Part-Time Genius

From the strange reason Abe Lincoln started the Secret Service to how to use the phrase Horse Blanket in a sentence (we know you've been wondering!) to the weirdest prank people used to play on Rembrandt, Will and Mango are making it rain with money facts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you realize that when your fingers get wrinkly in the bath, there's a crazy, superhero reason for it? Or that everyone's body is covered in invisible stripes? Or that a single snipped foreskin can yield a football field full of new skin in the lab? Will and Mango investigate the wonders (and strangeness!) of the human body. Featuring Jonathan Strickland. Learn more about your ad-choices at htt...

Stand back far enough, and most American presidents look smart, polished and the picture of decorum... but not these gents! From a rabble-rousing arsonist to a fancy pants gossip, to a card-playing Do Nothing, Will and Mango look back at some of the greatest men to squander their time in the Oval Office. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/li...

We know these statues are supposed to be art, but they also kind of feel like mistakes. Will, Gabe and Mango discuss some colorful and confusing tributes... and the ridiculous stories behind them! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Gabe and Mango as they trace the birth of the supermarket and answer tons of ridiculous questions along the way. From why flexing your arm is terrible for impulse shopping, to the reason North Korean spies train in grocery stores, to how Johannes Kepler made the world better for grocers, we've got tons of facts to load up your cart with. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartp...

Is Florida the birthplace of ostrich racing? Why do male Emperor penguins get an extra stomach flap? And why should you be extra wary of a loose Cassowary? Mango and Gabe run through their biggest questions about the world’s biggest birds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is aiming for your opponent's caddy a good strategy in golf? Did old-timey baseball umpires really sit in rocking chairs? And why are there 8-pointers in North Korean basketball? Will and Mango explore the hilarious ways games ought to be played. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After author Danny Wallace received the world's worst customer service (and possibly the world's worst hotdog) from a hotdog vendor, he decided to search for the root cause of rudeness. Danny joins Will and Mango on this week's episode to talk about snarky celebrity judges, why surgeons are in dire need of a rudeness vaccine (it's for our own safety!), and how one politician effectively fought rud...

As the world becomes more and more polarized, and people become more entrenched in their ideas, Will and Mango explore how we can find consensus, and what the science tells us about shifting public opinion. Plus, we look at how Heinz's disastrous attempt to change Australia's opinion on condiments and why it took such a long time for the pie chart to catch on. Learn more about your ad-choices at h...

From houses the clean themselves to how a merry-go-round helped Eggo's waffle business grow, Will and Mango explore the world of hobbyist inventors and the incredible ideas they brought forth. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spoiler: it involves lots of slime! Will and Mango explore the channel's early history from how Double Dare horrified the sanitation department, the (savvy) reason one TV show never used purple, and why a channel that had no business getting into cartoons staked their business on 3 groundbreaking shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/lis...

Why do movie theaters limit their audiences to 299 seats? Did dishware really save the movie industry? And why is Lara Croft: Tomb Raider considered a Hollywood masterpiece? (spoiler: it has nothing to do with the plot!) Grab your popcorn and turn off your ringers as Will and Mango head to the movies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/liste...

Can a daily banana basket help players feel less homesick? Should goalies be given more bathroom breaks? And did Kim Jung-Il invent a top secret technology to guarantee more wins? Will and Mango share some strange facts about soccer's biggest tournament. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the timing in the womb that leaves some twins  conjoined? Where did the idea of evil twins and doppelgängers come about? And how does facial recognition technology work when you look so alike? Will and Gabe answer some of your biggest questions about twins. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Cap'n Crunch Really a Captain? Is the Silly Rabbit using psychological tricks on kids? And why did everyone stop putting prizes in cereal boxes? In this classic episode, Will and Mango take a trip down memory lane, exploring why America is so nostalgic for those sugary sweet breakfast treats. Featuring Cereal Time TV's Gabe Fonseca. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastn...

Scientists have made all sorts of discoveries about Alzheimer's in the last 20 years. But can changing your diet, the way you sleep, or even picking up Portuguese really protect your mind? Will and Mango take a look at the earliest cases of Alzheimer's, and discuss some of ways you might be able to keep the disease at bay. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Se...

Why is the Michelin Man white when tires are always black? What do Tony the Tiger and Christopher Columbus have in common? And why did they give The Noid a video game? Will and Gabe tackle the strange world of corporate mascots. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From electric toothbrushes to Belgian waffles, banana splits to robot presidents, plenty of wonderful things have been introduced at World's Fairs. But does the event still occur, and why doesn't America host them anymore? Will and Mango dig into their favorite World's Fairs, their historical importance, and why we might not have Disney World without them. Learn more about your ad-choices at https...

Every week, the FBI, CIA and Treasury Department would show up to Elizebeth Friedman's door and hassle the mother of two-- not for any crime, but because she had an insane talent: she solved puzzles to protect America. Meet the Quaker poet who caught gangsters, defeated Nazis and unlocked a new world of Codebreaking in this classic episode-long interview with "The Woman Who Smashed Codes" author J...

From the greasy joint where everyone’s rooting for a heart attack, to the insanely exclusive cafe where Alice in Wonderland meets The Little Mermaid, Will and Mango get obsessive about 9 restaurants they probably won’t visit, but can’t stop talking about. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before he was a beloved poet, children's author and songwriter for Johnny Cash, Shel Silverstein started out his career as a cartoonist for Playboy. Will and Mango dig into why you probably shouldn't read his ABC book to your newborn, how he almost got courtmartialed, and what makes his poetry so uniquely appealing to kids. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com S...

To celebrate Father’s Day, Will and Mango share 9 of their favorite dad facts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the strangest commercial Reebok ever used to sell the Reebok Pump, to the Zen shoemaker who custom-builds sneakers for marathon runners, Will and Mango dive into the funniest stories they can find about shoes. Including why Kevin Durant better at basketball when he's only wearing one sneaker, and why one Australian's idea for Pork Chop Shoes hasn't taken off yet. Learn more about your ad-choi...

From the Canadian professor who found patterns in Scratch-off lottery tickets to the Michigan couple that turned a lottery flaw into their retirement savings plan to the strange reason you should hold onto any lottery ticket that has Herbert Hoover's face on it, Will and Mango look into the long history of lotteries and the geniuses who've managed to game them.  Learn more about your ad-choices at...

Sure, invisibility is about Harry Potter cloaks and invisible inks. But it’s so much more than that, too! From the way butterflies see a secret world of light that humans can’t, to the reason polar bears are completely undetectable to infrared cameras, there’s a whole big world you ought to hear about… even if you can’t see it. Featuring author Bob Berman. Learn more about your ad-choices at https...