Cool Stuff Ride Home
In just 15 minutes, the coolest stuff that happened in the world today. Science, progress, life-hacks, memes, exciting art and hope. The antidote to depressing headlines. Smart stuff in podcast form. Cool news, as a service.
Recent Episodes
May 22, 2025
A New Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder, Infrared Contact Lenses Let You See with Your Eyes Closed, iPhones and Androids Communication Struggles Will Continue & New Details on How Lightning Forms
Thanks to our sponsor, Venice.AI. Get 20% off a pro plan using our link: venice.ai/coolstuff and code coolstuff . New ketamine study promises extended relief for depression The mystery of lightning may finally be solved Infra...
May 21, 2025
Experimental Painkiller Could Be a Game-Changer, Playing "What If" with Solar Storms & Astronomers Discover Mystery Sphere in Milky Way
Experimental painkiller could outsmart opioids -- without the high The first US solar storm emergency drill did not go well | Popular Science Our Planet Is Woefully Unprepared For A Bad Solar Storm, Says Report By NASA And NO...
May 20, 2025
A Plastic Eating Bacteria Threatens Hospitals, Why Are Some Cats Orange, an iPhone Features Update & What Happens In Our Brains When Reading
This Superbug Learned How to Feed on Plastic from Hospitals Ginger Cats are Genetic Freaks, Confirms Science Apple’s Surprise ‘Game-Changer’ Free Offer To All iPhone 13 Users Now Live iPhone 13 Finally Gets Satellite Support ...
May 19, 2025
Gene Editing Therapy Seemingly Cures the Incurable, Mars' Missing Water is Located & Revisiting the Stanford Marshmallow Test
Infant with rare, incurable disease is first to successfully receive personalized gene therapy treatment We may finally know what happened to the missing water on Mars Revisiting a famous marshmallow experiment: Children more...
May 16, 2025
Nanoparticle Gel Could Help Save Coral Reefs, An Update on Kosmos 482's Crash-Landing & A New Satellite Providing An Unprecedented Look at the Planet's Forests
Nanoparticle Gel Could Help Save Degraded Coral Reefs Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 likely crashed back to Earth Saturday morning Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 crashes back to Earth, disappearing into Indian Ocean after 53 year...
May 12, 2025
The Man Who Let Snakes Bite Him 202 Times, Your Name Could Literally Shape Your Face & Chimps Doing Their Best Neil Peart
Go to our sponsor venice.ai/coolstuff and use code coolstuff to enjoy private, uncensored AI. Using our code will get you 20% off a pro plan. A man let snakes bite him 202 times. His blood helped create a new antivenom Here's...
May 9, 2025
Turning Lead Into Gold, T-Rex Leather Handbags, Why Mammalian Lifespans Vary So Greatly & TDIH: The First Paper Currency in the US
On today's episode, Scientists at CERN have successfully turned lead into gold -- a process that requires a shocking amount of speed! Another company touts its T-Rex leather handbags. How do scientists feel about said claim? ...
May 8, 2025
The Origins of T-Rex, Rectal Embalming for Mummification, Russian Satellite Linked to Nuclear Program & TDIH: The 1902 Eruption of Mt. Pelee
T. rex's direct ancestor crossed from Asia to North America Mummy preserved with bizarre rectal embalming method discovered by archaeologists Capable of guiding nuclear weapons, the Russian satellite Cosmos 2553 has gone out of control, experts are sounding the alarm. Russian satellite linked to nu…
May 7, 2025
Weird Wednesday: Bizarre Evolutionary Discovery, World's Largest Dog Meets World's Smallest & Seagull Boy Returns + TDIH: The First Integrated Circuit
Weird Wednesday brings us a strange evolutionary discovery, the world's largest dog meets the world's smallest (and it's hard not to smile), plus 'Seagull Boy' returns to defend his championship. On This Day in History, we look back at the world's first integrated circuit. The surprising evolution …
May 6, 2025
A Massive Star-Forming Gas Cloud Close to Earth, 3 Million Year Old Tools Unearthed & TDIH: The First Adhesive Postage Stamp
A massive star-forming gas cloud has been discovered strangely close to Earth. Plus, ancient tools discovered in Kenya are more than 3 million years old. On This Day in History, we examine the Penny Black stamp, the world’s first adhesive postage stamp, and its impact on communication. Massive star…
May 5, 2025
A Sea Lion Beat-Keeper (Better Than Most Humans!), A Flying Squirrel Drone & TDIH: The First Female Patent-Holder in the US
Ronan the Sea Lion – perhaps the best beat-keeper on the planet? We’ve got the fascinating details. A new drone mimics the flying squirrel, which could be a game-changer for robots ability to navigate highly congested spaces....
May 2, 2025
Phthalates Linked to Heart Disease Death, a Portion of an Old Soviet Spacecraft is Headed for Earth & TDIH: The First Commercial Jetliner Service
On today's episode, a new study links phthalates to heart disease death, a portion of a long-forgotten soviet spacecraft originally designed to land on Venus is headed back towards Earth – in an uncontrolled manner. Plus, on...
May 1, 2025
Shark Skin-Like Plastic Makes Planes More Aerodynamic, Benefits or Dangers of Fluoride in Water, and TDIH - Empire State Building Dedicated
A plastic film that mimics shark skin may help airplanes fly a little greener and is there a benefit to fluoride in public water systems? On This Day in History, the Empire State Building is dedicated by President Herbert Hoo...
April 30, 2025
Weird Wednesday: A Man in Need of Rescue TWICE on Mt. Fuji, Dirty Rain in the US & a Lost Dachshund Returns Home after 529 Days Lost. TDIH: Mr. Potato Head
Today's Weird Wednesday episode brings us the man who required rescue twice in four days on Mount Fuji, dirty rain hits part of the US, and a mini dachshund returns home after 529 days in the wild. Plus, on 'This Day in Histo...
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About the Host
Jackson Bird
Host, Kottke Ride Home
Jackson Bird is a writer and internet creator dedicated to demystifying the transgender experience. A YouTube NextUp Creator and GLAAD Rising Star Digital Innovator, Jackson shares his and others’ stories on his YouTube channel, jackisnotabird, and in his debut book Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Vulture, The Advocate, and more, and his TED Talk "How to talk (and listen) to transgender people" has been viewed over one and a half million times. Jackson lives in New York City, where he hosts the daily podcast Kottke Ride Home. You can follow him online @jackisnotabird.
