Brain Junk

Series produced by Trace Kerr

Series image

Everything you never knew you wanted to know. We guarantee, you won't be bored.

Amy Barton and Trace Kerr shake up science, history & culture in this once a week show. We hunt for off the wall, totally unexpected answers to questions and bring them to you in two to ten minute short, "Brain Storms" or longer twenty to thirty minute episodes.
We dive into questions like: What are Supernumerary teeth? Do ants pass the Mirror Test? Why do kids in Denmark murder their birthday cakes?
Brain Junk is a fun ride for adults and kids who want to know.


137 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
141 Box Beds
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
Tired of cold feet and longs nights huddled under not quite warm enough blankets? Maybe you need a box bed. Originating in medieval times, making a...

  • Added: Dec 23, 2020
  • Length: 04:45
140: Beehive Fence
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
There are only approximately 400,000 elephants left in the world. Frustrated and saddened by this stark statistic, Dr. Lucy King set out to find a ...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Dec 23, 2020
  • Length: 04:59
  • Purchases: 1
139: Mummy Passport
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
Ramesses II (Also known as Ramses or Rameses) became Pharaoh at the age of 14, had more children than any other Egyptian ruler, and reigned during ...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Dec 23, 2020
  • Length: 04:46
  • Purchases: 1
137: Fred vs The Mississippi
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
On July 6th, 1930 Fred Newton dipped a toe into the Mississippi river and explained to reporters that he planned to swim from Minneapolis to New Or...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Dec 23, 2020
  • Length: 04:59
  • Purchases: 1
136: Sneaky Potato
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
In 1532 the Spanish found out what everyone in South America already knew--potatoes are amazing. But when they brought them back to Europe the rece...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Nov 10, 2020
  • Length: 04:41
  • Purchases: 1
135: Moon Junk
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
A word on sound quality: We're still recording remotely. Just pretend Amy is on the moon, reporting from her own personal spaceship. Besides the ...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Nov 10, 2020
  • Length: 05:09
  • Purchases: 1
134: Glowing Squirrels
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
An accidental discovery by scientist Jonathan G. Martin lead to a surprise at his bird feeder. Turns out Flying Squirrels in the United States have...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Nov 10, 2020
  • Length: 04:53
  • Purchases: 1
128: Get Off My Lawn!
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
How did we go from no green spaces in city neighborhoods to the perfectly manicured lawn that defines American suburbia? It all comes down to Frede...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Sep 16, 2020
  • Length: 04:42
  • Purchases: 1
127: Emergency Clams
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
No joke, the best and last line of defense to protect the drinking water for an entire city in Poland is eight clams. Let's chat about bivalve scie...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Sep 16, 2020
  • Length: 04:52
  • Purchases: 1
126: Marital Duels
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
During the 13th century, in the part of the world that would become Germany, husbands and wives could settle marital disagreements with an elaborat...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Sep 06, 2020
  • Length: 04:57
  • Purchases: 1
122: Good George Dantzig!
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
In the movie Good Will Hunting, Will is a janitor at MIT--he solves some impossible math problems and shocks the professors. That origin story is t...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Sep 06, 2020
  • Length: 05:00
  • Purchases: 1
122: Good George Dantzig
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
In the movie Good Will Hunting, Will is a janitor at MIT--he solves some impossible math problems and shocks the professors. That origin story is t...

  • Added: Aug 05, 2020
  • Length: 05:00
121: Isle of Discussion
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
In this time of COVID19 and staying at home (if you happen to be at home with more than just yourself) you might be finding family harmony is getti...

  • Added: Aug 05, 2020
  • Length: 04:49
120: Play Doh
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
In 1930, the Kutol company came up with a putty to clean coal dust off of walls. Impending bankruptcy forced them to shift gears to find new ways o...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Jul 23, 2020
  • Length: 04:53
  • Purchases: 1
119: Pete and Repeat
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
Margaret and Matilda Roumania Peters were sisters and tennis champions in the 1930s, long before Serena and Venus Williams. While still in high sch...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Jul 23, 2020
  • Length: 04:58
  • Purchases: 1
118: Trundling
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
Trace follows a trail from shoving boulders downhill to the 18th century sport of hoop rolling. P.S. Trace mentions in the beginning of the episode...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Jul 23, 2020
  • Length: 04:46
  • Purchases: 1
117: Space Bubbles
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
The science of how bubbles work changes a bit when they go into space. Amy explains why.

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Jul 01, 2020
  • Length: 04:39
  • Purchases: 1
111: Pigeons and Four Letter Words
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
Might it be possible to teach a pigeon how to "read" a label for a person who can't read? Is there the possibility of a future where pigeon service...

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: May 20, 2020
  • Length: 04:15
  • Purchases: 1
110: Bee-utiful Music
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
Bees like sugary nectar. Turns out, it might just be their own buzzing that makes flowers sweeter.

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: May 14, 2020
  • Length: 03:26
  • Purchases: 1
107: What Dogs Dream
From: Trace Kerr
Series: Brain Junk
Piece image
You've probably seen a dog sleeping soundly with their legs pedaling. Is Fido really dreaming of chasing a tennis ball? Let's find out.

Bought by Spokane Public Radio


  • Added: Apr 29, 2020
  • Length: 04:49
  • Purchases: 1

Playlists That Feature This Series: