Your Brain on Facts

Dumping out my purse (update on the podcast)

YBOF's gonna take a break for a month or two. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 200, part 2!

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Episode 200!!!!

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Big, Bold Burglaries (ep 199)

How hard was it to steal the Mona Lisa? What does the word "ponzi" actually mean? Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  Become a patron of the podcast arts! Patreon or Ko-Fi. Or buy the book and a shirt. Music: Kevin MacLeod,  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hidden Histories - Rosewood, Tulsa, Chicago (encore)

(Chronic health problems sometime require an encore performance of a past episode.) Hundreds dead, thousands homeless, entire communities wiped out, yet most of us have never heard of what happened in Rosewood 1923, Tulsa 1921, or Chicago 1919. Music by Kevin MacLeod   Read the full script. Reach out and touch Moxie on FB, Twit, the 'Gram or email. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Strange Currency (ep. 198)

What do limestone, leather, plastic and mulberry tree bark have in common? They've all been used to make money, plus lots of other materials besides! Join me for a quick jaunt around the world and through history and we look at a fraction of the history of currency. Shirt raising money for Ukraine Red Cross Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  Become a patron of the podcast ...

Suspect Sustenance Stories (ep. 197)

Who was General Tsao of chicken fame? Where do Danish pastries come from? Is pad Thai actually Thai food? All that and more in this patron-voted episode! 1-star review shirt! and shirt raising money for Ukraine Red Cross Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  Become a patron of the podcast arts! Patreon or Ko-Fi. Or buy the book and a shirt. Music: Kevin MacLeod,  Learn more a...

Awfully Fond of You (ep. 196)

How did rubber ducks go from lumps of rubber that didn't even float to a cheerful childhood staple? Let's look at where they came from, where they're going, and why they keep showing up at violent political protests. 1-star review shirt! and shirt raising money for Ukraine Red Cross 00:38 Bit of backstory 07:13 Bert's best buddy 10:25 Review, patrons, thanks! 12:00 Ducks for charity or science 17:58 Giant ducks, wild and domestic 20:16 Can You Hear The Duckies Sing? 22:45 THE Rubber Duck Lin...

Dread Pirate Misinformation (ep 195)

Finally, I get to the subtopic that launched not one but two episodes, the Gentleman Pirate Stede Bonnet, as well as the most interesting boring thing I could find and why science didn't get a handle on scurvy until nearly WWII. (Apologies in advance because I was red-lining my mic throughout and I have no idea why -- I'd been doing VO jobs all day with no such issue.) 1-star review shirt! and shirt raising money for Ukraine Red Cross  01:03 Ye scurvy dog 08:27 Gratitude et al 11:30 The doldr...

Yaarrrr Brain On Facts (ep. 194)

What started as a need to tell the real story of "Gentleman Pirate" Stede Bonnet has turned into a myth vs history two-parter! I love when that happens. Hear about pirate pensions, the makeup of the mariners, and civil unions on the seven seas. Special thanks to Charlie and Jesse over the in Brainiac Breakroom for help with the title. 1-star review shirt! and shirt raising money for Ukraine Red Cross    Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out with your fellow Brainiac...

D'oh! (no episode this week)

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We Can't Have Nice Things - Radio Contests (ep. 193)

It's the return of our occasional series, We Can't Have Nice Things. This week, we look at radio contest and promotions that went badly wrong, often at the draft stage. Free nude wedding anyone? 1-star review shirt! and shirt raising money for Ukraine Red Cross at yourbrainonfacts.com/merch  02:45 Radio Luxembourg's Ice Block Challenge 06:02 Bait & switch 10:12 Rules are rules 17:36 Review and news 20:40 No accounting for taste 22:15 Library of Chaos 27:27 Good, better, breast 30:08 Playing m...

Courthouse Rock (ep 192)

Not all heroes wear capes.  Some wear leather jackets with chains, long hair, and lots of eyeliner!  Today we look at three times heavy metal musicians said "We're not gonna take it" and defended the freedom of speech, but were they "Breaking the Law" and just "Howl(ing) at the Moon"? 0:42 Twisted Sister vs Congress 17:07 Reviews and news 19:58 Ozzy Osbourne's Suicide Solution 26:20 Judas Priest, Better Than You 28:28 Subliminal back-masking 1-star review shirt! and shirt raising...

Courthouse Rock (ep.192)

Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear leather jackets with chains, long hair, and lots of eyeliner! Today we look at three times heavy metal musicians said "We're not gonna take it" and defended the freedom of speech, but were they "Breaking the Law" and just "Howl(ing) at the Moon"? 0:42 Twisted Sister vs Congress 17:07 Reviews and news 19:58 Ozzy Osbourne's Suicide Solution 26:20 Judas Priest, Better Than You 28:28 Subliminal back-masking 1-star review shirt! and shirt raising money for Ukra...

Apple of Our Eye (ep. 191)

1-star review shirt! and shirt raising money for Ukraine Red Cross. It's another one of those episodes all about a topic that sounds totally mundane and boring!  Where did apples come from?  Was Johnny Appleseed real?  Why does planting apple seeds lead to disappointment?  And why are some apples considered intellectual property?     Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter,  or Inst...

Gregor MacGregor (ep. 190)

People used to say "If you believe that, I have some swampland in Florida to sell you," but they really should have said, "I have some lovely acres in the Republic of Poyais you can buy, but you have to act now!" Presenting one of my favorite con artists ever, the man who declared himself prince of a South American country that didn't exist, Gregor MacGregor (yes, that's really his name). Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out a...

Fell on Black Days: Sunday (ep. 189)

(Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/MOXIE - Enter promo code MOXIE for 83% off and 3 extra months free!) T-shirt for Ukraine, all proceeds and matching donation to Ukraine Red Cross at yourbrainonfacts.com/merch There are four Sundays a month, but more than a dozen days we call "Black Sunday." Here are three -- two forces of nature and one parade of schadenfreude. 02:42 Black Blizzard 12:45 Bondi Beach 24:42 Disneyland Quote reader: Vlado from It's Not Rocket Surgery Promo: Remnant...

Tax and Taxonomy (ep. 188)

Who you gonna believe -- me or your lying eyes? Today we look at court cases where people try to avoid taxes by arguing that things aren't the things that they clearly are. 00:50 Tomato 08:18 Jaffa Cakes 17:48 Hydrox vs Oreo 37:40 X-Men Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  Become a patron of the podcast arts! Patreon or Ko-Fi. Or buy the book and a shirt. Music: Kevin MacLeo...

It Stinks! (your sense of smell, ep. 187)

Our Patrons have a nose for good topics, so today we  07:04 Smells and space  14:40 Ham-sniffer 21:17 It's the pits 30:48 Aromatherapy Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  Become a patron of the podcast arts! Patreon or Ko-Fi. Or buy the book and a shirt. Music: Kevin MacLeod, and The Mini Vandals.  Sources: https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/premium-iberian-ham-sniffer...

Witty, Wild Women (ep 186)

Why did no one tell me about Moms Mabley?!! Hear about her and other 'living loud and proud' ladies (Dorothy Parker, Mae West, Tallulah Bankhead) on this International Women's Day. 01:00 Tallulah Bankhead 13:00 Mae West 23:00 Moms Mabley Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  Become a patron of the podcast arts! Patreon or Ko-Fi. Or buy the book and a shirt. Music: Kevin MacLe...

Dying for Your Art (ep. 185)

Voted on by our Patreon, we dive into the deadly side of sculpture, painting, ballet and more! 01:36 Blucifer 04:00 Get the lead out 10:00 Ballet blazes 20:45 Death by a thousand face 26:43 The Conqueror and the conquered Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  Become a patron of the podcast arts! Patreon or Ko-Fi. Or buy the book and a shirt. Music: Kevin MacLeod, David Fesily...

Earth's Unsungest Heroes: Black Inventors, pt 4 (ep 184)

Necessity is the mother of invention and these inventions had real mothers! Hear about Black female inventors, the tribulations of research, and a story I didn't expect to find and couldn't pass up. 01:00 L'histoire  06:36 Martha Jones's corn husker 07:55 Mary Jones de Leon's cooking apparatus 08:56 Judy Reed's dough kneader-roller 10:30 Sarah Goode's folding bed-desk 11:40 Sarah Boon's ironing board 17:15 Lyda Newman's hairbrush 19:33 Madam CJ Walker's Wonderful Hair-grower 22:03 Biddy Mason...

Earth's Unsung-est Heroes: Black Inventors, pt. 3 (ep. 183)

Congrats to Hearts & Wheels, who won week 2 of #moxiemillion, by sharing the show to help it reach 1 million downloads this month! Necessity is the mother of invention and who was in a more necessitous position than victims of the Atlantic slave trade? You may revolutionize industries, but good luck getting a patent. 00:47 Patents and law  06:40 Benjamin Bradley 09:10 Benjamin Montgomery 16:30 Thomas Jennings 23:15 Henry Boyd Links to all the research resources are on the website. Hang out wi...

The African Queens (ep 182)

Congrats to Richard Enriquez, who won week 1 of #moxiemillion, by sharing the show to help it reach 1 million downloads this month! Cleopatra-schmeopatra! Hear the stories of three queens of Africa who should also be household names. Starring the clever queen Moremi, the fierce queen Amanirenas, and the terrifying queen Ranavalona. Links to all the research resources are on the website. 3:06 Moremi of Ife 10:54 Amanirena of Kush 23:00 Ranavalona I of Madagascar  Hang out with your fellow Brai...

Featuring: What Was That Like?

I thought you might also like the show "What Was That Like?," real people in unreal situations.  

Gods and Monkeys (ep. 181)

With half the world's continents being home to a panoply of monkey species, it's no wonder the people of Center & South America, Asia, and Africa hold monkeys in high esteems as mythological and religious figures. Hear about Hanuman, howlers, Hapi, and a helluva lot more (and yes, Sun Wukong, obviously). Links to all the research resources are on the website. 04:45 Japan: Sarugami 09:57 Central/South America: howler monkey god 13:50 Africa: Gbekre Hapi, Babi 17:35 India: Hanuman 27:00 China: ...

Cons, Scams, and Flim-Flams with Pretend (ep. 180)

Javier Leiva from Pretend did a podcast with me!!!!  Like what you hear? Become a patron of the arts for as little as $2 a month!  Or buy the book or some merch.   We teach each other about: 03:10 a pig in a poke 06:30 salting a mine 10:00 melon drop 14:50 vanity awards 21:55 Baltimore stock-broker 25:00 fake casting agents Plus learn the three most interesting things about me! Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs. Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Learn more about ...

Voice Over The Moon, pt 2 (ep 179

How'd it go for the first BBC announcer with an accent?  How much work can you get if you "make it" in voiceover?  How much did the woman behind Siri make?  And what's a pencil got to do with any of this?  All this and more in part 2! Like what you hear?  Become a patron of the arts for as little as $2 a month!   Or buy the book or some merch.  Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter,  or Instagram. 00:25 RP and Wilfred Pickles (voiced by Simo...

Voice Over The Moon, pt 2 (ep 179)

How'd it go for the first BBC announcer with an accent? How much work can you get if you "make it" in voiceover? How much did the woman behind Siri make? And what's a pencil got to do with any of this? All this and more in part 2! Like what you hear? Become a patron of the arts for as little as $2 a month!  Or buy the book or some merch.  Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs. Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 00:25 RP and Wilfred Pickles (voiced by Simon Jackson) 04...

Voice Over the Moon, vol. 1 (ep. 178)

From a rogue radio operator, to Bugs Bunny, to the lady who recorded all the time and temperature message for the phone company, we look at some history and notable names in voicework (which is what I do for a living, hire me!)  Like what you hear? Become a patron of the arts for as little as $2 a month!  Or buy the book or some merch.  Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs. Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 02:52 Jane Barbe, the voice on the telephone 04:58 Reginald...

Everything Everywhere Daily

I thought you might also like the show Everything Everywhere Daily.  It's like YBOF, but shorter and more often.

Featuring: Everything Everywhere Daily

I thought you might also like the show Everything Everywhere Daily.  It's like YBOF, but shorter and more often.

Very New Year

Happy new year!  Or is it?  It depends on which calendar you're using. Like what you hear?  Become a patron of the arts for as little as $2 a month!   Or buy the book or some merch.  Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter,  or Instagram. Music: Kevin MacLeod, David Fesliyan.   Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Links to all the research resources are on the website.   On Monday this December 30th past, I clo...

Very New Year (ep. 177)

Happy new year! Or is it? It depends on which calendar you're using. Like what you hear? Become a patron of the arts for as little as $2 a month!  Or buy the book or some merch.  Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs. Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Music: Kevin MacLeod, David Fesliyan.   Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Links to all the research resources are on the website.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Christmas Truce

Happy holidays to all my beautiful Brainiacs!  Enjoy this bonus mini episode on a bit of history that, while not obscure, should be better-known (and taken to heart) by more people -- the WWI Christmas Truce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Worst. Christmas Song. Ever. (ep. 176)

Voted on by our Patreon, we look at the what, how, and for-gods-sake-why of some of those most hated holiday songs! 02:40 Banned songs 08:09 Wonderful Christmastime 10:45 Chipmunks Song 16:36 Little Drummer Boy (Peace on Earth) Like what you hear? Become a patron of the arts for as little as $2 a month!  Or buy the book or some merch.  Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs. Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Music: Kevin MacLeod, David Fesliyan.   Reach out and touch ...

Take That to the Bank (ep. 175)

Strategic reserves -- everything from Canadian maple syrup to seeds -- are intended to stabilize prices or to help us survive, in both the short and long term. So what are we keeping and why? (and what happens if someone steals it?!) Like what you hear? Become a patron of the arts for as little as $2 a month!  Or buy the book or some merch.  Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs. Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Music: Kevin MacLeod, David Fesliyan.   Reach out and ...

From Panto to Python (do-over, ep. 174)

From music hall to Red Dwarf, pantomime to Absolutely Fabulous, we look at the history of British comedy, the names, shows, and historical events that made it what it is today. Like what you hear? Become a patron of the arts for as little as $2 a month!  Or buy the book or some merch. Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs. Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Music: Kevin MacLeod, Steve Oxen, David Fesliyan.  . Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagr...

This Land is Our Land (ep 173)

In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue, and it's been downhill for New World peoples ever since. Today we look at residential schools, the occupation of Alcatraz by Indians of All Tribes, the Oka crisis (aka the Mohawk resistance), and Sacheen Littlefeather's Oscar speech. YBOF Book; Audiobook (basically everywhere but Audible); Merch! Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs .Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Support the show Music by Kevin MacLeod, Steve Oxen, David ...

Best Served Loud (do-over, ep. 172))

A microphone is a good enough platform for getting back at people, but an entire recording studio is even better. Popular music is littered with songs getting back at an ex lover, from Waylon Jennings to Taylor Swift, but a fair number of the tracks you know by heart are actually clap-backs to the people in the mixing booth or the record label offices. YBOF Book; Audiobook (basically everywhere but Audible); Merch! Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs .Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Tw...

Amazing Races (do-over, ep. 171)

Quick, switch over to Vodacast to see the pictures I talk about in the episode! From using a train in a car race to marathon doping with deadly poison, there's far more excitement in racing than simply declaring a winner. YBOF Book; Audiobook (basically everywhere but Audible); Merch! Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs .Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Support the show Music by Kevin MacLeod, Steve Oxen, David Fesliyan.   Links to all the research resources are o...

Secret Cities (do-over, ep 170)

Quick, switch over to Vodacast to see the pictures I talk about in the episode! We all lose things -- keys, wallets, patience -- but how do you lose an entire city? Hear the stories of three American towns built in a hurry but kept off the map, secure Soviet enclaves known by their post codes, ancient cities found by modern technology, and the ingenious engineering of underground dwellings. YBOF Book; Audiobook (basically everywhere but Audible); Merch Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook,...

Jack of the Lantern

As a special treat and thank-you to all my gracious and kind supporters, I present my take on the origin of the jack-o-lantern from its Irish folklore roots.   If you've been a long-time follower of my buddy Shawn at Ink and Ash (formerly Stories of Yore and Yours), you may have heard this version, and you'll recognize Shawn's voice.  Shawn was nice enough to let me re-use some of his audio, but I didn't realize when I asked him that there was fake crowd noise on the track.  That pushed m...

This Is (still) Halloween

♪♫This is Halloween! This is Halloween!♫♪ Supporters on our Patreon and fans in our FB group chose the topics for today's episode (plus now there's a sub-reddit):  01:35 sorting Dracula fact from fiction 07:49 how horror stars got their stars 20:01 when did clowns become scary 23:29 the history behind zombies 28:38 movie monster fast facts!  Mentioned in the show: Overly Sarcastic's Frankenstein run-down Cutting Class podcast on Christopher Lee Oh No! Lit Class on The Phantom   Who needs a co...

Twins Remix (ep. 169)

Twins, synchronicity, science, anomalies, and dark mysteries. Support the show Merch, book Music by Kevin MacLeod  Read the full script. Reach out and touch Moxie on FB, Twit, the 'Gram or email.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shapeshifters (encore and personal update)

From Irish selkies to Japanese kitsune, from Navajo skin-walkers to Ethiopian werehyenas, there doesn't seem to be a culture in the world that doesn't have at least one shape-shifter in its folklore or mythology. Personal update: Hey, so can we talk for a minute? Come sit by the fire while I dump out my purse. You might have noticed (you really couldn't have missed it), there hasn't been a lot of YBOF happening lately. The reason for that, as some of my longtime listeners know –I can't believ...

Banned Book Bundle, with Oh No! Lit Class

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. Learn why parents objected to such diverse classics as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Ender's Game and which book is banned in the most countries. Will Shel Silverstein turn your kids into cannibals? Is a baby penguin spreading the "gay agenda"? We look at children, young adult...

Summer Not-busters (ep 168)

For every Star Wars, there's a hundred middling films and outright flops. Plus, hear about movie so unlucky, they may actually have been cursed, in a sample of the Your Brain On Facts audiobook. Read the full script.   Support the show. It's been quite a while since we got a review for the YBOF book. Can you take a sec and let us know what you thought? Reach out and touch Moxie on FB, Twit, the 'Gram or email.  Music by David Fesliyan and Kevin McLeod  Sources: https://www.triviagenius.com...

Quickest update

Typo Negative (ep. 167)

The devil is in the details. This week, we look at how missing or inserted commas, forsaken hyphens, and flat-out typos have led to expensive chaos. Read the full script.   Support the show. It's been quite a while since we got a review for the YBOF book. Can you take a sec and let us know what you thought? Reach out and touch Moxie on FB, Twit, the 'Gram or email.  Music by David Fesliyan and Kevin McLeod   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices