Facts Machine

Episode 66: Hearts & Sciences (ft. Adam Rosenzweig & Dr. Paula Croxson, PhD)

Join us on Thursday 3/21 for our latest neuroscience-themed show PIECE OF MIND: https://www.caveat.nyc/events/facts-machine-3-21-2024 In this love-themed episode, we were joined by two beloved science communicators, chemist Adam Rosenzweig & neuroscientist Dr. Paula Croxson for a show full of deep dives on the deepest recesses of our hearts, comedy about commitment, and trivia you'll love at first sight!

Episode 65: Spacing Out (ft. Dr. Mark Popinchalk, PhD & Dr. Moiya McTier, PhD)

In this episode, we were joined by two out-of-this-world science communicators, astrophysicist and folklorist Dr. Moiya McTier, PhD & astronomer Dr. Mark Popinchalk, PhD for a show full of deep dives on deep space, comet-y about astronomy, and trivia that made us see stars! Moiya's socials: Twitter/TikTok/Instagram: @GoAstroMo Mark's socials: Twitter/TikTok - @MarkPopinchalk Instagram - @Mark.Popinchalk

Episode 64: Holi-daze (ft. Dr. Moiya McTier, PhD)

Come to our live show THURSDAY 1/25 7PM at Caveat in NYC or via livestream from wherever you are! Tickets & show info: ⁠https://www.caveat.nyc/events/facts-machine-1-25-2024⁠ Moiya's book The Milky Way Moiya's new podcast Pale Blue Pod Moiya's PBS show Fate & Fabeled Moiya's first podcast ExoLore

Episode 64: Holi-daze (ft. Dr. Moiya McTier)

Come to our live show THURSDAY 1/25 7PM at Caveat in NYC or via livestream from wherever you are! Tickets & show info: ⁠https://www.caveat.nyc/events/facts-machine-1-25-2024⁠ Moiya's book The Milky Way Moiya's new podcast Pale Blue Pod Moiya's PBS show Fate & Fabeled Moiya's first podcast ExoLore

Episode 63: Taking A Brain Check (ft. Dr. Thiago Arzua, PhD & Dr. Paula Croxson, PhD)

Episode 62: Seas Get Degrees (ft. Jaida Elcock, Kyle Marian, & Dr. Diana Li, PhD)

Tickets for our Friday, 3/17 show "Taking A Brain Check" Welcome to Facts Marine! Noah was joined live at Caveat in NYC by guest marine biologists and science communicators Jaida Elcock and Dr. Diana Li, PhD, as well as scientist and comedian Kyle Marian! Listen as they make waves, do deep dives on the deep sea, and have a “littoral” whale of a time!

Episode 61: All You Need Is Lobe (ft. Leslie Sibener & Dr. Devon Collins, PhD)

Tickets for our Friday, 3/17 show "Taking A Brain Check" During NYC's Brain Awareness Week, Em and Noah (and Rob in spirit!) were joined live at Caveat by guest neuroscientists and science communicators Leslie Sibener and Dr. Devon Collins, PhD, as they endeavored to get tangled up in neural nets, celebrate Dendritic Arbor Day, and fight for neurite to party! Piano accompaniment: Rose McCathran & Ryan Brechmacher

Episode 60: The Whole Tooth & Nothing But The Tooth (ft. Jaida Elcock)

Tickets for our Friday, 3/17 show "Taking A Brain Check" Joined by special guest Jaida Elcock, shark scientist and grad student at MIT-WHOI, co-founder of Minorities in Shark Science (MISS), organizer of #BlackinMarineScienceWeek, and TikTok-er extraordinaire, we take a bite out of TEETH facts! Open (your ears) wide for aquatic melon ballers, the under appreciated craft of dentist office blogging, and a Michael Phelps race that never was, but totally should have been. And for the love of en...

Episode 59: Dark Matters (with Dr. Moiya McTier, PhD) – Live at Caveat

Live at Caveat in NYC, just days before Halloween, we were joined by folklorist to the stars, and astrophysicist to the folks, Dr. Moiya McTier, PhD! Listen in to learn about a threatening arrangement of triangles, the ballad of the Space Bat, and an Ohio pig farmer who dreamed of two things: 1) seeing the stars and 2) smashing Confederates...AND HE WAS ALL OUT OF STARS... Listen to Moiya over at her science-based world-building podcast, ExoLore! Watch Moiya over at her show on PBS Digital...

Episode 59: Dark Matters (ft. Dr. Moiya McTier, PhD) – Live at Caveat

Tickets for our Friday, 3/17 show "Taking A Brain Check" Live at Caveat in NYC, just days before Halloween, we were joined by folklorist to the stars, and astrophysicist to the folks, Dr. Moiya McTier, PhD! Listen in to learn about a threatening arrangement of triangles, the ballad of the Space Bat, and an Ohio pig farmer who dreamed of two things: 1) seeing the stars and 2) smashing Confederates...AND HE WAS ALL OUT OF STARS... Listen to Moiya over at her science-based world-building podca...

Episode 58: Food for Thought (ft. Kyle Marian) – Live At Caveat

Science Friday engagement producer, comedian, and inclusive science communicator extraordinaire Kyle Marian joins us for a gastronomical live show at Caveat all about FOOD. In a variety show of storytelling, audience challenges, and unrepentant culinary goofiness, we chew the fat, spill the beans, go bananas, and satisfy even the most voracious of trivia appetites. Tune in, and eat your heart out 😋

Episode 57: Pigments of Our Imagination (ft. Dr. Latasha Wright, PhD)

Accompanied by special guest Dr. Latasha Wright, chief scientific officer at BioBus and Rob’s bio-boss, we finally share all the facts we’ve been dyeing to tell you! Tune in to learn all about the art, science, and history behind pigments and dyes—we hope it all soaks in! 

Episode 56: The Nerds & The Bees (ft. Dr. Carly York, PhD)

 Our guest today is biology professor, science communicator, and co-owner of an animal sanctuary (!) Dr. Carly York, who joins us for a (lightly NSFW) episode about romantic relationships in the animal world. Tune in and keep an eye out for Carly’s upcoming book on romance in the wild!

Episode 56: The Nerds & The Bees (ft. Dr. Carly York)

Episode 55: The Extremo-Files (ft. Dr. André Pineda)

Episode 55: The Extremo-Files (ft. Dr. André Pineda, PhD)

 Science comedian, neuroscience PhD, and “guardian of knowledge” Dr. André Pineda makes his second Facts Machine appearance on an episode in homage to organisms that live on the edge, thrive in the unsurvivable, and take that “grow where you are planted” proverb that gets embroidered on pillows as a personal challenge: extremophiles.

Episode 54: Now You're Speaking Our Language (ft. Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy, PhD)

This week we’re joined by data science professor, standup comedian, and circus performer, Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy to articulate, communicate, enunciate, extrapolate, debate, formulate…where was I going with this? OH RIGHT we’re talking about language. Word. 

Episode 53: Museum To Our Ears (ft. Dustin Growick)

Dino 101 host, science communicator, and dinosaur whisperer Dustin Growick is our guest for an episode NOT about dinosaurs (but don’t tell them, we’re sworn to secrecy). Instead, we put favorite museums on display and exhibit our finest trivia that has nothing to do with dinosaurs. Who needs ‘em, anyway?* *jk, dinosaurs. We love you, dinosaurs.

Episode 52: Stop, Communicate, and Listen (ft. Dr. Sarah McAnulty, PhD)

Skype a Scientist founder, cephalopod expert, and all around kickass science communicator Dr. Sarah McAnulty joins the Facts Machinists for an episode all about “communication”. Turns out we had a lot to say! 

Episode 51: This Is Your Brain On Brains (ft. Dr. Paula Croxson, PhD) – Live(streamed) at Caveat

Episode 51: This Is Your Brain On Brains (ft. Dr. Paula Croxson) – Live(streamed) at Caveat

Episode 50: Guest Who's Back? (ft. Moiya McTier, Anthony Antonelli, Rich Fisler, Diana Montano, and Sam Corbin)

It's our third birthday and fiftieth episode! We're joined by some familiar voices for a special anniversary episode!

Episode 49: Bloopers, Outtakes, & Shenanigans II

Hi everyone!! COMING SOON: new episodes, new guests, new facts, same old puns! For now, please enjoy this episode of all the stuff that was too weird to put in a normal episode.

Episode 48: Hea-venom Is A Place On Earth (ft. Anna Klompen)

🎶We don't think you're ready for these jellies🎶 We are joined by evolutionary biologist, venomologist, and jellyfish expert Anna Klompen for an episode all about venom! Listen for evolutionary arms races, snails that cure cancer, and jellyfish sneezes.

Episode 47: Tales From The Cryptologist (ft. Rae Richards)

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Episode 46: Uncharisma (ft. Marion Renault)

In this episode, we're joined by science journalist Marion Renault to swap facts on "uncharisma" in nature. Tune in for facts about the (wrongfully) over-looked and (superficially) unappealing organisms that keep our ecosystems and even our lives running smoothly. By the end, you'll be convinced these critters really *are* more than meets the eye--even the maggots! (Though in their case it may be for the best that this is an entirely audio medium.)

Episode 45: Our Fair Share (ft. Kristina Parsons)

*Editor’s note: We had some catastrophic audio failures in this one, especially during the quiz. We were remotely recording early in the pandemic, and just about everything went wrong. Nonetheless, we hope you’ll enjoy the episode despite the sounds of the birds and cars, the echoes we couldn’t eliminate, and the fact that Noah’s whole quiz had to be pieces together from super compressed zoom audio!* We wanted to give our listeners the world...'s fair! We are joined by museum curator Kristina...

Episode 44: The Iceland Cometh (ft. Moiya McTier)

Everybody knows that old joke, "What did the astrophysicist say to the folklorist? We are the same person..." Maybe it's funnier in the original Icelandic? To find out, we sought the only person we know who fits that description, Moiya McTier! Join Noah, Em, Rob, and Moiya as we discuss Erik the Well-Read, why Lucifer is definitely not from Iceland, and the power of a new pair of skin-pants! Bonus: they come with a pocket!

Episode 43: BUGS (ft. Sam Corbin) -- Live(streamed) at Caveat

Abandon hope, all ye who *ento* here! It's a broadly entomological arthropod-cast about bugs! In this episode, which we live-streamed on Caveat's YouTube page, we welcome comedian, writer, and legendary pun queen Sam Corbin to discuss bees with "daddy tissues", artisanal stings, and the worst kind of jelly donut.

Episode 42: Paradigm-a-dozen (ft. André Pineda, PhD)

Paradigms, they are a-changin’ in this week’s episode of Facts Machine! We’re joined by friend of the pod and scicomedian extraordinaire Dr. André Pineda, a neuroscientist, science communicator, and show runner at our home venue Caveat who leverages laughs to share science. Join us as we talk Al-Haytham “going turbo” while Europe was in a dark age, evolution by “naturalist selection”, and rerouting priests to prevent disease.

Episode 42: Paradigm-a-dozen (ft. Dr. André Pineda, PhD)

Paradigms, they are a-changin’ in this week’s episode of Facts Machine! We’re joined by friend of the pod and scicomedian extraordinaire Dr. André Pineda, PhD, a neuroscientist, science communicator, and show runner at our home venue Caveat who leverages laughs to share science. Join us as we talk Al-Haytham “going turbo” while Europe was in a dark age, evolution by “naturalist selection”, and rerouting priests to prevent disease.

Episode 42: Paradigm-a-dozen (feat. Dr. André Pineda, PhD)

 Paradigms are a-changin’ in this week’s episode of Facts Machine! We’re joined by friend of the pod and scicomedian extraordinaire Dr. André Pineda, a neuroscientist, science communicator, and show runner at our home venue Caveat who leverages laughs to share science. Join us as we talk Al-Haytham “going turbo” while Europe was in a dark age, evolution by “naturalist selection”, and rerouting priests to prevent disease.

Episode 41: Facts That Hold Water (ft. Dr. Jessica Noviello, PhD)

 H2OMG! This episode’s all about the universal solvent, 60% of the human body, and (when it’s feelin’ fancy) dihydrogen monoxide. We’re joined by long time friend of the pod and first time guest of the pod Dr. Jessica Noviello, a planetary geologist, science communicator, and avowed dinosaur enthusiast currently studying the Kuiper Belt Object EL61 Haumea in her post-doctoral research. Tune in to learn how water makes its way around our universe, how a giant aquifer stayed hidden in plain si...

Episode 41: Facts That Hold Water (feat. Dr. Jessica Noviello, PhD)

 H2OMG! This episode’s all about the universal solvent, 60% of the human body, and (when it’s feelin’ fancy) dihydrogen monoxide. We’re joined by long time friend of the pod and first time guest of the pod Dr. Jessica Noviello, a planetary geologist, science communicator, and avowed dinosaur enthusiast currently studying the Kuiper Belt Object EL61 Haumea in her post-doctoral research. Tune in to learn how water makes its way around our universe, how a giant aquifer stayed hidden in plain si...

Episode 41: Facts That Hold Water (ft. Jessica Noviello, PhD)

 H2OMG! This episode’s all about the universal solvent, 60% of the human body, and (when it’s feelin’ fancy) dihydrogen monoxide. We’re joined by long time friend of the pod and first time guest of the pod Dr. Jessica Noviello, a planetary geologist, science communicator, and avowed dinosaur enthusiast currently studying the Kuiper Belt Object EL61 Haumea in her post-doctoral research. Tune in to learn how water makes its way around our universe, how a giant aquifer stayed hidden in plain si...

Episode 40: The Spy Who Quizzed Me (Triv and Let Die)

Episode 39: 'Ew, Gross' Anatomy (Special Quiz Episode #3)

 This week Noah spills his guts in the finale of our three part anatomy quiz series! Guess along as Rob and Em try to distinguish real and made-up medical terminology and encounter fruity maladies and ambiguous pouches along the way.

Episode 38: We've Got A Bone To Pick (Special Quiz Episode #2)

Make no bones about it, in this second of three special anatomical quiz episodes, Rob tests Emily's and Noah's knowledge of his favorite organ, bones! 

Episode 37: Can't We All Just Get A Lung? (Special Quiz Episode #1)

Don't hate, ventilate! In this first of three special anatomical quiz episodes, Emily tests Noah's and Rob's knowledge of her favorite organ, the lungs! Somehow, they end up debating the merits of different kinds of turtle bums. How? Who knows.

Episode 36: Etymologies

 Facts Machine returns with an episode all about etymologies. Join us as we dig deep to discover our favorite word origins, root and stem! #protologism

Episode 35: (Live at Caveat) A Science Séance

Episode 35: A Science Séance (ft. Diana Montano) - Live at Caveat

Episode 35: Live at Caveat -- A Science Séance (ft. Diana Montano)

Episode 35: A Science Séance (Live at Caveat)

Episode 34: Technobabble

Episode 33: Do Animals Still Suck?

Episode 32: Bloopers, Outtakes, & Shenanigans

We're taking a break for a few weeks while we work on some *big plans*! In the meantime enjoy this episode of our unaired failures and musical interludes.

Episode 31: The Ass Files (We Are Not A Mules)

At long last, the Facts Machine episode theme you've all been waiting for -- Donkeys! Our equine friends have an incredible history, from being worshipped by medieval Catholics, causing Stoic philosophers to die laughing in ancient Greece, and carrying the comedic weight for writers from antiquity to the present day. Also it's fun to say "ass".

Episode 30: Women's Issues & Man-Sized Tissues

 In this episode, we talk male show-vinism, tell the incredible story of an Irish pirate queen, and find out what female mice really want.

Episode 29: Fruits & Veggies

This is a podcast about Pythagoras and beans, Oklahoma and the truth, and Princess Alice and her pet Spinach. Everything you think is a vegetable is a fruit. Ben Franklin has a plan for your farts.