Stuff To Blow Your Mind
Episodes
Wrestling with Kayfabe (with guest Colt Cabana)
24 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Wrestling with Kayfabe: Professional wrestling is somewhat of a cultural oddity, as it blurs the lines between reality, fiction, sport and theater. Jo...
Cool Science You May Have Missed in 2012
22 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of cool science went down in 2012, but it's possible you missed some of these smaller stories amid all the Mars landing and Higgs searching. In ...
Big Science of 2012
17 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
As you leave 2012 in the dust, join Julie and Robert as they take one last look in the rearview mirror at some of the truly mind blowing science that ...
Willpower
15 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Temptation is all around us and as humans we only have so much willpower in the tank to fight it. In this episode, Robert and Julie discuss the scienc...
Labyrinths
10 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Having escaped from the confusion of the Minoan maze, it's time to walk the serene, calming paths of the Chartres Labyrinth. Why is this experience so...
Mazes
08 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Enter the Minoan maze and wander its endless halls. Feel your heart race. Feel your limbs quiver as the minotaur's roar echoes through the walls. Join...
I Was a Teenage Teen: The Science of Teen Angst
03 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The teenage brain is a wonderful thing, full of intense rewiring and rapid shifts in priority. In this episode, Robert and Julie reminisce about the t...
New Year's Life Hacks
01 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
New Year's Life Hacks: Want improved focus this year? A better creative flow or stronger decision-making skills? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your...
The Shaman and the Scientist: Hallucination
27 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The Shaman and the Scientist: Hallucination: Join Robert and Julie as they continue their discussion of the overlap between shamanism and cognitive ne...
The Shaman and the Scientist: My Egoic Mind
21 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The Shaman and the Scientist: My Egoic Mind: A shaman consumes a psychedelic mushroom and visits the spirit world. Meanwhile, a scientist studies the ...
Nutmeg: The Scary Spice
20 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, you sprinkle nutmeg indifferently on your eggnog, but do you know its bloody history and psychotropic properties? In this episode, Julie and Rob...
The Dark Side of Creativity
13 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Creative minds make our favorite art and develop unique solutions to real-world problems. But is there a dark side? Are creative minds more prone to m...
Parasite Got Your Tongue?
11 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Organisms do what they can to get ahead and sometimes that means crawling inside a fish head and chewing out a niche. In this episode, Robert and Juli...
The Killing Joke
06 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Modern minds likely turn to Monty Python when the notion of lethal comedy arises, but accounts of death by laughter date back to ancient times. Can a ...
The Healing Power of Laughter
04 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
They say laughter is the best medicine, but is there any science to back that up? In this episode, Julie and Robert discuss what laughter does to us p...
Why Fingerprints?
29 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we have fingerprints? Why are the human versions generally more complex than those of other animals? Join Robert and Julie as they delve into w...
Jive Turkey
27 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Jive Turkey: As another Turkey Day dawns on the United States, Julie and Robert stop to consider the great bird itself. Join them as they dive into th...
The Science of Comfort
22 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What does comfort mean to you? Thanksgiving dinner? A cup of tomato soup and a warm blanket? In this episode, Julie and Robert examine the particulars...
We Are All Scientists
20 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
While it might not feel like it, humans were born to crunch numbers, engineer solutions and scientifically evaluate the world. Join Robert and Julie a...
How to Think Like a Child
15 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, a kid's unique perspective allows him or her to see Puff the Magic Dragon and say the darndest things. But, as Julie and Robert discover, childr...
Consider the Packrat
13 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
It's true: the word "packrat" is more than slang for hoarders and collectors. Join Robert and Julie as they discuss the pint-size rodent's love of dec...
Hammer of the Witches
08 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Witchcraft trials are a part of our history, but what truly went on during the 1400s? Join Robert and Julie as they explore compelling theories about ...
Anthropocene: The Age of Man
06 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
When viewed from the standpoint of geologic time, what is humanity's ultimate contribution? Have we founded an Age of Man with agriculture, industrial...
Ordovician Waters: Life in the Age of Trilobites
01 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Prepare to explore an alien Earth as Stuff to Blow Your Mind takes you back to the Ordovician Period, when invertebrates thrived in primal seas that c...
Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board
31 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Ever reach out to the spirit world with an ouija board? Or stare into a dark mirror for Bloody Mary? Perhaps peer-assisted levitation was more your st...
The Science of Haunted Houses
25 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
There's a lot more going on at your local haunted attraction than costumes and chainsaws. In this episode, Robert and Julie venture to Atlanta's Nethe...
How do Animals Map the World?
23 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Humans aren't the only map masters on the planet. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Julie and Robert explore the amazing ways that animals t...
Cartocacoethes: Map Mania!
18 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Do you see a Thailand-shaped birthmark on Gorbachev's forehead? Do clouds remind you of Australia and Indonesia? You may have cartocacoethes, the comp...
The Map-addled Brain
16 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Maps show us familiar places as well as far-flung locales that quietly beckon, intertwining the past, present and future. Join Julie and Robert as the...
Ig Nobel: Strange Science Part 2
11 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In part two of their 2012 Ig Nobel Prize coverage, Robert and Julie take listeners through some of the more amazing winners at this year's awards cere...
Ig Nobel: Strange Science, Part 1
09 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, scientists have a sense of humor - and they have to if their big invention is a bra that doubles as a gas mask. Join Julie and Robert as they exp...
Cat People
04 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you prefer cats, dogs or snakes, you have to admit that humanity's relationship with felines is mysterious. Why do we live with these super pr...
The Song of the Bat
02 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Bats live in a sonic universe. They call out into the night and construct the world from their song. They listen to the sounds of prey, predator and t...
The Wild World of Bats
27 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Is the bat the most successful mammal on the planet? Quite possibly! In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Julie and Robert explore the insect-m...
Fire Walk With Me
25 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In 2012, Tony Robbins marched thousands of barefoot followers through the coals, injuring under two dozen of them. What was going on in their minds (a...
Life in the Plastic Palace
20 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
How much of your environment is made out of plastic? Where does it come from? Where does it go? How does plastic affect your iPhone's weight? Join Jul...
Sleep No More
18 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What if you could skip a night's sleep without any side effects? It may sound impossible, but the age of sleep replacement drugs is just around the co...
City Creatures
13 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
City Creatures: Does a crowded street make you care less about your fellow man? Population density manipulates organisms in subtle and shocking ways. ...
The Mind of the Kraken
11 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What strange thoughts fill the brains of cephalopods? Do they ponder mysteries in their lightless lairs? Join Julie and Robert as they dive into the f...
The King-sized World of Gigantism
06 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Finally, a podcast about Andre the Giant, dinosaurs and Nuralagus rex the bunny king. In this episode, Julie and Robert discuss gigantism. What causes...
Hear The Mermaids Singing
04 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Hear The Mermaids Singing: Humans have dreamed of mermaids for ages, but is there any substance to these myths? Is the aquatic ape theory more than ju...
Mother's Milk
30 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Mother's Milk: Milk isn't just an infant-sustaining breast beverage. Join Julie and Robert as they explore the world of lactation. How does milk stren...
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...