Sociolinguist Erica Brozovsky joins the show to discuss talkative fungi, Amanda Reed chats about nonbinary birds, and Rachel gets into animal sounds—especially the ones we can't hear.
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!
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Oct 8
Drunk Monkeys, Heroic Rats, Forehead Teeth
Carly York joins the show to talk about the most heroic rats you'll ever meet. Plus, Sara Kiley talks about some drunk monkeys, and Rachel gets into sharks' toothy foreheads. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and sto ... Show More
45m 39s
Sep 24
Skateboard Archeology, Dire Wolf Bones, The Great Fear
Annalee Newitz joins the show to talk all about how 18th century gossip spread like an actual infectious disease. Plus, Laura delves into how dire wolf bones could help our modern pups, and Rachel talks about the archaeologists who are studying more modern stuff, like skate parks ... Show More
54m 44s
Sep 10
Airborne Butt Cam, Snake Panic, Oops! All Cloacas
Sarah Gailey joins the show to discuss why one scientist put the cutest little monocles on a bunch of chameleons. (And also to talk about their new book, Spread Me, out now wherever you buy books!) Plus, Rachel talks about the great Missouri snake panic, and Lauren talks about an ... Show More
1h 2m
Feb 2025
159: Sadism, Sex Potions, & Deer Musk?? History’s Most Disturbing Aphrodisiacs
Hi friends, happy Wednesday! Since ancient times, people have sought out aphrodisiacs—those mysterious foods, herbs, and even animal parts thought to ignite desire, spark passion, and awaken romance. But do these so-called love enhancers really work? Are they based on science or ... Show More
45m 47s
Aug 2024
Bonus: Fun Fact or Fake Factoid?! A Chemistry and Trivia Showdown
In this bonus game edition of 'Chemistry For Your Life', host Melissa, co-host Jam, and guest Claire embark on an entertaining journey of debunking or verifying popular 'fun facts' submitted by their listeners. The game, titled 'Fun Fact or Fake Factoid', involves dissecting quir ... Show More
28m 6s
Apr 2025
BONUS - LIVE TALK TRACKS EPISODE - Love Beyond Words
In this episode of The Talk Tracks, we come to you live from South by Southwest for a heartfelt roundtable presented by Bumble and hosted by Ky Dickens, exploring how love, dating, and connection unfold in a neurodiverse world. Joined by Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, artist ... Show More
56m 28s
Sep 19
Algorithmic Social Media Is Driving New Slang
From viral slang such as “skibidi” to the rise of so-called brain rot, linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic, aka the “Etymology Nerd,” and associate editor Allison Parshall, who covers the mind and brain, unpack how social media and algorithms are reshaping the way we commun ... Show More
26m 55s
Mar 2025
PRETTY CURIOUS | Oscars 2025, the Censure of Rep. Al Green, and the Decreasing Butterfly Population
Queens, we have so much to catch up on! This week on Pretty Curious, JVN and senior producer Chris are going all in on current events, the Oscars, and debriefing from last week’s Getting Curious on being your authentic self at work - MUCH vulnerability. Buckle up, babes—this epis ... Show More
39m 56s
Aug 27
A Girl-Chat Special: The Summer I Turned Pretty
In this week’s episode, Tay is joined by Keaton Milburn, Natasha Bure, and Sheila Mohebpour for a girl-chat special all about The Summer I Turned Pretty! They dive into the ultimate debate of Team Jeremiah vs. Team Conrad, share their favorite and least favorite moments from the ... Show More
1h 16m