Stuff To Blow Your Mind

Don't Eat The Panda

30 Aug 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have a complex relationship with other animals. Some are friends, and some are delicious. So why do we feel closer to some animals, while other...

The Big Sting: Wasps vs. Bees

25 Aug 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Bees and wasps share a long history, and they've evolved into distinct forms. One hunts while the other farms. But which group would win in a war? Joi...

Can my nightmares kill me?

23 Aug 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Can nightmares scare us to death? Join Robert and Julie as they discuss the CDC's investigation of sleep deaths - deaths that inspired Wes Craven to c...

The Science of Brain Wiping

18 Aug 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine if you could choose to erase a particularly agonizing or embarrassing memory with a quick injection or a handy pill. Sounds nifty, but could t...

Brood 13: Emergence of the Cicadas

16 Aug 2011

Contributed by Lukas

It might sound like the title of a horror movie, but make no mistake: Brood 13 is real. In this episode, Robert and Julie explore the bizarre life of ...

Extreme Sleep: Parasomnia

11 Aug 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Parasomnia: Most of us take sleep for granted, but there's a world of bizarre slumbers out there that only parasomniacs understand. Enter the world of...

The Lying Game

09 Aug 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Is a lie mere deception, an occasional un-truth or something deeper? Join Robert and Julie as they plunge into the cognitive depths of lies to examine...

Into the Dyson Sphere

04 Aug 2011

Contributed by Lukas

When it's not showing up in episodes of "Star Trek" or imprisoning Necron Star Gods, Dyson spheres are the brainchild of physicist Freeman Dyson. But ...

The Cognitive Dissonance of Exorcisms

02 Aug 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Priests in horror flicks drive demons out of innocent victims. But what's really happening in these apparent showdowns between good and evil? Join Rob...

Sharks in Space

28 Jul 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Although there's no such thing as a shark in space (yet), sharks have provided invaluable information to NASA. In this episode, Robert and Julie take ...

Bugs, Twinkies and Ancient Foods

21 Jul 2011

Contributed by Lukas

You are what you eat, which poses an interesting conundrum for omnivores. In this episode, Robert and Julie take a fascinating look at humanity's earl...

The Pooping Duck: When Robots Digest

19 Jul 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Jacques de Vaucanson's fabulous digesting duck was a clockwork miracle capable of reproducing the processes of ingestion, digestion and defecation. Jo...

Walt Disney the Futurist

14 Jul 2011

Contributed by Lukas

When you hear Walt Disney's name, chances are you think of cartoons and theme parks. But do you know about Walt Disney the futurist? Join Robert and J...

Microdrone Soup

12 Jul 2011

Contributed by Lukas

What's that buzzing around the room? A bird? A plane? Nope, it's just a robotic insect sent by some shadow government. Join Robert and Julie as they c...

Funny or Die

07 Jul 2011

Contributed by Lukas

We all know "funny" when we encounter it, but what's going on inside the human mind when we feel amused? Join Robert and Julie as they discuss long-st...

Gimme That Old Time Space Religion

05 Jul 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Space Religion: Will humans leave religion behind when they become an interplanetary species? Not hardly. Join Robert and Julie as they discuss how be...

Math, Music and Mayhem

30 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it's Art Garfunkel's mathematics degree or the structure of the chromatic scale, it's easy to correlate music and math. But why are so many mu...

Poking Einstein's Brain

28 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

How did Albert Einstein's brain wind up on a road trip to hang with the author of "Naked Lunch?" In this episode, Robert and Julie give Einstein's hea...

Welcome to the Memory Palace

23 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Stroll into the memory palace, an imagined location that just might expand your brain power. In this podcast, Robert and Julie discuss the Method of L...

Do-it-yourself Organs

21 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

We'd all like to replace our failing organs with spare guts, but when will it be possible? Join Robert and Julie as they explain why the day is fast a...

Fathers of the Wild: The Good, Bad and the Ugly

16 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a dog a lousy father and a wolf a stellar patriarch? Join Robert and Julie as they anthropomorphize the animal kingdom in an effort to find...

Are you ready for a neo-evolution?

14 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have spent ages evolving into the charming specimens we are today. But what if we could accelerate the pace of evolution, giving our future pro...

Invasion of the iPod People

09 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when we plug into our gadgets and tune out the rest of the world? In this episode, Robert and Julie discuss the so-called Walkman Effect ...

The Brilliant and Terrifying Future of Toilets

07 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Although the subject makes some people very uncomfortable, sanitation is enormously important. But what kind of technology will we find in the toilets...

Night of the Platypus

02 Jun 2011

Contributed by Lukas

With a duck's head and a beaver's body, the duck-billed platypus is often the butt of jokes. Yet this oddity helps us understand how creatures evolve....

Technology of the Ancients

31 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

The notion of Vedic nuclear weapons is a more than a bit far-fetched. Yet from the Antikythera mechanism to Archimedes' death ray, people are fascinat...

Day of the Dolphin

26 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Day of the Dolphin: In 1973, moviegoers watched dolphins carry out assassination plots in "The Day of the Dolphin," part of the dolphin fever stirred ...

This is Your Brain on Meditation

24 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

People around the world practice meditation, but what exactly is it, and how does it affect our brains? Join Robert and Julie as they look at the scie...

Machines, Morality and Sexbots

19 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Can robots be programmed to behave ethically? It's possible that future robots may possess emotions like empathy or guilt. Join Robert and Julie as th...

Is math a human invention or a human discovery?

17 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Robert and Julie take a sweeping look at math, addressing several important questions. For example: What is math? Where does math com...

999 Birthday Candles

12 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

The Hayflick limit posits that we can live for 120 years. But recent research suggests we could live to for 1,000 years. Enter maverick biogerontologi...

Atomic Bomb Parties and Nuclear Fallout

10 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1950s, residents of Las Vegas partied hard, and their booze-fueled parties sometimes included a special treat -- the observation of nuclear tes...

Crimes of Paleontology

05 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that the history of paleontology is replete with hoaxes and incorrect conclusions -- but how many can be chalked up to honest mistakes,...

The Placebo Effect: Brain Over Pain

03 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

A placebo is a fake medicine included in drug trials to show, through contrast, the benefits of the real medicine. Yet sometimes the patients taking t...

Change Your Mind the Hard Way

28 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

When an iron rod shot through Phineas Gage's head, it destroyed the majority of his left frontal lobe. He survived, but his personality and behavior c...

Tyrannosaurus Sex

26 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Although scientists still aren't sure exactly how dinosaurs reproduced, fascinating (and surprising) conjectures abound. Join Robert and Julie as they...

The Quest for Cyberimmortality

21 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible that human evolution is on the verge of transcending its organic roots? And, if it is possible, how could it actually occur? Join Rober...

Is privacy an illusion?

19 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Are computers approaching singularity? Join Robert and Julie as they discuss the quest for cyberimmortality. Learn more about your ad-choices at http...

Five-fingered Evolutionary Discount

14 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Mickey Mouse gets along just fine with four digits on each hand, so why do humans have five of these digits? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Min...

Neuromyths: What You Think You Know About Your Brain

12 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

We all know the myth that we use only 10% of our brains, but how we know it's a myth in the first place? In this episode, Robert and Julie interview n...

Does your dog really love you?

07 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

It's often said that dogs are man's best friend -- but does science support this claim? In this episode, Robert and Julie examine the science behind h...

Lying Robots and the Lies They Tell

05 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Will robots of the future eventually surpass the intellectual plane of humanity? This event (which, as far as we know, hasn't happened yet) is known a...

Why Your Brain Likes Conspiracy

31 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

The human brain strives to organize and classify sensory information. But what happens when new information conflicts with pre-existing data? Tune in ...

Pope on a Cosmic Rope

29 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Should extraterrestrials be converted to Catholicism, or are they somehow free from sin? In this episode, Julie and Robert contemplate the Vatican's c...

Germ-free Dirty Hippies

24 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

It's been said that cleanliness is close to godliness, but is it possible for a person to be too clean? In this episode, Julie and Robert analyze the ...

Symbiosis: My So-Called Parasitic Life

22 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

In the process known as symbiosis, two organisms of different species exist in close physical contact to the benefit of both organisms. But how does t...

To Terraform or Not to Terraform?

17 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Think of terraforming as a planet-wide renovation project: By creating a more Earth-like atmosphere on Mars, some scientists hope to make more space f...

(Kick)Astrobiology

15 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Astrobiology is a lot more than sitting around wondering what aliens look like -- instead, this discipline draws on multiple fields to study the basic...

Woolly Mammoths For Sale

10 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

You haven't misread the title; rest assured that woolly mammoths are still extinct. However, there are several scientists trying revive mammoths -- an...

Musical Hallucinations Gone Wild

08 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever had a musical hallucination? Not a song stuck in your head - but a genuine hallucination, real enough to completely fool your senses? Jo...

Attack of the Creative Brain

03 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Creativity is one of humanity's most crucial skills, and it is also one of the least-understood. In this episode, Robert and Julian explore the scienc...

Eat Popcorn. Eat Popcorn. Eat Popcorn.

01 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Subliminal messaging dates back to 1957, when James Vicary slipped images of popcorn and soda into films at a New Jersey theater. It spooks some consu...

Planet Neanderthal

24 Feb 2011

Contributed by Lukas

For 200,000 years Neanderthals roamed Eurasia, yet over time the population dwindled and disappeared. In this podcast, Julie and Robert explore the st...

Defeat Your Doppelgangers

22 Feb 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Most people are familiar with the idea of a doppelganger -- some mysterious copy or clone of another human being -- but what's the science behind this...

Are you smarter than an ant swarm?

17 Feb 2011

Contributed by Lukas

A single ant might not be Mensa material, but a colony of ants can produce some amazingly clever decisions. Tune in as Robert and Julie explore the st...

Children of Tomorrow, Raised by Machines

15 Feb 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Will tomorrow's school systems be dominated by infallible robotic instructors? Tune in as Julie and Robert explore the bounds of education, artificial...

Love, Hate and Robots

10 Feb 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Will the hopeless romantics of the future fall in love with robots? In this episode, Robert and Julie explore the line between love and hate -- and wh...

Scientists in Love

08 Feb 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Regardless of how brilliant they may be in the lab, scientists are still only human. With Valentine's Day on the horizon, Robert and Julie recount the...

Underground Robotic Highways

03 Feb 2011

Contributed by Lukas

As cars become increasingly sophisticated, more and more experts are contemplating the possibility of self-driving vehicles on automated highways. But...

You're Such a Tool (User)

01 Feb 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Tool use isn't unique to human beings -- many other organisms have proven capable of learning to use tools in both wild and captive environments. In t...

The Werewolf Principle: Adapting Humans for Space

27 Jan 2011

Contributed by Lukas

The Werewolf Principle: Will astronauts of the future be able to adapt their physiology for long-term space travel and life on other planets? In this ...

Are computer viruses alive?

25 Jan 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Computer viruses can permanently damage the files of unprepared computer users, but does their behavior mean that they are living entities? Join Rober...

The Life Aquatic

20 Jan 2011

Contributed by Lukas

The oceans cover the majority of Earth's surface -- that's quite a bit of potential real estate. But what would it be like to live as an underwater de...

The Future of Pain

18 Jan 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Pain is a fundamental sensation. While it is by no means pleasant, it is certainly useful. In this podcast, Robert and Julie look at the newest scient...

Inception: I Dream of Science

13 Jan 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Modern science still hasn't completely figured out what purpose dreams. In this podcast, Julie and Robert tackle the mysterious realm of dreams. Tune ...

Junkies of the Animal Kingdom

11 Jan 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Human beings aren't the only organisms with a predilection for mind-altering substances. In fact, the natural world is filled with bingers and boozers...

Solar Sail Hobos Ride the Laser

06 Jan 2011

Contributed by Lukas

NASA has been experimenting with solar sails that could become the future of spaceflight. But how do they work, exactly? Tune in as Julie and Robert b...

Beyond Human: Accessorize!

04 Jan 2011

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that humanity's strong suit is making tools -- we certainly don't have the best physical adaptations for swimming or flying. But could ...

Is your gut a genius?

30 Dec 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Each week, you can count on Robert and Julie to blow your mind with the latest -- and strangest -- stories from the world of science. Tune in and lear...

Fine Young Cannibals

28 Dec 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Each week, you can count on Robert and Julie to blow your mind with the latest -- and strangest -- stories from the world of science. Tune in and lear...

Life on the 500th Floor

23 Dec 2010

Contributed by Lukas

By 2050, experts believe approximately two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities. How will this urbanization change life for individual...

The Rock Star Weirdo Lives of Scientists

21 Dec 2010

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that genius and eccentricity are related, but scientists can be downright weird. In this episode, Julie and Robert explore the bizarre ...

Ladies' Night on Planet Earth

16 Dec 2010

Contributed by Lukas

James Brown said that "it's a man's world," but he may have changed his tune if he'd seen the recent studies on gender and evolution. In this podcast,...

The Overview Effect: Tripping Out in Space

14 Dec 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Does life in space permanently alter an astronaut's mind? Join Robert and Julie as they analyze the physical and mental changes human beings experienc...

If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound?

09 Dec 2010

Contributed by Lukas

If a tree falls in an empty forest, does it make a sound? Originally this question was made for meditative purposes, but answering the question incorp...

Probing Questions About Alien Abduction

07 Dec 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Why are so many people convinced that they were abducted by aliens? In this episode, Julie and Robert explore the history of alleged abductions, along...

Can music rebuild my brain?

02 Dec 2010

Contributed by Lukas

It's been said that music has the power to soothe savage beasts, but what scientific impact does music have on humans? In this episode, Julie and Robe...

Evolutionary Hangover

30 Nov 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Evolutionary Hangover: Vestigial traits are common in animals across the globe, but why? In this episode, Julie and Robert take a look at the genetic ...

Stuff to Literally Blow Your Mind

25 Nov 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Each week, Robert and Julie bring you fascinating, mind-blowing stories about the strangest things in the natural world -- but how could your mind lit...

Has science explained life after death?

23 Nov 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have believed in the soul for millennia, and the evolution of science hasn't stopped the search for ghosts and the soul. In fact, modern scient...

You're So Vain, Earthlings

19 Nov 2010

Contributed by Lukas

How do individuals relate to reality? How has humanity attempted to interpret its position in the universe? From navel-gazing to the geocentric univer...

Alien Etiquette 101

16 Nov 2010

Contributed by Lukas

People from different cultures often interpret gestures and etiquette differently, and this can lead to serious misunderstandings. So how should human...

The Podcast that Turns People Inside Out

11 Nov 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Inspired by Robert's childhood fear of being turned completely inside out, our podcasters attempt to answer the age-old question: Can people really be...

Shush! The Creatures are Sleeping

09 Nov 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Not all animals need the same amount of sleep. Some people get by on five hours a day, while other animals (cats, for instance) can easily sleep upwar...

Man Vs. Flu

04 Nov 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Influenza is a virus that causes the flu, and it shares a long, lethal history with the human race. In this episode, Robert and Allison explore what's...

Cuddling up to the Cuttlefish

02 Nov 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Would you like a pet that can change its appearance and create decoys from ink? What if it also shot through the water via jet propulsion? Then the cu...

Into the Graveyard

28 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Many people find graveyards creepy, but what makes them so unsettling and spooky? In this special Halloween episode, Robert and Allison take you into ...

Hanging with Hawking

26 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Hawking is one of the world's most famous physicists, but why is he so famous? In this episode, Allison and Robert take a closer look at the f...

Mad Scientists: Frankenstein and the Fly

21 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Today mad scientists are common in fiction, and they appear in everything from comedies to science fiction. But they're also relatively recent. What m...

How Military Snipers Work

19 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Military snipers use sophisticated technology and specialized techniques to wreak tremendous damage on enemy forces. But how do they work? In this epi...

We Love the Periodic Table

14 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

The periodic table is an invaluable tool for scientists across the planet -- but how does it work? In this episode, Allison and Robert explore the cre...

Science vs. Monsters!

12 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

For thousands of years people across the world have frightened (and entertained) each other by swapping monster tales, but how do these monsters hold ...

Monarchs Head for the Border

07 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Each year, monarch butterflies fly south across North America, returning north in the spring. Normally the butterflies would never live long enough to...

Noise Pollution: Pipe Down, People!

05 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Like any other form of pollution, loud noises can seriously affect your health over time -- and that's just the beginning. As Robert and Allison break...

Flat Stanley Across the 11th Dimension

30 Sep 2010

Contributed by Lukas

The world famous globetrotter Flat Stanley is used to encourage literacy in children. Since Flat Stanley is two-dimensional, he's a perfect jumping-of...

Will California fall into the ocean?

28 Sep 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Earthquakes are an inevitable part of living on Earth, and some places are far more prone to earthquakes than others. In this episode, Robert and Alli...

The Scientific Method

23 Sep 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays most people have heard of the scientific method, but what exactly is it? More importantly, how does it work? In the second segment of this tw...

A Thing Called Science

21 Sep 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Civilization relies on science and couldn't exist without it -- but what exactly is science? In this episode, Allison and Robert explore the definitio...

Altruism is Alive and Well

16 Sep 2010

Contributed by Lukas

If a person helps someone else without receiving an award, then that person has committed an act of altruism. Or have they? In this episode, Robert an...

What did that bacterium say?

14 Sep 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Bacterial life is one of the most hardy life forms on Earth. But the impressive talents of bacteria aren't limited to durability. Tune in to learn mor...