Episodes

Fri. 02/10 - Spoiler: This Is Our Last Episode

Feb. 10, 2023

We all love a good ending, but has the culture around spoiler warnings gone too far? Plus, a roundup of interesting links and stories from my drafts. And the story of the Cool Stuff Ride Home.

Thu. 02/09 - Justice for the M&M's Spokescandies

Feb. 9, 2023

An extra long episode for you, featuring the history of the M&M’s spokescandies and why we care about them so much. Plus, codebreakers have just decrypted over 50 lost letters from Mary, Queen of Scots. And another Valentine…

Wed. 02/08 - How Photos Changed Society + An Important Announcement

Feb. 8, 2023

How the invention of photography changed the world in unintended ways. Plus, an American man whose prostate cancer caused him to speak with an Irish accent. And stick around to the end for a very important announcement about…

Tue. 02/07 - "Skutniks" at the State of the Union

Feb. 7, 2023

How the State of the Union address has changed in its 233 years. Plus, the “extinct” versions of SARS CoV-2 that are still circulating among animals. And, donate to the San Antonio Zoo and they’ll name a cockroach after your…

Mon. 02/06 - Drinking Virgin Cola on Mars

Feb. 6, 2023

SpaceX’s Starship rocket might be attempting its first-ever orbital launch next month. Plus, a look back at another space billionaire’s brief appearance in the soda wars with Virgin Cola. And a quick update on the AI Seinfel…

Fri. 02/03 - Ice, Ice, Pasta

Feb. 3, 2023

Scientists have uncovered a new form of ice. Plus, James Cameron hired a forensics team and some stunt performers to answer once and for all whether there was enough room for Jack on that door. And the podcaster who invented…

Thu. 02/02 - AI Seinfeld & Real-World Tamagotchi

Feb. 2, 2023

The AI-generated Seinfeld parody cartoon that never goes off the air. Plus, Netflix did not read the room when they announced the AI image generation in their latest anime short. And a smartwatch that stops working if you do…

Wed. 02/01 - The Dodo Is Coming Back! ...is that a good thing?

Feb. 1, 2023

The dodo bird is back, baby! Or at least lots of investors are betting on its return. But why is de-extincting animals the hot new thing and what does it mean for the future of conservation? Plus, Abraham Lincoln: Bartender.…

Tue. 01/31 - Lorem Ipsum? I Hardly Know 'Em! I tell you whot...

Jan. 31, 2023

Where did lorem ipsum come from? The answer turns out to be just as murky as the nonsense placeholder text itself. Plus, a new game that challenges you to guess when photos were taken. And the best family sitcom of the turn …

Mon. 01/30 - What Time Is It On The Moon?

Jan. 30, 2023

How scientists are deciding how we will tell time on the moon and beyond. Plus, a new Frog and Toad series from Apple TV+ has gay Twitter crossing their fingers.

Fri. 01/27 - Shakespeare for Gamers

Jan. 27, 2023

Some wildly optimistic projects being funded by NASA––including more sustainable commercial aircrafts and self-growing bricks on Mars. Plus, a new Shakespearean theater company whose performances all take place inside one of…

Thu. 01/26 - Eggflation: Price-Gouging on Eggs and... Splash Mountain Water?

Jan. 26, 2023

Is the huge increase in the price of eggs being caused by price-gouging and not avian flu? Plus, why we need to be paying attention to avian flu even beyond its relation to egg prices. And people are selling bottles of water…

Wed. 01/25 - Wikipedia as a Model for the Rest of the Internet

Jan. 25, 2023

How Wikipedia editors are bringing more nuance into their decisions and what ripple effects that can have on a website that increasingly defines our shared reality.

Tue. 01/24 - 90 Seconds To Midnight

Jan. 24, 2023

The Doomsday Clock has ticked down even closer to midnight, but how useful of a mechanism is it? Plus, some good news on climate change. And a new Wordle spin-off for the Zillow-obsessed.

Mon. 01/23 - The HustleCore of Medieval Monks (& the Spin Cycle of Earth's Core)

Jan. 23, 2023

The Earth’s inner core has paused its spinning and reversed its course . Sounds alarming, but everything is fine. Plus, what medieval Christian monks, the OG hustle bros apparently, can teach us about distraction and routine.

Fri. 01/20 - Are Coffee Pods MORE Environmentally-Friendly Than Filter Coffee?

Jan. 20, 2023

How did whales get so big anyways? Plus, a new study claims coffee pods are more environmentally-friendly than regular filter coffee. Is it true?

Thu. 01/19 - Edgar Allan Poe Wrote In His Books & You Should Too

Jan. 19, 2023

A deep dive on marginalia. What is it, why should you do it, and how does it reveal the more joyful side of history’s most famous sadboy, Edgar Allan Poe? All that and more in this extended love letter to writing in books.

Wed. 01/18 - The CIA's Spy-Pigeons

Jan. 18, 2023

Earth-like exoplanet discoveries galore, including some that could be habitable. Plus, a look back at the clandestine history of the CIA’s pigeon surveillance missions.

Tue. 01/17 - Fake Marrying Kids To Each Other, For Adult's Amusement

Jan. 17, 2023

It looks like the ozone layer is on track to be restored in just a couple of decades. Plus, an opportunity to get paid for donating your stool samples. (Yes, really) And an examination of the nineteenth and twentieth century…

Mon. 01/16 - Dr. King's Most Controversial Speech

Jan. 16, 2023

Some projects that will help you suss out the truth in movies that claim to be “based on a true story.” Plus, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s most controversial speech.

Fri. 01/13 - Surprisingly Old Galaxies & the Future of Libraries

Jan. 13, 2023

New findings from the JWST may push the origins of the universe’s earliest galaxies back millions of years. Plus, a huge rare earth deposit has been found in Sweden. And an Instagram-based library run out of the home of a fa…

Thu. 01/12 - A Giant River Falling From the Sky

Jan. 12, 2023

What exactly is an “atmospheric river,” why is it causing so much havoc in California right now, and what do these current storms mean for the future? Plus, NASA and Roscosmos have reached an agreement on how to bring three …

Wed. 01/11 - Earliest Human Tools Just Monkey Business?

Jan. 11, 2023

Were the first stone tools in the Americas made, not by ancient humans, but by monkeys? Plus, could color-changing cars be in our future? And will other nations follow New Zealand’s lead on banning cigarettes to future gener…

Tue. 01/10 - Is "Y'All" Actually... British?

Jan. 10, 2023

A historic satellite launch in the United Kingdom ended in disappointment last night. Plus, how “y’all” left the south and its surprising possible origins in… seventeenth century England?