logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2023
13m 2s

This Holiday, Dig Into Some Of The Hilar...

NPR
About this episode
Would you survive as a doctor in The Sims 4? What's an appropriate amount of free food to take from a public sample station before it's greedy? And how much do clock towers affect sleep? These are the types of questions answered in the Christmas issue of The BMJ — one of the journal's most highly anticipated issues each year. And we find out the answers in this very episode. So, sit back, relax and prepare to be amused by this ghost of Christmas Past (encore).

Check out what's been published so far in the 2023 issue. (We particularly like the research about the associated health risks and benefits of various Great British Bakeoff Ingredients.)

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Today
The new era of AI-powered cybercrime
Hacking has been on the rise around the world. In 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 1 million complaints of cybercrime, a record high in the US. Hackers are always getting more creative, and now they have a new tool at their disposal: AI. Interested in ... Show More
12m 28s
Jul 31
Want to spend a year living in NASA's Mars simulation?
Have you ever wanted to be an astronaut without risking your life in space? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you. NASA is calling for people with a science background to apply for a simulated mission to the Moon and Mars. Four adults will spend a year isolated in two en ... Show More
12m 7s
Jul 29
Are extreme wildfires the new normal?
With parts of the U.S, Canada, Spain and France all ablaze with wildfires, you might be wondering: Are wildfires on the rise? If so, know that you mind-melded with the entire Short Wave staff. We had the exact same thought – and then went down some reporting rabbit holes and turn ... Show More
13m 21s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2021
CrowdScience Christmas bonanza
<p>Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens – CrowdScience has covered a lot this year. And what better way to see out 2021 than to look back at a few of our (and your!) favourite things? Great questions are right at the top of the team’s list – especially with the way that for ... Show More
31m 43s
Dec 2009
Dissecting Christmas Dinner
In a festive mood, this week the Naked Scientists meet their meat and dissect Christmas Dinner, but not with a carving knife! We also hear how scientists are able to re-create the acoustics of long-gone churches and cathedrals to appreciate how ancient musical compositions and ca ... Show More
55m 54s
Dec 2021
From the Vault: Holiday Inventions
Once more, Stuff to Blow Your Mind leans into the holidays -- this time for an invention-minded episode about some of the technologies that bring the winter holidays to life. Join Robert and Joe as they discuss electric Christmas tree lights, tinsel and angelic tree toppers. (ori ... Show More
1h 1m
Dec 2023
Physiology of Santa Claus (2022)
<p>MERRY CHRISTMAS!</p><p>In this episode, Dr Matt &amp; Dr Mike explore the amazing physiology of Santa Claus. How can a chubby man from the North Pole withstand the forces necessary to deliver millions of presents in a single night?&nbsp;</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size: ... Show More
1h 11m
Jan 2022
MBMBaM 591: Bro's Better, Bro's Best: Ch. 217 - 230
<p>It was some sort of holiday at the end of the year, so we’re kicking off 2022 with things we were concerned about several years ago. It’s the perfect look back if you’re really craving the infinite wisdom of Yahoo! Answers and want to learn some fun facts about horses.</p><p>S ... Show More
1h 7m
Dec 2019
Bonus Episode: Christmas Magic
Tis the season! This episode explores what rate and time it would take Santa to travel to the other planets in the solar system! 
6m 47s
Dec 2023
The Nature Podcast Festive Spectacular 2023
In this episode:01:55 “Oh GPT”In the first of our festive songs, we pay homage to LLMs, the generative AI chat bots which have taken 2023 by storm. 05:32 Twenty questionsIn this year’s festive game, our competitors try to guess some of the biggest science stories of the year, sol ... Show More
45m 29s
Dec 2023
Favorite Headcannons: Holiday Edition
What would an upgraded, Wizard version of Santa Claus look like? Would he have any need for reindeer, or could he Apparate? This and other holiday-related questions are the focus of our last bonus MuggleCast segment for 2023! We also discuss non-Christmas holiday representation, ... Show More
25m 36s