Part-Time Genius

iHeartPodcasts

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.

  • 38 minutes 14 seconds
    PTG Classic: What's the Science Behind Introverts?

    Are extroverts happier than introverts? Is coffee bad for an introvert's brain? And does your personality type make you more likely to be arrested? (Spoiler: it does!) Will and Mango take a closer look at the secret talents lurking inside your friendly neighborhood introvert.

     

    Image Via Nothing Ahead at Pexels

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    6 April 2025, 3:36 pm
  • 32 minutes 25 seconds
    Drama Kings: Meet Emperor Norton, the Pickle King & other Self-Declared Royalty

    Want to know how a British pickle merchant was almost crowned Chinese royalty? Or why San Francisco's policemen regularly doffed their caps to a man who claimed to be America's Emperor? And what happened when a lion tamer just started wandering around pretending to be King of Albania? This week Will and Mango dive into the ridiculous stories of some very unusual royals and what happened when they declared themselves king. 

     

    Photo of Emperor Norton on his royal chariot, via the Emperor Norton Trust. 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    2 April 2025, 7:00 am
  • 34 minutes 49 seconds
    PTG Classic: Why Are There So Many Cheese Crimes?

    From the Parmesan Mafia to the gas station hot dog Will accidentally ate, there are way too many cheese crimes out there! This episode Will and Mango investigate a fondue cartel, ride with food detectives, and look into an Ocean's 11... of cheese?!  

     

    Image by Polina Tankilevitch via Pexels (thanks Polina!) 

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 March 2025, 3:48 pm
  • 25 minutes
    9 Extra-Spicy Facts About Atomic Fireballs

    It’s the official candy of Part-Time Genius, but there’s so much more to know about these delicious red-hot treats, from why NASA can’t work without them to what gives them their signature burn. Along the way Will and Mango discover the story of the enterprising young law student who invented them, and reveal the recipe that takes two weeks (!) to make.

    Do you like Atomic Fireballs? Or do you love Atomic Fireballs? Tell us on our Instagram @parttimegenius

    Photo via Ferrara Pan.

    Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    28 March 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 17 seconds
    9 Surprising Tips for Visiting Bhutan

    So, it turns out there are a LOT of rules for visiting Bhutan. DON'T climb the mountains (it's illegal!). DO buy a stamp (especially one you can play on your record player!). DON'T ask anyone about their birthday. DO make yourself happier-- by thinking about death three times a day?! This episode, Will and Mango learn what makes the Himalayan kingdom just so special... while trying to grab a jar of fresh mountain air in the process! 

    Have you visited Bhutan? Or flown into their tiny airport? Drop us a line on Insta @parttimegenius... we want to hear your stories! 

    Photo by Peng Lim via Pexels. (Thanks Peng!)  

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    25 March 2025, 4:05 am
  • 30 minutes 59 seconds
    PTG Classic: What are the Craziest Applications for Lasers? (Including washing your dishes!)

    Forget Dr. Evil and his ridiculously evil plans... lasers are so much more practical than that! In this episode, Will and Mango discover why lasers are perfect for precision-cooking your bacon, how they can be used as chopsticks, why washing dishes is so much better when it's done by laser, and a simple laser trick for keeping pesky pirates at bay. Plus, we take a look at the very strange way Texas tried to educate aliens about queso. (Spoiler: It involved a laser.) 

    Got a tip? Question? Comment? Drop us a line already on our Insta @parttimegenius! 

    Image by Vika Glitter via pexels. (Thanks Vika!) 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 March 2025, 1:39 pm
  • 28 minutes 40 seconds
    Are Cow Burps Hurting the Environment?

    From making cows a little less gassy, to seasoning your clouds with salt, to creating floating pastures and hospitals, communities and scientists have come up with a whole lot of ingenious solutions to deal with climate change. Dig in as Will and Mango explore the sunnier side of climate resilience. 

    Got a fact to share? Want to drop us a line? Hit us up on our Insta @parttimegenius

     

    Photo via Pexels by Julie Aagaard. (Thanks Julie!) 

     

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    21 March 2025, 6:39 pm
  • 34 minutes 27 seconds
    Who is Pablo Eggs-cobar? (And why is he obsessed with bird eggs?!)

    From climbing a tree under gunfire to dangling out of helicopters, people have gone to incredible lengths to steal wild bird eggs—risking arrest, fines, and even jail time. Why? And more importantly, who's doing this? Will and Mango discover some of the craziest stories in egg theft history, including a British club that ran a-fowl of the law by hiding 11,000 illegal eggs and the man known as Pablo Egg-scobar, a naturalist who spent decades supplying the rare egg black market. Plus: A peek inside the high-stakes world of Middle East falconry.

    Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius—tag us if you see any cool (LEGAL) eggs!

    Photo by Rijin Raj, via Unsplash. Thanks, Rijin!

    Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    18 March 2025, 11:00 am
  • 21 minutes 33 seconds
    PTG Classic: How do Dollar Stores stay in Business? 

    Will and Mango have so many questions about the dollar store business: Why have so many more of these stores cropped up recently? How do you make a profit when everything in your store sells for under a buck? Is a $1 steak a good deal? Plus: the tea on why dollar store employees hate Hot Wheels so much! 

    Got a comment? Question? Drop us a line on our Insta @parttimegenius!  

    Photo by Liza Lova via Pexels. (Thanks Liza!) 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    16 March 2025, 7:00 am
  • 30 minutes 41 seconds
    SURPRISE! It's a Part-Time Genius Pop Quiz

    With Will out of town, Mango tries out a *brand new* quiz show format with his buddies Mary and Gabe.

    Like the Pop Quiz? Hate it? Drop us a line on our Insta @parttimegenius and let us know what you think... 

     

    Photo via Pexels by Leeloo The First (Thanks Leeloo!) 

     

     

     

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    14 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 28 minutes 4 seconds
    9 Very Important Facts About Donuts

    In the words of Homer Simpson: "Donuts... is there anything they can't do?" From curing scurvy, to bringing religions together, to explaining the universe, Will and Mango dig into 9 incredible donut facts... plus, Emily Post gives us a workaround for dunking your donuts the polite way. 

    Got a fact to share about donuts? Something we missed? Drop us a line on our insta @parttimegenius

    Photo by Cottonbro Studio. (Thank you Cottonbros!) 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    11 March 2025, 6:08 am
  • More Episodes? Get the App