Why are there prank calls?

Decades ago, making a fake phone call to someone used to be a hilarious prank to play, such as, “Is your refrigerator running? Well, you better go catch it!”. But where did this trend come from and why did people think it was so funny? And what about caller ID? We asked science writer Cara Giaimo to help us find the history behind it all.

Decades ago, making a fake phone call to someone used to be a hilarious prank to play, such as, “Is your refrigerator running? Well, you better go catch it!”. But where did this trend come from and why did people think it was so funny? And what about caller ID? We asked science writer Cara Giaimo to help us find the history behind it all.
Got a question that’s calling to you? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll help find the answer - no joke! 

Billy Brown | Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Smash Boom Best is a debate show for kids and families from the makers of the award-winning podcast, Brains On! Every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets you decide which is best.


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A history show for the whole family! Every episode explores the origin of just one thing — like sandwiches, video games, clocks and more — while teaching listeners to think critically about history.


Forever Ago

Our mission is to encourage kids’ and curious adults’ natural curiosity and wonder using science and history…but there’s no age limit on curiosity, and episodes of Brains On can be enjoyed by anyone.


Why are there prank calls?

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