Stuff To Blow Your Mind

Overconfidence: Hubris and Nemesis

25 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is overconfidence? We tend to know it when we see it, but the concept is increasingly hard to nail down the more you think about it. In this Stuf...

From the Vault: Split Brain, Part 1

22 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our brains are composed of two hemispheres, but in what ways are they truly separate? In which ways are they one? In this bisected Stuff to Blow Your ...

Listener Mail: In Your Face!

20 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time for another hefty dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind listener mail. Join Robert and Joe as they read and answer your emails on facial recogni...

The Fly: Into the Plasma Pool

18 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time for another movie episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, and this time Robert and Joe consider David Cronenberg’s 1986 sci-fi remake “The...

From the Vault: Snail Sex in the Sea

15 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the aftermath of Valentine's Day, join Robert and Joe as they revisit last year's interview with marine biologist and "Sex in the Sea" author Dr. M...

Occam's Razor

13 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a standard tool of skeptical thinking: When presented with two hypotheses that explain the data equally well, choose the simpler of the two. In...

Lessons of Vesuvius, Part 2

11 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the year 79 CE, the Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted with with the thermal energy of 100,000 atomic bombs. Ashen destruction rained down on P...

From the Vault: Cupid's Leaden Arrow

08 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s Valentine’s Day again, which summons images of mythic Cupid and his bow. But we often forget that Cupid has TWO arrows in his quiver: the gol...

Lessons of Vesuvius, Part 1

06 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the year 79 CE, the Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted with with the thermal energy of 100,000 atomic bombs. Ashen destruction rained down on P...

Facial Recognition Machinery, Part 3

04 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chances are, your face is already part of the database -- and AI is getting better and better at reading one face and finding it in the vast sea of di...

From the Vault: Motivated Numeracy and the Politics-ridden Brain

01 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If science were a candle in the dark, we’d need only spread its light to combat climate change denial and vaccine conspiracy theories. But what if t...

Invention: The Turnspit Dog

31 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe continue the month’s journey through human CULINARY techno-history -- this time with the story of the t...

Facial Recognition Machinery, Part 2

30 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chances are, your face is already part of the database -- and AI is getting better and better at reading one face and finding it in the vast sea of di...

Facial Recognition Machinery, Part 1

28 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chances are, your face is already part of the database -- and AI is getting better and better at reading one face and finding it in the vast sea of di...

From the Vault: The Electric Ark

25 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What if the Ark of the Covenant was actually a bronze-age machine capable of storing an electrostatic charge? It almost certainly wasn't, but the idea...

The Monoliths of Lalibela

23 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lalibela, Ethiopia is home to one of the true wonders of the world: a series of 11 rock-hewn monolithic churches -- all interconnected by tunnels and ...

Here Come the Warm Feels

21 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There’s often a gap between feeling and understanding, but language and classification provide us with tremendous tools for self-reflection. In this...

From the Vault: The Ark of the Covenant

18 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What was the Ark of the Covenant? A mere ceremonial vessel for sacred items? A radio for speaking to God? The golden chest of the ancient Hebrews has ...

Horseshoe Crabs: Blue Blood of the Ancients

16 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Their fossils date back 450 million years and their copper-rich blue blood continues to benefit various medical applications. In this episode of Stuff...

Ten Year Anniversary Special

14 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, tomorrow marks ten years of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. In celebration, original cohost and HowStuffWorks editor Allison Loudermilk pops by to speak...

From the Vault: The Great Basilisk

11 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Behold the Great Basilisk, the crowned monster whose mere glance can kill a mortal and reduce wilderness to desert ash. Medieval bestiaries attest to ...

Bandersnatch

09 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

From its literary origins in the mirror realm of Lewis Carroll to its terrifying appearance in Charlie Brooker's “Black Mirror,” the frumious Band...

Brandon Fibbs talks 9 Days in July

07 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Joe chats with Brandon Fibbs, host of the new podcast "9 Days in July," which explores each of the nine da...

From the Vault: Machine Consciousness and P-Zombies

04 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If a machine told you it was conscious, how could you tell if it was lying? Indeed, how can you tell that any random human in your life is lying when ...

Updates: The First Monster and Oumuamua

02 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our understanding of history and cosmos continues to evolve -- and that means episodes of Stuff to Blow Your Mind are likely to require updates. In th...

David Grinspoon on New Horizons and the Weirdness of Pluto

31 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the book “Chasting New Horizons: Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto,” authors Dr. Alan Stern and Dr. David Grinspoon recount the riveting h...

From the Vault: On Teasing

28 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We all know teasing when we see it or experience it, but what role does it play in human interactions? Join Robert and Joe in this episode of Stuff to...

Boxing Day Listener Mail

26 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's boxing day in many holiday traditions: A time to give a gratitude box to postmen, errand boys and servants. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your...

Is Santa a god? (part 2)

24 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, but is Santa Claus merely a magical entity or doe...

From the Vault: Christmas Island Crabs, Part 2

21 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Christmas Island, a place where it’s still only Christmas once a year… but where red crabs swarm across the land and enormous coconut c...

Is Santa a god? (part 1)

19 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, but is Santa Claus merely a magical entity or doe...

Prototaxites: Shrooms Like Cedars in the Devonian Wilds

17 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Did 20-foot-tall giant fungi rule the earth 400 million years ago? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the puzzling pro...

From the Vault: Christmas Island Crabs, Part 1

14 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Christmas Island, a place where it’s still only Christmas once a year… but where red crabs swarm across the land and enormous coconut c...

The Psychology of Architecture, Part 2

12 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The natural world evokes various feelings in the mind, but humans spend a great deal of their time within spaces that they themselves designed and bui...

The Psychology of Architecture, Part 1

10 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The natural world evokes various feelings in the mind, but humans spend a great deal of their time within spaces that they themselves designed and bui...

From the Vault: Thought Experiments

07 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Stuff to Blow Your Mind frequently discusses thought experiments on the show, from Schrödinger's Cat to the Infinity Hotel. But what constitutes a th...

Die Nacht des Krampus

05 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Heute Nacht ist Krampusnacht. Besprechen Sie mit Robert und Joe auf STBYM die beliebtesten Urlaubsmonster aller. Learn more about your ad-choices at ...

It’s Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas

03 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the first week of December and holiday music is already playing in retail stores around the world. Sure, this is supposed to infuse you with th...

From the Vault; Stone Age Technology with Dietrich Stout

30 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Paleolithic tools inform not just our understanding of prehistoric lives, but also the evolution and nature of the human mind. In this episode of Stuf...

Thankful: The Science of Gratitude

28 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Tis the season of thankfulness, so in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the science of Gratitude. Learn more about your...

Dangerous Foods: Adverse Additives

26 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As is tradition, Stuff to Blow Your Mind prepares for seasonal feasts with a look at dangerous foods -- this time with a focus on peculurial and somet...

From the Vault: 2001: A Space Odyssey

23 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

No discussion of great sci-fi cinema is complete without mention of “2001: A Space Odyssey.” The 1968 classic is 50 years old this year, so Robert...

Devourer of Memories, Part 2

21 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

“You are what you eat,” the saying goes -- but does that apply to memories as well? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, join Robert and Jo...

Devourer of Memories, Part 1

19 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

“You are what you eat,” the saying goes -- but does that apply to memories as well? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, join Robert and Jo...

From the Vault: The Ship of Theseus

16 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

An ancient ship rots in the harbor and so we restore it piece by piece until nothing of the original ship remains. Is it still the same ship? Join Rob...

Listener Mail: Black Hole Dream

14 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever dreamt that you forgot about a college class until the morning of the final exam — and then dreamt that a black hole swallowed the ent...

Listener Mail: Halloween Hangover 2019

12 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Halloween may be over, but Robert and Joe have a bunch of spooky listener mail to unpack before the other holidays kick in. Grab whatever is left of t...

From the Vault: Squirrels, Part 2

09 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You might think you know squirrels, but what do you REALLY know about these woodland tree rodents? In this special two-part episode of Stuff to Blow Y...

The 2019 Ig Nobel Prizes

07 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, it’s time once more for us to cover the Ig Nobel prizes. This year on Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider cubical wombat poop, tru...

Ann Swanson: Science of Yoga

05 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What is yoga? How can it heal our bodies and minds? And where do we draw the line between spiritual models of the human condition and proven biology? ...

From the Vault: Squirrels, Part 1

02 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You might think you know squirrels, but what do you REALLY know about these woodland tree rodents? In this special two-part episode of Stuff to Blow Y...

Anthology of Horror, Volume 3

31 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The time has come. Once more, Stuff to Blow Your Mind reaches into the depths of TV horror anthology history, pulls out a handful of episodes and spin...

Anthology of Horror, Volume 2

29 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The time has come. Once more, Stuff to Blow Your Mind reaches into the depths of TV horror anthology history, pulls out a handful of episodes and spin...

From the Vault: Anthology of Horror, Volume 1

26 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

From “Night Gallery” to “Tales From the Crypt,” everyone loves a great horror anthology show. Join Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick for a new gho...

Hellraiser

24 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Robert and Joe have such sights to show you in this movie episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. Join them as they discuss Clive Barker’s “Hellraiser...

Chet van Duzer on Sea Monsters

22 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dive into the haunted seas of history as Joe chats with cartography historian Chet van Duzer about sea monsters, strange maps and the dark mysteries o...

From the Vault: Monstrosity/Cuteness Spectrum

19 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It seems the unavoidable fate of all terrifying monsters, doesn’t it? We reduce the most horrifying creatures of myth, legend and folklore to an ado...

The Gerasene Demoniac

17 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

“My name is Legion.” In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the Biblical tale of exorcism and swine. What did the sto...

Burned from the Mind’s Eye, Part 2

15 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

From the VHS horrors of “The Ring” and claims of psychic photography to cutting edge research into neuro technology, humanity continues to wrestle...

From the Vault: The Slayer

12 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Myth and folklore are full of monsters and the heroes who slay them. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick meet so...

Burned from the Mind’s Eye, Part 1

10 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

From the VHS horrors of “The Ring” and claims of psychic photography to cutting edge research into neuro technology, humanity continues to wrestle...

Our Cars, Our Bodies, Our Minds

08 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the cognitive effects of driving. How does it alter our perceptions of self? How m...

From the Vault: Jenny Greenteeth

05 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

According to certain English folktales, a vile creature lurks in the slime-caked dark of local ponds. When little ones wander too close to shore, she ...

I Drink Your Blood Type

03 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Gather round ye blood drinkers and children of the night, for in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe will discuss human blood type...

Demogorgon

01 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You probably know the Demogorgon as the powerful demon lord from Dungeons and Dragons, or perhaps as the interdimensional monster from “Stranger Thi...

From the Vault: Five Reasons to Never Take Your Space Helmet Off

28 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You've consumed enough science fiction to know something the average red shirt doesn't: Never take your space helmet off on a foreign planet. But if y...

Mark Mandica: Amphibian Conservation and Vilified Reptiles

26 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Mandica, executive director of the Amphibian Foundation, returns to Stuff to Blow Your Mind to discuss the ongoing challenges of amphibian conser...

Daniel Whiteson: Particles and Science

24 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How do we relate to the unseen worlds of particle physics and distant stars? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, physicist Daniel Whiteson, co...

From the Vault: Euphemisms

21 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Sure, euphemisms allow us to talk about something unpleasant or taboo without actually invoking the dreaded word or words -- but what else is going on...

The One Ring

19 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind...

Flares from Infinity: Sagittarius A* Part 2

17 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A super massive black hole broods at the center of our galaxy. In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe discuss just what that means...

From the Vault: John Dee, Part 2

14 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Elizabethan scholar Dr. John Dee was one of the most learned men of the 16th century, applying his intense mathematical intellect to matters scientifi...

Flares from Infinity: Sagittarius A* Part 1

12 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A super massive black hole broods at the center of our galaxy. In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe discuss just what that means...

Summer Reading 2019

10 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's never too late for Summer Reading! In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe welcome back former co-host Christian Sager, host o...

From the Vault: John Dee, Part 1

07 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Elizabethan scholar Dr. John Dee was one of the most learned men of the 16th century, applying his intense mathematical intellect to matters scientifi...

The Voynich Manuscript, Part 2

05 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Browse the libraries of the world and you’ll find nothing stranger and perplexing than the so-called Voynich Manuscript, a 15th century tome that ha...

The Voynich Manuscript, Part 1

03 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Browse the libraries of the world and you’ll find nothing stranger and perplexing than the so-called Voynich Manuscript, a 15th century tome that ha...

From the Vault: Illusory Truth Effect, Part 2

31 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If a lie is repeated often enough, are we more likely to believe it? Sadly, the answer is yes. Psychologists call it the illusory truth effect and it ...

Listener Mail: That's a Bummer

29 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, it's listener mail time once more, this time with e-mails about B.U.M.M.E.R. social media platforms, planetary defense, the Tingler, psychedelics...

Surfing Neanderthals

27 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What do recent studies about surfer’s ear and neanderthals reveal about their relationship with the ocean? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Min...

From the Vault: Illusory Truth Effect, Part 1

24 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If a lie is repeated often enough, are we more likely to believe it? Sadly, the answer is yes. Psychologists call it the illusory truth effect and it ...

School Dreams

22 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever experienced dreams of forgotten classes, impossible exams and other examples of school-age anxiety? In this episode of Stuff to Blow You...

Lot's Wife: Flesh into Salt

20 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve probably heard the Biblical tale of Lot’s wife, in which a trio of angels destroy a couple of ancient cities and the resulting blast turns ...

From the Vault: The Dark Side of Neuroplasticity

17 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When you hear the word “neuroplasticity,” you probably think of it in terms of a young brain’s ability to learn or an older brain’s struggles ...

How to Survive a Great Fall

15 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Anticipating a fall from 10,000 feet or more? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss your chances of survival. Learn more...

The Weird World of Prehistoric Transylvania

14 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind takes listeners to Transylvania, where a rogue baron made important early strides in the field of paleobiology...

From the Vault: Chariots of the Gods

10 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Chances are, you’re already quite familiar with the notion the ancient astronauts visited the earth and gave humans the tech support they needed to ...

Asteroid 2019 OK: The Little Doomsday

08 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The near-Earth object (NEO) known as Asteroid 2019 OK just made an unexpected close pass, raising the hair on the back of humanity’s collective neck...

Bonus Episode: Ephemeral's Alex Williams

07 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Former Stuff to Blow Your Mind producer and host of the podcast Ephemeral drops in for a chat about the media of yesteryear and related topics. Listen...

Social Media Is a B.U.M.M.E.R.

06 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How will you feel the day you finally delete all your social media accounts? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss some o...

From the Vault: The Gods Must Be Counterintuitive

03 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the key to a lasting myth, a captivating religion or a sensational film pitch? Some cognitive scientists and anthropologists argue that the k...

The Tingler

01 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time for another movie episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and you might be surprised to discover all the weird and wonderful themes at work in ...

Listener Mail: The Psychedelic Experience

30 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s listener mail time again, this time devoted entirely to feedback on Stuff to Blow Your Mind’s five-part series on psychedelics. Join Robert a...

From the Vault: MDMA, Part 2

27 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Some of you have tried the ecstasy. Others have merely heard about the drug on a TV sitcom, or heard about it in a news report. Either way, MDMA's pow...

Electric Microbe Land

25 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s easy to think of electricity as the domain of Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla and Street Fighter’s Blanka. But as Robert and Joe explore in this ...

TEETH: Dental Evolution and Marching Molars

23 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Where do teeth come from and how do different dental variations in the animal world force us to rethink our glorious chompers? In this episode of Stuf...

From the Vault: MDMA, Part 1

20 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Some of you have tried the ecstasy. Others have merely heard about the drug on a TV sitcom, or heard about it in a news report. Either way, MDMA's pow...

TEETH (with Katie Goldin)

18 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Katie Goldin is back with a new season of Creature Feature, so she joins Robert and Joe on Stuff to Blow Your Mind for a chat about strange and amazin...

Psychedelics: The Manifested Mind, Part 5

16 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What are psychedelics? How have these substances influenced human minds and culture? What exactly do they invoke in the brain and how could a renaissa...

From the Vault: Timothy Leary, Part 2

13 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Idolized by some and reviled by others, Timothy Leary remains an icon of 1960s counterculture and psychedelic self-exploration. But who was this rebel...