Vaguely Scientific
166 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 days ago - ★★★★★ - 9 ratingsOur panelists answer audience-submitted questions that range from the serious to the ridiculous using as much science as they can muster! Hosts Jim, Derek, and a rotating panel use their expertise (or lack thereof) to tackle these questions in a manner that can only be described as "vaguely scientific."
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Episodes
Vaguely Scientific #60: Thunder and Lightning!
December 23, 2020 08:00 - 36 minutes - 18.4 MBIn this festive episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Andy to brainstorm how to booby trap their houses to dissuade bandits from stealing presents. Then, we deduce what Santa's reindeer would become if they turned into their namesakes. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Andy
Vaguely Scientific #59: Kingdom Planetam Nanum
December 09, 2020 08:00 - 42 minutes - 21.4 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Joe to discuss whether or not Protista should be a kingdom. Then, we discuss whether or not Pluto should be made back into a planet. So basically the same question, but on a matter of scale! Panelists: Jim, Derek, Joe
Vaguely Scientific #58: No Forces? What a Cat-astrophe!
November 25, 2020 08:00 - 45 minutes - 22.7 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Jonathan to discuss how our favorite sports would be different if the forces that affect our universe were to change. Also, we don't have favorite sports and don't know anything about sports. Then, we talk about something we do know about: cats! Panelists: Jim, Derek, Jonathan
Vaguely Scientific #57: Zero G DDT
November 11, 2020 08:00 - 34 minutes - 16.9 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Brian to discuss how to perform a suplex when in zero gravity. Then, we discuss the respective digestive tracts of Kirby and Yoshi. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Brian
Vaguely Scientific #56: Vaguely Spooky 3 - Season of the Vampire
October 28, 2020 07:00 - 44 minutes - 22.6 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Dave and Marcus to discuss why vampires can't be seen in a mirror, which is odd when you think about how well coiffed their hair always is. Then, we try to figure out how to become mad scientists (not that we weren't already). Finally, we spill our guts out about some of our own irrational fears. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Dave, Marcus
Vaguely Scientific #55: The Scottish Episode
October 14, 2020 07:00 - 49 minutes - 25.3 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Anne to discuss whether or not Birnam Wood could actually come to Dunsinane as it does in Macbeth (and other ways it might have gone down). Then, we take a look at some of the lost cities of the world and try to figure out whether or not they actually existed. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Anne
Vaguely Extra #6: Derek's Take on the Fortune Telling Boom
October 08, 2020 07:00 - 9 minutes - 4.51 MBIn this bonus episode, Derek sits down and attempts to analyze the sudden dramatic increase in interest in fortune telling.
Vaguely Scientific #54: It's Your Kids, Marty! They Killed Caesar!
September 30, 2020 07:00 - 47 minutes - 23.7 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Big A to discuss what Back to the Future Part 2 actually predicted correctly. Then, we go back in time and kill as many people as possible to create huge tangents in our timelines! Panelists: Jim, Derek, Big A
Vaguely Scientific #53: Pop Goes the Tummy
September 16, 2020 07:00 - 45 minutes - 20.3 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Sierra to try and determine just how much food someone can eat until they explode. Then, we take a look at what might happen if a group of people are filmed for years on end. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Sierra
Vaguely Extra #5: Outtakes the Third
September 07, 2020 16:00 - 32 minutes - 16.4 MBIt's Labor Day (at least in the US)! Cap off your long weekend with some of our outtakes from the first half of our second year.
Vaguely Scientific #52: Mermaids Skip Leg Day
September 02, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 29.4 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Aly and Justin to attempt to dissect (figuratively) the anatomy of a mermaid. Then, we dive deep into the world of cryptids to determine which one is most likely to exist out there. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Aly, Justin
Vaguely Scientific #51: Feeding Bugs to Jonathan Taylor Thomas
August 19, 2020 07:00 - 36 minutes - 17.5 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Kelly to discuss the logistics of finally getting that Death Star built so we can blow up Uranus and finally end that dumb joke. Then, we try to figure out how many bugs Simba would have to eat to stay alive during lion adolescence. It's a lot. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Kelly
Vaguely Scientific #50: An Extra Eight Hours of Fun Time
August 05, 2020 07:00 - 44 minutes - 21.8 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Chris to discuss all the spectacular ways we could stop our most severe weather. Bring along your favorite thermonuclear device for this one! Then, we try to figure out how to make sleep obsolete, because it's a really pointless pastime. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Chris
Vaguely Scientific #49: The Wrong Sword for the Job
July 22, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 18.3 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Adam to discuss whether or not you could cut straight through a tree with a sword. Don't try this at home! And if you do, don't blame us. Then, we put mecha vs. mecha in a fight for mobile suit superiority. Who will come out on top? Panelists: Jim, Derek, Adam
Vaguely Scientific #48: Magic Is Just Science for Nerds
July 08, 2020 07:00 - 57 minutes - 29.6 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Justin to discuss which magic systems in fiction are the most realistic. Then, we veer way off on a tangent about stage magic that's both enlightening and riveting! To round out this extra long episode, we revisit multiple heads and try to dissect the mess that is the chimera. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Justin
Vaguely Scientific #47: Unidentified Flying Executioner Blades
June 24, 2020 07:00 - 44 minutes - 28.7 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Addison to finally crack the UFO conspiracy wide open. We take a look at all the different things UFOs could be if they weren't aliens. Which of course, all of them are, right? Then, we dive back into the world of experience points to determine how many levels one might gain if they were an executioner beheading people all day long. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Addison
Vaguely Scientific #46: Public Service Announcement
June 10, 2020 07:00 - 34 minutes - 18 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Big A to try and figure out how the Rocketeer from the eponymous movie/comic book doesn't burn his stupid legs off. Then, we try to figure out what body mods we'll have to buy to safely ingest poison. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Big A
Vaguely Scientific #45: Sad Songs, Sadder Video Games
May 27, 2020 07:00 - 43 minutes - 22.6 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Dac to discuss why some music automatically makes you feel sad. It's not all about the lyrics! Then, we discuss addictive video games and watch those clicker numbers go up and up. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Dac
Vaguely Scientific #44: Rock, Paper, Furby
May 13, 2020 07:00 - 45 minutes - 24.3 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Aly and Jonathan to discuss the wild, confusing, and hamfisted world of Pokémon type matchups. Then, we take a look at how the carnivorous Furby hunts its prey in its natural habitat. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Aly, Jonathan
Vaguely Scientific #43: Bowser's Secret Nuclear Dump
April 29, 2020 07:00 - 36 minutes - 19.1 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Dave to discuss exactly how Fire Flowers from Super Mario games are supposed to work. Not well, apparently. Then we get real metaphysical while trying to determine if our universe is merely a simulation. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Dave
Vaguely Scientific #42: Molybdenum?
April 15, 2020 07:00 - 35 minutes - 18.5 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Ryan to celebrate the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! We talk about using time travel to make a fast buck, we pin down the question that goes with the answer '42,' and we determine that two heads are better than one unless your second head is useless like on a certain president of the galaxy. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Ryan
Vaguely Extra #4: The Story So Far
April 09, 2020 12:39 - 9 minutes - 11 MBVaguely Scientific Labs is always innovating, experimenting, and fumbling about. Join us, won't you, as we take a look back at where we've been and how it led to where we are now.
Vaguely Scientific #41: Just the Right Amount of Horse Tranquilizers
April 01, 2020 07:00 - 43 minutes - 22.8 MBIn this episode, Jim(?) and Derek(?) are joined by Justin to tackle some of those great April Fools questions we've stockpiled over the last year. Also, we drop in some great science facts mixed in with more science lies! Panelists: Jim, Derek, Justin
Vaguely Scientific #40: Tweets, Chirps, and HONKS
March 18, 2020 07:00 - 37 minutes - 19.7 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Chris to discuss what swimming in a zero gravity pool would be like. It sounds pretty sweet. Then, we dive right back into body horror as we discuss what life might be like for humans with beaks. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Chris
Vaguely Scientific #39: Future Middle Past Earth
March 04, 2020 08:00 - 47 minutes - 21.7 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Anne to discuss what the distant future of Middle Earth will look like. I hear it's literally Star Wars. Then, we pit mounted knights against centaurs in the ultimate battle of horse/person and horseperson. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Anne
Vaguely Scientific #38: Live And Let the Man with the GoldenEye Love Me
February 19, 2020 08:00 - 43 minutes - 24.3 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Marcus to discuss the most ridiculous doomsday scenarios ever devised in a James Bond movie. Then, we all become animals for 20 years, but we get to decide which one we become. What will give us the best chance for survival, happiness, or overall enjoyment? Panelists: Jim, Derek, Marcus
Vaguely Scientific #37: Hippopoctopusamus
February 05, 2020 08:00 - 41 minutes - 21.8 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Andy to discuss what might happen if everything in the universe were to double in size. As usual, we would all probably die. Then, we kitbash different animals together to make some truly outlandish hybrids. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Andy
Vaguely Scientific #36: You Can't Have Purple Eye Lasers
January 22, 2020 08:00 - 40 minutes - 21.4 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Jonathan to discuss how eye lasers work, both the kind that zap your lens and the kind that zap outwards towards other people. Then, we get into a deep philosophical debate about colors and how they're entirely pointless. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Jonathan
Vaguely Scientific #35: We Made All of the Internet Mad at Once
January 08, 2020 08:00 - 42 minutes - 22.6 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Ryan to discuss whether or not we should chat with all those wild aliens that we've definitely for sure found. Then, we mash together Star Wars and Star Trek just to spite the entire internet. We can feel your hatred... Panelists: Jim, Derek, Ryan
Vaguely Extra #3: Outtakes Part 2
January 01, 2020 08:00 - 25 minutes - 10.6 MBHappy Near Year! To help you ease into the new year, enjoy these outtakes, which were wisely clipped from episodes 14-26. And remember, hindsight is 2020.
Vaguely Scientific #34: The Last Son of Christmas
December 25, 2019 08:00 - 33 minutes - 18.6 MBIn this episode chock full of good tidings, Jim and Derek are joined by Big A to tackle your holiday questions. First, how could we safely turn a reindeer's nose into a 30,000 W light source? Then, we tackle Dr. Seuss's greatest riddle: how do you stop Christmas from coming? Panelists: Jim, Derek, Big A
Vaguely Scientific #33: Philanthrolycanthropy
December 11, 2019 08:00 - 36 minutes - 19.1 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Addison to discuss the benefits of practicing werewolfery, either involuntarily or as a trade. Then, they dig deep to figure out where fantasy monsters are getting all of that sweet, sweet loot. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Addison
Vaguely Scientific #32: Breaking Your Bones: A Primer
November 27, 2019 08:00 - 39 minutes - 19.5 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Chris to discuss the practicality, consequences, and tragedies of building a dome over a city. Then, we journey to Duckburg to try and figure out how Scrooge McDuck dives into that money pit without shattering every bone in his body. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Chris
Vaguely Scientific #31: Talking About Aliens Talking
November 13, 2019 08:00 - 41 minutes - 20.9 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Aly to discuss how aliens discuss things. Then, we blow the lid off of the flu shot conspiracy (spoiler: there isn't one). Finally, we cap off the episode by talking about how bad everything would be if water stopped behaving in all the strange ways water behaves. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Aly
Vaguely Scientific #30: Vaguely Spooky 2
October 30, 2019 07:00 - 55 minutes - 35.4 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Justin and David to discuss more spooky tales of terror! This year, we figure out which animals would make the best and worst familiars for a witch. Then, we revisit last year's question in which we updated movie monsters to be more realistic. This time, we tackle Frankenstein's monster, the invisible man, and the creature from the black lagoon. Panelists: Jim, Derek, David, Justin
Vaguely Extra #2: Batman Villains
October 25, 2019 17:34 - 14 minutes - 10.2 MBHalloween is quickly approaching, so what better time to return to Gotham City and discuss some of the greatest villains Batman has ever faced. This was originally part of episode 27, but there just wasn't enough time to include it. Enjoy!
Vaguely Scientific #29: Soylent Green Is Derek
October 16, 2019 07:00 - 39 minutes - 20.4 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Sierra to discuss how we can pipe food into our houses and completely cut out human contact forever. Yay! Then, we try to figure out how to swap out these cheap, human bones for some slick metal ones. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Sierra
Vaguely Scientific #28: Egg on Your Face
October 02, 2019 07:00 - 33 minutes - 17.9 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Jonathan, who helps them to figure out how to convert hit points and fall damage to the real world, since we have no practical way of gauging how much damage a person would take falling out of an open window, I guess. Then, we uncook an egg for science! Panelists: Jim, Derek, Jonathan
Vaguely Scientific #27: Happy Birthday Batman!
September 18, 2019 07:00 - 48 minutes - 24.8 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Dave and Justin to celebrate Batman's 80th birthday! To celebrate, we discuss whether or not someone could actually become Batman. Then, we discuss the stupidest gadgets the Dark Night has ever used in the line of duty. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Dave, Justin
Vaguely Scientific #26: This Time It's Just Raining Meat
September 04, 2019 04:00 - 44 minutes - 23.2 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Marcus as they discuss which animal deserves to take the top spot on planet Earth after humans get our stupid selves killed. Then, we dive into the deep lore of the Weather Girls' Song "It's Raining Men" to really figure out what the ramifications of such an event would be. It's bad. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Marcus
Vaguely Scientific #25: Alien vs. Predator vs. Nighttime Stuffiness
August 21, 2019 04:00 - 43 minutes - 22.6 MBJim and Derek are joined by Aly to discuss why we haven't viciously stamped out that longtime scourge to mankind--the common cold. Then, we try to figure out the Xenomorph and how it achieves such an impressive kill count without actually having to see any of the things it's doing. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Aly
Vaguely Scientific #24: Tons of Phalanges
August 07, 2019 04:00 - 40 minutes - 25.4 MBJim and Derek are joined once again by Andy to discuss what's inside of everyone's favorite pink puffball/eldritch horror: Kirby! Then, we try to figure out why people can't tell that Clark Kent is Superman. I mean, it's so obvious, right? Panelists: Jim, Derek, Andy
Vaguely Scientific #23: All Hail Our Computer Overlords
July 24, 2019 04:00 - 30 minutes - 19.3 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined once again by Addison. He's finished with his time travel shenanigans and has returned to discuss a future in which Google shutters its doors overnight. Oh no, my spreadsheets! Then, if you eat something that grew in the garden you buried that body in, are you a cannibal? Panelists: Jim, Derek, Addison
Vaguely Scientific #22: Lunar Lunacy
July 10, 2019 04:00 - 31 minutes - 20.8 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Big A to discuss the different ways we might go about colonizing the moon to build our first cheese factory. To keep the moon theme rolling, we tackle the conspiracy that the moon is artificial which, spoiler alert, it's not. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Big A
Vaguely Scientific #21: Vaguely Rotten in the State of Denmark
June 26, 2019 04:00 - 37 minutes - 24.5 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by David to discuss the scienceiest science of them all: English literature. Specifically, we debate the notion that Hamlet's madness had any method to it. Then, we have a genie infestation, and we really need to try to figure out what to store them all in. Panelists: Jim, Derek, David
Vaguely Extra #1: Early Outtakes
June 21, 2019 04:00 - 9 minutes - 6.84 MBIn celebration of the first day of summer, we dust off some of the best outtakes from the first six months of the podcast!
Vaguely Scientific #20: Humans Are Garbage; Robots Are Racist
June 12, 2019 04:00 - 34 minutes - 24.5 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Ryan to discuss how putting your brain in a robot body would get you exiled from both human society and robotkind. Then, we delve deeper into the world of beep boops by deciding if we want to be a cyborg in a fantasy setting or a wizard in a sci-fi one. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Ryan
Vaguely Scientific #19: A Chilly Reception
May 29, 2019 04:00 - 36 minutes - 19.4 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined once more by Marcus to discuss what would happen if all of the water in the world froze. Brr! Then we discuss what kinds of tools we might be able to cobble together out of ice since that's all we're really going to have access to after this cataclysm. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Marcus
Vaguely Scientific #18: It's Raining Bast and Anubis
May 15, 2019 04:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by Justin to discuss how to bring the diabolical weather machine from General Hospital (yes, the soap opera) to life! Then, we contemplate the anatomy, vocal skills, and communication prowess of the Egyptian gods. Panelists: Jim, Derek, Justin
Vaguely Scientific #17: You Sound Just Terrible
May 01, 2019 04:00 - 38 minutes - 25 MBIn this episode, Jim and Derek are joined by David to really drive home the point that everyone's voice is garbage. Then, we get topical by discussing what might happen in a world where superheroes actually existed. Panelists: Jim, Derek, David