TechStuff

TechStuff Bonds With Spy Tech Part Two

08 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Are invisible cars and exploding pens just the stuff of James Bond fiction? We look at spy gear both real and imaginary in this episode. Learn more a...

TechStuff Bonds With Spy Tech Part One

06 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Are the amazing gadgets in James Bond films possible? We look at the tech found in the early James Bond movies and compare it to real life. Learn mor...

TechStuff Predicts 2014

01 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What do our hosts have to say about what will happen this year? Jonathan and Lauren stick their necks out to predict the future in tech stories. Lear...

TechStuff Predictions for 2013: The Results

30 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How did Lauren and Jonathan's predictions for 2013 pan out? We take a look at the results of our educated guesses. Did we totally whiff it or will we ...

TechStuff Looks Back at 2013 Part Two

25 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What were the big news stories of 2013? Jonathan and Lauren round out the big tech stories of 2013. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.i...

TechStuff Looks Back at 2013 Part One

23 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What were the big news stories of 2013? We take a look at the first half of 2013 and the tech stories that caught our attention. Learn more about you...

Top Tech Companies of 2013 Part Two

18 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What were the best tech companies to work for in 2013? Jonathan and Lauren take a look at the top five and talk about what makes them so great. Learn...

Top Tech Companies of 2013 Part One

16 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What were the best tech companies to work for in 2013? Jonathan and Lauren take a look at numbers 10 through 6 and talk about what makes them so great...

TechStuff Gets Thirsty

11 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How do water systems work? We take a look at how water gets from a municipal system (or a well) to your home. Gravity is your friend! Learn more abou...

How Gene Therapy Works

09 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Will we be able to cure multiple diseases by tweaking our genes? We look at gene therapy and how doctors are able to deliver new genes to patients. L...

Astronomy On Ice

04 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the IceCube Neutrino Detector? Jonathan and Lauren take a look at a telescope that's one mile under the ice at the South Pole. Learn more abo...

Where's My Flying Car?

02 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Will the flying car ever be available to the average driver? We take a look at the history (and future) of flying cars. Learn more about your ad-choi...

Sniffing Out Skunk Works Part Two

27 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What's Skunk Works up to today? TechStuff talks about the more recent projects the ultra secret division has worked on. Learn more about your ad-choi...

Sniffing Out Skunk Works Part One

25 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is Lockheed's Skunk Works division? TechStuff peeks under a veil of secrecy to talk about the early days of a classified operation. Learn more a...

The Loons at Google

20 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Google Loon project? Jonathan and Lauren look at how some ultra-thin balloons could supply Wi-Fi to remote locations. Learn more about yo...

The Oldest Computer

18 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Antikythera Mechanism? When was it built? What did it do? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omn...

The Hype About Hyperloop

13 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Hyperloop concept? How would it work? Will we actually build it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com...

The AT&T Story - Part Three

11 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What's happened to AT&T since it was broken up by the government? What was SBC? What's AT&T been up to lately? Learn more about your ad-choic...

The AT&T Story - Part Two

06 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How did AT&T form a monopoly in the US? Why did the government step in to break up the monopoly? How did the telecommunications landscape change? ...

The AT&T Story - Part One

04 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Who was Alexander Graham Bell? Why did he create the Bell Telephone Company? How was AT&T created? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://ww...

There's a Halloween Event on the Horizon

30 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What's the premise of the horror film Event Horizon? What is an event horizon? How do black holes work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://w...

TechStuff Shines Light on Solar Panels

28 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How are scientists improving solar panel efficiency? What do moth eyes have to do with solar panels? How long until solar panels are cheap enough for ...

Minecraft: Part Two

23 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How did Minecraft get started? What exactly happens in this game? How has it evolved since it launched? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://w...

Sleeping Underwater

21 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Are there really companies working on building underwater hotels? What considerations do you have to make to build an underwater structure? When will ...

Running on Steam

16 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How old are steam engines? How do steam engines work? Are there steam engines in common use today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ih...

Ads on the Go

14 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How does mobile advertising differ from other online advertising? Why is mobile advertising such a big deal? How will mobile advertising shape online ...

Pacemakers Got the Beat

09 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is a pacemaker? How do pacemakers control the rate of heartbeats? What was the first pacemaker? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www....

The Prodigy Story

07 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What was an online service provider? How did Prodigy get started? Why did Prodigy lag behind other companies? Learn more about your ad-choices at htt...

The Big Deal About Drones

02 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What are drones? What are some civilian uses for drones? What are the military applications? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpo...

The FAA and EMI

30 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is electromagnetic interference? Can electronics really interfere with a plane's systems? When might the FAA loosen restrictions on electronics? ...

Say My Name

25 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Who was Heisenberg? What was his contribution to quantum mechanics? What is the uncertainty principle? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://ww...

Videos In the Stream

23 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What are the differences between the three big video streaming services? How do these services earn revenue? Which services have exclusive deals? Lea...

The Sid Meier Story Part 2

18 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What games has Firaxis developed? What are the most recent games developed by Sid Meier? What has been the impact of the Civilization franchise? Lear...

The Sid Meier Story Part 1

16 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Who is Sid Meier? How did he get started in making video games? Why did he leave the first company he co-founded? Learn more about your ad-choices at...

The Fairchild Semiconductor Story Part 2

11 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some people say Fairchild Semiconductor went through a period of mismanagement? Who were the Hogan's Heroes? What is Fairchild doing today? Le...

The Fairchild Semiconductor Story Part 1

09 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How was Fairchild Semiconductor started? Who were the Fairchildren? Why were the founders called the traitorous eight? Learn more about your ad-choic...

Is Cable Hanging By a Thread

04 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How does the cable television business work? Why are channels bundled together? Are we likely to see a la carte cable soon? Learn more about your ad-...

Fire in Bean Town

02 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Boston Fire Alarm Telegraph System? When was the system installed? How does it work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ihea...

Mod That Bod

28 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What tech is used in body modification? Why is Kevin Warwick sometimes called a cyborg? Can grinders give themselves extrasensory powers? Learn more ...

TechStuff Gets Tattooed and Pierced

26 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What's the origin of tattooing? Who invented the tattoo gun? How do piercings work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetw...

Oculus Rift: The Story So Far

22 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Oculus Rift? How did its inventor, Palmer Luckey, get into virtual reality? How is VR used as a therapy and training tool? Learn more abo...

Ahoy, Pirate Bay Part 2

19 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is The Pirate Bay? How did the court case brought against its owners turn out? What is the future of The Pirate Bay? Learn more about your ad-ch...

Ahoy, Pirate Bay Part 1

14 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Pirate Bay? What is the philosophy behind the site? Why was a court case brought against the owners? Learn more about your ad-choices at ...

How BitTorrent Works

12 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Who invented BitTorrent? How do BitTorrent transfers work? What exactly is a torrent file? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodc...

Shark Week Special

07 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What kind of senses do sharks have? How can technology help prevent shark attacks? What sort of tech gives people shark senses? Learn more about your...

Where Electronics Go When They Die

05 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Why are electronics difficult to recycle? Why is it important to recycle responsibly? What are some of the dangerous materials in electronics? Learn ...

PRISM Part Two

31 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is PRISM? What does the PRISM program cover? Which corporations are participating in PRISM? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ihea...

PRISM Part One

30 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the NSA? What laws and practices preceded PRISM? What is FISA? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee om...

Molecularly Gastronomical

24 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is food science? What is molecular gastronomy? How do sous vide machines work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetw...

How Storm Chasers Work

22 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What are storm chasers? What kind of equipment do storm chasers use? What useful information have storm chasers gathered? Learn more about your ad-ch...

Time for Smartwatches Part 2

17 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What was the first smartwatch? How have smartwatches evolved? Will smartwatches be the next big trend in tech? Learn more about your ad-choices at ht...

Time for Smartwatches Part 1

15 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What's the history of the wristwatch? What was the first digital watch? How much did the first true digital watch cost? Learn more about your ad-choi...

The Microsoft Story Part Two

10 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What was Microsoft's Office of the President? When did Bill Gates step away from Microsoft? What are the latest developments at Microsoft? Learn more...

The Microsoft Story Part One

08 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How did Microsoft get started? How were Microsoft and Apple closely tied together? How successful was Microsoft's IPO? Learn more about your ad-choic...

TechStuff Watches Independence Day

03 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How well does the film treat science and technology in Independence Day? What are the big goofs committed in the movie? How realistic is the plan to d...

Pew! Pew! Plasma!

01 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is plasma and how do we use it? Why are plasma weapons so popular in science fiction? Are plasma weapons realistic? Learn more about your ad-cho...

The WikiLeaks Story

26 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How did WikiLeaks get started? What is the purpose of WikiLeaks? What are some of the controversies WikiLeaks has been in? Learn more about your ad-c...

TechStuff Fuels Up Part 2

24 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What are the challenges of depending upon an alternative fuel? Which fuels are better for the environment? Which one is most likely to be the true alt...

TechStuff Fuels Up

18 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What are the different types of alternative fuels currently on the market? How do these fuels stack up against gasoline? Why is it important to invest...

TechStuff Visits E3

17 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What did Jonathan think about the new consoles at E3? What independent video game got major laughs on the floor? And what did Jonathan think about the...

TechStuff Gets a Lift

11 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What did Otis do to make passenger elevators feasible? How do elevators work? What are the different kinds of elevators? Learn more about your ad-cho...

Get Your Podcast To Mars!

10 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Mars One project? Why is it a one-way ticket to Mars? What are the qualifications for Mars One? Learn more about your ad-choices at https...

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a Superconductor

05 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What are superconductors? What is electrical resistance? How can superconductors levitate? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodc...

The Evolution of Batteries

03 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How do batteries work? What are the different types of batteries? Why has battery improvement been so slow? Join Lauren and Jonathan to learn more abo...

The Electronic Arts Story: Part Two

28 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How did the company change after the departure of Trip Hawkins? What were some of the other companies EA acquired? Why did EA win the Worst Company of...

The Electronic Arts Story: Part One

27 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Who is the founder of Electronic Arts? What was the company's philosophy about making games? Why did the founder leave the company? Tune in to learn m...

Printing a Gun

22 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How powerful is the 3D-printed gun designed by Cody Wilson? Why is the gun so controversial? Is a plastic gun really undetectable? Learn more about y...

TechStuff Gets Fit

20 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What are fitness trackers? What sort of sensors does a typical tracker contain? Do fitness trackers really help you lose weight or get fit? Tune in to...

We Don't Need No Online Scams

15 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Are online universities the real deal? What about online job offers? What are the red flags of a scam? Tune in and learn more with Jonathan and Lauren...

The Big Deal About Little Generators

13 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What are nanogenerators? How do nanowires generate electricity? How could nanogenerators change electronics forever? Tune in to learn more with Jonath...

What about (Microsoft) Bob?

09 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What was Microsoft Bob? What was the major security flaw in Bob? Why did Bob flop? Join Jonathan and Lauren as they explore the rise and fall of Micro...

TechStuff Shifts Into High Gear

06 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What do automotive transmissions do? How does power get from an engine to a car’s wheels? Why do manual transmission vehicles have a clutch? Learn m...

What is the DMCA?

01 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Why does the DMCA exist? What is safe harbor? What does the DMCA have to do with boats? Tune in to learn more with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more ab...

TechStuff Tackles Wikipedia

29 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How did Wikipedia get started? What was the predecessor to Wikipedia? What are the pros and cons of Wikipedia? Learn more about Wikipedia with Jonatha...

TechStuff Goes on a Voyage

24 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Voyager program? What systems are onboard the Voyager spacecraft? What is on the golden record on the Voyager spacecraft? Tune in and lear...

TechStuff Gets Stealthy

22 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How does radar work? How can stealth planes avoid radar? How many stealth vehicles are in active service in the US? Learn more about the science of st...

The Richest People in Tech

17 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Who are the wealthiest tech billionaires? How did they get so wealthy? Which ones have been on the list a long time? Join Jonathan and Lauren as they ...

TechStuff Experiments With Fusion

15 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is fusion? Why is fusion power so challenging? What is cold fusion? Learn more about the challenges -- and potential promises -- of fusion power ...

TechStuff Leaps Into Hyperspace

10 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Why does Han Solo's line about parsecs not make any sense? In the Star Wars universe, what exactly is hyperdrive? Why would hyperspace cause huge caus...

TechStuff’s 500th Episode!

08 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How did TechStuff get started? What has changed since the first episodes? How does the technology of 2008 compare to the tech of today? Join Jonathan ...

How Napster Worked

03 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What was the purpose of Napster? Who created Napster? How is the Napster of today related to the original Napster? Join Lauren and Jonathan as the exp...

TechStuff Pulls Some Pranks: Part Two

01 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What are some of the famous Caltech pranks? Did Google make a version of Google Maps for the Nintendo Entertainment System? Which ThinkGeek jokes beca...

How Segways Work

27 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the history of the Segway? How does a Segway work? What are gyroscopes? Listen in and learn more about Segways with Jonathan and Lauren. Lea...

How Refrigerators Work

25 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the history of refrigerators? How is a refrigerator like an air conditioner? How does vapor compression work? Learn the cold, hard facts abou...

Google Glass and Privacy

20 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How could wearing Google Glass compromise your privacy? What do we do when everyone is wearing a video camera? Are we already living in a world where ...

The State of the Blogosphere

18 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the history of blogging? How have blogs changed over the years? Who blogs these days? Join Jonathan and Lauren for a whirlwind tour of bloggi...

TechStuff Looks at Elon Musk

13 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Who is Elon Musk? What companies did Musk help create? What is the controversy about Musk and the New York Times? Join Lauren and Jonathan as they exp...

TechStuff Cleans Up After Digital Pets

11 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is a digital pet? What was the first digital pet? Why did the digital pet craze fizzle out so quickly in the United States? Learn more about the ...

TechStuff Looks at the PS4

06 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How will the PS4 be different from the PS3? What are the new social features supported by the PS4? Why didn’t Sony show off the actual console at th...

The State of Cybersecurity

04 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What did US President Barack Obama say about cybersecurity in the 2013 State of the Union address? What does his executive order on cybersecurity mean...

The Story of Amazon.com: Part 2

27 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How far did the value fall for Amazon.com stock after the dotcom crash? How did Amazon.com survive when other companies failed? In what ways did Amazo...

The Story of Amazon.com: Part 1

25 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Who is Jeff Bezos? When did Amazon.com launch? How valuable was Amazon.com stock before the dotcom crash of 2000? Join Jonathan and Lauren as they exp...

Tesla: The Man, The Myths, The Truth

20 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Who was Nikola Tesla, really? What did he invent? What are some of the popular misconceptions about Tesla and his work? Join Jonathan and Lauren as th...

TechStuff is Caught in a Tractor Beam

18 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What are tractor beams? How do photons normally react with matter? How are scientists using beams of light to pull microscopic objects? Listen in as J...

TechStuff Gets Domestic . . . Robots

13 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is a domestic robot? Why are today's domestic robots specialized? Why is it so hard to build a bipedal robot? Get the answers to these questions ...

TechStuff Enters the Singularity

11 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the technological singularity? How might the technological singularity come about? What do critics say about the idea of the singularity? List...

TechStuff Remembers Aaron Swartz

06 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Aaron Swartz was a young tech genius who was defining RSS specifications at age 14. Who was this young man, what did he believe in and why was the US ...

TechStuff Plays with Carbon Nanotubes

04 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is a carbon nanotube? What are the properties of carbon nanotubes? What are some of the potential uses of carbon nanotubes? Join Jonathan and Lau...

TechStuff Navigates Google Maps

01 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

How did Google Maps get started? How does it work, and how has it expanded beyond its original functionality? Join Lauren and Jonathan as they explore...

Are we living in a computer simulation?

30 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What is the philosophical argument about living in a computer simulation? What does the singularity have to do with it? How might we be able to tell i...