Annalee Newitz discusses how to survive an apocalypse while eating good, Rachel talks about birds using spikes as barbecue skewers (and more), and Chelsey gets into sexing skeletons.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
Click here to learn ... Show More
Sep 23
Death by Trebuchet, Big Bird's Close Call, Dry Scooping Coffee
Shane Madej and Matt Real join the show from The Quizard's Pit! There's discussion of sending Big Bird to space (thank GOODNESS we didn't), a suspicious skeleton, and one writer who loved coffee a little too much. Check out The Quizard's Pit: https://www.youtube.com/@TheQuizardsP ... Show More
52m 56s
Sep 9
Hector the Tickle Robot, Eyeball Teeth, a Little Bit of ~Spice~ (and Neuroscience)
Author and food historian Priya Mani joins the show to talk about the neuroscience of spice. Plus, Laura explains why whales have teeth on their eyes (SERIOUSLY), and Rachel gets into why a tickle robot exists. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Scienc ... Show More
1h 10m
Aug 26
Pantone-deaf, Naked Mole Rat Perfume, a Berry of Many Names
Alexis Nikole joins the show to talk about the heinous etymology of the juneberry (if that's even it's real name...). Plus, Liz Clayton Fuller returns to explain how birds are behind Pantone, and Rachel details the ins and outs of Naked Mole Rat society -- and what it has to do w ... Show More
1h 11m
Nov 2015
Episode 248: A Rye Bread Made of Birds
TOPIC: More Songs About Buildings and Food This week, Dan and Merlin talk about transitions, microwave ovens, air conditioning, and the likelihood of salmonella. Links for this episode:Amazon.com: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (9780060589462): ... Show More
1h 32m
Jul 2018
Epidemiology (DISEASES) with 'This Podcast Will Kill You's' Erins Welsh & Allmann-Updyke
<p>TWO epidemiologists-named-Erin -- and hosts of the stellar <a href="https://thispodcastwillkillyou.podbean.com/" target="_blank">This Podcast Will Kill You</a> -- chat with Alie about historical horror stories, THE plague, cholera cocktails, flu shots, tick bombs, milkmaids, w ... Show More
1h 30m
Apr 2024
Things We Don’t Understand (PART 2)
This week, the girls are back with their school caps on! They deep dive into some interesting topics they didn’t understand & explain it in ~valley girl~ terms. They talk about telescopes, how birds mate, dry cleaning, blimps, & more!Watch us on YouTube: WWS YouTube ChannelShop o ... Show More
1h 20m
Sep 2019
19 September 2019: XKCD, and Extinction Rebellion
This week, absurd advice from XKCD’s Randall Munroe, and a conversation with climate lawyer turned activist Farhana Yamin.In this episode: 00:46 How to do things (badly)Cartoonist Randall Munroe tell us about his new book: How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Pr ... Show More
26m 8s