Part-Time Genius

There are the things you accidentally bury, and then there’s everything on this list. Will, Mango and Gabe discuss the weirdest facts they've unearthed about things that have been unearthed. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango have their good pal AJ Jacobs on the program to talk about his new book Thanks a Thousand , where he decided to thank the thousands of people who made his cup of coffee possible. Along the way they hear stories of "the Elon Musk of coffee lid design," how gratitude can help you sleep better, and why Jonas Salk was kind of a terrible person. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:...

From the most heavy metal apples out there, to the reason New York City transitioned from a New Orange to the Big Apple, to the insane lengths Japanese farmers go to to grow the perfect apple, Will and Mango pluck some the best apple stories they can find. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Which airport should you hang out at if you want to meet a mini-horse? Why is the art in the Denver Airport so evil? And are TSA agents more likely to search you if you're carrying an Almanac? Will and Mango investigate. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do we square dance in class? Where did Madonna learn to vogue? Did David Bowie actually inspire Michael Jackson's dance moves? And what does the Chicken Dance have to do with skiing? Will and Mango get to the bottom of the biggest dance mysteries. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Okay, maybe some of these tricks aren't that genius (building your office on a giant Lazy Susan, for instance). Dig in as Will and Mango investigate the tricks artists have used to claw their way out of creative slumps. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does a female camel need to see a gross neck bubble before she'll swipe right? Why do bald eagles need to hug it out before they decide they're right for one another? And what do tennis grunts have to do with any of this? Will and Mango take a look at the world's strangest dating techniques, all plucked from Animalia. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See...

If your time machine got jammed in the past, what would you need to rebuild all of modern civilization? Mango sits down with Ryan North, author of the new book How to Invent Everything, to talk about how to make soap, why leeches were pretty useful for a very short period, how to invent a better horse harness, and why windmills just might be superior to waterwheels. Oh, and how to understand all o...

In honor of the new show, Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe, Will and Mango revisit some of their favorite questions: What is Quantum Teleportation? Are we all swimming in Dark Matter? And why are scientists so obsessed with smashing particles together? And we've got astrophysicist Daniel Whiteson, co-author of the wonderful new book We Have No Idea, ready to answer them all. Buckle up! Daniel...

Will and Mango pester their pal Nick with all their whale questions: Why are whales so large? How do they sustain those massive bodies? And also-- why do they have belly buttons? Featuring Nick Pyenson, author of Spying on Whales and curator of marine mammal fossils for the Smithsonian. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Will and Mango check out the strangest requests ever fielded at hotels. Plus, they look into how you can tell if your concierge is part of a secret society, why you probably shouldn’t use the glass cups in your room, and why you should always (always) book a hotel room that comes with a Dingle. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Will and Mango brick-roll the show with questions about LEGO: What are the most amazing things to be built from LEGO bricks? How have they been used to solve real-world problems? And why should you never ever pluralize it as LEGOs? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever since Bill Bryson wrote A Walk in the Woods, Will and Mango have been fascinated with the Appalachian Trail. But who was the first person to actually hike the path? What is a Trail Angel? And will hiking the path actually take you through Norway one day? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the funniest, most ridiculously cursed Porsche on record to the car that infuriated Houdini, Will and Mango test-drive some ridiculous car stories. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's about time! From the birth of time zones, to the invention that made us rethink time travel, to the location of the world's largest cuckoo clocks, Will and Mango usher you into a very, very brief history of time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Usain Bolt can scarf down 47,000 calories worth of chicken nuggets and look great, while some dieters work out 4 hours a day and never shed a pound. So is exercising to lose weight a big scam? And what does Calvin Coolidge's exercise horse have to do with it? Featuring Dr. Herman Pontzer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

From musical instruments that run on explosions and gasoline, to why every party needs at least one Sousaphone-player, Will and Mango discuss 9 instruments they don't want their kids practicing inside the house.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are extroverts happier than introverts? Is coffee bad for an introvert's brain? And does your personality type make you more likely to be arrested? (Spoiler: it does!) Will and Mango take a closer look at the secret talents lurking inside your friendly neighborhood introvert. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

Who decided there should be a beekeeper on staff at the White House? Who manages the First Family's budget and makes sure they're paying for their own toothpaste? And can you just find these job postings on Craigslist? Will and Mango look at some of the most surprising non-political jobs in the White House. Featuring Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheart...

From Lyndon Johnson's ultra-smooth money-making scheme to Akoin's surprising African investments, Will and Mango discover the weird ways some famous people have filled their piggybanks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango dig into the surprising stories behind our favorite fictional characters. Like: who was the ridiculous personality who inspired the Muppets' Swedish chef? Who was the (stinky) ladies man behind Pepe LePew? And is the Godfather actually based on a terrifying mom? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Everyone loves Dolly Parton. The American country singer has sold over 100 million albums worldwide, and her career has included six decades of chart-topping songs. But how did Dolly become Dolly? Where does she find inspiration for her lyrics? And why do people in Zimbabwe love her so darn much? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Will and Mango abused the English language with vigor as they discuss the Apostrophizer, the QuizDing, and why you should never (ever) mess with a Bengal finch's sentence structure. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Will and Mango sniffle through their hay fever they answer this season's biggest questions: What are allergies? How close are we to a cure? And is putting Vaseline up your nose a good lifehack for stopping pollen? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango try to pinpoint some famous firsts, from the first dog to work as a guide dog (way back in the first century!), to the first dog trained as an Archaeologist, to the first dog to drive a car,  these are the essential stories you'll need to impress your pooch on your next walk together. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listene...