SYSK Selects: How Fire Works

Japanese nuclear worker Hisashi Ouchi is often called on the internet “the world’s most radioactive man.” That’s not exactly true, but it gets the point across about how severe the fatal dose of radiation he received was.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

It is to the great nation of Canada’s lasting credit that it has prized Terry Fox as one of the most beloved and admired citizens for nearly 50 years now. It’s difficult to get across how much he means to Canada. Lucky for us, his story speaks for itself.See omnystudio.com/listen ... Show More

The 1920s were just absolutely nuts. People got into weird fads really intensely and one of the strangest of all was flagpole sitting. It’s just what it sounds like – sitting on top of a flagpole for as long as you can. One man sat above them all. Learn all about him and many of ... Show More

Fireworks are a staple of celebrations around the world, but where does this invention come from and what’s the basic chemistry of their combustion? In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe light the fuse and find out. (originally published 6/23/2020)See ... Show More

It might surprise you to learn that the oldest raging fires on Earth are actually underground. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the world of eternal flames and coal seam fires. (originally published 04/26/2022)See omnystudio.com/listener ... Show More

It might surprise you to learn that the oldest raging fires on Earth are actually underground. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the world of eternal flames and coal seam fires. (originally published 04/28/2022)See omnystudio.com/listener ... Show More

It might surprise you to learn that the oldest raging fires on Earth are actually underground. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the world of eternal flames and coal seam fires. (originally published 05/05/2022)See omnystudio.com/listener ... Show More

It might surprise you to learn that the oldest raging fires on Earth are actually underground. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the world of eternal flames and coal seam fires.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

In this two-parter from Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the chemistry, space science and mythology of burning hair. So strap in for a discussion of everything from pirates and barbecue mishaps to Latin literature and science fiction. See omnystudio.com/listener fo ... Show More

<p>Numerous mythologies speak to the birth of our universe out of darkness and chaos, but can humans follow in the footsteps of the gods? Can we create a universe in the lab? In this episode of the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast, Robert and Joe explore the primordial darkness of ... Show More

<p>Grab your fire extinguisher and hang on to your eyebrows, we’re building FIRES today. We’ll hear all about how our ancient ancestors learned to wield a flame, tame it, transport it, and use it to make tools, keep us warm, and maybe even make us smarter. So get ready for sharp ... Show More

From fires in outer space to raging wildfires on Earth, fire experts Gary Ruff and Natasha Stavros reveal how fingers of flame reach out around our world. 

<p>The atoms in your heart once burned in the fires of a dead star. Does this constitute an almost-spiritual connection to the cosmos or is it mere chemistry? In this episode, Robert and Julie discuss the billion-year-old carbon inside us.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-cho ... Show More