NPR logo NPR

Brain Candy
Aficionados line up outside Hot Doug's, a gourmet hot dog diner in Chicago, in May. Owner Doug Sohn has announced that he will shut the doors in October after nearly 14 years.

Aficionados line up outside Hot Doug's, a gourmet hot dog diner in Chicago, in May. Owner Doug Sohn has announced that he will shut the doors in October after nearly 14 years. M. Spencer Green/AP hide caption

itoggle caption M. Spencer Green/AP

The Salt

Why Food Pilgrims Will Wait Four Hours For A Taste Of The Sublime

Psychology tells us that waiting for an experience can boost our happiness, as can talking about the experience afterward. That's one reason food pilgrims seem to be queuing up and Instagramming it.

Angelo Mosso's "human circulation balance" machine worked like a seesaw to measure blood flow changes to the brain.

Angelo Mosso's "human circulation balance" machine worked like a seesaw to measure blood flow changes to the brain. Sandrone et al., 2014, Brain hide caption

itoggle caption Sandrone et al., 2014, Brain

Science

The Machine That Tried To Scan The Brain — In 1882

The inspiration for modern MRI brain scanners was built before World War I began, the Titanic sank, and humans took flight. Now neuroscientists are trying to give its inventor his due credit.

Listen Loading… 4:49