Episodes

May 5, 2021

Wed. 05/05 - Professional Mermaids Are Taking Over

Company tries running Facebook ads that transparently point out how Facebook ads work. Facebook blocks the ads. Shocking! Mermaid diving––like free diving but while wearing a mermaid tail––is quickly becoming a real sport. D…
May 4, 2021

Tue. 05/04 - The Closest to a Real Lightsaber We'll Probably Get

The physics of jumping to hyperspace, Disney teases their retractable lightsaber, and more Star Wars Day updates. Plus, in real space news: China launched the first module of the Chinese Space Station into orbit last week.
May 3, 2021

Mon. 05/03 - Can We Expand Human Life Spans?

Average human life expectancy doubled in the last century. Has it reached its cap or can we double it again? Some considerations. And NASA conducted a tabletop simulation of an asteroid impact last week, with… less than idea…
April 30, 2021

Fri. 04/30 - Human Memes Are Taking Back What They’re Owed

People who accidentally became memes are using NFTs to regain a sense of ownership over their likenesses––and make some pretty nice chunks of change. Scotland could become the first “rewilding nation.” And another shortage r…
April 29, 2021

Thu. 04/29 - An AI Won a Crossword Tournament & the Olympics Gets Into eSports

How an AI, after failing for a decade, finally won the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. The Olympics are going virtual, but not how you’re probably thinking. And remembering Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins.
April 28, 2021

Wed. 04/28 - How To Fix Our Crappy Toilets & Secure Our Future

It’s time for a toilet revolution. No, I’m not just talking about bidets. Our wastewater systems are dangerously out of date, but sustainable innovations could be just around the u-bend. Plus, the future of contact lenses is…
April 27, 2021

Tue. 04/27 - This Famous Actor's Mom Helped Save the Apollo 13 Astronauts

Why the story of aerospace engineer Judith Love Cohen, who helped rescue the Apollo 13 astronauts, is making the rounds again and why we should remember her name. A new ice cube tray-shaped retinal patch that could help rest…
April 26, 2021

Mon. 04/26 - The Battle of the Joshes

Dozens of people named Josh gathered in Nebraska over the weekend for a battle to crown the ultimate Josh. Who won and why the heck did this happen? I’ve got the details. The precursor to laugh tracks: professional applauder…
April 23, 2021

Fri. 04/23 - A McShake Up: The Battle Over McDonald's Ice Cream Machines

What do you call a collection of black holes? That’s not the tee-up for a punchline. Scientists are legitimately trying to decide what word to use. Plus, how Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was based on Blackfoot principles that…
April 22, 2021

Thu. 04/22 - Your Grandma's Meme Stocks of the 1980s

NASA has generated oxygen on Mars. The story of the women retirees who hacked the stock market decades before GameStop and Wall Street Bets. And on the eve of his 404th death day, a look at what Shakespeare can teach us abou…
April 21, 2021

Wed. 04/21 - Translating Whales' Conversations Using AI

A few newly-announced NASA funded projects, including one to build a radio telescope in a crater on the moon. A Welsh farmer shares his secrets to ultimate contentment. And can machine learning help us understand what whales…
April 20, 2021

Tue. 04/20 - The New Roaring 20s? An Economist & Epidemiologist Weigh In

Will this decade be another “Roaring 20s?” A social epidemiologist and a Nobel Prize-winning economist weigh in. How many T-Rexes roamed the land throughout their time on Earth? A team of paleontologists did the math. And sc…
April 19, 2021

Mon. 04/19 - Super League, Explained (w/ Brian McCullough)

You may have heard about a bit of a shake-up in the world of soccer today with a dozen of the world’s biggest teams forming what they’re calling the Super League. To help explain what the heck is going on, we’re joined today…
April 16, 2021

Fri. 04/16 - Human-Monkey Chimera Embryos Are a Reality Now

Scientists have created human-monkey hybrid embryos––yes, you heard that right. Archaeologists have found an entire lost city in Egypt. We have even more pterosaur news this week! And a very delicious false alarm in Krakow.
April 15, 2021

Thu. 04/15 - What Do Spiderwebs Sound Like?

The CDC says we should wait two weeks after our final COVID-19 vaccination to be considered fully vaccinated, but why? What do spiderwebs sound like? These scientists turned them into music. Google Earth’s latest feature sho…
April 14, 2021

Wed. 04/14 - A Pterosaur With Opposable Thumbs?

We’ve all been talking about Zoom Fatigue for the past year, but a new study has the facts on the phenomenon. Have you tried booking a rental car and noticed they’re all sold out or only going for exorbitant prices? Here’s w…
April 13, 2021

Tue. 04/13 - A Methane-Eating Bacteria Inside of Trees

Researchers have found a methane-eating bacteria living in a common species of Australian tree. The UK is considering a legal “right to disconnect” for remote workers. Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia have uncovered evidence o…
April 12, 2021

Mon. 04/12 - Is An Art Movement Happening On TikTok?

Genetically-modified mosquitoes are set to be released in Florida, but will locals thwart the project? A new technology that can 3D print bones directly inside of patients’ bodies. Is TikTok our latest great art movement? No…
April 9, 2021

Fri. 04/09 - The Sound of Our Future Depends On Electric Vehicles

The story of the woman whose decades of research helped make the mRNA COVID vaccines possible. Plus, electric cars don’t make much noise, which means we have the opportunity now to design what the future will sound like. And…
April 8, 2021

Thu. 04/08 - Who Invented the High Five?

Where did the high five come from? Who came up with it? And why has it persisted for so long? Plus, what if we could turn the entire Earth into a telescope? One astronomer has drawn up the plans. And, how bad is blue light f…
April 7, 2021

Wed. 04/07 - The 1970s Clubhouse Precursor

When social media happened over the phone. Have physicists found a new force of nature? And the long-lost Lord of the Rings made-for-TV-movie produced by Soviet Russia.
April 6, 2021

Tue. 04/06 - A New Bacteria Discovered on the ISS That Could Help Grow Plants on Mars

A new bacteria was discovered on the International Space Station and it could mean interesting things for our future on Mars. The latest shortage in the US has left restaurant owners scrambling to catch up. And are seasonal …
April 5, 2021

Mon. 04/05 - Vaccine Side Effects: Myths & Tips

Busting some myths and sharing some doctor-backed advice on COVID vaccine side effects. The history of cigarette cards and how they played an important role in World War II. And how narwhal tusks act as a kind of history boo…
April 2, 2021

Fri. 04/02 - When Ships Were Stuck at the Suez Canal for Eight YEARS & a Micronation Was Formed at Sea

It turns out we got lucky with how quickly the Ever Given was freed. The last time the Suez Canal was blocked, it dragged on for eight years and led to the creation of a micro-nation at sea with a separate postal service and…