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
Feb 25
Atomic Priesthood, Space Smells Like Beef, the Power of Pee Fuel
Jess brings on science-minded friends Lindsey and Misti to discuss why space smells like a freshly opened beef stew packet, how having to pee makes you better at video games like Elden Ring, and how rituals and priests might be the solution to long-term nuclear waste warning. Fol ... Show More
1h 6m
Feb 11
REVISITING Olympic Weirdness: Barefoot Marathons, Medals for Artwork, Pistol Dueling
While Rachel is on parental leave, here's a vintage episode from our vault! Rachel, Claire, and Sara discuss all things weird related to the Olympics way back in 2021 (when the games were pushed back a year from the pandemic). The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast ... Show More
1h 3m
Jan 28
Beaver Skull Obsession, Aussie Widowmakers, Koalas Eating $#!%
WELCOME TO SEASON 10! Jess hosts the show solo while Rachel is on maternity leave, but brings on a pair of her creator friends to chat about how beavers keep wildfires at bay, koalas eating their moms' poop (kind of), and exploding Australian trees. Follow rickypeacock: https://w ... Show More
1h 9m
Aug 2024
HISTORY This Week is coming back!
After a long, long wait, we are very happy to be bringing HISTORY This Week back to our listeners around the world. New episodes start releasing on September 16th, but in the meantime, we’ll be airing some favorite HTW classics in our feed. If you haven’t already, make sure to fo ... Show More
1m 8s
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
May 2023
What if I've had the wrong enneagram type for years? | Q&A Episode
Today I am answering a question texted into the podcast phone line about mistyping yourself. As a reminder, you can get your enneagram, self-care, creativity and time management questions answered at 828-338-9127. -- Thank you to this week’s podcast sponsor: BETTERHELP: Our liste ... Show More
18m 31s
Oct 2025
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 2025
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
How the bedtime stories we grew up with inspire the stories we tell now. For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable And please email us! unexplainable@ ... Show More
