Backyard Philosophy Podcast

The era is World War 2, Nazis are threatening to take over the world and the Allies are throwing everything they can to stop them. Sometimes weird solutions are the best solutions... and when this solution calls for explosives to blow up Axis powers. You know it is going to be a good one. Join Nick and Mike as Mike tells the tale of a British engineer who figure out how to bounce weird bombs at th...

Genetically Modified Organisms, a topic that has been under much debate. Will GMO's help feed a growing population? Are GMO's even safe? What are some advancements in science in the technology of GMO's? Join us this week as Mike and Nick talk, discuss and debate these very questions. 

Many of us associate luddites with a group of people who don't like or are afraid of technology. But what if I were to tell you that isn't the case. In fact the how the term luddite came to be is a weird and entangle moment in history. Join us this week as Nick tells Mike about how the term luddite came to be and what it actually means to be a luddite.

What on earth has Mike and Nick gotten into this week. Eating your own species, eating humans! Join us this week as Mike and Nick discuss the history of cannibalism, how it is still being practiced today and the ethics and morals of eating another human being.

Modern athletes make a lot of money and athletes are engrained into our society but that didn't start with our society. Through out all of human time athletes, games and entertainment have been in our culture. And if you are good at something you can make money at it. Join us this week as Mike and Nick talk about one of the most fierce competes in all of history and perhaps the richest athlete tha...

Chemicals we spray on our food. Will they give us three eyes and two heads or will the help feed a growing population? Who is funding pesticide companies and testing? What are alternatives to pesticides. Well join us this week as Mike and Nick talk about those very questions. How pesticides are used, future tech in preserving plants from invaders and whether or not humans should be even using pest...

We have all heard the term organic farming, many of us buy organic food. But what really goes into organic products? How is the market effected, how do become an organic farmer, what is the truth about organic vs non organic? Join us this week as Nick, Mike and Special Guest Trent. Talk about the economics, the production and the process of being in the world of organic food.

Something so simple so elegant but the human race could not survive without... tress. That's right Nick is back talking about trees again, this episode explaining how the vast forests of the United States came to be. From explores, scientist, barons and even the French revolution all tied together to bring the mighty forests and parks that we all know and love to its glory of today.

What happens when you combine some good friends, a garage and a Mercedes? You get the start of a dynasty of some of the fastest and important cars in automotive history. Join us this week as Mike with special guest Stephen Peters. Talk about the history of AMG. How a few men created some of the first sleeper cars and changed the racing world as we know it.

Most of us have been on road trips in our life. All of us have seen or heard of grand adventures during road trips. But what happens when you do a road trip across America in a 1980's fire truck that you won in a raffle. Well.... you get an interesting time and some good stories. Join us this week as Mike interviews special guest Sean Robinson about his tale of winning, driving and fixing a fire t...

Morals, how did humans develop them? Do other animals have morals? Are morals genetic traits or are they learned traits? Join us this week as Nick and Mike talk about morals. Where they come from, how our environment changes them and how society changes our moral compass. 

War has always been awful, blood and death. But what happens when humans decide to have a cheeky war. A war were no swords or guns. But rather instead a bottle of booze and some chalk. Join us this week as Mike and Nick talk about the kindest war humanity has ever waged and how booze seems to bring countries together.

The environment is a complex, in depth, complicated thing.  An interesting dilemmas come up that heavily impact not only the environment but also humanity. Join us this week as Mike, Nick and special guest Dan, talk, philosophy and joke around about a complex system that effects many lives on many different layers. 

What do you get when you mix Pepsi with Russia... no not a mixed drink. You get capitalism, vodka, and submarines? Join Nick and Mike this week as how Pepsi, Richard Nixon and Soviet Russia changed the world with one simple sip.

We all have gut feelings, hunches, have been told to trust of instinct. But what is instinct? Where does it come from? Is it possible to hack and override our human instinct? Join us this week as Nick and Mike talk about instinct from humans to animals, how instinct formed, how it kept us alive and how it changes even the fabric of society.  

This episode we are going to talk about something nobody expects... the Spanish Inquisition. This dark moment in history, how it came to be, how it spread through out Europe and how this evil of humanity lasted for nearly 400 years. Join us as Nick and Mike talk about the craziness of the Spanish Inquisition.

Music... it impacts everyone and I do mean everyone. From being the soundtrack of our lives to how we develop and act. Music is deeply woven into everyone lives. Join us this episode as Nick and Mike talk about the impact music has on the human brain, culture and each of their selves.

Something so simple so elegant but the human race could not survive without... tress. That's right Nick is back talking about trees again, this episode explaining how the vast forests of the United States came to be. From explores, scientist, barons and even the French revolution all tied together to bring the mighty forests and parks that we all know and love to its glory of today.

Books, everyone loves them and there are so many good ones. Ones that have change our lives and lives around us. Join us this week as Nick and Mike talk about their favorite books and how books have changed and modeled them.

Dozens, hundreds, thousands of different species have mating seasons but humans don't. What would happen if humans did? How would history be effected? Would society advance to the point it is now? Would the world be utter chaos or utopia? Join us this week as Nick and Mike discuss the science and philosophy if the world got turned upside down and humans had matting, a rut season just like deer.

Fashion, we all wear clothes, we all have our own tastes and styles. But did you know that fashion is an industry that effects countries economies, the human brain and how humans behave? Join us this week as Mike and Nick talk about the impact of fashion has on everyday lives and how entire markets live and die with the runway and fashion trends.

History is weird, and sometimes history is super weird. Like Navy vs Cavalry battle, ground vs sea weird. Join us this episode as Mike tell the tale of how multiple Dutch ships armored with some 850 cannons went against French cavalry and infantry in close quarter combat. How is that even possible? Who won? And who is even crazy enough to attempt this. Listen and find out about the battle at Den H...

The world is every changing, A.I., working from home, new industries, new values. And along side all that change is new hours. How long should a person work in a week? What is the optimal time to work on a project according to science? What are other countries work weeks like? Join us this episode as Mike and Nick talk discuss and debate the work week. Will the traditional work week go the way of...

The little things in life matter, especially if it can save your life. Taking the time to do things safely or prepare for what ever you are going to do can save not only your lives but the lives of people around you. Join us this week as Nick gives some facts and tips on how simply looking, preparing and doing things right can heavily impact your life and the world itself.

Do we live in a simulation? Do multiple universes exist? Is heaven and hell real? Join us this week as Nick and Mike dive into the science and philosophy behind simulation theory and different universe theories. Will we break free of the Matrix or will we make our own.