Invention
76 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 587 ratingsFrom agriculture to the X-ray machine, Stuff to Blow Your Mind hosts Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick explore the inventions we created, and how they created us.
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Episodes
Introducing: There Are No Girls on the Internet
July 25, 2020 05:00 - 3 minutesMarginalized voices have always been at the forefront of the internet, yet our stories often go overlooked. Bridget Todd chronicles our experiences online, and the ways marginalized voices have shaped the internet from the very beginning. We need monuments to all of the identities that make being online what it is. So let’s build them. Find There Are No Girls on the Internet on the iHeartRadio App or wherever you get your podcasts! https://ihr.fm/3g14Fxl Learn more about your ad-choices at h...
Soap
April 20, 2020 14:58 - 1 hour - 62.4 MBWe’re all probably using a lot more soap these days, but… what is it exactly? How does it work? Who invented it and how has it changed the world? Join Robert and Joe as they explore the invention of Soap. This episode marks the final installment of Invention as a standalone podcast, but invention-based episodes will continue on the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Classic: Chewing Gum
April 13, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 58.6 MBChewing gum is everywhere today, but where does it come from? What did we chew before Bubblicious? How does gum affect us? Robert and Joe explore in this episode of Invention. (Originally published 7/8/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Classic: The Museum
April 06, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 61.5 MBWe all love a good museum, but how long have we had them? In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe discuss just what a museum actually is and when the concept seems to have entered human civilization. (7/1/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Classic: Sun Glasses
March 30, 2020 07:00 - 44 minutes - 41.1 MBIt’s hard to imagine how anyone looked cool before the invention of sunglasses, but just when did humans pop their first pair of shades? In this episode of Invention, Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick discuss everything from the blinding white hell of arctic wastes to the blood-soaked spectacle of gladiatorial combat. (Originally published 1/7/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Classic: Penicillin
March 23, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBA fungal accident in the early 20th century opened the door for the medical wonders of the antibiotic age. In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe explore what came before and how Alexander Fleming’s discovery changed the world. (Originally published 7/15/19) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invented Words, Part 2
March 16, 2020 17:32 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBWhere do new words come from? Robert and Joe explore in the latest episode of Invention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invented Words, Part 1
March 09, 2020 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47 MBWhere do new words come from? Robert and Joe explore in the latest episode of Invention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention: Barbed Wire
March 02, 2020 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46 MBYou may very well encounter barbed wire everyday -- and, in all likelihood, you see THROUGH this flesh-ripping barrier. Where did this invention come from? How did it change the world? Robert and Joe discuss “the devil’s rope” in this episode of Invention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Fire Extinguisher, Part 2
February 24, 2020 14:51 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBFire technology depends on the ability to not only create and foster fire, but also the ability to snuff it out as needed. Today, the fire extinguisher is an important active fire protection device, but where does this technology emerge in human techno-history? Robert and Joe explore in this episode of Invention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Fire Extinguisher, Part 1
February 17, 2020 08:00 - 45 minutes - 42.1 MBFire technology depends on the ability to not only create and foster fire, but also the ability to snuff it out as needed. Today, the fire extinguisher is an important active fire protection device, but where does this technology emerge in human techno-history? Robert and Joe explore in this episode of Invention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Strike the Match, Part 3
February 10, 2020 17:15 - 35 minutes - 32.1 MBMastery of fire was one of humanity’s greatest technological leaps forward, but even the ability to create fire only gets you so far if the flame is not easily generated and/or transferred. Thus, the millennia-spanning quest to create the subtle technology we so easily take for granted: the modern matchstick. Join Robert and Joe for a multi-episode Invention exploration on fire-generation technology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.co...
Strike the Match, Part 2
February 03, 2020 15:35 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBMastery of fire was one of humanity’s greatest technological leaps forward, but even the ability to create fire only gets you so far if the flame is not easily generated and/or transferred. Thus, the millennia-spanning quest to create the subtle technology we so easily take for granted: the modern matchstick. Join Robert and Joe for a multi-episode Invention exploration on fire-generation technology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.co...
Strike the Match, Part 1
January 27, 2020 18:47 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MBMastery of fire was one of humanity’s greatest technological leaps forward, but even the ability to create fire only gets you so far if the flame is not easily generated and/or transferred. Thus, the millennia-spanning quest to create the subtle technology we so easily take for granted: the modern matchstick. Join Robert and Joe for a multi-episode Invention exploration on fire-generation technology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.co...
The Pencil
January 20, 2020 05:00 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MBIt’s easy to take the pencil for granted, but that eraser-capped wooden cylinder with a core of graphite has a story and a history -- and Robert and Joe explore it in this episode of Invention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Beachbum Berry on the Invention of the Mai Tai
January 13, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 61 MBThe Mai Tai isn’t only the most famous Tiki cocktail, it’s one of the most well known cocktails on the planet. But where does it come from? Who invented it? In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe turn to noted Tiki historian and mixologist Jeff “Beachbum” Berry for answers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Classic: Chopsticks
January 06, 2020 05:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBChopsticks are such an intuitive and precise eating utensil, it’s easy to assume they’ve been with us. But as Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick explore, this neolithic invention didn’t really leave the kitchen for the dinner table in a major way till the fifth century CE. Prepare to explore the invention of chopsticks. (Originally published 12/17/18) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Year End Wrap-Up, Part 2
December 30, 2019 05:00 - 39 minutes - 36 MBJoin your Invention hosts Robert and Joe for another round of listenener mail on recent episodes devoted to the Microwave Oven and all sorts of toys. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Year End Wrap-Up, Part 1
December 23, 2019 05:00 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MBAs the first year of Invention comes to a close, Robert and Joe catch up on listener mail for everything from air conditioning and ketchup to toys and bubble wrap. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Toys, Part 3
December 16, 2019 14:34 - 1 hour - 67.8 MBAs the holiday season sets in, Robert and Joe open up Santa’s toy bag to consider the invention of various toys -- toys intended to teach, toys intended to puzzle and toys that leverage technology for good old fashioned childhood fun. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Toys, Part 2
December 09, 2019 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBAs the holiday season sets in, Robert and Joe open up Santa’s toy bag to consider the invention of various toys -- toys intended to teach, toys intended to puzzle and toys that leverage technology for good old fashioned childhood fun. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Toys, Part 1
December 02, 2019 05:00 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MBAs the holiday season sets in, Robert and Joe open up Santa’s toy bag to consider the invention of various toys -- toys intended to teach, toys intended to puzzle and toys that leverage technology for good old fashioned childhood fun. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Microwave, Part 2
November 25, 2019 17:55 - 37 minutes - 34.8 MBYou probably use one everyday: to warm up your lunch, to explode pats of butter or simply to reheat your coffee. But how does a microwave oven work and where does this amazingly useful invention come from? Find out in this episode of Invention! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Microwave, Part 1
November 18, 2019 15:18 - 39 minutes - 36.7 MBYou probably use one everyday: to warm up your lunch, to explode pats of butter or simply to reheat your coffee. But how does a microwave oven work and where does this amazingly useful invention come from? Find out in this episode of Invention! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Turnspit Dog
November 11, 2019 05:00 - 1 hour - 59.7 MBIn this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe continue the month’s journey through human CULINARY techno-history -- this time with the story of the turnspit dog. This now-extinct breed of dog turned the meat in many a European kitchen, before it was replaced by machines. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Canning
November 04, 2019 05:00 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBIn this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe kick off a month of food content with the history of canning! Yes, from Napoleonic bottles of soups to our modern bounty of canned sustenance, you’ll explore where it came from, who invented the process and how it changed the world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Classic: Guillotine
October 28, 2019 04:00 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MBOnce more, for Halloween! The 18th century Guillotine represents the absolute pinnacle of mechanical decapitation. In this episode of Invention, Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick explore its origins and legacy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Casket-a-go-go, Part 3
October 21, 2019 04:00 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBSure, caskets and coffins are essentially just containers for the dead -- but we stash far more than our corpses inside them. We also pour in a generous helping of human anxiety, hope and magical thinking. In this three-part exploration of Invention, Robert and Joe consider the nature of caskets and look at some of the stranger designs from human history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Casket-a-go-go, Part 2
October 14, 2019 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MBSure, caskets and coffins are essentially just containers for the dead -- but we stash far more than our corpses inside them. We also pour in a generous helping of human anxiety, hope and magical thinking. In this three-part exploration of Invention, Robert and Joe consider the nature of caskets and look at some of the stranger designs from human history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Casket-a-go-go, Part 1
October 07, 2019 04:00 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBSure, caskets and coffins are essentially just containers for the dead -- but we stash far more than our corpses inside them. We also pour in a generous helping of human anxiety, hope and magical thinking. In this three-part exploration of Invention, Robert and Joe consider the nature of caskets and look at some of the stranger designs from human history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ketchup
September 30, 2019 04:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBYou love it. You put it on everything. But where does ketchup come from? In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe explore the mysterious origins of everyone’s favorite sweet red sauce -- and consider the jaw-dropping fact that ketchup isn’t always red and isn’t always made from tomatoes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Air Conditioning, Part 3
September 23, 2019 17:46 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBAir conditioning has had a profound impact on modern life -- and in more ways than you might realize. In this trio of Invention episodes, Robert and Joe explore pre-AC cooling methods, the invention itself and the many ways it changed the shape (and temperature) of our lives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Air Conditioning, Part 2
September 16, 2019 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.2 MBAir conditioning has had a profound impact on modern life -- and in more ways than you might realize. In this trio of Invention episodes, Robert and Joe explore pre-AC cooling methods, the invention itself and the many ways it changed the shape (and temperature) of our lives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Air Conditioning, Part 1
September 09, 2019 04:00 - 49 minutes - 45 MBAir conditioning has had a profound impact on modern life -- and in more ways than you might realize. In this trio of Invention episodes, Robert and Joe explore pre-AC cooling methods, the invention itself and the many ways it changed the shape (and temperature) of our lives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Telescope
September 02, 2019 04:00 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBThe telescope is one of the most important inventions in human history, ultimately enabling humanity to gaze beyond the limits of biological sight and begin a greater understanding of the cosmos. In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe explore the invention’s history and impact. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bubble Wrap
August 26, 2019 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBDon’t take bubble wrap for granted! Someone had to invent it and you might be surprised to learn where it came from. In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe discuss the history and future of packing material. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Machine
August 19, 2019 04:00 - 58 minutes - 53.5 MBIt's listener mail time again on Invention! You've written in with your thoughts on past episodes and now Robert and Joe are going to read some of them -- with the help of a brand new mailbot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Scissors
August 12, 2019 04:00 - 45 minutes - 42 MBLet's cut to the chase: scissors are an excellent and ancient invention that impacts our lives in a number of ways. In this episode, Robert and Joe discuss their origins, use and examples from past and present -- along with a little scissor myth and folklore. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bread/Toast/Toasters
August 05, 2019 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MBWho invented toast? Who then went on to invent the toaster? In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe chase the origins of bread transformed through the Maillard reaction and consider the origins of the specialized mini-oven we use to do it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Hypodermic Needle
July 29, 2019 04:00 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBSit back. This might sting. In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe explore the history of hypodermic needles: what came before in human and evolutionary history and where we’re going with drug injections and blood withdrawls. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Earthquake Detector
July 22, 2019 04:00 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MBHow does earthquake detection work and when did humans device the first method of detecting them at a distance? In this Invention two-parter, Robert and Joe first discuss the mysterious invention of ancient Chinese polymath Zhāng Héng before moving on to modern innovations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Penicillin
July 15, 2019 20:00 - 47 minutes - 44 MBA fungal accident in the early 20th century opened the door for the medical wonders of the antibiotic age. In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe explore what came before and how Alexander Fleming’s discovery changed the world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chewing Gum
July 08, 2019 18:30 - 1 hour - 58 MBChewing gum is everywhere today, but where does it come from? What did we chew before Bubblicious? How does gum affect us? Robert and Joe explore in this episode of Invention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Museum
July 01, 2019 13:09 - 1 hour - 61 MBWe all love a good museum, but how long have we had them? In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe discuss just what a museum actually is and when the concept seems to have entered human civilization. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dreams of a Gastro Automaton
June 24, 2019 15:57 - 1 hour - 55.3 MBSometimes necessity ISN’T the mother of invention. Case in point: Humanity’s long-standing desire to create machines that poop. In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe discuss Vaucanson’s digesting duck and modern takes on the technology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Condom
June 17, 2019 19:37 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBCondoms are an important part of human health and medicine, but where did this invention come from? Robert and Joe explore in this episode of Invention. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Atlatl Spear Thrower
June 10, 2019 19:29 - 57 minutes - 52.7 MBThe spear is a truly ancient human technology, but this preceded one of humanity’s oldest mechanical inventions: the atlatl or spear thrower. In this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe explore the history and physics of this amazing hunting device. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Mothers of Invention
June 03, 2019 21:05 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBFinally, it's listener mail time on Invention! You've wrote in with your thoughts on past episodes and now Robert and Joe are going to read some of them -- with the help of a brand new mailbot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Motion Picture, Part 3
May 27, 2019 10:11 - 1 hour - 59 MBFinally, Robert and Joe finish their look at early motion picture history and invention, discussing some early examples of narrative film and how it continues to manipulate our senses and minds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A Motion Picture Mystery
May 20, 2019 12:48 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBIn this episode of Invention, Robert and Joe talk with show researcher Scott Benjamin about a mysterious disappearance in the history of the motion picture. What happened to Louis Le Prince and his claim on the invention? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.