Episodes

Nov. 11, 2020

Wed. 11/11 - Why People Are Mad About Mary Wollstonecraft in 2020

A deep dive into why a statue of an eighteenth century feminist writer has caused such a stir in England. A new YouTube show to watch, made by Hungarian scientists, called The Genius Dog Challenge. And Collins Dictionary’s w…
Nov. 10, 2020

Tue. 11/10 - Make Better Habits By Being Bad At Them

Australian scientists have discovered two new mammals. The trick to sticking to new habits that requires letting yourself be bad at things. A new perfume that smells like books. And a calming, hand-drawn web-based game to he…
Nov. 9, 2020

Mon. 11/09 - What To Know About the Pfizer Vaccine

Pfizer has good news about a potential COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s what you need to know. Meet the man who went viral over the weekend for interrupting a French newscaster. And high fashion scratch-and-sniff t-shirts; plus a br…
Nov. 6, 2020

Fri. 11/06 - The Most Extreme, Hellish Planet Yet Discovered

Scientists have discovered more information about an absolutely hellish, inhospitable planet. And it’s not the one you think. Colorado passed a first-ever of its kind ballot measure to reintroduce a species of animal to its …
Nov. 5, 2020

Thu. 11/05 - Why Nebraska Splits Its Electoral Votes

Remember, remember the fifth of November. Here are some thoughts on the complicated legacy of the Gunpowder Plot. Why Nebraska’s electoral votes are so weird, and the man responsible for keeping them weird. And, inspired by …
Nov. 4, 2020

Wed. 11/04 - Brian Eno & the Atomization of Society

Brian Eno’s thoughts on social media and the role of the artist in these trying times, as well as a related new finding that smartphones may actually be helping to pop people’s filter bubbles when it comes to news consumptio…
Nov. 3, 2020

Tue. 11/3 - The Atheist Ban

It’s Election Day in the US. I’ve got some good and some weird tips for staying calm amidst the election storm. An AI that can tell if you have COVID-19 just by listening to your cough. And a deep dive on one type of U.S. ci…
Nov. 2, 2020

Mon. 11/02 - Debunking & Distracting From Election Coverage

Heading into the U.S. general election tomorrow, a refresher on why polls can be unreliable and how to read them responsibly. An opportunity to own the vintage spyware gadgets of your dreams. It’s 2020: platypuses glow in th…
Oct. 30, 2020

Fri. 10/30 - Is the Pandemic Causing Prohibition-esque Ripple Effects?

Why you’re seeing more young Black students working the polls this year. How the pandemic might parallel Prohibition's effect on the American brewing industry. NASA followed up a viral tweet with a literal link to their Soun…
Oct. 29, 2020

Thu. 10/29 - Haunted Bathrooms & Lab-Grown Brains

Can lab-grown brains become conscious? And should we let them? Burger King’s latest creepy stunt to try to rile up McDonald’s. And why do we say trick-or-treat, and what is Mischief Night anyways? Sponsors: The Jordan Harbin…
Oct. 28, 2020

Wed. 10/28 - 2020's Best Game Is a Cursed Real Estate Listing

A look back at one hundred years ago when women ruled a notorious wild west town. Some thoughts on the effects of technology on our ability to remember our thoughts in the long-term. And the internet is calling it the best g…
Oct. 27, 2020

Tue. 10/27 - Kazakhstan Is Very Nice, But Venus Is Not

Throwing cold water on that whole signs-of-life-on-Venus news. A new travel guide to haunted hotels, based on bad Tripadvisor reviews. A study looking into why we don’t click or comment on certain posts online. And Kazakhsta…
Oct. 26, 2020

Mon. 10/26 - Water on the Moon & Oreo’s Arctic Vault

NASA’s big announcement has been revealed: there is way more water on the moon than we thought. An update on the murder hornet situation. Oreo has built a vault in Norway to preserve a stash of Oreos in case that Election Da…
Oct. 23, 2020

Fri. 10/23 - The Bat Who Went To Space

Do Venus Flytraps have a short-term memory? A new interactive database of every lifeform that’s ever gone into space from Earth. The Seattle bar that made a pandemic-safe pinball machine. And Burger King is getting in on the…
Oct. 22, 2020

Thu. 10/22 - The Rare Tree Needed for a COVID-19 Vaccine

What does root beer have to do with a potential COVID-19 vaccine? A deep dive on that connection. A peek into the world of people who grow giant vegetables. And the Iowa woman who had her cat successfully cloned. Sponsors: F…
Oct. 21, 2020

Wed. 10/21 - Co-Working On A Ferris Wheel

Today is International Pronoun Day so here are some historical facts about pronouns. Scientists have discovered a previously unknown organ in the human body. And forget about WeWork, a Japanese amusement park has offered up …
Oct. 20, 2020

Tue. 10/20 - Tardigrade Sunscreen & Cursed Twinkies

Tardigrade sunscreen. Coming soon? How to enjoy a socially-distanced holiday season. Some promising methods for upcycling plastic into more valuable materials. And the curious case of the extremely moldy Twinkie. Sponsors: F…
Oct. 19, 2020

Mon. 10/19 - The Moon Is Getting a Nokia Cellular Network

The fourteen-year-old Texan who may have just made an important discovery for potential COVID-19 treatments. An update on the safety and new norms surrounding air travel. Nokia is building a mobile network on the moon. And t…
Oct. 16, 2020

Fri. 10/16 - Will Plastic Bubbles Save Live Music? The Flaming Lips Think So.

More and more humans these days have an extra artery. The 2020 Tony Award nominations and the very strange case of Mr. Aaron Tveit. A calculator that will tell you how much time you’re wasting in your day not listening to po…
Oct. 15, 2020

Thu. 10/15 – 50/50 Odds We Live In a Simulation, New Study Finds

A new study puts our odds of living in a simulation at about 50-50. So, that’s a thing. There has been a second sighting of a person on a jetpack flying through LAX’s flight path. And tips to curb your phone habit, adapted f…
Oct. 14, 2020

Wed. 10/14 - Can Virtual Public Parks Save Democracy?

A thought-provoking proposal from Eli Pariser on how we can fix the broken parts of the internet by creating digital public parks. NASA drops their latest single: the sounds of the Milky Way. And how to make your own AR jack…
Oct. 13, 2020

Tue. 10/13 - A Star Spaghettified By a Black Hole (Yes, that's the technical term)

What’s up with all those merpeople and sea monsters on old maps? Why Peru opened up Machu Picchu after seven months for one single man to visit. The supermassive black hole that spaghettified a star. And the Anti-Ad Ad Club …
Oct. 12, 2020

Mon. 10/12 - The Indigenous Practice of Controlled Burning to Prevent Wildfires

It’s Indigenous People’s Day today. How and when did this start becoming a thing? How west coast governments are finally turning to tribal leaders for assistance preventing wildfires. A serious collaboration between Weird Al…
Oct. 9, 2020

Fri. 10/09 - What OS Do They Use In Space?

What kind of operating system do they use in space? The science behind cocktails, to up your at-home mixology game. The 22-year-old responsible for the most viral beats on Tiktok. And the Connecticut mayor who isn’t taking a…