepared to switch entirely to solar energy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A warm, salty area deep in the Gulf of Mexico kills everything it touches. Bats can fly faster than anyone thought, beating out even the fastest birds. Plus, young women in South Africa plan to launch a satellite as part of a STEM academic program. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Increasingly, Californians are considering a campaign to secede from the union. An error in Spotify's desktop app could damage your computer -- update it! Plus, thankfully, ambient music is a proven therapy, and we've got a bit for you to listen to. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new humanoid robot keeps its components cool by sweating, just like you and me. Drivers who wait until the last second to merge are scientifically correct - and safer. Plus, we bust a few myths about what will (and won't) damage your smartphone battery. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Demand for coffee during the American Civil War lead to a noxious innovation. Haptic feedback may let you learn certain skills without concentrating. Plus, the history behind Super Tuesday – and questions into whether weekdays work for modern voters. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the future, tiny personal-assistant robots may crawl all over your clothing. We look back at the life of the infamous evangelical cartoonist Jack Chick. Plus: Why didn’t humans evolve the ability to smell water like other animals can? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The spiny, egg-laying echidna has been identified as one of Australia's keystone species. The Ecuadorian embassy that harbors Wikileaks' founder has cut off his internet access. Plus, certain behaviors on social networking sites can make us less happy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first semi-autonomous driver's license now belongs to a man with quadriplegia. Autonomous driving tech has also brought us self-driving chairs for long lines. Plus, the phrase "keeping up with the Joneses" may have been inspired by a real family. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The way you walk can predict your personality and behavior. Horses can be taught to communicate using symbols. Plus, the advantages (and disadvantages) of bicycle helmets equipped with airbags. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global warming may reveal a secret U.S. nuclear base buried under Greenland’s icecap. Now that the Rosetta spacecraft is offline, we take a look back at what it taught us about comets. Plus, thousands of women in Saudi Arabia have signed a petition to abolish the male guardianship system. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North Korean authorities are attempting to ban some types of sarcastic speech. A set of human remains was found at the site of the Antikythera Mechanism shipwreck. Plus, China’s decommissioned Tiangong-1 space station may be out of control and heading toward Earth. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indoor cats are healthier (and less likely to be jerks) when you let them hunt. Market research predicts that robots will take 6 percent of U.S. jobs in the next 5 years. Plus, meet the mythical Chinese characters who have inspired comic book superheroes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seems that cuttlefish have the number sense to rival human babies. Some catfish have added small land mammals to their diets. Plus, China is looking to build a laboratory on the ocean floor – but why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some spiders live in colonies with thousands of neighbors and share themselves to death. Autism in women is often misunderstood and undiagnosed, but new campaigns and research may help. Plus, Earth may have entered a new geological epoch due to human intervention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first completely soft-bodied robot is an octopus. Seattle plans to experiment with lowering heroin risks by providing safe drug houses. Plus, a default setting in Microsoft Excel has caused errors in a whole lot of genetics research papers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just 715 million years ago, Venus might have supported life as we know it. According to atmospheric chemistry experts, fringe theories about chemtrails don’t add up. Plus, most dogs prefer their owners’ praise to food rewards. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humpback whales save other sea creatures from orca attacks. The parasitic Guinea worm, faced with extinction, has jumped from human hosts to a new species. Plus, your personality may shape your taste in music more than any other factor. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Geological evidence may prove that a legendary flood really happened in ancient China. A private company now has permission to land on the Moon. Plus, the government of Ontario is moving forward with their plan to test universal basic income. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers created a (hypothetical) human body evolved to withstand car crashes. Genetically modified mosquitoes could save millions of lives. Plus, higher compensation for CEOs doesn’t indicate better long-term business performance: Why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An artist proposes making human-leather fashion grown from Alexander McQueen’s DNA, raising genetic ownership questions. Drones might dismantle land mines quickly and safely. Plus, engineers designed interlocking blocks that change and encode sound. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers are making aerospace insulation out of bread. Saving both cows and lions from harm may be as simple as painting eyes on the cows’ rumps. Plus: Are gun violence and police violence on the rise, or are we just more aware of that violence? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. has a Transhumanist Party presidential candidate: What IS transhumanism? A car accident is raising questions about the safety and responsibility of autonomous vehicles. Plus, a study indicates that marijuana has a long-term impact on emotions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A chatbot has helped people save $4 million in unfair parking tickets. A comprehensive study linked moving during adolescence to adverse life outcomes. Plus, some people fall in love with inanimate objects: It’s called objectum sexuality. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Applying an electric charge to chocolate makes it flow easier and removes fat. New research may end the eternal struggle to get that last bit of shampoo out of the bottle. Plus, a Supreme Court decision loosens the reins on how cops can collect evidence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A crime wave in New Zealand is targeting avocados. Exercise a few hours after studying may enhance memory recall. Plus, heating this polymer to human body temperature can make it do some heavy lifting. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A vaccine that destroys tumors is being tested in cancer patients. Exposure to artificial lighting has been linked to childhood obesity. Plus, comics appear to be the only print medium that's thriving alongside its new digital counterpart. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The blade of one of King Tutankhamun’s ceremonial daggers came from outer space. The U.S. Department of Defense’s nuclear weapons systems run on 50-year-old technology. Plus, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos wants to make space startups possible and send heavy industry into orbit. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some farmed salmon may be deeply depressed. Nile crocodiles have been found thriving in Florida. Plus, a former fast food CEO says that raising the U.S. minimum wage would cause restaurants to replace their employees with robots. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A food-based supercapacitor could make medical diagnoses easier (and cheesier). The world’s second-ever penis transplant is a success. Plus, dead fish and final exams have caused governments to shut down Internet access. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some bacteria can see by using their bodies like a camera lens to focus light. Netflix subscribers may be saving themselves from seeing over 6 days’ worth of ads per year. Plus, researchers are figuring out why we sleep so poorly in new places. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disney may be using a fleet of drones to protect "Star Wars" sets from spies. Virtual reality is proving a hugely successful therapeutic tool for treating paranoia. Plus, a new wearable device claims it can shock your bad habits away. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New 'textalyzer' tech aims to catch distracted drivers and Saudi Arabia will attempt to lessen its addiction to oil. Plus, Elon Musk steers Dragon 2 toward possible 2018 Mars landing. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A computer might have just predicted who will survive in “Game of Thrones.” Researchers have figured out how tiny, mouthless hydras use wounds to eat prey. Plus, it’s been 30 years since the Chernobyl disaster, and local wildlife is thriving despite the radiation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tiny, reusable robots could help remove lead from our water supply, and we explain why lead contamination is happening in the first place. Plus, very young children can identify corrupt characters – but they can also be bribed. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.