Part-Time Genius

Will and Mango are on a mission to uncover chocolate's darkest secrets. What's the difference between cacao and cocoa? Why have Swiss scientists been working on a pink chocolate for so long, and what does it really taste like? Plus, why does chocolate melt so perfectly in our mouths? This episode originally aired on February 21, 2018. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us you...

Let’s be real: eating at Olive Garden isn’t the same as dining in Tuscany. But does that mean the food is inherently worse? Today Will and Mango explore the concept of culinary authenticity, including how it’s measured, who it benefits, and what it really means for one dish to be “more authentic” than another. Plus: The political calculus of wolfing down corn dogs, an...

Who's the Michael Phelps of the early winter games? Why did the 1924 British curling team just get their gold medals? And what are the greatest sports we wish were still in the Olympics (who's up for a round of Korfball)? Will and Mango dive into Olympic history and investigate how one little rule change affected how future sports were played. Featuring American ski archer Dave Bergart. This episo...

Reading a book, going to the movies, listening to your favorite band… you call them hobbies, but acclaimed scientist Daisy Fancourt calls them public health strategies. She joins producer Mary to discuss her new book,  Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives , and shares insights from her research—like the fact that engaging with the arts reduces the risk of depression,...

Human ingenuity knows no limits! Today Will, Gabe, and Mango raid the United States Patent Office to find some of the weirdest, funniest, and most confusing inventions of all time.  This episode originally aired on April 7, 2020. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email higeniuses@gmail.com, D...

Join Will and Mango as they try to mediate the world’s weirdest arguments about borders, including the ongoing fight for an island of puffins and a centuries-old struggle to control a quarter mile of mountain. Plus: One man’s efforts to make his daughter an abandoned desert princess, and “the turducken of border disputes,” which involved a corner of India inside Bangladesh...

Why are people getting plastic surgery on their fingerprints? Why was the Civil War such a golden era for procedures? And why is everyone suddenly obsessed with the length of their philtrums? Will and Mango take a brisk walk through the history of plastic surgery. This episode originally aired on January 25, 2019. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and...

Teleportation is a major mode of travel in science fiction, but when will it become a reality? To find out, Mango and Gabe are grappling with the history and theoretical science behind one of humanity’s most anticipated technologies. Along the way, they explore the surprising connection between teleportation and ancient stage magic, and introduce you to the most romantic song about quantum e...

From the treasury joker who snuck his face on some cash, to Theodore Roosevelt’s drastic redesign for the penny, to the very best reason Harriet Tubman belongs on the $20, Will and Mango are diving into dollar bill facts Scrooge McDuck-style. This episode originally aired on January 31, 2019. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and...

Will and Mango are starting the new year strong by counting down their favorite cultural works that just entered the public domain. From cartoon queens and detective stories to Dutch abstract art and one of the most recorded songs in history, this year’s crop has something for everyone. Plus: How the Harlem Globetrotters got their theme song, and the origin of the Dagwood sandwich! Get your...

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.  This episode originally a...

While no one is going to malls (or so it seems), everyone seems to be talking about them: the CDC is writing up reports on mall walkers, people are growing beards to get into the mall Santa game, and writers are waxing nostalgic about them. But what exactly were malls intended to be? Why did the inventor of the mall try to distance himself from his greatest invention? And why are there never any e...

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… an ad for cigarettes?! For the past 102 years, people have been using airplanes to turn exhaust into ads, political slogans, birthday greetings, and more. But where did this strangely brilliant idea come from? What kind of sorcery do pilots use to make it happen? And why is it at risk of becoming a lost art?  This episode originally ai...

It’s the 44th annual Part-Time Genius Awards! We’re honoring the people—and creatures—behind the year’s best stories, including a fungus that plays keyboards, a rare snail looking for love, a very nerdy math holiday, an incredible invention for astronauts who enjoy baking, an experiment with Batman, and more. Grab your tuxedo and let’s send 2025 off in style. Ge...

Whether you're an amateur bear enthusiast or prepping for a bear convention, these are the bear facts you'll need! Will and Mango explore a Canadian bear jail, learn why Pizzlies are taking over the world, and discover why Paddington Bear was once the pride of Africa. This episode originally aired on May 3, 2018. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and o...

Believe it or not, heavier bowls, a pair of headphones, and an electronic lollipop can trick your mind grapes into making tasty food even tastier. But how? And why?! Plus, the legend of the PB-and-mayo sandwich, and one very cute pepper to avoid. Featuring Bob Holmes. This episode originally aired on June 30, 2017. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and...

Jane Austen worked at a 12-sided desk, was great at singing, and earned shockingly little money from her novels. Today’s her 250th birthday, so we’re celebrating with nine niche literary facts about the beloved author, from the way she helped soldiers in WWI to the reason why Kelly Clarkson couldn’t buy her ring. (Sorry, Kelly.) Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card!...

From the world's most secretive cinema to an internet for plants, to the perfect job for lazy people who also want to hide underground, Will, Gabe, and Mango go deep—very, very deep—in search of 9 weird things that lurk just below the surface. This episode originally aired on April 20, 2020. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fac...

This year marks the 75th anniversary of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe , so Will and Mango are uncovering some seriously surprising stories about author C.S. Lewis. Did you know he was famous for his terrible fashion… but also his financial generosity? Or that he almost converted to Hinduism for reasons that involve soup? And that he had a long, complicated frenemy-ship with J.R.R. T...

Did a 15-year-old really invent the snowmobile? What was the original use for a Kleenex? How come Eddie Bauer gets zero credit for his genius idea? And what's so special about Greenwood Champion Ear Protectors, anyway? Will and Mango spend a cold winter's day digging into some spectacular seasonal inventions. This episode originally aired on January 24, 2019. Get your official Part-Time Genius mem...

Tis the season for commerce, and Gabe and Mary are standing by with answers to all the questions you didn’t know you had. Like: What was the Tickle Me Elmo of ancient Rome? Why was Black Friday almost called Big Friday? And what happened when FDR messed with Thanksgiving in order to give people more time to shop? (Chaos, that’s what happened.) Plus: Helpful suggestions for anyone strug...

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? Today Mango and Gabe run through some of the world's biggest questions about the world’s biggest birds. This episode originally aired on July 20, 2018. Want an official, numbered, limited edition Part-Time Genius membership card? Of cours...

Tom Freston’s resume is real, but reads like fiction: he served cocktails in the Caribbean, created a fashion brand in India, co-founded MTV, became CEO of Viacom… and after he was unceremoniously fired, he helped launch a TV network in Afghanistan and became an advocate for global health initiatives. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s written an extraordinary memoir, Unplugge...

Want to know what the Chanel No. 5 of Ancient Egypt smelled like? Or how the interior of Queen Elizabeth's royal car smelled? Or maybe you'd like to experience the fragrance of extinct Hawaiian flowers? In this episode, Will and Mango get nosy about how scientists have been working hard to build a scent library of disappearing smells.  This episode originally aired on July 11, 2024. Want an o...

What a treat! It’s a fact-packed food science trivia game, created in collaboration with our good pals at Science Friday. Mango and SciFri’s Flora Lichtman put one lucky listener to the test with questions about peppers, panda diets, and more, with special prizes on the line.  Check out  Science Friday , and subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts. You can also f...