The weirdest things we learned this week range from poisonous wallpaper that people voluntarily put in their homes to an exploration of what happens to poop on a cruise ship. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"?
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with u ... Show More
Dec 17
Bat-Devouring Rodents, Penguin Retirement Home, Chicago "Rat" Hole
Kendra Pierre-Louis joins Weirdest Thing for the season 9 finale! She talks about the rats chowing down on bats, producer Jess Boddy explains the scientific study on Chicago's rat hole, and Rachel talks about the wonderfully heartwarming penguin retirement home at the New England ... Show More
58m 22s
Dec 3
Vintage Antivaxxers, Horror Flick Psychology, Robin-Eating Bats
Coltan Scrivner joins the show to talk about the strange empathy of horror movie enjoyers. Plus, Sara Kiley talks about bats dogfighting and devouring birds, and Rachel delves into the bizarre history of the first anti-vax movement. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a pod ... Show More
56m 31s
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
Apr 2025
Flight Secrets That Are Never Told to Passengers
Ladies and gentlemen welcome aboard this Be Amazed flight! As we take to the skies today, I’ll be letting you in on a few little-known, mind-blowing facts about all things aeronautical. From the truth behind bad airline food to how picking the safest seat might save your life, he ... Show More
20m 47s
Oct 20
The Science of Morbid Curiosity & The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy
When you want to reach out to someone — to ask them on a date, invite them to an event, or simply connect — what’s the best way to do it? Text? Email? A phone call? Research shows one option is far more effective, and it’s not what most people assume. Listen as I reveal what scie ... Show More
48m 50s