Episodes

May 23, 2022

Mon. 05/23 - The Forest At The Bottom Of A Sinkhole

The ancient forest that was discovered at the bottom of a giant sinkhole in China. Plus, a moth species not seen since 1912 was found in the luggage of a passenger at the Detroit airport. And the first patient has been injected with an experimental virus meant to destroy tumors.
May 20, 2022

Fri. 05/20 - 1930s Shopping Cart Haters

The history of the humble shopping cart, and why people absolutely did not like them when they first came out. Plus, a parasite that might make you more attractive—but like, don’t try it. And a tiny pub in an English village that stood up to Condé Nast, and won.
May 19, 2022

Thu. 05/19 - In Defense of "Like"

Why do we judge each other so harshly for saying “like,” even though most of us say it way more often than we’d admit to? Plus, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is launching mere hours after recording… probably. Here’s everything you need to know about the second contender in NASA’s Commercial Crew Pr…
May 18, 2022

Wed. 05/18 - Music Made From DNA Sequences

The history and future of making music out of DNA sequences, particle vibrations, and more. Plus, a new study indicates that cats recognize the names of their cat friends and their human roommates; they’re just ignoring you because they want to, not because they don’t understand. And Alama Drafthou…
May 17, 2022

Tue. 05/17 - Telepathic Pizza Delivery & Algae Batteries

Scientists created a microcomputer powered by photosynthetic algae. Plus, a smart pacifier that could monitor the health of premature babies in the NICU. And Domino’s has teamed up with the Hawkins National Laboratory for a new app that lets you order pizza with your mind.
May 16, 2022

Mon. 05/16 - Plants Grown In Moon Dust

Plants have successfully been grown in moon dust for the first time. Plus, McDonald’s is officially closing all of their restaurants in Russia––why that’s a big deal. A new site that will tell you how much your current home, or one you’re looking to buy, is at risk of wildfires. And underwear that …
May 13, 2022

Fri. 05/13 - The Multiverse: A Balm, A Mirror, or a Corporate Ploy?

A deep dive into the multiverse––what it actually is, why it’s become such a popular trope, what its popularity says about where we’re at as a society right now, how it mirrors our relationship to the internet, and why, despite some cynical reasons for its usage in film, the multiverse might actual…
May 12, 2022

Thu. 05/12 - 1st Image of Milky Way Black Hole & 1st Taco Bell TikTok Musical, Equally Important Events

Everything you need to know about the just-released first-ever image of the black hole at the center of our galaxy. Plus, is there sight after death? No. But kind of. And, in the most predictable news of the day, Dolly Parton is starring in a Doja Cat-inspired Taco Bell TikTok musical about Mexican…
May 11, 2022

Wed. 05/11 - Love, Sleep, & Dinosaurs: The Three Most Important Things In Life

How data can help us find happiness in romantic relationships, or at least tell us why we’re dating all wrong. Plus, it turns out sleep-deprivation can affect how we see other people. And a new website for finding and reporting dinosaur sightings in your area, and around the world.
May 10, 2022

Tue. 05/10 - How Hollywood Changed In The Summer of 19, 19, 1982

How the summer of 1982 changed movies forever––for better or worse. Plus, a study justifying why teenagers suck at listening to their parents. And, how to watch this weekend’s total eclipse of the moon.
May 9, 2022

Mon. 05/09 - The Real-Life Inspiration Behind 'The Blob'

How the 50’s sci-fi horror film The Blob was actually a ripped-from-the-headlines story. Plus, potential cancer treatments involving magnets and dirt. And would you undergo a fecal transplant to reverse signs of aging? It could be an option in the future.
May 6, 2022

Fri. 05/06 - Dickens and the Rise of Creepy Clowns

How much can we blame Charles Dickens for the persisting archetype of creepy clowns? Who and what other cultural factors over the centuries contributed to so many people being whigged out by clowns? Plus, we now know the (general) location of where Forrest Fenn’s treasure chest was found. And a ro…
May 5, 2022

Thu. 05/05 - Is Original Pop Culture Going Extinct?

A deep dive into the question of whether pop culture has become completely dominated by franchises and the same superstars; and, if so, how new that phenomenon actually is and, if it’s really a bad thing in the end.
May 4, 2022

Wed. 05/04 - Margaret Thatcher's Empire Strikes Back

Did Margaret Thatcher play a role in the origins of Star Wars Day? Plus, why human hibernation for long-distance space travel might not actually be worth it. And a redone Bob Dylan recording on an all-new analog medium, coming this Friday.
May 3, 2022

Tue. 05/03 - Why Can't The US Have Weird Chip Flavors?

Why doesn’t the US get all the cool chip flavors that other countries do? Plus, scientists have figured out a way to breakdown plastic in just a few days, instead of over centuries. And why a bunch of creepy dolls keeping washing ashore along the gulf coast in Texas.
May 2, 2022

Mon. 05/02 - Waste More Time

Why it’s time for you to waste time. Plus, a café in Tokyo that doesn’t let people leave until they’ve successfully hit their writing goals. And a possibly sustainable use for the ungodly amounts of disposable masks we’ve thrown out in the last two years?
April 29, 2022

Fri. 04/29 - Books That Kill: Arsenic-Laced Covers & Other Poisonous Pigments

How an innocent trip to the library could give you arsenic poisoning. Plus, a new pterosaur fossil seems to confirm the prehistoric reptiles had some pretty cool feathers. And, how would you like to meditate with Yoda and Chewbacca?
April 28, 2022

Thu. 04/28 - Oreology: The Science of Oreos

Canada has become the first country to release census data on their trans and nonbinary population. Plus, a new study showing how the climate emergency could fuel future pandemics. And, in lighter news, some MIT engineers 3D printed a new device to study why Oreos rarely split the cream filling eve…
April 27, 2022

Wed. 04/27 - Our Backstabbed Two-Faced Moon

The moon has a bit of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde situation going on that astronomers have never been able to definitively explain, but a new study suggests it could be the result of a massive impact four billion years ago. Plus, yoga for your eyes? What is it and does it actually do anything? And the …
April 26, 2022

Tue. 04/26 - When the CIA Funded an Animal Farm Cartoon

How the CIA funded that 1954 animated adaptation of Animal Farm as part of their anti-communist propaganda campaign. Plus, the woman who found out she’d been missing a chunk of her brain for most of her life without realizing. And why more and more rivers are being granted legal personhood.
April 25, 2022

Mon. 04/25 - Monopoly’s Scandalous Anti-Monopoly History

The secret, anti-monopolist history of the Monopoly board game. Plus, why we’re all having trouble remembering things right now, and how we can strengthen our memories going forward.
April 22, 2022

Fri. 04/22 - Some Like It Hot... But Why?

Why did some cultures develop tastes for particularly spicy foods and others didn’t? Plus, the Museum of Endangered Sounds. And an upcoming documentary from Alex Winter about radicalization on social media.
April 21, 2022

Thu. 04/22 - The Sport of Extreme Sitting

Introducing the sport of extreme sitting. Plus, a new study that suggests fungi might be communicating with each other via electrical impulses. And, Sir David Attenborough has been named Champion of the Earth.
April 20, 2022

Wed. 04/20 - The AI Microwave Out for Revenge

The story of a self-described mad scientist who gave a microwave the soul of his childhood imaginary friend using AI, and then it tried to kill him. Plus, texting etiquette from Emily Post’s great-great-grandchildren.