Alex Schmidt

Secretly Incredibly Fascinating

Society EN ↓ 322 episodes

A weekly podcast about the history, science, lore and surprises that make everyday things secretly incredibly fascinating. Hosted by comedy writer, emoji creator, and ‘Jeopardy!‘ champion Alex Schmidt. Join Alex & his co-host Katie Goldin for a joyful deep dive into seeing the world a whole new way! (For research sources, bonus episodes, and how you can support the podcast, visit sifpod.fun.)

Author

Alex Schmidt

Episodes

Crossing Your Fingers 26.01.2026 1:05:55

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why "fingers crossed" is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://...

Baby Bottles 19.01.2026 1:10:48

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why baby bottles are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maxi...

Sliced Bread 12.01.2026 1:13:36

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why sliced bread is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maxim...

Toilet Paper 05.01.2026 1:12:02

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why toilet paper is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maxim...

a holiday hello, and an invitation to enjoy an unstuck-in-time "Inspectors Inspectors" episode! 29.12.2025 6:27

Happy holidays from us (Alex and Katie)! Please enjoy this holiday hello. Please also enjoy a new "The Inspectors Inspectors" episode in MaxFun bonus feeds. And see you in 2026! To hear all six episodes of "The Inspectors Inspectors", support us and grab your bonus feeds at maximumfun.org/join Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

Peppermint 22.12.2025 1:02:52

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why peppermint is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximum...

Toothpicks 15.12.2025 1:15:11

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why toothpicks are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximu...

Interrobangs 08.12.2025 1:11:28

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why interrobangs are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maxi...

The United Nations 01.12.2025 1:40:52

Alex Schmidt, Katie Goldin, and special guest Jason Pargin explore why The United Nations is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show. Help support this show and unlock bonus conten...

Spurs 24.11.2025 1:11:24

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why spurs are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun....

Credit Scores 17.11.2025 1:20:04

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why credit scores are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://max...

"Yakety Sax" 10.11.2025 1:05:55

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why the song "Yakety Sax" is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

Chopsticks 03.11.2025 1:15:34

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why chopsticks are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

Pumpkins 27.10.2025 1:14:33

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why pumpkins are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

Bonus Show: "The Mohawk Skywalkers Who Build New York City -- And The Former Mohawk Neighborhood In Brooklyn" 23.10.2025 24:05

We make a special bonus show EVERY WEEK for Maximum Fun members. Get them all by supporting the podcast at https://maximumfun.org/join/ . And please enjoy this special public release of the bonus show for Episode 267 ("Lunch Atop A Skyscraper"). Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore the obviously incredibly fascinating topic of Mohawk ironworkers who build (and rebuild) New York City, the Montreal...

"Lunch Atop A Skyscraper" 20.10.2025 1:13:13

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why the photograph "Lunch Atop A Skyscraper" is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

Speed Bumps 13.10.2025 56:08

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why speed bumps are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

Flamingos 06.10.2025 58:50

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why flamingos are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

Bluetooth 29.09.2025 1:12:08

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why Bluetooth is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

Lint! 22.09.2025 56:44

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why lint is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 (Alex’s old podcast hosting service required a minimum of 5 characters per episode title, and he's keeping that going for fun. So that’s why this episode’s title ha...

Neapolitan Ice Cream 15.09.2025 1:10:46

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why Neapolitan ice cream is secretly incredibly fascinating. NOTE: there's a past episode of SIF about ice cream in general. You don't need to hear it to enjoy this. Also you'll give yourself a fun double feature if you do listen to it: https://maximumfun.org/episodes/secretly-incredibly-fascinating/secretly-incredibly-fascinating-ice-cream/ Visit http://sifpo...

Glow-In-The-Dark Stuff 08.09.2025 1:04:49

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why glow-in-the-dark stuff is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

The Color Red 01.09.2025 1:13:07

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why the color red is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

Root Beer 25.08.2025 1:15:47

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why root beer is secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod

Cathode Ray Tubes 18.08.2025 1:06:48

Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why cathode ray tubes are secretly incredibly fascinating. Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode. Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5 Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinsifpod