logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2022
1h 43m

24: Self Experimentation, Amputation Arc...

MAXIMUM FUN
About this episode
What are the pros and perils of self experimentation? What archaeological clues do we have to the first human amputation? And why should we actually learn to love PowerPoint? 
Up next
Apr 9
103: Sage The Bad Naturalist & The Frog Mushroom Mystery
Why aren't mushroom animals? Why is this mushroom growing out of a frog?? WHAT KIND OF MUSHROOM IS TOAD?!?! Well Sage the Bad Naturalist is here to answer all our festering fungus questions! Things we Talk About: Sponge LifecycleFungus LifecycleMushroom Growing out of FrogBunashi ... Show More
1h 22m
Mar 26
102: The Vitamin Saga & The Evolution of Fairies
Why are there so many vitamins, what even IS a vitamin?? Well Tom finally understands, and takes us on a tour through their infuriating past. And how did the cheerful fairy we know and love today, evolve into its current form? Well we'll only tell if you can answer our riddles th ... Show More
1h 55m
Mar 12
101: Why is the Sky Blue & Speech Disfluency
For episode 101, we're challenging ourselves to make a technically family friendly, swear free episode! Why is the sky blue? Well it turns out it took a lot of science to understand why! And what is speech disfluency? Well it's like... um... you'll see! Images we Talk About:Green ... Show More
1h 46m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2025
Dinner with King Tut Explores the Wild World of Experimental Archaeology
Science writer Sam Kean joins Science Quickly to explore the hands-on world of experimental archaeology—where researchers don’t just study the past; they rebuild it. From launching medieval catapults to performing ancient brain surgery with stone tools, Kean shares his firsthand ... Show More
14m 49s
Jun 2025
What ‘Immortal’ Jellyfish and Famously Old Tortoises Tell Us about Aging
Animals’ lifespans can be far shorter or much longer than those of humans. Scientists are researching creatures such as “immortal” jellyfish and long-lived tortoises and digging deep into genetic codes to figure out why animals age—and what we can do to improve longevity in human ... Show More
14m 27s
Jun 2025
What ‘Immortal’ Jellyfish and Famously Old Tortoises Tell Us about Aging
Animals’ lifespans can be far shorter or much longer than those of humans. Scientists are researching creatures such as “immortal” jellyfish and long-lived tortoises and digging deep into genetic codes to figure out why animals age—and what we can do to improve longevity in human ... Show More
14m 27s
Feb 2025
A Germ of Truth: The 263rd Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
<p>In this week’s episode, we discuss the relationship between infectious and chronic disease, and between germ theory and terrain theory of disease. Pathogens are real, and exogenous treatments like antibiotics can kill them. The health of the body is affected by diet, exercise, ... Show More
1h 56m
Dec 2022
Champagne Fizzics, Last Days of the Dinosaurs, Vole Girl. Dec 30, 2022, Part 1
<p>Keeping The Bubbly In Your Holidays, With Fizzical Science</p> <p>As the year winds to a close, you may be attending gatherings where a festive flute of champagne is offered. Champagne production starts out with a first fermentation process that turns ordinary grape juice into ... Show More
47m 27s
Jan 2022
Pizza Science, Remembering E.O. Wilson And Richard Leakey. Jan 7 2022, Part 2
<p>How A Former Microsoft Exec Mastered The Perfect Slice—Using Science</p> <p>Who doesn’t love pizza? It’s a magical combination of sauce, cheese, crust, and maybe even a topping or two. Depending on where you eat it, the ratio of sauce and cheese and toppings changes: Neapolita ... Show More
53m 27s
Oct 2024
Scurvy, Bird Flu and a Big Old Meteorite
An enormous meteorite’s impact 3.26 billion years ago may have made conditions on Earth more hospitable for life in the long run. Washington State is the sixth state to report cases of bird flu in humans. Weight-loss procedures and treatments could lead to an uptick in scurvy cas ... Show More
9m 27s
Oct 2024
Scurvy, Bird Flu and a Big Old Meteorite
An enormous meteorite’s impact 3.26 billion years ago may have made conditions on Earth more hospitable for life in the long run. Washington State is the sixth state to report cases of bird flu in humans. Weight-loss procedures and treatments could lead to an uptick in scurvy cas ... Show More
9m 27s
Oct 2024
Johanna Hedva, "How to Tell When We Will Die: On Pain, Disability, and Doom" (Zando-Hillman Grad Books, 2024)
The long-awaited essay collection from one of the most influential voices in disability activism that detonates a bomb in our collective understanding of care and illness, showing us that sickness is a fact of life. In the wake of the 2014 Ferguson riots, and sick with a chronic ... Show More
57m 22s
Mar 2024
Ancient Roman writings revealed
As part of the Vesuvius Challenge, computer scientists have used machine learning to successfully reveal 2,000 characters from the Herculaneum scrolls. These artefacts were charred to a crisp following the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Papyrologist Federica Nicolardi has been tr ... Show More
28m 16s