Pop culture loves making horrific figures adorable, from Cthulhu plushies to 'cute' Freddy Krueger costumes. But why? Learn what researchers think about the spectrum of cute to monstrous in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

Pop culture loves making horrific figures adorable, from Cthulhu plushies to 'cute' Freddy Krueger costumes. But why? Learn what researchers think about the spectrum of cute to monstrous in this classic episode of BrainStuff.

Whether the topic is popcorn or particle physics, you can count on BrainStuff to explore -- and explain -- the everyday science in the world around us.

BrainStuff

BrainStuff Classics: Why Do We Make Our Monsters Cute?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/80c9f05c-7120-4bb2-a907-b21100edf6ce/transcript

Cashmere can be more expensive than other wools because producing it is such an intensive process -- for the goats that grow it and the humans who care for them. Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/why-is-cashmere-so-expensive.htm

Cashmere can be more expensive than other wools because producing it is such an intensive process -- for the goats that grow it and the humans who care for them. Learn more in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/why-is-cashmere-so-expensive.htm

BrainStuff Classics: Why Does Cashmere Cost So Much?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/28913183-ce4f-4d7e-9090-b3bc01145afa/transcript

In Catalonia, there's a two-hundred-year-old tradition of including a figurine of a man pooping in the shadows of Nativity scenes. Learn about el caganer in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/pooping-man-catalan-nativity-scene.htm

In Catalonia, there's a two-hundred-year-old tradition of including a figurine of a man pooping in the shadows of Nativity scenes. Learn about el caganer in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/pooping-man-catalan-nativity-scene.htm

Why Is There a Pooping Figurine in Some Nativity Scenes?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2cc27d5f-a95b-4aef-9b29-b3bc0115ce4f/transcript

These small appliances help home cooks achieve excellent rice via two categories of technology: ingeniously simple physics, or incredibly complex algorithms. Learn about heat-sensitive switches and fuzzy logic in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://home.howstuffworks.com/rice-cooker.htm/printable For more about the history of rice cookers, check out this episode of Lauren's other podcast, Savor: The Warm and Fuzzy Rice Cooker Episode

These small appliances help home cooks achieve excellent rice via two categories of technology: ingeniously simple physics, or incredibly complex algorithms. Learn about heat-sensitive switches and fuzzy logic in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://home.howstuffworks.com/rice-cooker.htm/printable For more about the history of rice cookers, check out this episode of Lauren's other podcast, Savor: <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/savor/the-warm-and-fuzzy-rice-cooker-episode">The Warm and Fuzzy Rice Cooker Episode</a>

How Do Rice Cookers Work?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/47b74f0e-5fc5-48b4-9623-b3bc01145af9/transcript

BrainStuff Classics: Why Do We Make Our Monsters Cute?

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