Stuff To Blow Your Mind

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...