Episodes

June 16, 2021

Wed. 06/16 - How Xerox & Some Dalmatians Saved Disney

How Juneteenth has evolved over the years from its origins in Texas, and its reception today. How the Xerox machine (and several dozen dalmatian puppies) saved Disney Animation Studios from closing up shop. And a portal for …
June 15, 2021

Tue. 06/15 - A Lunar Telescope Built From Moon Dust

A new report from fifty of the world’s leading scientists on the need to combine solutions for combatting the climate crisis and our planet’s rapidly declining biodiversity. California’s historically low water levels may hav…
June 14, 2021

Mon. 06/14 - The Full Tale of the Man Nearly Eaten By a Whale on Friday

The full story of the man who was swallowed by a humpback whale on Friday and lived to tell the tale. Calories. Who’s responsible for their inclusion in the world of nutrition? Some weird highlights from the history of this …
June 11, 2021

Fri. 06/11 - Why Are Tornado Warnings So Inaccurate & Last Minute?

Thanks to a new study that sequenced the genomes of several types of wild melons, we may now know the origins of the watermelon… but we still don’t know how tornadoes are formed. And that’s a problem. Plus, in a bid to conti…
June 10, 2021

Thu. 06/10 - The 1920s Transgender Clinic Destroyed By the Nazis

A new method of carbon capture that would turn carbon dioxide from the ocean into rocks. Mosquitos beefed up with virus-fighting bacteria have proven even more effective at preventing dengue fever than expected. And the ofte…
June 9, 2021

Wed. 06/09 - Millions Lack a "Mind's Eye" & We're Not Sure Why

Why some people don’t have a mind’s eye and others can visualize things in incredible detail. Watermelons on Mars and human-animal hybrid babies born across the world––neither of those are true, but if you read two of the bi…
June 8, 2021

Tue. 06/08 - New Giant Dinosaur, Same Boring Cereal

New ocean just dropped. And a new dinosaur species. Big release day. All about the fifth ocean and one of the newest, largest dinosaurs. Plus, what a new cereal says about current marketing trends, the state of cereal as a w…
June 7, 2021

Mon. 06/07 - Squids In Space & Why Vaccine Lotteries Work

SpaceX just delivered a bunch of tardigrades and baby squids to the International Space Station. New research finding pupil size is an indicator of intelligence. And why it seems like vaccine lotteries are actually working.
June 4, 2021

Fri. 06/04 - Shark-pocalypse & Extinct Flu Strains (possibly)

COVID-19 precautions largely prevented outbreaks of the flu this past winter, and they also may have caused two types of flu viruses to go extinct. Spinking of extinction, sharks apparently lost 90% of their population 19 mi…
June 3, 2021

Thu. 06/03 - Why Unique People Are More Attractive

What if your pick-up truck could power your whole neighborhood? That’s the potential people are imagining with the new Ford F-150 Lightning. The science behind why unique people are more attractive. And updates from the annu…
June 2, 2021

Wed. 06/02 - John Steinbeck's Unpublished Werewolf Murder Mystery Novel

John Steinbeck’s secret unpublished werewolf novel that his estate doesn’t want you to read. Lithuania built a portal to Poland and more may soon follow. And set your alarms for the “ring of fire” solar eclipse next week.
June 1, 2021

Tue. 06/01 - Bacteria Saves Michelangelo Works From Medici Ooze

Five hundred years later the Medicis continue to ruin Michelangelo’s artworks, but fortunately some bacteria are on the scene to restore his works to their former glory. The new naming scheme for COVID-19 variants. And the s…
May 28, 2021

Fri. 05/28 - Rural Oregon Tries to Become Greater Idaho

Seven counties in the US state of Oregon have now voted to leave their state behind and merge with neighboring Idaho. Could this actually work? A new English dictionary of Ancient Greek fully and explicitly makes up for the …
May 27, 2021

Thu. 05/27 - Naked Mole Rats: The Key to Slowing Human Aging?

Potentially good news for longterm COVID-19 immunity. Pizza farms, not just a figment of my imagination, apparently they’re a real and wonderful thing. And the story of a naked mole rat named Joe who just won’t die, and what…
May 26, 2021

Wed. 05/26 - You Signed Up For a Vaccine Waitlist. Now What Happens To Your Data?

Dr. B was the most well-known nationwide vaccine finder in the US. But did anyone actually end up getting their vaccine through the service? Plus, the artist raising awareness about the gender gap on the moon, Disneyland’s $…
May 25, 2021

Tue. 05/25 - Do Ovens Dream of Frozen Pizza?

The flavorful history of frozen pizza. We check in on how the pandemic continues to affect our dreams. And meet the dude actually taking advantage of Krispy Kreme’s free donut a day offer for vaccinated people.
May 24, 2021

Mon. 05/24 - Big Wind Energy & Tech-Savvy Lessons from the Amish

The latest floating wind farm technology and the part of the US that could make the biggest difference when it comes to offshore wind energy. What we can learn from the Amish about how we use technology.
May 21, 2021

Fri. 05/21 - The Cicadas Are Turning Into Dismembered, Zombie Sex Fiends

The Brood X cicadas have reemerged and are losing their butts due to a zombie-inducing fungus. Bald eagles are reemerging from the brink of extinction, causing a new trend in puppy fashion: incredibly punk spiky vests. And o…
May 20, 2021

Thu. 05/20 - How The Sun Could Spoil NASA's Trip Back to the Moon

Why the sun is about to get quite temperamental and how that could spell danger for NASA’s upcoming lunar mission. In other sun news, the case for turning airports into giant solar farms. And a website that will help make yo…
May 19, 2021

Wed. 05/19 - Is Carbon Neutral Gasoline Coming?

A promising method for producing carbon-neutral gasoline from, basically, thin air. The strange story of the very first ransomware attack. And the surprisingly long history of bizarre ice cream flavors.
May 18, 2021

Tue. 05/18 - Why Mammals Don't Have Neon or Iridescent Skin Like Other Animals

What’s next now that China has officially landed their first rover on Mars? How come us mammals don’t have bright, fluorescent plumage like birds or cool neon stripes like bugs? A panel of scientists weighs in. And the littl…
May 17, 2021

Mon. 05/17 - The Historical Mix-Up That Led to COVID Aerosol Confusion

The microscopic error with major implications that seems to have delayed public health officials in acknowledging the aerosol transmission of COVID-19. Why Shrek continues to endure as a touchstone of internet culture and ho…
May 14, 2021

Fri. 05/14 - Using Nostalgia to Combat Boring Small Talk

What a new lawsuit against TikTok says about the rights of actors who lend their likeness to AI and similar projects. How nostalgia could help you make connections when you return to the office. And what is even the point of…
May 13, 2021

Thu. 05/13 - I'll Have What She's Having: The Decline of Personalized Recommendations?

How Netflix’s new top ten lists actually work, some other features they’re testing out, and what their findings mean for the future of algorithmic recommendations. Plus, how drones are helping change what we thought we knew …