Learn It from a Layman

We discuss the basics of guns. Where were guns invented and when? What are the various parts of a firearm? What made shooting accurately possible? What does caliber, gauge, and millimeter measure in a gun? What is a flintlock firearm? Are laser guns ever going to be a reality? How did guns work on airplanes with propellers?

We discuss the basics of building a podcast. How many downloads can you expect? What is the "top 5%" of podcasts in terms of new-episode downloads? How do you build a sustainable podcast? What is the timeline to build an audience? Can a layman produce a successful podcast? Who did Learn It from a Layman's music? Should Tim start a merch store?

We discuss the basics of organs. What is an organ? What is the duodenum? What does your liver do and how many livers do you actually have? How long does food stay in your stomach? Have you ever had the biggest bowel movement in the world? How do the heart and lungs work together? What do your kidneys do?

We are joined by attorney Mick McGirr in discussing the basics of law. What is a trust? What are the different types of law? What is statutory law? Are an attorney and a lawyer the same thing? What is "the bar"? What does a layman need to know about law and lawyers?

What are the basic considerations when making a budget? What is mandatory spending vs discretionary spending? How fast does your internet need to be? How much data do you use on your phone? Why did Tim chose to be a teacher? Should anyone eat pickled okra? When should you choose a higher interest rate over paying PMI?

We discuss the basics of mechanical engineering with first-time guest Curtis Rands. What kinds of problems do mechanical engineers solve? What is tolerance in engineering and how do you measure it? What are static vs dynamic forces? Is there a layman explanation for the d'Alembert principle? Can you establish a speed limit for a specific component given potential forces? How much does weather affe...

We discuss the basics of robotics. What is a robot? What are the 5 elements of a robot? Is a moving walkway a robot, and should the ground always transport Matt? What sensors do robots need? What is control logic and how does it apply to artificial intelligence? Has Tim become part of the singularity?

David Traina, owner and CEO of Traina, a San-Diego based branding agency, joins us to discuss the basics of branding. What is the most important element of branding? How do you measure branding ROI (return on investment)? Can Dave help our podcast brand, or at least the logo? What are some branding success stories and branding fails? When should a company start considering their brand strategy? Wh...

We discuss the basics of banking. Why do banks fail? What are the primary roles of banks, and what are their vulnerabilities? What is fiat money? What are bonds and securities? Why does Cameron keep his money under his mattress? What is the history of bank regulation in the United States and why is this a tricky issue? What is the FDIC and what is the Fed? How can the laymen protect their money? I...

We discuss the basics of diets. What is the best diet? What are the things you need to consider before starting a diet? Is going vegan or vegetarian a good choice and what are the benefits of those diets? What is the difference between a health diet and a weight loss diet? What impact does only eating cocktail weenies have on your health? Is scurvy a real concern? How can the layman make small but...

We discuss ten questions in physics. Do gaps form in light? Can you accidentally create a blackhole? Can two atoms touch each other? What does touching mean? What is Wi-Fi? Why does time only go one way? Are there other dimensions? How many dimensions is Cameron OK with?

We bring our World War II podcast series to a close. Was what happened in Europe a fait accompli after Normandy? Was FDR naïve in his approach to Stalin? What happened in Dresden and why? How many casualties were there in WWII and how can a layman put that in perspective?

We discuss the basics of American government. What is a democratic republic? What is the difference between the federal and the state governments? What is gerrymandering? Is Tim running for office? What are the roles of the judicial, executive, and legislative branches? What is the difference between a recall and an impeachment? 

We talk trivia. What is the most volcanic moon? Why is Tim talking about sperm whale anatomy and organs? What is the smallest mammal? How fast can a heart beat? What land animal can drink salt water? What are the most spoken languages in the world?

For our 100th episode, we go back to our roots, with a twist. We discuss the 10 best ways to die in nature. Are there actual homeopathic pirates? Can you be clicked to death? Has anyone ever died by meteor strike? Can a tortoise kill you? How do pythons kill their prey? Was jungle book based on a true story? Come celebrate our milestone with us!

We discuss the basics of programming languages. What familiar experiences can a layman relate to programming? Why do we need programming languages? What is ambiguity in human language and can there be any in a computer language? What is a compiled language vs a script language? Why aren't all apps available on all phones? Do computers use "little zaps"? Why are there so many different programming...

We discuss attention. What does paying attention mean? What's happening in the brain when you pay attention to something? Do humans really have a shorter attention span than a goldfish? Did Tim actually fall asleep while talking to his class? Can caffeine help with attention? What does cognitive modeling tell us about attention? Can we improve our attention span and ability to focus?

We continue our World War II podcast series. What is the D in D-Day for? How did French shrubs cause an issue in retaking France? What was the fallout from Operation Valkyrie? What is Operation Bagration? What happened in the Warsaw Uprising and did the Soviets leave the Poles out to dry? What is the story behind A Bridge Too Far? When did the B-29s join the Pacific Theatre? What were the V-1 and...

We are joined by Katie Christensen, Master of Fine Arts, and we discuss the basics of photography. What happens in a film camera? Are there any benefits for film photography over digital? What do all of those settings like ISO and F-stop on your camera mean? Are there camera considerations more than the number of megapixels when buying a camera? Who are some famous historical photographers and wha...

Mike Vedomske, PhD in Systems and Information Engineering and Senior Data Scientist at Nike, joins the podcast to discuss data science. Is data science different than machine learning? What kind of data do you use and how is it collected or mined? What types of algorithms do you use? What is multiple linear regression? What kind of tools are available? How do you use visualization to explore data?...

We discuss the basics of DNA. How is DNA organized in a cell? What is RNA? What are chromosomes, how are the structured, and how big are they? How much of our DNA is not used? Do proteins rule the world? How can researchers figure out which part of DNA comes from specific regions of the world? Why is cloning hard? What are stem cells? What does DNA have to do with cancer and what can you do to pro...

We discuss the basics of international travel. When does your passport actually expire? What's a visa and do you need one? What considerations are there if you drive to another country? Should you fly standby if you can? How can you layover in Iceland for free? What are ways you can save money, and what are ways you shouldn't save money? What are the dos and don'ts of security when traveling? Shou...

We discuss the basics of browsers. What is a browser and what does it do? Is Google Chrome the best browser? How does a browser affect internet privacy? What is a Virtual Private Network (VPN)? Are different browsers better or worse? Is incognito mode useful? What can I do if a website isn't working? What are Dev Tools in a browser and how can they help the layman?

We discuss the basics of conspiracy theories. Did the US really land on the moon? Who killed JFK? Was Obama born in the United States? Is Earth flat? Why do people believe conspiracy theories? How do you tell if something is a conspiracy theory and how do you avoid falling prey to one? Is Tim trying to bring down the podcast? We lay out four steps to help arm yourself against misinformation.

We discuss fixed vs growth mindsets. Should you tell kids that they're "smart" or "pretty"? What problems can that cause? What are growth attributes and how do we encourage and adopt them? Is Brad Pitt Brad Pitt because he's good looking? Is success defined by our abilities? What effects do fixed mindsets have on life?