Stuff To Blow Your Mind

As a science writer, Mary Roach has penned books on everything from cadavers to astronauts. In this episode, Allison and Robert interview Mary Roach about the future of space exploration. Listen in t…

An emoticon is a series of punctuation marks used to draw a picture and convey an emotion. But how did these emoticons come about, and why do they seem so universal? In this podcast, Robert and Allis…

Maggots have a distinctive (and, some would say, repulsive) appearance. But throughout history doctors and healers have used maggots to treat ulcers and wounds. In this episode, Allison and Robert ta…

There are hundreds of different leech species, but they're all built for one thing: sucking blood. Join Allison and Robert as they take a closer look at the leech's adaptations, and the role these pa…

Last week, Robert and Allison broke down the science behind oil exploration. In the second segment of this series, the hosts explore the process of drilling for oil once a potential well is found. Tu…

In an economy driven by fossil fuels, oil exploration is big business -- but how do scientists actually find oil? In this podcast, Allison and Robert break down the techniques and technologies used t…

Why do mosquitoes love biting certain people (and ignore others)? In this podcast, Robert and Allison take a closer look at the science behind mosquito bait. Tune in and learn why insects love -- or …

The Blue Whale is the largest living animal on Earth, but it isn't the first gigantic sea creature. In this podcast, Allison and Robert examine the prehistoric dinosaurs of the deep. Tune in to learn…

Roughly 10 percent of the human population is left-handed. This minority lives in a right-handed world, and many tools are made for right-handed people. But do left-handed people have any advantages …

Charles Darwin's revolutionary study of evolution isn't even two hundred years old yet. In terms of evolutionary processes, this is a miniscule amount of time. Yet is is possible to observe evolution…

Although diamonds are incredibly expensive, they're only lumps of concentrated carbon (one of the most common elements on earth). So how do these diamonds form -- and how big can they grow? Tune in a…

Designed entirely to cater to the sense of smell, perfume occupies a unique position in fashion and society. But when we catch the whiff of a passing perfume enthusiast, what are we really smelling? …

Smells surround us: Astronauts say that space and the moon possess unique aromas, and many animals also have their own unmistakable odors. In this episode, Robert and Allison explore the science behi…

It's no secret that space shuttles need a vast amount of fuel to escape the pull of gravity -- but are space elevators a better alternative? In this episode, Robert and Allison explore the merits of …

When Nicolai Kardashev began searching the universe for intelligent life, he built an energy-based scale to measure the progress of any given civilization. Tune in to discover how this scale works --…

Think of the U.S. power grid as one gigantic (and outdated) machine. This system works relatively well, but it has a lot of drawbacks. In this episode, Robert and Allison take a look at smart grid te…

Are you stuck in the city, sweltering under the summer heat and missing the trees and grass of the natural world? Then why not transform the nearest rooftop into a garden or a park? Tune in and learn…

Prosthetic limbs have been around for thousands of years, but could they eventually become superior to organic appendages? In this episode, Allison and Robert break down the latest -- and future -- d…

We know that robots are taking over more and more tasks traditionally performed by humans -- but assembling cars isn't the same thing as waging war. In this episode, Allison and Robert explore the cu…

In the second installment of Robert and Allison's two-part series on history's world-changing science experiments, your favorite science writers take a look at everything from primordial ooze to mode…