Part-Time Genius

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Will and Mango have lots of questions. Will we ever live without sleep? How do rats keep outsmarting humans? Where are the sunniest tax havens to hide your money? Join these Part-Time Geniuses as they dive into ridiculous topics... and discover some pretty smart stuff along the way.

  • 27 minutes 33 seconds
    How to Make a Scottish Tartan (Without Going to Scotland!)

    What unique title do you earn if you climb Scotland’s tallest mountains? How is the Scots language being preserved? What’s the deep, dark secret behind bagpipes? And most important, do you support Will and Mango’s plan to register an official Part-Time Genius tartan with the Scottish government? Today we’ve got 9 kilt-tilting facts about Scotland!

    Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected].

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

    Photo by K. Mitch Hodge via Unsplash. Thanks, K. Mitch!

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    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 March 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 2 minutes 17 seconds
    Introducing: Mostly Human with Laurie Segall

    Mostly Human is a weekly podcast that explores technology through the most important lens: the human one. Hosted by award-winning tech journalist Laurie Segall, the immersive interview and investigative show tackles some of the defining questions of our time with headline-making tech titans and the people you don't know yet, but should. Mostly Human will leave you with a sense of agency over fear, and a clearer view of how tech can actually work for you.

    Listen here and subscribe to Mostly Human with Laurie Segall on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!

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    28 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 32 minutes 20 seconds
    How Did the Avocado Conquer the World?

    Forget boring toast—the world has been making all sorts of avocado advances. Why aren't you using an avocado sock? Should you be investing in diet avocados from Spain? And why aren't you drinking your lattes out of avocado shells, like Australians do? Will and Mango dive deep into the tasty world of avocados to determine why they took so long to catch on, and what Baywatch Nights has to do with their popularity. (Spoiler: Very little.)

    This episode originally aired on April 27, 2018.

    Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected].

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

    Photo by Estúdio Bloom via Unsplash. 

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    27 March 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 48 minutes 50 seconds
    Is The Legend of Zelda the Perfect Video Game?

    Strap on your sword and grab your ocarina, because today we're celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda! Join Mango and Gabe as they uncover the secrets of Nintendo's landmark fantasy series, including the real-world inspirations and technical breakthroughs that helped bring the games to life. Plus: The inspiring story of a nonagenarian Zelda fan, and the reason why Link is so darn handsome.

    Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected].

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

    Photo by Ben Hamler via Unsplash. Thanks, Ben!

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    24 March 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 10 minutes 50 seconds
    9 Last Words Worth Remembering

    On his deathbed, Winston Churchill’s last words were: “I’m bored with it all.” What a missed opportunity! In this slightly morbid but highly entertaining episode, Will and Mango dig up more last words, from Marie Antoinette's polite remark en route to the guillotine to the businessman who used his final breath to win a game. Plus: the infamous word that helped create one of the world's most famous sneaker brands.

    This episode originally aired on March 22, 2018.

    Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected].

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

    Portrait of Marie Antoinette via Wikimedia Commons

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    20 March 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 24 minutes 40 seconds
    9 Helpful Facts About Assistive Technology

    What’s an ear trumpet, and where can you find the world’s biggest collection of them? How did a frustrated young watchmaker transform the wheelchair forever? Why does a robotic arm make such a great dining companion? Today, Will and Mango discover some incredible inventions, past and present, that have made life a little easier for millions of people.

    Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected].

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

    Ear trumpet diagram from the National Archives & Records Administration via Wikimedia Commons.

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    17 March 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 35 minutes 51 seconds
    How Did Settlers Create New Orleans from Swampland?

    New Orleans is one of the most charming and unique cities in the United States… but 300 years ago, it would've been hard to see that potential. In this episode, Will and Mango dig into how French the French Quarter really is, why the local graveyards look like little villages, and whether the Peacemaker sandwich really can keep an angry couple together. 

    This episode originally aired on August 26, 2019.

    Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected].

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

    Photo of the French Quarter by Rosie Kerr via Unsplash. Thanks, Rosie!

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    13 March 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 35 minutes 29 seconds
    What’s the Best Passport to Carry? (And Why Do We Carry Passports?)

    Travel identification has taken many forms over the years, from stone tablets to an exhausting process that involved posting your itinerary on a church door. But how did we arrive at the standardized booklets many of us carry today? How do different countries use art and technology to distinguish their passports? And what’s the best (and worst) passport in the world, according to experts? Plus: Why you can blame a German spy for your embarrassing passport photo.

    Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected].

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

    Photo by Spencer Davis via Unsplash. Thanks, Spencer!

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    10 March 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 42 minutes 45 seconds
    Is Recycling Worth the Hassle?

    Why does Germany use five different bins for recycling? Can you trick people into being greener by putting wolves on packaging? And is recycling a good business to be in? Plus, why Totes McGoats is one of the worst phrases of all time... but also perhaps the best recycling mascot ever. Featuring Christopher Hassiotis from HowStuffWorks.

    This episode originally aired on January 24, 2018.

    Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected].

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

    Photo by Pawel Czerwinski via Unsplash. Thanks, Pawel!

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    6 March 2026, 1:00 pm
  • 27 minutes 49 seconds
    9 Nutty Facts About Hard-Shelled Fruit

    Why did people start (and stop) dyeing pistachios red? How do thieves pull off high-stakes nut heists? What’s up with the coconut that looks like a butt? And why do so many members of the PTG team have beef with pine nuts? Today, we’re cracking the delicious mysteries of nuts (and, yes, things that aren’t technically nuts).

    Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected].

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

    Photo by Mae Mu via Unsplash. Thanks, Mae!

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    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    3 March 2026, 1:00 pm
  • 40 minutes 48 seconds
    How Clean Should We Be?

    Is our obsession with cleanliness keeping us from peak health? Also, can hookworm cure allergies? Will harvesting panda poop make you rich? Plus: Why Amish dust is superior to other dust (seriously!). Featuring Penny Sarchet.

    This episode originally aired on June 14, 2017.

    Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected].

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

    Photo by Crystal Chabot via Unsplash. Thanks, Crystal!

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    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    27 February 2026, 1:00 pm
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