Episodes

Dec. 22, 2022

Thu. 12/22 - Where Did "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells" Come From?

We dive into the origins and enduring popularity of that most classic of Christmas Carols, “Jingle Bells, Batman Smells.” Plus, Stephen Spielberg has officially apologized to sharks for Jaws. And a note on our holiday programming.
Dec. 21, 2022

Wed. 12/21 - Entire South Korean Population Will Legally Become Younger Next Year

What are solstices and seasons like on other planets? Plus, why everyone in South Korea is about to become a year or two younger. And Lionel Messi’s celebratory Instagram photos have become the most-liked social media post of all-time.
Dec. 20, 2022

Tue. 12/20 - Wind Power for Human Habitats on Mars?

Could wind be the dark horse in the hunt for power sources for human habitats on Mars? Plus, the first-ever recording of a dust devil on Mars, and a goodbye to a beloved Martian explorer. And Google unveils the most-searched word of the year. I’ll give you a hint: it’s a six-letter word about five-…
Dec. 20, 2022

Mon. 12/19 - The Story Behind Those Wooden Castle Playgrounds

Everything you never wondered about those wooden castle-like playgrounds of Gen X and Millennials’ youths. Plus, how a nano-thin layer of gold could finally be the cure to the dreaded glasses fog of our COVID masking era.
Dec. 16, 2022

Fri. 12/16 - Bots Doing Business With Bots

An AI chatbot that can negotiate with customer service chatbots to lower your bills, cancel your subscriptions, and more. Plus, the reason why chocolate sometimes gets that white sort of chalky sheen on it. And, a segment from the archives about the science behind some reindeers’ color-changing eye…
Dec. 15, 2022

Thu. 12/15 - How Sci-Fi Impacts Real-World Innovation & Policy

The interplay between science fiction and real-world scientific innovations––from space travel to fusion energy. Plus, a replay of a classic Cool Stuff Ride Home segment on Krampus with an update on some risqué depictions of the Yuletide rogue that have been making the rounds online this year.
Dec. 14, 2022

Wed. 12/14 - Why Thousands of Street Lights Are Turning Purple

Why some street lights across the US and Canada have been turning purple, and what it says about the larger effects of the supply chain on our cityscapes. Plus, the emus that were banned from a bar in Queensland have returned with a surprise. And New Zealand’s parliament just passed a lifetime ban …
Dec. 13, 2022

Tue. 12/13 - The Enduring Power of "Silent Night"

The origins and significance of the song “Silent Night.” Plus, an update on the US’s fusion energy breakthrough. And Los Angeles County’s first-ever unicorn license has been issued.
Dec. 12, 2022

Mon. 12/12 - A "Major Breakthrough" on Fusion Energy?

A big nuclear fusion announcement is coming in the morning, but just how “big” will it really be? Plus, a collection of disappearing and extinct sounds. And how the climate emergency is coming for one trendy fruit.
Dec. 9, 2022

Fri. 12/09 - The Early Browser Button That Could've Changed The Web For The Better

A browser button proposed by Tim Berners-Lee in 1997 that could’ve changed the web as we know it… or could it? Plus, eight artists from the around the world are officially going on a trip around the moon thanks to a controversial Japanese billionaire. And Hot Pockets just launched a line of cargo s…
Dec. 8, 2022

Thu. 12/08 - The Christmas Classic That Almost Never Aired

As we go the first Christmas in over half a century without a network TV airing of A Charlie Brown Christmas, an extended reflection on its staying power, unexpected success, and how CBS originally wished they could get out of having to air it at all because they thought it was so bad.
Dec. 7, 2022

Wed. 12/07 - Your Milk Is Probably Not Actually Expired

How less-confusing food labeling––and perhaps more food-based curriculum in schools––can mitigate the huge problem of food waste. Plus, a new web-based simulator that will show you exactly how screwed you are if an asteroid hits your hometown.
Dec. 6, 2022

Tue. 12/06 - Gory, Graphic Shakespeare & Those Who Tried to Erase Him in the 1800s

Candles will play stunt double for actors in a new staging of Shakespeare’s most violent play. Plus, we take a detour down the path of Shakespearean conspiracies. And, in other news, the moon just got its own infrastructure package.
Dec. 5, 2022

Mon. 12/05 - Will Sherlock Holmes Go Goblin Mode?

2023 is going to be a big year for the public domain, and especially for one estate who will finally be losing control of a character they’ve tried their very best to wring every last dollar from for over a century. Plus, Oxford English Dictionary officially declared “goblin mode” as their word of …
Dec. 2, 2022

Fri. 12/02 - Pilk & Cookies: Santa's New Fave?

AriZona Iced Tea is joining the hard beverage movement. Pepsi is joining… Big Milk? And scientists have got some new, practical tips for training your body to wake up earlier and actually alert.
Dec. 1, 2022

Thu. 12/01 - Your Toilet Could Save Your Life

Was Mars once hit with an asteroid on the scale of Earth’s own dino-killer? Plus, what if there was a device that listened to your farts and let you know when you should go see a doctor? And the USDA program that’s recognizing indigenous food ways.
Nov. 30, 2022

Wed. 11/21 - Designing Spotify Wrapped

A dive into the design behind Spotify Wrapped, and some of the new features this years––including the Myers-Briggsification of your personal listening data. Plus, the baguette was just granted UNESCO world heritage status!
Nov. 29, 2022

Tue. 11/29 - Summer Drought Is Haunting Christmas

Drought and inflation are making it a tough year for Christmas trees. Plus, Japan has had to abandon what would’ve been their first-ever lunar landing, but a private Japanese company launching a lander tomorrow might still fulfill that milestone for the nation. And a round-up of the weirdest movies…
Nov. 28, 2022

Mon. 11/28 - The World's Largest Active Volcano Is Erupting

The world’s largest active volcano has begun erupting for the first time in four decades. Plus, “monkeypox” has officially been renamed “mpox.” And insurance company State Farm has just released a jazz album.
Nov. 22, 2022

Tue. 11/22 - Should 16-Year-Olds Be Allowed To Vote?

New Zealand is set to vote on lowering the voting age to 16. Scientists have added four new prefixes to the metric system. And a peek inside the wide world of Monster Energy drink collection and trading communities.
Nov. 21, 2022

Mon. 11/21 - A Ray of Hope For the "Tripledemic?"

Could the “tripledemic” be tamped down slightly by the viruses interfering with and preventing each other from spiking in the same place at the same time? Plus, public libraries in the US and Canada have been launching their own streaming platforms featuring local musicians.
Nov. 18, 2022

Fri. 11/18 - Giant Turkey Legs, The Quintessential American Snack

What’s the deal with those giant turkey legs they serve at renaissance fairs and Disney World? Plus, Coors Light has just launched a color-changing nail polish that lets you know when your beer is cold enough to drink. And Cambridge Dictionary’s perplexing choice of a word of the year that most Bri…
Nov. 17, 2022

Thu. 11/17 - Lab-Grown Meat Gets FDA Approval

The FDA has given approval for the first time to a lab-grown meat. Plus, another company is genetically modifying plants to work as superpowered air purifiers. And 500 new words like bae and subtweet have been added to the official Scrabble dictionary.
Nov. 16, 2022

Wed. 11/16 - Fruitcake Flavored: The Pumpkin Spice of Christmastime?

Can wearing a mask yourself make it harder to recognize the faces of people, even when they’re not wearing a mask? Plus, why Kraft Heinz has upped the goof factor with so many off-the-wall stunts in recent years. And is fruitcake the new go-to holiday season flavor?