About 500 years ago, creating clever collective nouns for groups of animals, objects, and people was trendy, and some of those nouns of assemblage stuck. Learn the history of this quirk of the English language in today's classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/shrewdness-apes-collective-nouns-500-year-old-language-fad.htm

About 500 years ago, creating clever collective nouns for groups of animals, objects, and people was trendy, and some of those nouns of assemblage stuck. Learn the history of this quirk of the English language in today's classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/shrewdness-apes-collective-nouns-500-year-old-language-fad.htm

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 a Gaggle of Geese? Where Do Collective Nouns Come From?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f1562700-da9d-41a5-b864-b2bf0176b320/transcript

After years of trench warfare in WWI, France built a line of massive underground bunkers and other defensive fortifications along hundreds of miles of its border. Learn how the Maginot Line worked -- and why it failed to stop the Nazi invasion -- in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/maginot-line.htm

After years of trench warfare in WWI, France built a line of massive underground bunkers and other defensive fortifications along hundreds of miles of its border. Learn how the Maginot Line worked -- and why it failed to stop the Nazi invasion -- in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: <a href="https://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/maginot-line.htm">https://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/maginot-line.htm</a>

Why Did the Massive Maginot Line Fail to Stop Hitler?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b721924b-9c00-444f-9151-b4e101026b00/transcript

Some U.S. cities and states have officially changed Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day. Learn why -- and why some Americans disagree with the change -- in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/columbus-day.htm

Some U.S. cities and states have officially changed Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day. Learn why -- and why some Americans disagree with the change -- in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/columbus-day.htm

BrainStuff Classics: Why Are Some Americans Cancelling Columbus Day?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3c4349d6-ec57-43f2-a585-b4dd015e3bfa/transcript

The English-language terms for different baked goods vary based on where English is being spoken. Learn why an American cookie is a British biscuit, an American biscuit is a British scone, our muffins have nothing to do with each other, and pudding doesn't have to involve pudding at all in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/tools-and-techniques/great-british-baking-terms-know-scones-from-biscuits.htm

The English-language terms for different baked goods vary based on where English is being spoken. Learn why an American cookie is a British biscuit, an American biscuit is a British scone, our muffins have nothing to do with each other, and pudding doesn't have to involve pudding at all in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/tools-and-techniques/great-british-baking-terms-know-scones-from-biscuits.htm

American Versus British English: What Are Biscuits, Muffins, and Pudding?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2727932a-a9b2-4223-a2d1-b4dd015e3bf9/transcript

BrainStuff Classics: Why a Gaggle of Geese? Where Do Collective Nouns Come From?

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