Episodes

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…
Oct. 8, 2020

Thu. 10/08 – 1000 Years Before Darwin, Islamic Scholars Wrote About Evolution

The Islamic scholars who beat Darwin to the punch by about a thousand years. A cool site for finding new books to read. The world’s largest ouija board. And naked celebrities teaching us about naked ballots. Links: A Thousan…
Oct. 7, 2020

Wed. 10/07 - Paid to Gate-Crash Funerals

The twenty-four possible super-habitable planets that could be better than Earth. The man you can pay to gatecrash your funeral. The perfect conclusion to the skateboarding cranberry juice trend, and what the heck that trend…
Oct. 6, 2020

Tue. 10/06 - Asbestos: The Secret Weapon Against Climate Change?

How the pandemic is changing our taste in music. The most ironic thing that could happen to a newly-published book titled Word Perfect . How asbestos might actually be a weapon against the climate crisis. And a Rocky Horror …
Oct. 5, 2020

Mon. 10/05 - Vending Machine Operators Are Trending

Archaeologists have found evidence of neurons in the brain of a Mount Vesuvius victim that basically turned to glass. The latest entrepreneurial trend of the pandemic taking off, in part thanks to influencers? Vending machin…
Oct. 2, 2020

Fri. 10/02 - Witchy Ingredients Aren't What They Seem

It turns out crows have some skills we once thought were unique to humans. Breaking down what exactly ingredients like “eye of newt” and “tongue of dog” actually are. And Neil Cicierega’s latest mash-up album, Mouth Dreams, …
Oct. 1, 2020

Thu. 10/01 - The Earth Does NOT Have a Black Hole Inside It... Right?

Why are people saying there’s a black hole at the center of the Earth? The Irish Supreme Court declares that Subway’s bread is not actually bread. The surprising controllers the US Navy uses for its subway periscopes. And wi…
Sept. 30, 2020

Wed. 09/30 - Edward Hopper Copied Others in Early Paintings

A guide to the lunar spectacles in October. Some tips for improving communication when wearing masks. The surprising discovery that some of Edward Hopper’s early works were copied. And the wearable social-distancing tech all…
Sept. 29, 2020

Tue. 09/29 - The Dark Origins of Nike's "Just Do It" Slogan

A Halloween rocket launch. A brief peek into the history of book burnings in honor of Banned Books Week. The surprising and grim origins of Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan. More water has been found on Mars. And the return of Fat…
Sept. 28, 2020

Mon. 09/28 - Time Travel, Biomedical Tattoos, & Satanic Tea

An undergrad has proven that paradox-free time travel is indeed possible. If you thought email newsletters were ubiquitous now, let me introduce you to the world of 1930s mimeograph newsletters. The emerging field of biomedi…
Sept. 25, 2020

Fri. 09/25 - Making Millions on Face Masks

The face mask economy––how everyone from high fashion designers to mom and pop shops on Etsy met the demand, and where they go from here. The origins of the phrase “jack of all trades.” Arnold Schwarzenegger is trying to fun…
Sept. 24, 2020

Thu. 09/24 - The Secret Mancave Beneath Grand Central Terminal

A guide to saying no for people-pleaser’s. A recently discovered secret party room located under Grand Central Terminal and other strange breaking news from the New York City subway. Experts weigh in on why humans evolved to…
Sept. 23, 2020

Wed. 09/23 - Eat a Five Star Dinner, From Your Car

A new discovery indicates chromium is about a thousand years older than we thought. Why it’s sometimes better not to use your full potential on things. A group of chefs trying to make drive-thru fine dining a thing. And an E…
Sept. 22, 2020

Tue. 09/22 - Horror Fans Fare Better During the Pandemic

A new study has found that fans of horror movies are having an easier time coping with the pandemic. The woman who serves as the Queen of England’s body double. A new species of dinosaur discovered with perfectly preserved f…
Sept. 21, 2020

Mon. 09/21 - Get Vacation Stress-Relief Without the Vacation

Why do we eat fish sticks? The story behind those viral annual 21st of September videos. How to get the mental health benefits of “vacation anticipation” without going on vacation. And one of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s favorite t…
Sept. 19, 2020

(Bonus) A Conversation with Jason Kottke

Jason Kottke started Kottke.org in 1998, making it one of the oldest, still maintained blogs on the web with over 26,000 posts spanning topics from art and technology to design, culture, and general knowledge. This is a peek…
Guest: Jason Kottke
Sept. 18, 2020

Fri. 09/18 - How Bras Inspired the N95

The 2020 Ig Nobel Prize winners were announced last night. Some people are trying to make CD players a thing again. How algorithms can detect our mood based on what we write online. And the surprising connection between Froz…
Sept. 17, 2020

Thu. 09/17 - Practice Friluftsliv This Winter

Some tips for tricking the algorithms and having a more neutral social media feed. Scientists have discovered a possible way to prevent motion sickness. The Norwegian concept of friluftsliv and how it could be just what we n…
Sept. 16, 2020

Wed. 09/16 - No Seasonal Peeps, Yes Taco Bell Wine

A completely preserved extinct cave bear specimen from the Ice Age has been found in Siberia. Why our dreams have been more intense since the pandemic began. Strange new food and drinks hitting the market, and some beloved o…
Sept. 15, 2020

Tue. 09/15 - Life on Venus & Responsible Shrek Fans

Scientists have detected phosphine on Venus. Is it a sign of life? What it’s like to be in the virtual audience of a televised game. If you have trouble breathing when wearing a mask, here’s an explanation why and some tips …