Be More Specific
By Teagan Mulford and Bekah Page
Be More SpecificMay 11, 2021
What is Hair?
What is hair? What's it made of? Why do we have so much of it? Why don't chimps have as much? Why is some hair curly? All this and more are answered this month on Be More Specific!
For full notes, photos, and extras, visit bemorespecific.org
What Is Shampoo?
We lather our scalps with it, but what IS shampoo? When did it come to be, and why is Teagan insistent she needs a special one? What makes this "poo" so special?
Sources and more on www.bemorespecific.org
How Were Cats Domesticated?
How did humans domesticate cats...or did we? What's so great about these furry friends, and how long have they been man's best "animal that lives in my house I guess"?
Find sources, photos, and more on bemorespecific.org
When Did Blacksmithing Begin?
When did humans start heating up and manipulating metal? Turns out it was a long time ago, and we're still doing it now! Join us as we learn all about blacksmithing and the art of metal work!
Go to bemorespecific.org for notes, photos, and more fun!
Are You Liking Lichens?
Teagan and Bekah learn all about these fantastic symbiotic, pioneer, and super beautiful organisms! Come explore the wonderfully weird world of lichens!
Lichen photos, full references, and more on bemorespecific.org!
Follow us on instagram @bemorespecificpod and follow the Leavitt Lab Lichen Page @lichensirl for more fun facts and photos!
Must Reads!
(Consider the website https://12ft.io/ to get past paywalls or email bemorespecificpod@gmail.com)
The Ex-Anarchist Construction Worker Who Became a World-Renowned Scientist
How a Guy From a Montana Trailer Park Overturned 150 Years of Biology - The Atlantic
Queer Theory for Lichens | UnderCurrents: Journal of Critical Environmental Studies
A Symbiotic View of Life: We Have Never Been Individuals on JSTOR
What is the History of Prosthetics?
Today, Bekah explains the history of prosthetics and how they've changed over time! Teagan listens, and is a bit of a class clown...
To help with prosthetic access, consider donating to one of these charities:
Sources, photos, and more can be found on www.bemorespecific.org
Why Do People Wear Wigs?
Why do humans wear wigs, and when did this particular fashion trend come to be? Come with Teagan and Bekah as they go on a journey through the history of wigs and learn all about these odd hair hats!
Images, Sources, and more on bemorespecific.org
Where Did Snowmen Come From?
Snowmen! They're everywhere, even if there isn't snow around! Join Teagan & Bekah as they talk about our snow friends and their origins!
Also, a Winter Giveaway from now to January 30th 2023!
Rate us on iTunes, follow us on Instagram or Facebook, post a photo of your favorite snowman (any material accepted) that you've ever made, and tag @bemorespecificpod! You'll be entered to win a sweet gift card and very cool T-shirt. If you don't have social media, draw an excellent snowman and text it to Teagan or email bemorespecificpod@gmail.com for a chance to win!
Sources can be found on bemorespecific.org
What is a Spelling Bee?
Surprisingly, the entomologist is fresh out of knowledge for this one, as Bekah explains spelling bees (and their decidedly unbuggy) origins!
Full episode sources and notes can be found at bemorespecific.org
Holiday Special: Haunted Houses- Origins, Past, and Present!
Content Warnings in this episode for mention of torture, horror, and discussions related to darker topics. We don't get too in the weeds, but thought you might want a heads up!
Ah, the air is crisp, and the spooks are about! It's Haunted House season, but where did these sometimes delightful (and sometimes horrifying) attractions come from?
Sources can be found on bemorespecific.org/hauntedhouses
Why Haven't We Eradicated Lice Yet?
What is a louse? What can lice tell us about ourselves? Does Teagan have them? (Spoiler: she didn't!)
Answers to these queries and more will be answered in this episode of Be More Specific!
Sources, images, and notes can be found at bemorespecific.org
:)
Why Do We Sweat?
Why do we sweat and shiver? Turns out keeping your body running is way more difficult than you might imagine. Teagan answers all of our burning (get it?) questions about thermoregulation!
Sources and notes can be found on bemorespecific.org
What is a Firework?
Please drop us a review on whatever platform you prefer: www.bemorespecific.org/rate/
Sources:
https://www.americanpyro.com/history-of-fireworks#:~:text=Many%20historians%20believe%20that%20fireworks,air%20pockets%20in%20the%20bamboo.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireworks
ssec.si.edu/stemvisions-blog/evolution-fireworks
time.com/4828701/first-fireworks-history-july-4th/
www.thefireworksfirm.co.uk/25-interesting-facts-about-fireworks.php
www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/14-fun-facts-about-fireworks-180951957/
www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/07/fireworks-in-pop-culture-the-history-of-a-clich/241328/
www.britannica.com/story/why-do-americans-celebrate-independence-day-with-fireworks
www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/the-hidden-toll-of-july-fourth-fireworks
www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/articlesbytopic/oxidationandreduction/chemmatters-oct2010-fireworks.pdf
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-13495-1_44
www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2021/Fireworks-Related-Injuries-and-Deaths-Spiked-During-the-COVID-19-Pandemic
https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/what-minerals-are-used-fireworks#:~:text=Explosions%3A%20gunpowder%20%E2%80%93%20the%20explosions%20in,in%20New%20Mexico%20and%20Utah.
What is the Most Dangerous Toy?
Toys are safe right? Wr-well actually, yeah, most of the time. But sometimes, manufacturers forgot to notice some little (and big) problems before sending their creations to the masses! Also: Please don't forget to like and review us on Apple Podcasts!
Toy photos will be posted on instagram but *also* we're working on our website, so stay tuned!
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-01-07-fi-15974-story.html
https://www.astm.org/f0963-17.html
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/childrens-products/g22851411/most-dangerous-toys/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn_darts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Consumer_Product_Safety_Commission
https://www.eightieskids.com/you-wont-believe-the-reasons-why-these-toys-were-banned/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_rem_jurisdiction
https://www.audubon.org/news/do-fireworks-cause-bird-deaths-what-do-fourth-july
Where Does Chocolate Come From?
What goes into that oh so delicious brown stuff? Why do people like it so much? How long has it been around? Get yourself a little treat, and settle in for this episode- all about Chocolate!
Recommended Reading, but TW: https://foodispower.org/human-labor-slavery/slavery-chocolate/
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate
https://foodispower.org/human-labor-slavery/slavery-chocolate/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE_lhU8SFTw
https://thetakeout.com/why-hershey-s-chocolate-tastes-like-vomit-to-some-peopl-1846527404
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/economics-chocolate-180954224/
What Makes Bears So Great?
Sources: bear.org/bears-as-imaginary-dragons/
northamericannature.com/how-did-bears-evolve/
www.nature.com/articles/srep46487
www.bearsinmind.org/Page/The-evolution-of-bear-species
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_depictions_of_bears
myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/bear/facts/behavior/
Why Do People Wear Perfume?
Why be smelly? How long have humans applied smelly water to themselves? What's the weirdest scent? How can you buy the best perfume for you? Teagan and Bekah answer all these questions and MORE in this particularly fragrant episode!
Sources
https://www.fragrancex.com/blog/strangest-perfume-ingredients/
https://qbi.uq.edu.au/blog/2018/11/how-do-we-smell-things
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungary_water
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_perfume
Fragrant by Mandy Aftel
Perfumes and Spices by A.Hyatt Verrill
Perfume by Richard Stamelman
What Are Tongues?
What are tongues? How did we get them? How do animals use them? How much does Bekah hate them? (A lot).
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongue
https://www.thecut.com/2016/05/the-complicated-reasons-why-you-like-some-foods-and-hate-others.html
https://www.livescience.com/photos-weird-animal-tongues.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymothoa_exigua
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tongue-tie/symptoms-causes/syc-20378452
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570891/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrapod
https://www.ajinomoto.com/aboutus/umami/why-is-umami-important-to-us
Why Are Movie Credits So Long?
The movie is over, but the fun has just begun! Join Bekah and Teagan as we learn about movie credits: their origins, their idiosyncrasies, and why they’re so important!
Sources:
https://www.peerspace.com/resources/movie-credits/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/21443/15-film-production-credits-explained
https://www.nfi.edu/film-credits/
https://www.ranker.com/list/jokes-hidden-in-movie-credits/donn-saylor
Holiday Special: Winter Treats!
Come with Teagan and Bekah as they discuss the history and deliciousness of various winter treats! Gingerbread, Fruitcake, and much more!
Spoiler alert: These treats are OLD OLD.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cookie
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gingerbread
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumpia
https://thetakeout.com/asian-egg-rolls-cha-gio-spring-rolls-lumpia-1826717513
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamale
What Makes a Mime?
It turns out that mimes are pretty cool! Join Teagan and Bekah as Teagan learns about mimes (for the second time) and as they both fall in love with one Marcel Marceau!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mime_artist
https://members.tripod.com/~kiko_mime/history.html
https://www.theatreinparis.com/blog/a-history-of-mime-the-most-oh-so-french-of-art-forms
https://www.history.com/news/marcel-marceau-wwii-french-resistance-georges-loinger
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mime-who-saved-kids-holocaust-180962533/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commedia_dell%27arte
https://www.worldmime.org/en/about-mime/vipersonalities/105-vipersonalities/297-etienne-decroux.html
https://sites.google.com/site/mimemadness/home/what-is-a-mime
Why Do We Hiccup?
What makes us hiccup? Why does Anna hiccup so much? Will you review us on iTunes?
Follow us on Instagram!! @bemorespecificpod
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AdQLkUkui8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0oELHA6EvM
https://www.farmersalmanac.com/could-these-remedies-really-stop-the-hiccups-2886
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/05/health_guinness_medical_record_breakers/html/2.stm
Why Do We Ritualize Death?
Why do we mourn? Why does death matter? What children’s TV Show will make Teagan cry this episode? All of this and more, answered in this week’s episode!
Follow us on instagram! @bemorespecificpod
Sources
https://www.funeralwise.com/digital-dying/the-spectacular-death-rituals-of-the-philippines/
https://newsfeed.time.com/2012/01/25/death-beads-south-koreas-new-way-to-honor-the-deceased/
https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/18/travel/madagascar-turning-bones/index.html\
https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/funerals/sky-burial.htm
http://www.faqs.org/childhood/Gr-Im/Grief-Death-Funerals.html
http://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/cabinet-curiosities-victorian-death-dolls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPBNE5B5qF0
https://www.britannica.com/list/7-unique-burial-rituals-across-the-world
https://choicemutual.com/funeral-rituals-ancient-world/
TW: Monkey death: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0eWViFdkbY&t=728s
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20120919-respect-the-dead
https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/12/03/1012916/coronavirus-death-grief-for-strangers-online/
https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/12/03/1012916/coronavirus-death-grief-for-strangers-online/
How Real is Reality TV?
What is an "Old Wives Tale"?
Old Wives Tales and some common misconceptions! This has been a rough start to a semester, so we're going low-effort today. Enjoy!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_misconceptions
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health/old-wives-tales-and-truths
How Are Movies Rated?
Who rates movies? Who decides what children should and shouldn't watch? Is Be More Specific Rated G?
Sources:
R. Leone, 2002,Contemplating Ratings: An Examination of What the MPAA Considers “Too Far for R” and Why
https://www.filmratings.com/History
https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1247/motion-picture-ratings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Association_film_rating_system
https://gizmodo.com/a-brief-history-of-the-movie-rating-system-1676334900
https://observer.com/2018/11/mpaa-50-years-movie-ratings-system-changed-film-forever/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Motion-Picture-Association-of-America
https://www.motionpictures.org/film-ratings/
https://www.motionpictures.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/G-is-for-Golden.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_picture_content_rating_system
Why Do We Dream?
What are dreams? Why do we dream? Do they mean anything? Teagan and Bekah talk dreams (and LaCroix and English Miners and Tuna Chips and a lot of other chaos) in this episode!
Also, in this episode we use the terms “Deaf” and “blind” as opposed to “hard of hearing” or “vision impaired”, here is why! It is important to remember no group is a monolith and different people desire different things, but the consensus we have reached with friends and family is the verbiage heard in this episode: https://www.nad.org/resources/american-sign-language/community-and-culture-frequently-asked-questions/
https://nfb.org//sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm09/bm0901/bm090107.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The boredom video Teagan mentioned https://youtu.be/WEQTrW9NP68
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources:
https://www.apa.org/research/action/speaking-of-psychology/science-of-dreaming
Uttal, William R. (2013). Reliability in Cognitive Neuroscience. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. p. 4.
Solms, Mark (2000). "Dreaming and REM sleep are controlled by different brain mechanisms".
Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 23: 848.
Viskontas, Indre (2017). Brain Myths Exploded: Lessons from Neuroscience. Chantilly, VA: The
Teaching Company. p. 393.
Michael Gazzaniga, The split brain revisited. Scientific American 297 (1998), pp. 51–55. 37
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4988750/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-behind-dreaming/
http://www.markblechner.com/dream_frontier/excerpts.php
Why Do We Sleep?
What makes us sleepy? What happens when you don't sleep? How do you sleep better? Avoid sleep anxiety and listen to Teagan and Bekah explain the intricacies of sleep.
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/ an evidence based website I recommend for the layperson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mufsteNrTI
https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/why-do-we-sleep
https://www.livescience.com/19462-fall-asleep.html
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/stages-of-sleep
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2814941/
https://www.verywellhealth.com/symptoms-of-sleep-paralysis-3014781
https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/sleep-deprivation-stages#lifestyle-tips\
https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/fatal-familial-insomnia/
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/narcolepsy
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14292-sleepwalking
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/sleep-start.html
https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-used-to-sleep-in-two-shifts-maybe-we-should-again
Why Do We Have Signatures?
What's in a signature? Turns out: A lot of history! Everything from identity verification to slaps are what makes signatures so valuable.
https://legalesign.com/blog/history-of-signatures/?amp=1
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2011/03/when-did-we-start-signing-our-names-to-authenticate-documents.html
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signature
https://www.etymonline.com/word/signature
https://www.npr.org/2018/11/25/670631106/the-history-of-signatures-and-their-present-relevance
https://www.helpsystems.com/resources/articles/infographic-history-signature
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_(emblem)
https://blog.thegrizzlylabs.com/2020/11/history-of-signatures.html
How Do Sunburns Work?
Getting crispy is most people's least favorite part of the summer. But why does it happen? Why is skin so gross? Why does Teagan insist on choosing topics that make most people nauseated?
https://medlineplus.gov/sunexposure.html
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a30691658/sun-poisoning-pictures/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-happens-when-you-get/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aFm087_XWg
https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-health/sunburned-eyes#takeaway
https://brobergeyecare.com/pinguecula/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freckle
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/120711-sunburn-health-summer-nation-science
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sunburn/symptoms-causes/syc-20355922
https://www.badgerbalm.com/pages/what-is-spf-sunscreen-sun-protection-factor
https://www.skincancer.org/blog/ask-the-expert-does-a-high-spf-protect-my-skin-better/
https://www.heifer.org/blog/sun-protection-through-the-ages-infographic.html
Got Milk?
www.healthline.com/nutrition/whole-vs-skim-milk#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20071648/
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sugar-in-milk
www.bbc.com/future/article/20191123-what-milk-is-best-cows-dairy-free-alternative
www.bbc.com/future/article/20190218-when-did-humans-start-drinking-cows-milk
www.theguardian.com/food/2018/nov/11/how-we-lost-our-love-milk-alt
www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46654042
www.nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/milk-really-good-you-ncna894341
www.discovermagazine.com/health/is-milk-bad-for-you-heres-what-the-science-says
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_substitute
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Got_Milk%3F
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose_intolerance
Movie Watch: Foodfight! (The Worst Animated Film, Ever!)
What is a Meme?
What is the Cloud?
What is the Cloud? Where is all that data being kept? Why keep it not on a USB in a box under your mattress?? Teagan explains the intricacies of the Cloud, while Bekah ponders the singularity.
https://digital.hbs.edu/platform-rctom/submission/cloud-based-rendering-for-the-animation-industry/
https://www.keepitsafe.com/blog/post/how-data-backup-saved-the-toy-story-franchise/
https://www.fasthosts.co.uk/blog/cloud-pixar-and-hollywood-computing/
How Hard IS it to Climb Mount Everest?
Why Can't We Get Rid of All Mosquitoes?
What Makes a Cult Classic?
How Did We Get Barbie?
Why Are There So Many (Bad) Sequels?
Why Do We Laugh?
Rebranding: Introducing Be More Specific!
Perfect Podcast: Animals, Ranked
Perfect Podcast: Pixels: Week Three
Perfect Podcast: Pixels: Week Two
Perfect Podcast: Pixels: Week One
Perfect Podcast: Conspiracy Theories Pt. 2
Perfect Podcast: Conspiracy Theories Pt. 1
Perfect Podcast: Hot Celebrity Gossip (AKA The Hot Goss)
Perfect Podcast: Embarrassing Stories
Bonus: Twilight is a Good Movie
Well, the cat is out of the bag. Teagan is a Twihard and might have converted Bekah and Desert to the fold. This episode was recorded under our previous podcast name "Perfect Podcast".