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PODCAST

Brain Junk

Brain Junk is an off-the-wall, totally unbelievable but true podcast where Amy Barton and Trace Kerr shake up science & history in the hunt for answers to questions you never knew you wanted to know. We bring you the inside scoop on things like: Can goldfish drive? How do whales not drown while eating? Who had the first prosthetic eye? We cannonball off the question high dive every other Tuesday -- those of you in the front seats, bring your ponchos. We"re out to flood your brain.

science natural sciences

All Episodes

15:56

48: Animals vs. Brain Junk

Brain Junk ·

2019/02/26

Ostriches, honey badgers, spiders pretending to be ants and even tiny honey bees, there’s no telling who will come out on top in this animals vs. episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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4:26

47: Chlorine Trifluoride

Brain Junk ·

2019/02/19

This chemical is no joke. Amy talks about how 1930’s scientists discovered the explosive and insanely dangerous compound while trying to find a more stable version of fluorine. Mistakes were made. Chlroine Trifluoride Transcript:Welcome to Brain Junk, I’m Trace Kerr, and I’m Amy Barton, and this is a Brain Storm.AB: I would like to talk about science, and I hesitate to delve into this, because my attention span is shiny object level usually, so if we get into in-depth terms, and scientists names,

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7:54

46: That Comes in a Can?

Brain Junk ·

2019/02/12

We went on an epic field trip around our home town of Spokane and found all sorts of canned gems, like a whole chicken, silkworms and cheese in cans. Amy also discovers that Trace is a mountain woman who doesn’t use a hand crank can opener. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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2:54

45: Sneeze Voting

Brain Junk ·

2019/02/05

African Wild Dogs appear to vote on pack activities by sneezing. Sneeze Voting Transcript:Welcome to Brain Junk! I’m Amy Barton. And I’m Trace Kerr and it’s time for a Brain Storm. AB: I’m just going to tell you right now the whole big thing that’s most exciting about this. African wild dogs vote on important pack matters by sneezing. TK: I love this! Tell me more! Tell me more! AB: African wild dogs exhibit “dominant directed group living and take part in stereotyped social rallies.” They have

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5:36

44: Animal Brains

Brain Junk ·

2019/01/29

Brain Storms about an MRI study of dog brains and Zebra Finches singing in their sleep. SO GOOD! Animal Brains Transcript:Welcome to Brian Junk, I’m Amy Barton,TK: And I’m Trace Kerr, and it’s time for a Brain Storm.AB: I found a headline, and it said dog brains show that they see their owners as family and they prioritize the smell of humans over everything, and I for sure clicked through, because so many questions and ahhhhh.TK: I know, it so warm fluffy! AB: Animal Cognition Scientists at Emory

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10:16

43: Puppetry

Brain Junk ·

2019/01/21

Trace and Amy talk about the history of puppets in Britain and explore the giant (not kidding, they’re over twenty feet tall) marionettes of Royal de Luxe. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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2:59

42: International Ice Patrol

Brain Junk ·

2019/01/15

Learn a bit about the women and men of the IIP who monitor icebergs in the northern reaches of our Atlantic ocean. International Ice Patrol Transcript:AB: Welcome to Brain Junk. I’m Amy Barton.TK with enthusiasm: And I’m Trace Kerr, and it’s time for a Brain Storm.TK: Well I want to tell you about the IIP. The International Ice Patrol.AB: That’s not what I thought it might stand for, but thank you.TK knowledgeably: I know. You’re welcome. And it was founded in 1913 after the Titanic sank in 1912

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3:57

41: Brain Storm Double Header: Frogs and Skinks!

Brain Junk ·

2019/01/07

Smash cuts of Brain Storms #8 Devil Frogs and #9 Skinks in honor of Trace’s dad’s birthday. Frank (Trace’s dad) is a freak for amphibians and reptiles…we hope you enjoy these as much as he did. Devil Frogs and Skinks Transcript:41: Devil Frogs and Skinks! Wecome to Brain Junk! I’m Amy Barton, and I’m Trace Kerr, and it’s time for a Brain Storm. AB: Wherein I’m going to share about Beelzebuffo Ampinga or the devil frog.TK: Dun dun dun!AB: Who doesn’t want to know about the devil frog?TK: I want to

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12:05

40: A Royal Brain Junk

Brain Junk ·

2018/12/31

Happy New Year! Trace and Amy talk about those royals on the other side of the pond. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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2:50

39: Sick Ants

Brain Junk ·

2018/12/29

Social network plasticity. Ohhh. Big words. Sick Ants Transcript:AB:Welcome to Brain Junk, I’m Amy Barton,TK: And I’m Trace Kerr. And it’s time for a Brain Storm. And this Brain Storm is special for two reasons. One, because we’re going to talk about penguins, and two because I want to make a quick shout-out to one of our biggest fans, Madelaine.AB singing: Shout out Madelaine!TK: This Brain Storm is for you! So this is from a BBC news article in 2014. It’s about a pair of male penguins in the

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2:48

38: Holiday Penguins

Brain Junk ·

2018/12/25

A bonded pair of male penguins make for unexpectedly great foster parents! Holiday Penguins Transcript:AB:Welcome to Brain Junk, I’m Amy Barton,TK: And I’m Trace Kerr. And it’s time for a Brain Storm. And this Brain Storm is special for two reasons. One, because we’re going to talk about penguins, and two because I want to make a quick shout-out to one of our biggest fans, Madelaine.AB singing: Shout out Madelaine!TK: This Brain Storm is for you! So this is from a BBC news article in 2014. It’s

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3:05

37: Violet Jessup

Brain Junk ·

2018/12/22

The unsinkable Violet. 3 ships, one girl who survived them all. 37_ Violet Jessup Transcript TK: Welcome to Brain Junk! I’m Trace Kerr,AB: and I’m Amy Barton, and this is a Brain Storm! Today I am talking about Violet Jessup, who is known as Miss Unsinkable. She was a stewardess on many of the big shipping lines in the early 1900’s. She was born in Argentina, but she was of Irish descent, so when her father got sick and died, her family moved to Ireland and her mom went to see as a stewardess to

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2:06

36: Cougar Screams

Brain Junk ·

2018/12/18

Cougars are beautiful stealthy hunters. Until they want to mate. Then they sound like a person being run through a garbage compactor. Have a listen. 36_ Cougar Screams TranscriptWelcome to Brain Junk, I’m Amy Barton,TK: And I’m Trace Kerr, and it’s time for a Brain Storm. Let’s take a little listen.Audio of screaming sound.AB: Holy cow. Wow!TK: That is the scream of a cougar.AB: It’s super creepy.TK: It’s a large brown wild cat that is native to North and South America from the tip of Argentina to

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3:10

35: Dr. Robert Liston

Brain Junk ·

2018/12/14

When she isn’t talking about dentists, Amy has an eye for those dangerous doctors. FYI This episode has some up close discussion of amputation and the history behind why they had to do it fast so if you aren’t into that, it’s okay, listen to the wombat episode again. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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2:48

34: Wombat Poop

Brain Junk ·

2018/12/11

It’s there and it’s square. And now we know why. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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2:06

33: Annoying People

Brain Junk ·

2018/12/08

Welcome to the wonderful world of Brain Storms. Short, funny and TO THE POINT. Today is brought to you by those people who make you crazy and why your brain thinks they are moving soooo slooooow. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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18:30

32 Nostalgia Trip (Seat belts? Cigarette vending...

Brain Junk ·

2018/12/03

We’re going back to the 70s, 80s, & 90s. Don’t worry kids, It’ll totally explain why your parents are the way they are. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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20:09

31: Badass Women (Pirates, opera singers &...

Brain Junk ·

2018/11/26

We fell down a Pinterest hole and found a whole bunch of women who we’d NEVER heard about in history classes. Ching Shih, an infamous Chinese pirate, a Viking fighter historians have dubbed, the Birka Warrior, Dame Susan Jocelyn Bell Burnell who discovered pulsars & Julie d’Aubigny, a swashbuckling, bisexual, opera singing extraordinaire. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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24:19

30: Stuff We’d Like to Try (This would go great with...

Brain Junk ·

2018/11/19

Why wait to do those things on your “bucket list”? Amy got us both thinking about things we haven’t done, but would love to do. Juggling, riding a unicycle, travel, rally driving, who knows what trouble we could get up to next year if we ACTUALLY do the stuff on our lists? Hey! What’s on yours? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainjunkpodcast.substack.com

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20:20

29: Social Conventions (Face the rear of the elevator...

Brain Junk ·

2018/11/12

Why do we do the things we do while in public? Simple actions like using the restroom or riding the bus get a lot more complicated when thinking about what other people might expect. Throw in the possibility of cross-cultural miscommunication and the probability that you’ll “put your foot in it” goes up a thousand percent. Fun right?!? Let’s explore some social conventions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit

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