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
Weirdhouse Cinema: Critters
November 03, 2023 19:46 - 1 hour - 81.3 MBIn this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1986 sci-fi creature feature “Critters,” starring Dee Wallace, M. Emmet Walsh, Billy Zane, Terrence Mann and a bunch of ravenous space creatures. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Search For Alien Life, with Astrophysicist Adam Frank
November 02, 2023 18:37 - 42 minutes - 39.3 MBIn this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert discusses big questions, fears and possibilities concerning extraterrestrial life with astrophysicist Adam Frank, author of “The Little Book of Aliens.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Monstrefact Redux: Sleipnir, the Eight-Legged Horse
November 01, 2023 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.99 MBIn this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses Sleipnir, the mythical stead of the Norse god Odin. (originally published 06/07/2023) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Anthology of Horror, Volume 9
October 31, 2023 21:41 - 1 hour - 58.4 MBYes, the Halloween tradition continues as Robert and Joe dive into the rich history of TV horror and sci-fi anthology shows to focus on STBYM topics that might not otherwise make the show. In this installment, they spin some science and contemplation out of the 2001 episode of “The Outer Limits” titled “Think Like a Dinosaur” and the 1974 episode of “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” titled “The Spanish Moss Murders.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dr. Anton Jessup's Halloween Spectacular
October 30, 2023 20:41 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBDr. Anton Jessup takes a break from his experiments to read some of the listener and viewer mail that has accumulated in the university basement, but this time things take a more dramatic turn… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: Elfshot, Part 2
October 28, 2023 10:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBThese lands are old and the elves who lived before us still watch and wait. Cross them, and you may feel the prick of their arrow. You’ll find no wound, though your flesh will swell and ache, and if you happen upon one of their elfstones in the grass then you might have chance at survival. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the superstition, archaeology and science of elfshot. (originally published 10/04/2022) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...
Weirdhouse Cinema: Dracula A.D. 1972
October 27, 2023 21:37 - 1 hour - 74.3 MBIn this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the late-franchise Hammer horror film “Dracula A.D. 1972,” in which Chrisopher Lee’s vampiric prince of darkness rises from the ashes a century later in groovy London. Are hippies and the descendents of Doctor Van Helsing up to the challenge? Find out… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Where the Shadows Lie, Part 2
October 26, 2023 22:31 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBIn this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of shadows. How do human conceptions of shadows factor into our literature, art, history and monster making? What does it mean to cast a monstrous shadow, or to cast no shadow at all? Find out… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Monstrefact: The Mummy
October 25, 2023 20:15 - 6 minutes - 5.58 MBIn this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the undead mummies of horror cinema and where they emerge from in modern Egyptomania… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Where the Shadows Lie, Part 1
October 24, 2023 21:33 - 56 minutes - 51.7 MBIn this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of shadows. How do human conceptions of shadows factor into our literature, art, history and monster making? What does it mean to cast a monstrous shadow, or to cast no shadow at all? Find out… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Silver'd in the Moon's Eclipse
October 23, 2023 18:53 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBOnce more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: Elfshot, Part 1
October 21, 2023 10:00 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBThese lands are old and the elves who lived before us still watch and wait. Cross them, and you may feel the prick of their arrow. You’ll find no wound, though your flesh will swell and ache, and if you happen upon one of their elfstones in the grass then you might have chance at survival. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the superstition, archaeology and science of elfshot. (originally published 09/29/2022) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...
Weirdhouse Cinema: The Bride of Frankenstein
October 20, 2023 23:14 - 1 hour - 79 MBIn this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the amazingly weird and wonderful 1935 horror classic “The Bride of Frankenstein.” Has the doctor put his monster-making days behind him, or can he be tempted to even greater crimes of mad science by an even madder scientist? Find out… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kaibyō: The Strange Cats of Japan, Part 2
October 19, 2023 21:14 - 59 minutes - 55 MBSpooky cats are an iconic part of Halloween iconography, so in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of Kaibyō: the various strange and supernatural cats found in Japanese tradition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Smart Talks with IBM: Responsible AI: Why Businesses Need Reliable AI Governance
October 18, 2023 10:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBTo deploy responsible AI and build trust with customers, businesses need to prioritize AI governance. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Laurie Santos discuss AI accountability with Christina Montgomery, Chief Privacy and Trust Officer at IBM. They chat about AI regulation, what compliance means in the AI age, and why transparent AI governance is good for business. Visit us at: ibm.com/smarttalks Explore watsonx.governance: https://www.ibm.com/products/watsonx-go...
Kaibyō: The Strange Cats of Japan, Part 1
October 17, 2023 22:47 - 51 minutes - 47 MBSpooky cats are an iconic part of Halloween iconography, so in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of Kaibyō: the various strange and supernatural cats found in Japanese tradition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Scale of Dragon, Tooth of Wolf
October 16, 2023 19:12 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBOnce more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: Oh Goat, You Devil - Part 3
October 14, 2023 10:00 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBIf you’ve ever actually been around a goat, you probably wouldn’t confuse it for the ultimate evil spirit. And yet, goats have various demonic and satanic connotations in Christian traditions. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the humble goat and ponder why. (originally published 10/25/2022) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Weirdhouse Cinema Rewind: Return of the Blind Dead
October 13, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 64.3 MBIn this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the stand-alone, second installment of Spanish director Amando de Ossorio’s “Blind Dead'' series from 1973. The sightless revenants of the Knights Templars return 500 years after their grisly deaths to enact vengeance on a sleepy and corrupt Portuguese town. (originally published 8/20/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: Oh Goat, You Devil - Part 2
October 12, 2023 04:00 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MBIf you’ve ever actually been around a goat, you probably wouldn’t confuse it for the ultimate evil spirit. And yet, goats have various demonic and satanic connotations in Christian traditions. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the humble goat and ponder why. (originally published 10/20/2022) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Artifact Redux: Krueger's Claw
October 11, 2023 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.09 MBIn this classic episode of STBYM’s The Artifact, Robert discusses Freddy Kreuger’s infamous claw weapon and how it compares to the actual use of bladed gauntlets in history… (originally published 10/05/2022) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: Oh Goat, You Devil - Part 1
October 10, 2023 10:00 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBIf you’ve ever actually been around a goat, you probably wouldn’t confuse it for the ultimate evil spirit. And yet, goats have various demonic and satanic connotations in Christian traditions. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the humble goat and ponder why. (originally published 10/18/2022) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Eye of Newt and Toe of Frog
October 09, 2023 10:00 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBOnce more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: The Cattle Mutilation Panic of the 1970s
October 07, 2023 10:00 - 56 minutes - 51.7 MBStrange lights and black helicopters in the night. Cattle found dead with blood or organs seemingly removed from strange incisions. Alien visitors in the heartland. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe take a skeptical look at the cattle mutilation phenomenon of the 1970s. (originally published 10/06/2022) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Weirdhouse Cinema: TerrorVision
October 06, 2023 22:14 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBIn this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe tune their satellite dish to 1986 and discuss the outrageous sci-fi horror camp-fest that is Ted Nicolaou’s “TerrorVision,” starring Gerrit Graham and Mary Woronov. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Necromantic Urge, Part 3
October 05, 2023 21:51 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBIt’s that time of year again. Join Robert and Joe as Stuff to Blow Your Mind descends into the Halloween season. In this episode, explore the historic and psychological origins of necromancy: the ancient practice by which shamans, wizards and sorcerers sought communication with the dead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Monstrefact: Rawhead Rex and Kin
October 04, 2023 18:00 - 7 minutes - 7.33 MBIn this special bonus episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses Clive Barker’s Rawhead Rex and various related creatures and spirits from English lore and legend… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Smart Talks with IBM: Hugging Face and watsonx: Why Open Source Is the Future of AI in Business
October 04, 2023 10:00 - 31 minutes - 29 MBOpen-source innovation is the future of AI. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Tim Harford discuss the open-source AI community with Jeff Boudier, head of product and growth at Hugging Face. They chat about the history and future of open-source AI, its critical importance to AI progress, the IBM watsonx partnership with Hugging Face, and how businesses can leverage open-source AI for their specific needs. Visit us at ibm.com/smarttalks Learn more about the Huggin...
The Necromantic Urge, Part 2
October 03, 2023 21:21 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MBIt’s that time of year again. Join Robert and Joe as Stuff to Blow Your Mind descends into the Halloween season. In this episode, explore the historic and psychological origins of necromancy: the ancient practice by which shamans, wizards and sorcerers sought communication with the dead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Round About The Cauldron Go
October 02, 2023 21:09 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBOnce more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Weirdhouse Cinema: The Sorcerers
September 29, 2023 23:03 - 1 hour - 67.9 MBIn this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe kick off the Halloween season with 1967’s “The Sorcerers,” starring Boris Karloff. It's a groovy mix of hypnosis, mind control and murder. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Necromantic Urge, Part 1
September 28, 2023 19:28 - 1 hour - 63.5 MBIt’s that time of year again. Join Robert and Joe as Stuff to Blow Your Mind descends into the Halloween season. In this episode, explore the historic and psychological origins of necromancy: the ancient practice by which shamans, wizards and sorcerers sought communication with the dead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Monstrefact: The Nine Faces of Death
September 27, 2023 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.36 MBIn this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the mythological Chinese monster known as the Nine Faces of Death… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The 2023 Ig Nobel Prizes, Part 2
September 26, 2023 21:27 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBIt’s that time of year again! Join Robert and Joe as they discuss some of this year’s Ig Nobel prize-winning scientific studies and papers – honored as always for first making us laugh, then making us think. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: SB-129
September 25, 2023 19:04 - 21 minutes - 20.2 MBOnce more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: The Invention of the Odometer
September 23, 2023 10:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBYou might not think your car’s odometer is that exciting, but it’s actually the modern incarnation of an ancient invention with roots in China and the Greco-Roman world. Join Robert and Joe as they discuss the invention of the hodómetron and the li-recording drum carriage in this classic invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. (originally published 09/06/2022) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Weirdhouse Cinema: Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
September 22, 2023 21:36 - 1 hour - 64.4 MBIn this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1965 cult classic crime thriller “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” directed by Russ Myers and starring Tura Santana, Haji and Lori Williams. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The 2023 Ig Nobel Prizes, Part 1
September 21, 2023 19:19 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MBIt’s that time of year again! Join Robert and Joe as they discuss some of this year’s Ig Nobel prize-winning scientific studies and papers – honored as always for first making us laugh, then making us think. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Smart Talks With IBM: Transformations in AI: why foundation models are the future
September 20, 2023 10:00 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MBMajor breakthroughs in artificial intelligence research often reshape the design and utility of AI in both business and society. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Goldstein explore the conceptual underpinnings of modern AI with Dr. David Cox, VP of AI Models at IBM Research. They talk foundation models, self-supervised machine learning, and the practical applications of AI and data platforms like watsonx in business and technology. Visit us at: https://www....
Future Shock 2023, Part 3
September 19, 2023 18:50 - 58 minutes - 54 MBIn the 1970 book “Future Shock,” futurist Alvin Toffler outlined a vision of post-industrial society in which rapid technological and social changes outstrip the average human’s ability to cope. More than half a century later, how does this idea hold up and are contemporary humans victims of future shock? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss how it seems to be panning out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Tomorrow Never Knows
September 18, 2023 12:35 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBOnce more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: The Invention of Surgical Gloves
September 16, 2023 21:53 - 58 minutes - 53.4 MBIn this classic invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the origin of surgical gloves, the differing concepts for their composition and the struggle to get surgeons to wear them. (originally published 08/30/2022) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Weirdhouse Cinema: The Man Who Fell to Earth
September 15, 2023 19:19 - 1 hour - 74 MBIn this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss Nicolas Roeg's 1976 sci-fi film "The Man Who Fell to Earth," starring the legendary David Bowie. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Future Shock 2023, Part 2
September 14, 2023 16:39 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBIn the 1970 book “Future Shock,” futurist Alvin Toffler outlined a vision of post-industrial society in which rapid technological and social changes outstrip the average human’s ability to cope. More than half a century later, how does this idea hold up and are contemporary humans victims of future shock? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss how it seems to be panning out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Artifact: The Gadget Cane
September 13, 2023 15:09 - 4 minutes - 4.24 MBIn this episode of STBYM’s The Artifact, Robert discusses various gadget canes, from Benjamin Franklin’s walking stick to Edgar Alan Poe’s cane sword… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Future Shock 2023, Part 1
September 12, 2023 22:26 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBIn the 1970 book “Future Shock,” futurist Alvin Toffler outlined a vision of post-industrial society in which rapid technological and social changes outstrip the average human’s ability to cope. More than half a century later, how does this idea hold up and are contemporary humans victims of future shock? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss how it seems to be panning out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listener Mail: Satellite Anthem Icarus
September 11, 2023 18:41 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MBOnce more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the Vault: The Paragraph, Part 2
September 09, 2023 10:00 - 47 minutes - 44 MBIn this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the standard nugget of textual thought: the paragraph. (originally published 8/25/22) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Weirdhouse Cinema: Diabolik
September 08, 2023 21:44 - 1 hour - 79.6 MBIn this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe return to the phantasmagorical world of Mario Bava with the stylish 1968 crime thriller “Danger: Diabolik,” starring John Phillip Law and Marisa Mell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Stickiness, Part 3
September 07, 2023 12:31 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MBWe encounter sticky surfaces and sticky substances everyday, but what exactly IS “stickiness?” In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the physical properties of stickiness and look at some very sticky examples from the natural world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.