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

These arctic animals have complex social structures and may eat 6,000 clams in a single meal. Learn more walruses in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/walrus.htm/printable

These arctic animals have complex social structures and may eat 6,000 clams in a single meal. Learn more walruses in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/walrus.htm/printable

How Do Walruses Work?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/64fbb0f3-db1f-4363-abd6-b3b701721346/transcript

Your adaptive immune system remembers specific germs and fights them really effectively -- but it can sometimes make mistakes and attack your own healthy cells. Learn how the adaptive immune system works (and how it can go wrong) in this episode of BrainStuff.

Your adaptive immune system remembers specific germs and fights them really effectively -- but it can sometimes make mistakes and attack your own healthy cells. Learn how the adaptive immune system works (and how it can go wrong) in this episode of BrainStuff.

What Happens When Your Immune System Turns on You?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4f5b5911-1c5d-4c61-a2d8-b3aa0141fe1c/transcript

Slime molds are collectives of single-celled organisms that don't have neurons, much less brains, but they can move, solve mazes, and remember where food is located. Learn what we know (and don't know!) about them in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/biology-fields/slime-mold-facts.htm

Slime molds are collectives of single-celled organisms that don't have neurons, much less brains, but they can move, solve mazes, and remember where food is located. Learn what we know (and don't know!) about them in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/biology-fields/slime-mold-facts.htm

How Can Slime Mold Think Without a Brain?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2c72c162-c412-4e92-8d10-b3a90180144f/transcript

BrainStuff Classics: Why Do We Make Our Monsters Cute?

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