Stuff To Blow Your Mind
Episodes
Personhood: The Animal and Robot Edition
28 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What exactly is personhood? Over time, the term "person" has evolved to include numerous concepts. In this episode, Julie and Robert explore the natur...
Personhood: The Human Edition
23 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What exactly is personhood? Over time, the term "person" has evolved to include numerous concepts. In this episode, Julie and Robert explore the natur...
It's Performance Art: Challenging Human Nature
21 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
A woman in a museum stares into your soul. A man implants a cybernetic ear on his arm. A dog starves. In this episode, Robert and Julie dive into the ...
The Amazing Minds of Infants
16 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What goes on inside the minds of babes? Quite a lot, as it turns out. In this episode, Julie and Robert peer inside the infant brain to learn about th...
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Robot
14 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes making art, most of us operate under a set of rules. So what happens when you feed machines code for churning out art? Plenty, as it tur...
I Scream, You Scream
02 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
From screaming infants to cinematic scream queens, there's no denying the universal language of yelling. But why do we do it? What are we communicatin...
Fecal Fossils: The Cave of Forgotten Poops
31 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
You can learn a lot from an animal's scat, even if that animal hasn't walked the Earth since prehistoric times. In this episode, Robert and Julie expl...
There Once Was a Boson Named Higgs
26 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
If you're tired of hearing about the Higgs "don't-call-me-a-god-particle" Boson but still want to know what it is, then this is the podcast episode fo...
Yoga, Sex and Magic
24 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, you're no stranger to yoga, but how much do you know about its ancient origins in magical ritual and tantric sex? In this episode, Julie and Rob...
The Science of Downward Dog
19 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
About 20 million people in the U.S. practice some form of yoga. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind Julie and Robert suss out the claims and re...
Eliminating River Blindness
17 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The parasitic worm onchocerciasis carries uses a bacterial cloaking device to colonize the human body, causing tremendous suffering and even blindness...
Magicology: The Science of Magic
12 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Illusionists merely engage a fiction of sorcery, but there's a rich foundation of neuroscience beneath the smoke and mirrors. In this episode, Julie a...
The Art and Science of Camouflage
10 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
There's far more to military camouflage than painting a tank green. As Robert and Julie discuss in this episode, camouflage design incorporates both t...
Life in the Weightless Void
05 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We all know the potentially dangerous effects of microgravity, but what are the long-term effects? Join Robert and Julie as they wonder what life will...
An Internet that Spans the Stars
03 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The Internet continues to spread its roots through our world, and soon it will launch cosmic seeds, spreading digital humanity into space. How will it...
Meet Your Bacterial Masters
28 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
" Humans have mapped the microbiome and changed our understanding of the bacterial worlds thriving inside us. How will this affect our war on bacteria...
The Search for a New Earth
26 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Armed with state-of-the-art telescopes and other high-tech tools, astronomers are spotting new worlds at an astonishing rate. Could any of these plane...
The Science of 'Prometheus'
21 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Robert and Julie suit up and venture into the dark and Gigery heart of 'Prometheus.' They’ll examine the film’s futuristic scienc...
Fiction: Reality's Secret Master
19 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
" Don't underestimate the power of the storyteller. His tale may begin with whimsy, but by the end of it he'll have changed the world you live in. He ...
The Horror
14 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The Horror: Why do we enjoy scary movies or a stroll through a haunted house? How is our response colored by our genes, evolution and culture? In this...
The Bad Seed
12 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Tales of the enfant terrible have been with us for ages, terrifying us with the notion that strangeness in children portends something darker. But wha...
The Sound Aquatic
07 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Underwater operas? Submerged speaker systems? Mysterious deep sea noises and the monsters who make them? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, R...
Asteroid Gold Rush
05 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Is there really gold in them there asteroids? Yes, and one private space company already has a three-step plan to suck them dry. In this episode of St...
The Centaur with Two Hearts
31 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The mythical centaur represented man's dual nature -- and as one biologist points out, the creature would also need two hearts. In this episode, Rober...
Summer Reading List
29 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Need new ideas for your summer reading? In this episode, Julie and Robert share their favorite books as well as a heads-up on what they intend to read...
Mitochondrial Eve
24 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
There's something awe-inspiring about the prospect of a primordial mother figure. Scientists actually discovered such a woman - and her ghost resides ...
The Skin We Live In
22 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Our outer layer of flesh is beautiful, disgusting, painful and erotic. But what is it, exactly? What role does it play in anatomy and how will we chan...
Nebula in a Box
17 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We've all heard about panspermia, in which the building blocks of life theoretically travel to Earth from elsewhere. But from where, exactly? In this ...
Three Minutes Till Impact
15 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, your chances of going down in a plane crash are pretty slim -- but what if it actually happens? Without a parachute, how can you hope to survive...
Touching the Void: Psychedelics and Death
10 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Can psychedelic drugs help prepare terminal patients for death? Can MDMA ease the pain of dying through the ultimate transcendent experience? In this ...
Walls
08 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Civilizations surround themselves in walls. They raise walls against enemies, against the environment and against the spirit world. In this episode, R...
Hibernation: The Ultimate Suspended Animation!
03 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What is hibernation exactly? Is it the opposite of sleep? Is it the future of manned space exploration? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Ju...
Space Junk in the Trunk
01 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
How much junk can we accumulate in Earth's orbit before we seal off our world? Before we cut the planet off from the cosmos and doom civilization to a...
Contact Lenses of the Gods
26 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine a contact lens that displays data against your eyeball, delivering everything from sports scores to soap operas. Contact lens display technolo...
Oh the Lucid Dreams we Weave ...
24 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Whether awake or dreaming, our neocortex is always shuffling about data and creating stories. But what if you could enter your dream and become the ma...
Voyager and the Scale of our Solar System
19 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The Voyager probes continue their journey toward the edge of our solar system, but how much distance have they covered? In this episode, Julie and Rob...
The Odorous Language of Plants
17 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Do you speak the language of the carrots? From the screams of grass blades to the stink songs of carnivorous plants, the green kingdom is abuzz with t...
Illusions and Light
13 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The optical world we perceive is cast in illusion - and the properties of light itself dictate that reality. In this episode, Robert and Julie spin of...
The Seven Deadlies: Sloth
10 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sloth: When does mere laziness become moral failure? When does apathy descend into sloth? In this episode, Julie and Robert tackle one final deadly si...
Cat Parasites Conquer the World
05 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The most successful organisms hide in the shadows. The parasite Toxoplasma gondii is just such a puppet master, and its marionettes include rodents, c...
The Seven Deadlies: Wrath
03 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Wrath: Where does wrath arise from in the human brain and why do we malign it as one of the seven deadly sins? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your M...
Virtual Sex and Linked Dreaming
29 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine a future in which astronauts engage in virtual encounters with Earth-bound spouses. What sort of technology will make this possible? In this e...
The Seven Deadlies: Lust!
27 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Lust: Are we slaves to our desire? Can we resist our passions, or should we go full-satyr and embrace the inner goat? Join Robert and Julie as they jo...
Organisms: Heavyweight Division
22 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Just how big can an Earth organism get? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Julie and Robert look at some of the heavyweight contenders for th...
Godzilla vs. Kong vs. Barbie
20 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Godzilla vs. Kong vs. Barbie: Are you terrified of giant monster attacks? Well, this is the episode for you. Join Robert and Julie as they calm your f...
Stendhal Syndrome: Kicked in the Brain by Art
15 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine a work of art so beautiful that it causes heart palpitations and hallucinations. This Stuff to Blow Your Mind episode dives into the surreal w...
The Seven Deadlies: Grasping Greed
13 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Greed: Would you like more money? Sure, we all would. But how does greed break down in the mind? Where's the line between appreciating wealth and comp...
Novelty Junkies
08 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Do you love new experiences and fresh ideas? Join Julie and Robert as they examine neophilia, the love of novelty. How can this swell-sounding human a...
The Seven Deadlies: Glutton Chops
06 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Gluttony: When does appetite transform into disorder? What are we to make of competitive eating? Join Robert and Julie as they continue their science-...
Tidally Locked Perpetual Darkness
01 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we never see the moon's backside? What would the Earth be like if one side always faced the sun? In this episode, Robert and Julie contemplate ...
The Seven Deadlies: Green With Envy
28 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Envy: Guided by science, Julie and Robert continue their journey through the pleasures and perils of the seven deadly sins. This time the vice of choi...
The Fantastic Voyage of Endoscopic Cameras
23 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
You no longer have to turn yourself inside out to travel through your digestive track. Just swallow a camera-bot, grab some pop corn, and watch the ke...
The Seven Deadlies: Pride Cometh Before the Brain
21 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Pride: What is pride, and why is it considered such a bad thing? Is pride actually an evolutionary virtue? Join Julie and Robert as they take listener...
Absolute Disgust
16 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
There's plenty of stuff in this world to summon your disgust. But why do we feel this way? Is there logic behind repulsion, and if so what is your bra...
Monogamy Shamogamy
14 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
From black vultures to angler fish, the Earth is home to many monogamous species. Humans, however, don't quite make the list. In this episode, Julie a...
In the Lair of the Rat King
07 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In medieval Germany it was a dire omen of plague-ridden doom. Today, it remains more of a grotesque cultural reference. Join Robert and Julie as they ...
Virgin Galactic: $200,000 Ticket to Ride
02 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Want to blast into space with celebrities? Virgin Galactic might just be your ticket to ride. Join Julie and Robert as they discuss the landmark space...
The Existential Horror of the Humanzee
31 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
A Russian program to breed human/chimpanzee hybrids? Prisoners injected with animal testes? These grotesque tales shed light on the line between human...
We Are Stardust
26 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The atoms in your heart once burned in the fires of a dead star. Does this constitute an almost-spiritual connection to the cosmos or is it mere chemi...
Hug it Out
24 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Just what sort of hugger are you? Do you squeeze random strangers? Do you grapple your pals in a bear hug or go for the side-hug? In this episode, Jul...
The Science of Arguing
19 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we argue? How much bickering is ego sparring and to what extent our evolutionary heritage involved? Join Julie and Robert as they dive into the...
The Magic Eight Ball of Your Existence
17 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The Magic Eight Ball of Your Existence: Imagine a computer model of the entire world, one on which world leaders can test their decisions and gauge th...
Would You Rather: Bug Diet vs. Bacteria Diet
12 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
So which would you choose: an exclusive diet of bugs for the rest of your life, or an endless string of fermented feasts? In this "Would You Rather?" ...
Black Blizzards of the Dust Bowl
10 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Just what was the Dust Bowl? In this episode, Robert and Julie travel back to the ruined farms and black blizzards of the Great Depression. How did we...
Cheating in the Name of
05 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever cheated on a test? You're not alone. But what goes on in a student's mind when they reach for the cheat sheet and how does it play out i...
The Way of the Sword
03 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
From samurai blades to claymores, the sword is one of humanity's most iconic inventions, and they've cut a bloody swath across history. In this episod...
Anatomy of a Hangover
29 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Anatomy of a Hangover: Before your next New Year's hangover, let's explore what creates that splitting headache and the realization that you're wearin...
Newton: The Chuck Norris of Science
27 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
You are unprepared for the awesomeness of Sir Isaac Newton. Sure, he contributed to science, but a deeper look into his life shows just how Chuck Norr...
Sunken Dangers
22 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
What mysteries rest at the bottom of the sea? Which embody nature's diversity? Which tell the tale of humanity's darker side? In this episode, Robert ...
Spontaneous Human Combustion
20 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Do people really just go up in flames? Do grannies really flare up like roman candles in their rockers and is there anything in science that explains ...
The Santa Claus Machine
15 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The Santa Claus Machine: How does Santa Claus make so many gifts? Clearly his elves have harnessed the power of nanomanufacturing. But what does this ...
Give the Gift of a Mystery Box
13 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Give the Gift of a Mystery Box: Why are mystery packages so appealing? How do they improve our mental faculties and fuel our creativity? In this episo...
Nanohealthcare: The Tiny Doctors Inside Me
08 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine a future in which replacement organs grow in magnetic fields and smart pills work for months. Thanks to advances in nanotechnology, this age o...
Pyromania: What's Your Relationship with Fire?
06 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
When does an appreciation for fire turn into an obsession with the flickering, golden god? Who are firebugs, and what drives them to burn? In this epi...
The Hashtag Heard Round the World
01 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Waves of protest continue across the globe, but modern protesters benefit from social media technology. In this episode, Julie and Robert discuss hist...
Why do we protest?
29 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Humans rarely seem to agree, but when we do the results can be staggering. How does the phenomenon called protesting actually work? In this episode, R...
The Future of Stink
24 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Will smell-o-vision make a comeback? Will our zombie movies smell like rotten flesh and our video games reek of voided bowels and fear? In this episod...
Living with Robots: Can we build a better bot?
22 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Our cohabitation with robotic servants is pretty much guaranteed. So what are we doing today to make sure these are the sort of robot we can tolerate?...
Smells to Blow Your Mind
17 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that smell is the only one of your senses with a direct connection to your brain? Or that fancy cheese and David Beckham's foot odor shar...
Living With Robots: Worst Roomates Ever
15 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The robot invasion of our homes has begun, and the future is bright with robotic caregivers. But how to we plan to keep this cohabitation from feeling...
Martyrdom: Transcendence on the Rack
10 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
We've all seen images of saints and martyrs rising above their torments, but is it really possible to find transcendence on the rack? In this episode,...
This is Your Brain on Art
08 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Julie and Robert examine the neurological side of your trip to the museum. What happens when we lose ourselves in Mona Lisa's smile or the nightmare w...
The Science of Sports Fandom
03 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Why do humans devote so much time to organized sports? As it turns out, the roots of sports run deep. In this episode, Julie and Robert explore the ev...
Humanity's Love Affair with an Apocalypse
01 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Apocalyptic Love Affair: Human beings are in love with the end. Ruined cities fill our dreams, and fears steers our thoughts through landscapes of bon...
The Science of Frankenstein's Monster
27 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Frankenstein's Monster: What are the ramifications of mad science? Frankenstein's tortured creation has become an avatar for scientific horror. Join R...
What's in a witches brew?
25 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Gather round the cauldron with Julie and Robert as they ladle out hefty servings of magical thinking, medieval psychedelics, feminist history and the ...
The Candy Corn Menace
20 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Whether scarfing down gummy worms or pouring an endless cascade of sugar into their breakfast cereal, children's appetite for sweets seems insatiable....
The Creepy Cool World of Imaginary Friends
18 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Why do kids chat with invisible friends? Those creepy encounters are just part of how the human brain works. Even the average adult brain engages in s...
Hulking Out With Hysterical Strength
13 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Can a grieving mother summon the strength of 12 Hulk Hogans and lift a full-sized automobile up off the ground to save her son? In this episode, Rober...
The Bystander Effect and You
06 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The next time your car breaks down, count the number of vehicles that pass you by. That's the bystander effect in action. But why do people in crowds ...
The Science of Lucky Pants
04 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
What do psychologists think about your lucky rabbit's foot? In this episode, Robert and Julie break down the science of good luck rituals and charms. ...
Splendid Isolation
29 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever want to live alone in the desert, or does an afternoon alone give you the chills? Either way, isolation can have a profound influence on o...
Science of Pet Peeves
27 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Can science explain why other people's phone calls are so annoying? Or why Julie hates fake lavender scents and Robert flies into a rage over turn sig...
Interview: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson
22 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Robert and Julie interview astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. What does the planet's leading science communicator have to say about ...
Misophonia: Why Your Brain Hates the Sound of Gum Chewing
20 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Does the sound of someone smacking gum drive you crazy? It's possible you're just a cranky jerk, but science presents another possibility: misophonia....
Is free will an illusion?
15 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Your life is filled with choices and first steps down - or is it? According to many neuroscientists, free will is a sham. In this episode, Julie and R...
What if Earth was a cube?
13 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine life on a cubed Earth. How would this alter our experience of gravity? How would it affect global climate? In this episode, Robert and Julie s...
Decision Fatigue: Death by 1,000 Choices
08 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Could fretting over insignificant choices decrease your decision making effectiveness later in the day? Join Robert and Julie as they look at the caus...
The Procrastinating Brain
06 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we procrastinate? Why do we put off dreaded tasks and long-held ambitions for short-term pleasures? In this episode, Robert and Julie break dow...
The Science of False Memories
01 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
We're the recorded information of all the experiences that came before the present moment. So how do we deal with the knowledge that some of the memor...