Here at Popular Science, we write (and read) dozens of stories every week. And though many of the fun facts we stumble across during our research make into an article, something always hits the cutting room floor. But we still want to share that information with you. So, welcome to The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week, a podcast from the editors at Popular ... Show More
Nov 19
Footless Goose Murder, Sex in Space, Viking Sicko Mode, Sports Bra Tech
Behold: our LIVE show from earlier this year at Caveat in NYC! Rachel, Jess, Moiya McTier and Claire Maldarelli each bring a weird fact to the stage. Topics run the gamut this week. We've got an avian murder mystery, why having sex in space sucks, how preworkout is kind of like b ... Show More
1h 18m
Nov 5
What Rats are REALLY Saying, Cosmic Caffeine, Lamarck was RIGHT?!
Tom Lum joins the show to reveal what rats are ACTUALLY saying to each other. Plus, Rachel talks about the color of the Universe, and Lauren explains one evolutionary exception. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and ... Show More
1h 4m
Nov 2019
The Fascinating Origins of Everyday Foods (Part 1)
In this episode of The Brain Food Show, we start off looking at the interesting reason why milk is white, yet cheddar cheese is yellow/orange.
Next up, we have a brief message from our sponsor, Blinkist, which gives you the key ideas from more than 3,000 bestselling nonfiction b ... Show More
57m 3s
Oct 4
More Happier: The Joy of Giving Away Toys, the Pleasure of Parasocial Relationships & TV Tourism
We talk about the energy (and space) gained from giving away items that others will appreciate, and we explore the surprisingly positive aspects of parasocial relationships with podcast hosts and TV personalities. Plus, we dive into the phenomenon of TV tourism. Resources & links ... Show More
26m 1s
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
Oct 2019
The Fascinating Origins of Everyday Things (Part 2)
In this episode of The Brain Food Show, we start off looking at that time the United States government banned pre-sliced bread… Really.
Next up, we have a brief message from a sponsor, Blinkist, which gives you the key ideas from more than 3,000 bestselling nonfiction books in j ... Show More
48m 6s
Feb 2025
More Happier: The “More Happier” Debate, Do You Eat Before You Pay & Advice For Creative People
We review the great debate among listeners about whether our ungrammatical jokes about “More Happier” are fun—or annoying. We also discuss whether, as creative people, we expect our friends and family to read, watch, or listen to what we create. Plus we explore a silly question a ... Show More
25m 56s