<p>From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed. </p>
Brain-eating amoebas, climate change, economists, and Leonardo da Vinci’s robot lion all collide in this week’s episode. We dig into how warming freshwater is helping dangerous amoebas spread into new places, why these rare but terrifying organisms are linked to water going up the nose, and what that means for swimmers, public health, and the very specific fear of warm lakes. It is science, climate, and nightmare fuel all in one neat package.
We also unpack a strange finding from economics research. The more economists agree with each other, the more their views can drift away from the general public. It is a fascinating look at expert consensus, groupthink, public opinion, and why economic theory can sometimes feel completely detached from real life. If you have ever wondered why economists sound like they are living on a different planet, this one may help.
Then we head back to the Renaissance for one of the greatest flexes in science and engineering history. Leonardo da Vinci reportedly built a mechanical robot lion that could walk and reveal flowers from its chest, blending robotics, invention, art, and spectacle centuries before modern technology caught up. If you love weird science, history, innovation, robots, and bizarre true stories, this episode is for you.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
01:10 Brain-Eating Amoeba Basics
02:43 How It Infects You
03:57 Warming Spreads the Risk
04:39 Economists vs Everyone
10:10 Assumptions and Governance
11:03 Medici Exile Storytime
12:23 Bologna Power Play
13:07 Medici Politics Banter
14:32 Da Vinci Gift Idea
16:46 Robot Knight Blueprint
18:48 Building the Lion
19:44 Courtroom Lion Reveal
23:22 Modern Art Machines
24:43 Ratings and Farewell
SOURCES:
https://www.aeaweb.org/articles/pdf/doi/10.1257/aer.103.3.636
https://www.sciencealert.com/brain-eating-amoebas-may-pose-a-growing-global-threat-scientists-warn
https://www.history.com/articles/da-vinci-robotic-lion
https://www.history.com/articles/7-early-robots-and-automatons
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Conspiracy theorists hate uncertainty, a mushroom hot pot in China can apparently summon tiny imaginary people, a bunch of seeds have been sitting underground since the 1800s waiting for their moment and scientists are trying to quantify why words like boobs are funny. This week is a mixed bag of psychology, botany and childish humour, which is basically the entire scientific enterprise when you strip away the grant applications.
We start with conspiracy thinking and why it is often less about facts and more about feelings. Research suggests people who lean hard into conspiracies can struggle with ambiguity and prefer simple explanations in a complicated world. Certainty feels good, chaos feels awful and conspiracy stories offer villains, motives and a neat ending. Even when the story is wrong.
Then we head to Yunnan, China, where prized mushrooms can cause hallucinations if they are eaten too early, including reports of seeing tiny people. Researchers still have not nailed down the exact chemical responsible, and it may be a mix of biology, preparation and expectation. The takeaway is simple. If the locals tell you to cook the mushrooms properly, listen.
We look at one of the longest running experiments in science, where seeds buried in glass bottles in the 1800s are still being dug up and tested to see what can germinate. We also dip into the science of funny words and why certain sounds and associations make some words reliably hilarious. So, stay curious, cook your hot pot properly, and if you start seeing tiny people, maybe stop eating the mushrooms.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
00:48 Conspiracy Believer Traits
03:13 New Study On Coverups
05:14 Ambiguity And Unfairness
06:42 Skepticism Vs Conspiracy
07:59 Mushroom Hot Pot Warning
10:19 Tiny People Hallucinations
14:01 Hunting The Active Compound
17:35 Seed Bottle Time Capsule
21:24 Custodians And Map
21:56 Bottles Remaining Timeline
23:12 Succession And Secrecy
24:51 2021 Dawn Dig
26:30 Why The Experiment Matters
29:10 Long Term Projects
30:48 Science Of Funny Words
36:31 Modeling Humor Categories
40:21 Phonemes And Incongruity
43:22 Destroying Humour And Wrap
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656622000423
https://futurism.com/health-medicine/conspiracy-theories-psychology
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/science/beal-seeds-experiment.html
https://magazine.wfu.edu/2022/10/05/unearthing-time-in-a-bottle/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/15-longest-running-scientific-studies-history https://people.howstuffworks.com/why-poop-and-wiggle-are-funny-words-according-to-science.htm?utm_source=HowStuffWorks+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=themed-words-3-6-25
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Venting might be making you angrier, Neanderthals apparently had a type, and unborn babies are already forming strong opinions about kale. This week we bounce from modern psychology to ancient DNA to fetal facial expressions, with a quick detour into pokie machines and how they might be made a little less addictive.
We start with a meta analysis suggesting venting is not the healthy release we have been sold. Instead of calming you down, it can keep your body fired up and make the anger stick around longer. The less satisfying fix is also the more effective one, doing things that lower arousal like breathing, yoga, and anything that stops you replaying the same rant on loop.
Then we head back to prehistory, where research suggests Neanderthal DNA patterns point to pairings that may have involved Neanderthal men and human women more often than the reverse. The details are complicated, but the headline is simple. Neanderthals are not just history, they are part of us, and the human story has always been messier than we like to admit.
Finally, we look at a study that might explain why some people hate vegetables with the passion of a thousand suns. Fetuses exposed to carrot flavours appeared to react more positively than those exposed to kale, hinting that taste preferences may start before birth. We wrap up with a surprisingly practical idea for pokie machines, adding sounds for losses as well as wins to make the experience less psychologically sneaky.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Venting Myth
02:40 Science Debunks Catharsis
04:06 Meta Analysis Breakdown
05:40 Calm Down Not Amp Up
06:59 Jogging And Anger
09:25 Why We Love Anger
10:53 Play Metal And Fun
11:48 Neanderthal DNA Mystery
13:07 Who Mated With Whom
14:17 Neanderthal Dating Bias
15:16 Hybrid Myths and Mechanics
16:28 Picky Eaters Rant
18:54 Fetuses Taste Flavours
20:08 Carrot Smiles vs Kale Grimaces
23:30 Pokies Need Losing Sounds
27:47 Petition and Sign-Off
SOURCES:
https://www.sciencealert.com/venting-doesnt-reduce-anger-but-something-else-does-review-finds
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, AI is casually reaching for the nuclear button, a Norwegian scientist has accidentally recreated something that looks a lot like Havana Syndrome, and a brain lesion has turned a marathon runner into an intense foodie. It is a neat little trio of stories that sits right on the edge of science fiction, except the uncomfortable part is that it is all real.
We start with simulated war games where major AI models were put in charge of military decision making. The result is grimly simple. In these scenarios, the systems chose to deploy tactical nuclear weapons most of the time, showing none of the cultural taboo or restraints humans have built around nuclear escalation.
Then we head to Norway, where a scientist tested a pulse energy device on himself to see if it could plausibly cause Havana Syndrome-style symptoms. It did. Which is both a scientific result and a personal mistake, and it raises the obvious question of what happens when this kind of technology moves from theory to wider interest.
Finally, we look at Gorman Syndrome, a neurological twist where a brain lesion appears to flip someone from long distance running to an intense obsession with fine food. It is funny, strange, and a sharp reminder that personality can be less fixed than we like to believe.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Fire Alarm AI Fail
00:46 LLMs in War Games
06:34 Nukes and No Surrender
09:36 Pentagon Wants Anthropic
10:33 Testing AI Weirdness
12:50 Dead Cow Prompt Update
15:07 Car Wash Question Trap
18:10 Lost in the Middle Fix
22:01 Maps and Recursive Islands
23:32 Chasing Longest Line of Sight
26:53 All the Views Map
27:49 What Limits Sightlines
29:23 Havana Syndrome Emerges
31:58 Theories and Investigations
35:14 Norwegian Microwave Experiment
42:20 Official Stance and Confusion
44:04 Extreme Foodie Case Study
47:39 Gourmand Syndrome Explained
51:21 Brain Lesions and Cravings
SOURCES:
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week we have hippos with hidden bits, hearts that take a mechanical detour, and a medical case study that will make you sit down and reconsider every life choice that led you to having a body. It is science at its best and worst, fascinating, useful, and deeply inconvenient.
We start at the zoo, where hippo castration is a real population control tool, partly to manage breeding and partly to reduce aggression. The catch is hippo anatomy is not built for human convenience, with internal testes that turn the whole procedure into a high stakes game of hide and seek inside a very large, very grumpy animal.
Then we move from hippos to hearts, looking at cardiac surgeries that use a heart lung bypass machine. Some patients report a temporary cognitive dip afterward, often called pump brain, and nobody is fully sure why it happens. It might be the machine, the stress of surgery, or subtle changes in blood flow and inflammation, but the mystery is still very much alive.
Finally, we end with a story that makes every listener cross their legs in sympathy. A man developed a rectal urethral fistula after previous surgery, likely linked to a catheter complication during a coma, and his internal plumbing rerouted itself in the most unhelpful way possible. The takeaway is simple. Bodies are fragile, embarrassment is useless, and if something feels wrong, get it checked.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Hippo Castration Study
05:50 Why Zoos Castrate Hippos
08:11 Internal Anatomy Surprise
13:04 Surgery Method and Timing
15:14 Recovery and Blood Sweat
17:12 Aftereffects and Social Dynamics
18:11 Science Communication Pivot
18:46 Alcohol Messaging Study Setup
21:27 Violence as Communication
21:57 Alcohol Messages That Work
23:25 Counting Drinks Cancer Risk
25:08 Comfortable With Surgery
25:49 Heart Bypass Miracle Machine
29:12 Pumphead Cognitive Decline
33:43 Why the Pump Makes You Dumber
35:46 Fistula Case From Catheter
42:34 Spinosaurus Tank Top Sendoff
SOURCES:
Rosetta scientist Dr Matt Taylor apologises for ‘offensive’ shirt
Astonishing Spinosaur Unearthed in The Sahara Is Unlike Any Seen Before
There's One Simple Method to Lower Alcohol Intake, And It Works
A randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of combinations of ‘why to reduce’ and ‘how to reduce’ alcohol harm-reduction communications
Westbury, C., & Hollis, G. (2019). Wriggly, squiffy, lummox, and boobs: What makes some words funny? Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 148(1), 97–123.
https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000467 https://people.howstuffworks.com/why-poop-and-wiggle-are-funny-words-according-to-science.htm?
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000169182600171X
https://futurism.com/health-medicine/exercise-cardio-stress-research
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0093691X13004275
https://www.discovermagazine.com/why-its-nearly-impossible-to-castrate-a-hippo-4775
https://futurism.com/neoscope/doctors-rectourethral-fistula
https://www.cureus.com/articles/68327-a-curious-case-of-rectal-ejaculation#!/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What happens to the economy if aliens show up? Not the movie version. The real version where markets panic, confidence collapses, and everyone suddenly forgets how money is supposed to work. This week, we dig into the idea that confirming UFOs or UAPs could trigger an ontological shock that rattles financial systems in ways no central bank has a policy for.
Then we head into dream engineering, where researchers are testing whether your sleeping brain can be nudged to solve problems while you are out cold. Using targeted memory reactivation, the idea is to plant cues that help your mind keep working in the background, like a night shift you never agreed to.
And because the universe loves balance, we finish with an emergency room story that escalates into a full hospital evacuation. Yes, it involves an artillery shell lodged where it absolutely should not be, and yes, it ends with the bomb squad being called.
So that is the episode. UFO economics, puzzle solving in your sleep, and a reminder that humans will always find new ways to surprise medical professionals. Like, subscribe, and tell us what weird science story we should chase next.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Ex–Bank of England Analyst Warns: Aliens Could Crash the Economy
03:35 Ontological Shock 101: When Reality Breaks
05:00 From Panic to Euphoria: How Markets Might React to UAP Disclosure
11:16 Can Sleep (and Dreams) Help Solve Hard Problems?
15:13 Dream Engineering & Lucid Dreaming: Hacking Sleep for Creativity
17:21 Inside the Experiment: Puzzles, Sound Cues, and Watching Inception
18:51 Dream Cues for Puzzle-Solving (and Lucid Dream Strategies)
20:40 ‘Rent a Human’: AI Agents Hiring People for Real-World Tasks
21:41 Proof, Crypto Payouts, and the Weirdest Job Examples
27:31 ER Evacuations: When ‘Foreign Objects’ Become a Public Safety Issue
28:58 Annual ‘Stuff Stuck in Bodies’ Highlights (Yes, Mostly Butts)
39:11 Mailbag & Sign-Off
SOURCES:
https://defector.com/what-did-we-get-stuck-in-our-rectums-last-year-6
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0735675723001535
https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-man-wwii-shell-lodged-in-rectum-bomb-squad-called-2021-12
https://futurism.com/future-society/hospital-evacuated-man-ww1-shell
https://futurism.com/space/alien-life-financial-collapse
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bank-england-warned-prepare-aliens-212252751.html
https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-rent-human-bodies
https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-agents-incapable-math
Creative problem-solving after experimentally provoking dreams of unsolved puzzles during REM sleep
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Winter Olympians are allegedly gaming their suit seams for extra lift, the ocean is still capable of throwing an absolutely giant wall of water at your face with no warning, and somewhere in Queensland, a blob of pitch is taking nearly a century to prove it is technically a liquid. This week, we bounce from sports cheating to monster waves to the slowest experiment on Earth, with science doing what it does best and refusing to be tidy.
We dig into ski jumping and the art of the tiny advantage, including why the groin region has become an unexpectedly important battleground in Olympic aerodynamics. Then we hit the open ocean, where rogue waves have gone from sailor myth to measured reality, and the scariest part is how suddenly they show up.
From there, climate change delivers a curveball in Svalbard, where some polar bears are getting fatter by adapting their diets and hunting patterns. We also look at 3D printable electronic skin that lets robots feel touch, and a massive Swedish study that challenges long-held assumptions about autism and gender bias.
Finally, we pay tribute to the pitch drop experiment at the University of Queensland, a reminder that some scientists are built differently and will happily wait decades for goo to make a point.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Winter Olympics Excitement
00:19 The Science of Ski Jumping Suits
01:25 Meet the Hosts
02:18 Ski Jumping Suit Scandal
10:13 Polar Bears and Climate Change
16:21 Rogue Waves: The Ocean's Hidden Danger
29:04 The Mystery of the Unsinkable Ship
29:24 The Rise of Rogue Waves
29:42 The Record-Breaking Youclue Lit Wave
30:41 Super Rogue Waves: A New Threat?
32:08 The Physics of Waves
34:06 3D Printable E-Flesh: A Technological Marvel
38:28 Autism: A Gender Perspective
45:27 The Pitch Drop Experiment: A Slow Burn
55:41 Mailbag and Final Thoughts
SOURCES:
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, we bounce between sex, psychedelics, and infectious disease, and somehow it all hangs together by the end. We unpack research on porn use that suggests the real issue is not how often people watch it, but why they are watching in the first place, with motivation shaping the impact on emotional and sexual wellbeing.
Then we head into the world of magic mushrooms, where psilocybin is being studied for potential health effects that go beyond the trip. From possible links to ageing markers like telomeres, to broader associations with physical health, the science is early but intriguing. We also explore research suggesting psychedelics may influence sexual arousal and satisfaction, including for people dealing with depression and antidepressant side effects.
Finally, we tackle an influenza study with a bizarre result: healthy volunteers spent time around flu sufferers and nobody caught it. Was it luck, immunity, or a sign we still do not fully understand how flu spreads in real world settings.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Pornography Concerns
00:40 Science Steps In: Quality Over Quantity
03:52 Exploring the Concept of Gooning
06:55 Research on Pornography Usage
12:44 Human Anatomy Compared to Great Apes
19:39 Life Hacks and Psychedelic Drugs
19:46 Health Benefits of Psychedelics
21:26 Anti-Aging Properties of Psilocybin
23:36 Survival Skills and Psychedelics
27:27 Flu Transmission Study
33:57 Sexual Benefits of Magic Mushrooms
37:49 Listener Contributions
SOURCES:
https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003595
https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1013153
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Everyone wants to live forever, dogs are out here doing actual jobs, and someone has tried to work out where heaven might be using astronomy. We dig into the strange science of longevity, including research suggesting reproduction and lifespan might be linked in uncomfortable ways. Then they meet the working dogs sniffing out invasive species, guarding airport runways, and generally making the rest of us look lazy.
From there, things get cosmic. An opinion piece argues heaven could sit beyond our cosmic horizon, which is a great way to accidentally spend your afternoon thinking about infinity. There is also a quick detour into gelatin-based culinary chaos, featuring the kind of vintage recipes that should come with a warning label.
We wrap up with listener stories, including a cow named Veronica who can use a broom as a tool, because of course she can.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
00:19 Exploring the Science of Longevity
01:00 Psychology and Climate Action
01:09 Mailbag and Birthday Surprise
01:27 Lifestyle Changes for Longevity
02:47 Reproduction and Longevity
12:58 Dogs with Jobs
21:07 Science Finds Heaven
27:51 Cosmic Horizon and Hubble's Law
29:39 Einstein's Relativity and Speed of Light
31:18 The Mysteries Beyond the Cosmic Horizon
40:49 Veronica the Tool-Using Cow
48:03 Gelatin: A Culinary and Industrial Marvel
54:58 Komodo Dragons and Asexual Reproduction
56:25 Listener Mailbag and Fun Facts
SOURCES:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656622000423
https://futurism.com/health-medicine/conspiracy-theories-psychology
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656622000423
https://futurism.com/health-medicine/men-lifespan-castration
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109009
https://www.aol.com/articles/heaven-real-science-may-reveal-130016778.html
https://michaelguillen.com
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9963746/
https://www.nature.com/news/2006/061218/full/news061218-7.html
https://www.rspcaqld.org.au/blog/trending-now/dogs-with-unusual-jobs
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The FBI’s search for Bigfoot shows that even serious agencies can get swept up in a good mystery. Their investigation ended with a misidentified animal instead of a legendary creature, but the files are still a treasure for anyone fascinated by conspiracies and the unknown. Sometimes, the search is more interesting than the answer.
Meanwhile, scientists in Queensland have been busy breaking down the secrets of your favourite brew. By analysing the proteins in dozens of beers, they found that craft brews really do stand apart from the mass-produced stuff. If your IPA tastes special, it is not just in your head. Science backs you up.
On a darker note, the world of fame is not all it is cracked up to be. Research shows that musicians in the spotlight face far greater risks than the rest of us, with fame itself becoming the real danger. The pressure and constant scrutiny can take a heavy toll. Sometimes, chasing the dream comes with a price nobody wants to pay.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
01:13 The FBI's Bigfoot Files
01:46 Exploring the Freedom of Information Vault
03:37 The FBI's Investigation into Bigfoot
07:08 Mass Spectrometry and Beer Proteins
10:12 Craft Beer vs. Mass-Produced Beer
13:01 The Dream of Being a Rockstar
13:58 The Risks of Fame in the Music Industry
18:09 Concluding Thoughts and Listener Engagement
SOURCES:
The FBI Released Bigfoot’s Official File
Beer snobs, rejoice: Craft beer really is different
The price of fame? Mortality risk among famous singers
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
AI is giving people a confidence boost they might not deserve, especially among those who consider themselves tech-savvy. Studies show that using AI for problem-solving leads many to overestimate their own abilities, with higher AI literacy actually making users more likely to trust the machine and question themselves less. The smarter we think we are with technology, the more likely we are to fall for its digital flattery.
Meanwhile, ancient Australia was home to predators that make today’s wildlife look tame. Fossil evidence suggests that five-metre crocodiles once hunted by dropping out of trees onto unsuspecting prey. This twist on the classic crocodile encounter adds a new layer of terror to Australia’s already legendary roster of dangerous animals. Forget snakes in the grass. Sometimes the real threat was lurking above.
On the cultural front, Gen Z is challenging old standards and rewriting the rules on everything from ironing to mental health. Some in this generation long for a less digital era, question the value of traditional skills, and proudly reject the notion that neat clothes equal good character. They also claim credit for baggy jeans and even admit to being the most annoying generation to work with.
From digital delusions to tree-dwelling crocs and Gen Z’s new priorities, the only thing we can count on is that the world refuses to stay boring.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
00:48 AI and the Dunning-Kruger Effect
02:11 AI Literacy and Overconfidence
02:51 AI's Impact on Self-Assessment
06:59 Australian Wildlife and Myths
07:35 Legend of the Drop Croc
08:57 Generational Differences
10:10 Gen Z's Perspective
11:03 Skills and Inventions
12:52 Annoying Generations at Work
13:40 Conclusion and Call to Action
SOURCES:
AI Is Causing a Grim New Twist on the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Generation Conflicted: How Do Gen Zers Compare Themselves to Past Generations?
Evidence of ancient tree-climbing 'drop crocs' found in Australia
Australia’s oldest crocodylian eggshell: insights into the reproductive paleoecology of mekosuchines
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.