Stuff To Blow Your Mind
2,469 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★ - 5.5K ratingsDeep in the back of your mind, you’ve always had the feeling that there’s something strange about reality. There is. Join Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick as they examine neurological quandaries, cosmic mysteries, evolutionary marvels and our transhuman future.
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Episodes
From the Vault: The Facial Feedback Hypothesis
June 20, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBTo what extent does the act of smiling generate happiness in the mind of the smiler? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the Facial Feedback Hypothesis and what it means for our complex human emotions. (Originally published 6/20/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ant Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Ants
June 18, 2020 15:10 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBThe war has raged for at least 100 million years. Armored warriors boil up out of the ground and surge across the battlefield. Mandibles clash. Bodies are torn asunder. As the will of one colony clashes with another, forces advance, withdrawal and sometimes whole populations perish in the Earth. Such are the wars of the ants, compared to which the wars of humanity are but a blip. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the history and tactics of ant warfare, and wh...
Smart Talks with IBM: The Debating AI
June 16, 2020 07:00 - 44 minutes - 41.1 MBProject Debater is the first AI system that can debate humans on complex topics, with a larger ambition of helping people build persuasive arguments and make well-informed decisions. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe chat with Project Debater Lead Researcher, Noam Slonim and IBM VP for Data and AI, Madhu Kochar. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: Brain Soup and Liquid Brains
June 13, 2020 07:00 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MBIs there ever a good scientific reason to turn brains into soup? What does all of this have to do with the concept of “liquid brains?” Robert and Joe explore on Stuff to Blow Your Mind. (Originally published 6/11/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ant Wars: Episode II - The Antmire Strikes Back
June 12, 2020 18:01 - 48 minutes - 44.6 MBThe war has raged for at least 100 million years. Armored warriors boil up out of the ground and surge across the battlefield. Mandibles clash. Bodies are torn asunder. As the will of one colony clashes with another, forces advance, withdrawal and sometimes whole populations perish in the Earth. Such are the wars of the ants, compared to which the wars of humanity are but a blip. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the history and tactics of ant warfare, and wh...
Ant Wars: Episode I - The Antom Menace
June 11, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBThe war has raged for at least 100 million years. Armored warriors boil up out of the ground and surge across the battlefield. Mandibles clash. Bodies are torn asunder. As the will of one colony clashes with another, forces advance, withdrawal and sometimes whole populations perish in the Earth. Such are the wars of the ants, compared to which the wars of humanity are but a blip. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the history and tactics of ant warfare, and wh...
Solidarity
June 09, 2020 20:17 - 3 minutes - 3.04 MBA brief note from Stuff to Blow Your Mind in support of racial justice. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: The Soap Dragon
June 06, 2020 07:00 - 46 minutes - 42.7 MBWhat monsters of fatty flesh lie slumbering in the sewer guts of our great cities? Join Robert and Joe as they venture into the dark to discover the beast we all made together. (Originally published 6/4/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Subterrenes: Like Submarines but Underground
June 04, 2020 17:59 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBThe notion of a subterrene, or underground drilling vehicle, is well established within the realm of science fiction, but what are the real-world possibilities for vehicles that drill or melt their way through the subterranean world. Robert and Joe explore in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind… Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Smart Talks with IBM: The Impact of AI in a Pandemic
June 02, 2020 07:00 - 53 minutes - 48.7 MBHow is AI helping organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the topic with Ritika Gunnar, Vice President of IBM’s Data and AI Expert Labs and Learning, and Jay Bellissimo, IBM’s General Manager for the U.S. Public and Federal Market. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: The Great Wave
May 30, 2020 07:00 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBFor centuries, sailors have told stories of mountainous killer waves that rise out of the ocean without warning. Join Robert and Joe for a discussion of the history and science of rogue waves. (originally published 5/30/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Invention of the Book, Part 2
May 28, 2020 15:14 - 54 minutes - 50 MBBooks are one of humanity’s greatest inventions, but where do they come from? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe explore the history of book technology, from ancient clay tablets and papyrus scrolls to the codex and beyond. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Invention of the Book, Part 1
May 26, 2020 15:34 - 47 minutes - 43.7 MBBooks are one of humanity’s greatest inventions, but where do they come from? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe explore the history of book technology, from ancient clay tablets and papyrus scrolls to the codex and beyond. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: The Doppelganger Network
May 23, 2020 07:00 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBIn this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss Doppelgangers, fairy imposters, the brain basis for the feeling of familiarity, and a unique way of understanding the impact of social media and modern communications technology. (originally published 5/28/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Psychedelics Playlist: The Manifested Mind, Part 5
May 22, 2020 07:05 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBWhat are psychedelics? How have these substances influenced human minds and culture? What exactly do they invoke in the brain and how could a renaissance of scientific study into their properties improve our lives? In this series of Stuff to Blow Your Mind episodes, Robert and Joe explore the world of entheogens. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Psychedelics Playlist: The Manifested Mind, Part 4
May 22, 2020 07:04 - 44 minutes - 40.3 MBWhat are psychedelics? How have these substances influenced human minds and culture? What exactly do they invoke in the brain and how could a renaissance of scientific study into their properties improve our lives? In this series of Stuff to Blow Your Mind episodes, Robert and Joe explore the world of entheogens. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Psychedelics Playlist: The Manifested Mind, Part 3
May 22, 2020 07:03 - 1 hour - 66.3 MBWhat are psychedelics? How have these substances influenced human minds and culture? What exactly do they invoke in the brain and how could a renaissance of scientific study into their properties improve our lives? In this series of Stuff to Blow Your Mind episodes, Robert and Joe explore the world of entheogens. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Psychedelics Playlist: The Manifested Mind, Part 2
May 22, 2020 07:02 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBWhat are psychedelics? How have these substances influenced human minds and culture? What exactly do they invoke in the brain and how could a renaissance of scientific study into their properties improve our lives? In this series of Stuff to Blow Your Mind episodes, Robert and Joe explore the world of entheogens. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Psychedelics Playlist: The Manifested Mind, Part 1
May 22, 2020 07:01 - 1 hour - 73.6 MBWhat are psychedelics? How have these substances influenced human minds and culture? What exactly do they invoke in the brain and how could a renaissance of scientific study into their properties improve our lives? In this series of Stuff to Blow Your Mind episodes, Robert and Joe explore the world of entheogens. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Hobbits, Gorgons and More
May 21, 2020 07:00 - 59 minutes - 54.4 MBIt's time for another listener mail episode, this time with your thoughts on hobbits, gorgons, pointing and much more... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Smart Talks with IBM: Re-Thinking Supply Chains
May 19, 2020 07:00 - 52 minutesThe supply chain is vital to life in the modern world, and the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted this flow of goods and materials to a considerable degree. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe chat with IBM Global Managing Director for Consumer Industries Luq Niazi and Partner at the Consumer Center of Competence (CoC) at IBM Karl Haller. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
Smart Talks with IBM: Rethinking Supply Chains
May 19, 2020 07:00 - 52 minutes - 47.8 MBThe supply chain is vital to life in the modern world, and the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted this flow of goods and materials to a considerable degree. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe chat with IBM Global Managing Director for Consumer Industries Luq Niazi and Partner at the Consumer Center of Competence (CoC) at IBM Karl Haller. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: Send an Owl/Raven/Pigeon!
May 16, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBHarry Potter sends messages by owl. The characters of ‘Game of Thrones’ employ ravens. Meanwhile, real-life messenger pigeons have carried messages for thousands of years. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider just why the homing pigeon is perfect for this job -- and why owls and ravens are not. (originally published 5/9/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 4: Invented Words, Part 2
May 15, 2020 07:10 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBWhere do new words come from? Robert and Joe explore... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 4: Invented Words, Part 1
May 15, 2020 07:09 - 51 minutes - 47 MBWhere do new words come from? Robert and Joe explore... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 4: Barbed Wire
May 15, 2020 07:08 - 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. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 4: The Turnspit Dog
May 15, 2020 07:07 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBRobert 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.
Invention Playlist 4: Penicillin
May 15, 2020 07:06 - 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, 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.
Invention Playlist 4: The Museum
May 15, 2020 07:05 - 1 hour - 61 MBWhere do museums come from? Explore their history in this episode... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 4: Sun Glasses
May 15, 2020 07:04 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBShades didn't invent themselves. Robert and Joe explore their origins... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 4: Chopsticks
May 15, 2020 07:03 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBChopsticks may seem like a basic invention, but this invention has a fascinating history... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 4: The Vending Machine
May 15, 2020 07:02 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBIt took my quarters and gave me candy, but who invented this machine? Find out... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 4: Guillotine
May 15, 2020 07:01 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MBIt cuts heads off, but who invented it? Robert and Joe explore. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Moa Money, Moa Problems
May 14, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBIt's time for another listener mail episode, this time with your thoughts on teleportation mishaps, the mighty moa and much more... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Mighty Sarlacc
May 12, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 70.6 MBFew places in the Star Wars universe are regarded with as much horror as the Great Pit of Carkoon, within the Dune Sea of Tatooine. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the mighty Sarlacc and compare what we know about this organism to denizens of the natural world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: The Sacred Mountain, Part 2
May 09, 2020 07:00 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MBWhy do sacred mountains exist in so many cultures and myths? To what extent could high altitude conditions contribute to the way our mind processes these breathtaking environments? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe explore the wonder and science of sacred mountains. (originally published 4/25/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 3: Board Games, Part 2
May 08, 2020 15:11 - 1 hour - 55 MBBoard games have only grown in variety and complexity in recent decades, but just how far back in time do these curious physical simulations go? In this episode of Invention, Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick consider the meeples of ancient history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 3: Board Games, Part 1
May 08, 2020 15:10 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MBBoard games have only grown in variety and complexity in recent decades, but just how far back in time do these curious physical simulations go? In this episode of Invention, Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick consider the meeples of ancient history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist 3: The Atlatl Spear Thrower
May 08, 2020 15:09 - 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.
Invention Playlist 3: The Condom
May 08, 2020 15:07 - 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.
Invention Playlist 3: Air Conditioning, Part 3
May 08, 2020 15:06 - 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.
Invention Playlist 3: Air Conditioning, Part 2
May 08, 2020 15:05 - 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.
Invention Playlist 3: Air Conditioning, Part 1
May 08, 2020 15:03 - 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.
Invention Playlist 3: Bread/Toast/Toasters
May 08, 2020 15:02 - 47 minutes - 43.6 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.
Invention Playlist 3: Ketchup
May 08, 2020 15:01 - 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.
Invention Playlist 3: Beachbum Berry on the Mai Tai
May 08, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 59.6 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.
Pointing, Part 2
May 07, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 63.6 MBWhy is pointing such a central part of human communication? How does it relate to culture, technology and our relationship to non-human animals? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe look for answers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pointing, Part 1
May 05, 2020 16:22 - 57 minutes - 52.5 MBWhy is pointing such a central part of human communication? How does it relate to culture, technology and our relationship to non-human animals? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe look for answers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: The Sacred Mountain, Part 1
May 02, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBWhy do sacred mountains exist in so many cultures and myths? To what extent could high altitude conditions contribute to the way our mind processes these breathtaking environments? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe explore the wonder and science of sacred mountains. (originally published 4/23/2019) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Invention Playlist II: Bubble Wrap
May 01, 2020 13:36 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBRobert and Joe explore the origins and impact of bubble wrap... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.