Why Are Stop Signs Red?

FromBrainStuff

Start listening View podcast show

Why Are Stop Signs Red?

FromBrainStuff

ratings:

Length:

4 minutes

Released:

Dec 14, 2018

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Stop signs were always the red octagons we know today -- so how was the color chosen, and why has it stuck? Learn about the history and psychology of red traffic signals in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Released:

Dec 14, 2018

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

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.

Skip carousel

How gas pumps work: Next time you're filling up your tank at a gas station, ask yourself this: how does the nozzle know when the tank is full? Learn more about gas pumps in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Gun Silencers Work: The sound of gunfire is incredibly loud, and it is amazing that anything is able to silence a firearm. However, the principle behind a gun silencer is surprisingly simple. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about silencers. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Catapults Works: There are three different technologies that fall into the catapult category: the ballista, the trebuchet and the catapult. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about the differences between catapult technologies. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Perceiving Earth as a Sphere Works: Is there any way that people could know the world is sphere while standing on the earth? Learn more about perceiving earth as a sphere in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How the Corvette ZR1 Works: The 2009 Corvette ZR1 combines several technical innovations to produce a turbo-charged, eight-cylinder engine. Learn more about the Corvette ZR1 in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
Why the Sky is Blue?: As sunlight passes through the atmosphere, particles in the air scatter blue light more efficiently than any other color in the light spectrum, creating a blue sky. Learn more about the sky and light in this Brainstuff podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Uninterruptible Power Supplies Work: An uninterruptible power supply protects computers against surges, spikes, sags, and total power failure. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about uninterruptible power supplies. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How long can a germ live in a room?: How long can a germ last outside the body? It depends. Tune in to this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com to find out how different germs fare outside the body. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Fever Works: In this podcast, learn what causes a fever and what actually happens to the body when a fever occurs. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
What is the Difference Between a Carat and a Karat?: Carats are used for diamonds, while karats are used for gold. Learn more about the difference between carats and karats in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How much fuel does an international airplane use for a trip?: A Boeing 747 uses approximately one galloon of fuel per second -- over the course of a ten hour flight, it might burn 36,00 galloons of fuel. How does this compare to a car? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about airplane mileage. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How a GFCI outlet works: A normal 120 volt outlet in the US has two vertical slots and a role hole centered below the slots -- the outlets with a pair of red and black 'test' and 'reset' buttons are known as GCFI outlets. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more. by BrainStuff
1 min listen
How Maple Syrup Works: The clear, thin sap of Maple trees must be boiled down to create maple syrup -- it takes about 30 to 40 gallons of sap to create one gallon of syrup. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about Maple syrup. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Fountains in Rome Work: Built before the invention of electric pumps, fountains in Rome were powered through an ingenious system of gravity, cisterns, and aqueducts. Learn more about fountains in Rome in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
1 min listen
How Breathing in a Submarine Work: For air in a submarine to remain usable, three things must happen: The oxygen must be replenished as it is consumed, the carbon dioxide must be removed from the air, and the moisture in human breath must also be removed. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
Marshall Brain's News Roundup No. 1: What's the deal with the UFO sighting in Jerusalem? Will the high schools of the future be filled with telepresence robots? Tune in and join Marshall Brain as he reviews the week's most fascinating news. by BrainStuff
12 min listen
How Activated Charcoal Works: If you look on the label of a water filter, you'll often see the filter contains activated charcoal -- but what exactly is this stuff? Tune in as Marshall Brain explains the nature of activated charcoal in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
When I pay for groceries by check, where does that check go?: When you write a check to purchase goods and services, it passes through the hands of several banks before the process is complete. Marshall explains how checks are processed through intermediary banks in this episode. by BrainStuff
5 min listen
What is an MRE?: An MRE -- or meal ready to eat -- contains precooked, sterilized food originally made to nourish soldiers. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about the retort packaging that makes MREs possible. by BrainStuff
1 min listen
How the Virtual First-Down Line Works: Virtual first down lines are used to indicate where play resumes in football -- but how do they work? Listen in as Marshall Brain explains how the technology superimposes a virtual line in this podcast on HowStuffWorks.com. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
Do the humps on camels hold water?: The camel's hump is a giant deposit of fat that lets the camel survive up to 2 weeks without food. Learn more about camels in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
What causes the banging noise in my home's pipes?: The problem of pipes banging on a wall is often called "water hammer." Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about this phenomenon. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
What is the coolest stuff from the 2011 edition of CES?: When it came to gadgets, the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show did not disappoint. But which new products were the coolest? Tune in as Marshall Brain breaks down the latest and greatest of the CES in this podcast. by BrainStuff
8 min listen
How Vacuums Work: If a balloon was filled by a vacuum -- rather than helium or air -- would it float? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn the science behind balloons and vacuum. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
Are florescent bulbs really more efficient?: Customers are increasingly choosing long-lasting alternatives to traditional incandescent lights. But are florescent lightbulbs really more efficient than traditional lightbulbs? Listen in and find out in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. by BrainStuff
1 min listen
How Car Thermostats Work: Any liquid-cooled car engine has a thermostat that blocks the flow of coolant to the radiator. Learn how the thermostat works to reduce wear, deposits and emissions in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
Marshall Brain's News Roundup: April 1st, 2011: With billions of people on the planet and millions of astonishing events happening each day, it's tough to keep track of everything. Luckily, Marshall's here to keep you up-to-date with the latest news in his weekly news roundup. Tune in and learn more. by BrainStuff
12 min listen
How do they backlight LCD screens?: In this episode, Marshall explains the two technologies that are used to backlight LCD panels. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
Is it harmful to breathe 100 percent oxygen?: Oxygen is a necessary component of the air we breathe; but in its pure form, it can be hazardous to one's health. Marshall Brain explains how breathing pure oxygen harms the human body in this episode. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How does SETI at home work?: SETI -- the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence -- is an enormous, global undertaking meant to detect signs of life beyond our solar system. Learn how you can help from home in this podcast from HowStuffWorks. by BrainStuff
4 min listen

More Episodes from BrainStuff

Skip carousel

If a Stop Light Is Stuck on Red, What Can You Do? by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How Did Benedict Arnold Become So Infamous? by BrainStuff
11 min listen
How Do Pallas's Cats Work? by BrainStuff
6 min listen
What's the Difference Between Sociopathy and Psychopathy? by BrainStuff
10 min listen
Are Humans Built to Drink Milk After Childhood? by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How Should You Escape a Sinking Car? by BrainStuff
6 min listen
How Do Cherry Blossom Trees Work? by BrainStuff
10 min listen
How Did Bessie Stringfield Shape Motorcycle History? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
How Do Squirrels Organize Their Hoards? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: What Makes Some Lakes Explode? by BrainStuff
6 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: Why Is Palm Oil in So Many Things? by BrainStuff
6 min listen
Where Did the Word 'OK' Come From? by BrainStuff
9 min listen
Should You Beware the Ides of March? by BrainStuff
8 min listen
How Do Fruit Bats Work? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
What Are Meat Sweats? by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How Did Susan B. Anthony Work? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: What Happens When Elevator Cables Break? by BrainStuff
5 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: How Can I Donate My Brain to Science? by BrainStuff
3 min listen
Why Is the Ocean Different Colors? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
Are You Picturing the Right Brachiosaurus? by BrainStuff
9 min listen
How Does Critical Race Theory Work? by BrainStuff
12 min listen
Is Oxytocin Really A Love Drug? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
How Do Pistol Shrimp Work? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: Why Did London Once Have a Train for the Dead? by BrainStuff
5 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: Why Does Beer Foam Last Longer Than Soda Foam? by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How Did Maya Angelou Work? by BrainStuff
9 min listen
How Does Scurvy Work? by BrainStuff
9 min listen
Do Cows Really Pollute As Much As Cars? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
Where Does Earth's Water Come From? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
Why Does the Orchid Mantis Imitate Flowers? by BrainStuff
5 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

BrainStuff Classics: Why Are Stop Signs Red? by BrainStuff
5 min listen
Why are traffic signs that color?: Everyone knows that stop signs are red octagons -- but why? And why are traffic lights red, yellow and green? Join Scott and Ben as they explore the history of -- and psychology behind -- traffic signs. by CarStuff
30 min listen
How does red eye in photographs work?: The flash of a camera is bright enough to cause a reflection off the human retina -- the red we see in these photos comes from the blood vessels in the eye. Learn more about red eyes and cameras in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
What Is Light? by BrainStuff
5 min listen
How do photochromatic lenses work?: Photochromatic lenses darken when exposed to the sun. Discover where these lenses came from, how they work and why they're commonly referred to as "transition" lenses in this episode of BrainStuff. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
What's the History (and Future) of Toilets? by BrainStuff
6 min listen
TechStuff Classic: TechStuff Plays the Slot Machines by TechStuff
53 min listen
TechStuff Plays the Slot Machines: How did the earliest slot machines work? How do modern slot machines use random number generators? Where are you more likely to find slot machines that pay out frequently? Listen in as Chris and Jonathan explain the science behind slot machines. by TechStuff
52 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: What's the Best Way To Park? by BrainStuff
4 min listen
Why Should You Bring Ear Plugs to Music Festivals? by BrainStuff
5 min listen
How Redheads Work: Redheads are supposedly fiery, passionate people, but is there any truth to these stereotypes? Find out what studies have to say about redheads -- and if they'll really go extinct soon -- in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
17 min listen
816 Art and the Unknown by Richard Syrett's Strange Planet
56 min listen
Not All Publicity is Good Publicity by The GaryVee Audio Experience
17 min listen
Shriner Cars: It's tough to miss the Shriners in any parade -- their customized cars are natural attention-getters, and a great way to raise awareness of their hospital programs. But how do you get a Shriner car of your own? Listen in to learn more. by CarStuff
44 min listen
30: How behavioural biases drive marketing outcomes by The Media Weekly
35 min listen
How X-Rays Work: Like many huge discoveries, X-rays were accidentally stumbled upon. That serendipity led to a medical breakthrough still in use today. Learn about how X-rays are created and why they make such delightful images of our bones. by Stuff You Should Know
38 min listen
Why Is Black History Month During February? by BrainStuff
4 min listen
Rises and false: markets v the economy: How can stockmarkets be so healthy when many businesses are so unwell? We look at the many risks that are clearly not priced in. China’s documentary-makers are having to find clever ways to get past censors—which is why one famed filmmaker is just givi... by The Intelligence from The Economist
22 min listen
Rises and false: markets v the economy: How can stockmarkets be so healthy when many businesses are so unwell? We look at the many risks that are clearly not priced in. China’s documentary-makers are having to find clever ways to get past censors—which is why one famed filmmaker is just givi... by Economist Podcasts
22 min listen
The fear of being lonely by Thick & Thin
43 min listen
Recommender Systems: “People who listened to this episode also listened to ... “: Recommender systems have become omnipresent in our everyday lives exemplified by Netflix telling us what movies to watch, to Amazon suggesting which books we should read, to Instacart promoting specific brands we must buy. We are constantly being influen... by Harvard Data Science Review Podcast
35 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: Why Do We Have Eyebrows? by BrainStuff
3 min listen
Landscape x Autism Nature Trail by The Landscape Nerd
39 min listen
When Has a Single Vote Decided an Election? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
Gene-y in a Bottle: How Your DNA and Genome are the Magic Keys to Health, Modern Medicine, and...Cloning ft. Anuradha Acharya by Simplexity with Alyson Stoner
34 min listen
What Do the Numbers on Interstate Signs Mean? by BrainStuff
8 min listen
The Math Behind Mill | EDHRECast 120: How viable is the Mill strategy in EDH? What are its biggest hurdles and greatest strengths? Today the guys dive into the intricate numbers surrounding the Mill archetype. How many turns does it take to mill someone out? How many Petitioners does it... by EDHRECast
53 min listen
What Happens If a Dog Loses Its Sense of Smell? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
The Cass Review Shames the Gay-Rights Establishment: ‘Gender-affirming care’ has always been gay conversion therapy by another name. by TRIGGERnometry
15 min listen
Why is Horseshoe Crab Blood So Expensive? by BrainStuff
8 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

Why Are Stop Signs Red?

Why Are Stop Signs Red?

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from BrainStuff

Related podcast episodes