Hello From the Van

Mimi Faatz

*Visual Podcast on Youtube*  A Family-Friendly and Educational Podcast for Everyone! Geared to curious families with lots of questions. We cover everything from cancer to paint colors-- always in a safe and educational way. Join us as we explore a new topic each week. 

  1. 3d ago

    Motorcycles: A History of Innovation

    Motorcycles may have gotten their start in the late 1800's, but their use during World War is what truly solidified their cultural foothold. In honor of the 86th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, this week we talk about invention, muddy history, and the future of the motorcycle.  SOURCES: Sturgis. (2025, May 12). History of the Sturgis Rally. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally SD. https://sturgis.com/resources/about-sturgis-rally/history-of-rally/ Wikipedia contributors. (2026, May 3). History of the motorcycle. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_motorcycle "The Past - 1800s: First motorcycle". The History and Future of Motorcycles and motorcycling - From 1885 to the Future, Total Motorcycle Website. Retrieved 2007-06-28. Planet, R. (2019, May 10). Motorcyclists point two fingers down, why? Riderz Planet. https://www.riderzplanet.com/blogs/posts/motorcyclists-point-two-fingers-down-why?srsltid=AfmBOopvbgbFZbunY7_HLB1AgmR7rJDLnVSif6O0mTYPelvFTdkysiZI  Baxter, Ian (30 December 2024). German Motorcycles at War, 1939–1945: The Kradschützen Truppen. Images of War. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 9781036100575.  Wikipedia contributors. (2026b, July 22). Roper steam velocipede. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roper_steam_velocipede  Wilson, Hugo (1993), The Ultimate Motorcycle Book, Dorling Kindersley, pp. 8–9, ISBN 1-56458-303-1 Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources.  Youtube: Hello From The Van!  Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan HelloFromTheVan.com

    Motorcycles: A History of Innovation
  2. Aug 2

    How Citrus Took Over the World: A History

    Lemons have always been around in the East, but their known history in the West is relatively recent. In this episode we talk about the history of citrus fruit, how explorers brought it to the west, and how all citrus are related. #HelloFromTheVan SOURCES:  The Nursery at TyTy, The History of the Citrus Tree.  https://www.tytyga.com/History-of-the-Citrus-and-Citrus-Tree-Growing-in-America-a/381.htm Jerry James Stone, “The History of Lemons”, April 22, 2023. https://jerryjamesstone.com/how-to/history-of-lemons-what-am-i-even-eating/  17th Centery New York Blog, “Lemons, Limes, and Oranges: 1600-1750.”  https://17thcenturynewyork.blogspot.com/2018/02/lemons-limes-and-oranges-1600s-to-1750s.html Ancient Greece Dot Org, Ancient Greece Timeline.  https://ancient-greece.org/history/timeline/  Fatta, F., Mediati, D. Geometric References of Roman Mosaics in North Africa. Nexus Netw J 22, 91–111 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00004-019-00433-8   The Fruit Explorer, The Fruit Explorer Encounters Papeda, March 2015.  https://fruitexplorer.blogspot.com/2015/03/fwd-fruit-explorer-encounters-papeda.html The Genetic Literacy Project, Mother of Citrus, February 2018.  https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2018/02/12/mother-citrus-oranges-grapefruit-lemons-limes-descended-single-ancestor/ White, Marcus. James Lind: The Man Who Helped Cure Scurvy. 4 October 2016. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-37320399 Skellet, Captain. The Science of Scurvy: How Things Work. 2 August 2009.  https://aschoonerofscience.com/science-at-home/the-science-of-scurvy/  Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, “How the Great Freeze of 1894-95 Nearly Destroy Central Florida”. 30 January 2026.  https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/01/30/orlando-sentinel-150-how-great-freeze-of-1894-95-nearly-destroyed-central-florida/  The Fruit Guys, “Citrus Family Drama: Meet the Original Citrus Fruits”. https://fruitguys.com/blog/citrus-family-drama-meet-the-original-citrus-fruits/?srsltid=AfmBOor2dViNQEXEwtuIC6uYOxqEDbTage9w_HQ-x_g-yRa-4nv2EXpO  Lovell, Lucy. The Art Curator Saving the World’s Rarest Fruit. 12 March 2025. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250307-the-art-curator-saving-the-worlds-rarest-fruit  Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources.  Youtube: Hello From The Van!  Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan HelloFromTheVan.com

    How Citrus Took Over the World: A History
  3. Jul 26

    Laughter, Yawns, and Why We Do Them

    A laughter and a yawn-- both are contagious-- but why do we perform these "useless" functions?? This week we dive into the long scientific history around laughter and yawns. Warning, we don't know why, but you'll probably yawn while listening to this episode. So please use caution while listening.  Citations:  Wani PD, Agarwal M. The science of yawning: Exploring its physiology, evolutionary role, and behavioral impact. J Family Med Prim Care. 2025 Aug;14(8):3115-3120. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1677_24. Epub 2025 Sep 24. PMID: 41041241; PMCID: PMC12488162.   BARBIZET J. Yawning. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1958 Aug;21(3):203-9. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.21.3.203. PMID: 13576171; PMCID: PMC497319.  Gupta S, Mittal S. Yawning and its physiological significance. Int J Appl Basic Med Res. 2013 Jan;3(1):11-5. doi: 10.4103/2229-516X.112230. PMID: 23776833; PMCID: PMC3678674.  Provine, Robert R. “Yawning: The Yawn Is Primal, Unstoppable and Contagious, Revealing the Evolutionary and Neural Basis of Empathy and Unconscious Behavior.” American Scientist, vol. 93, no. 6, 2005, pp. 532–39. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27858677. Accessed 24 July 2026. BARBIZET J. Yawning. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1958 Aug;21(3):203-9. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.21.3.203. PMID: 13576171; PMCID: PMC497319.   Romundstad S, Svebak S, Holen A, Holmen J. A 15-Year Follow-Up Study of Sense of Humor and Causes of Mortality: The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study. Psychosom Med. 2016 Apr;78(3):345-53. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000275. PMID: 26569539.  Lawrence Robinson, Melinda Smith, M.A. and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. , Laughter is the Best Medicine. Help Guide, February 2026.  Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources.  Youtube: Hello From The Van!  Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan HelloFromTheVan.com

    Laughter, Yawns, and Why We Do Them
  4. Jul 19

    The Power of TASTE

    Flavor and Taste are powerful parts of our every day lives...but what *are* they? This week we talk about the physical function of flavor, how and why our bodies process tastes the way they do, and how flavor can even warn us of danger.  Sources:  Gravina SA, Yep GL, Khan M. Human biology of taste. Ann Saudi Med. 2013 May-Jun;33(3):217-22. doi: 10.5144/0256-4947.2013.217. PMID: 23793421; PMCID: PMC6078535. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6078535/ Fontanini A, Taste. Current Biology, 33, R130-R135. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(23)00005-2 Dictionary.com, "Taste", https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/taste National Institute of Aging, How Smell and Taste Change as You Age. November 14, 2024, https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/teeth-and-mouth/how-smell-and-taste-change-you-age Trivedi, Bijal P. (2012). "Gustatory system: The finer points of taste". Nature. 486 (7403): S2–S3. Bibcode:2012Natur.486S...2T. doi:10.1038/486s2a. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 22717400. S2CID 4325945. Witt, Martin (2019). "Anatomy and development of the human taste system". Smell and Taste. Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Vol. 164. pp. 147–171.  Maehashi K, Matano M, Wang H, Vo LA, Yamamoto Y, Huang L (January 2008). "Bitter peptides activate hTAS2Rs, the human bitter receptors". Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 365 (4): 851–5. Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources.  Youtube: Hello From The Van!  Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan HelloFromTheVan.com

    The Power of TASTE

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2 Ratings

About

*Visual Podcast on Youtube*  A Family-Friendly and Educational Podcast for Everyone! Geared to curious families with lots of questions. We cover everything from cancer to paint colors-- always in a safe and educational way. Join us as we explore a new topic each week.