South Mimms U

Composting the dead is the latest low carbon alternative to the traditional funeral. But, as always in South Mimms, the idea gets taken a little too far. This 'true crime' story uncovers one woman's murder spree with strange consequences.  The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.

One of Business Studies lecturers thnks so, and he's set up a company to market wooden dentures! The problem is that the whole 'wooden teeth' thing is a myth, and he doesn't like it when our interviewer points that out - with firey consequences. The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.

Organizations full of 'Yes Men' and 'Yes Women' don't thrive over the long-term. That's why the new trend is to put someone on the board who deliberately contradicts the majority and seeks to point out the paradoxes which can often be hidden in plain sight. Is a CCO a good idea? We brought one into the studio - with paradoxical results.  The only university that makes...

It's a rare psychological phenomenon; when you stand at the curb, buses think you're a bus stop and it's not just in your mind. Absurd? It happened to one man in South Mimms whose lost love just happened to be an expert on weird Soviet Era bus stops. We're not making this up!  The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.

The more you look, the more places become the same. The rise of the modern 'non-place' is relentless. So, if everywhere is nowhere and can be anywhere, why not pretend South Mimms is just like Oxford or Cambridge of Harvard or Yale? Architecture gets a rigorous going over from our academics.  The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.

The rise of Bitcoin and the Blockchain seems inexorable. Decentralised Finance (DeFi) is, it's claimed, about to revolutionise money and banking. Everyone is issuing a coin or a token and people are eager to trade them. What if you could use crypto in the next life and pay off the debt of your sins to get into heaven faster? You would wouldn't you? The only university that makes you chuc...

It pays to be vague, sometimes. Possibly. Too much certainty is actually a bad thing. Maybe. Our Professor of Vagueness explains, in a roundabout way, why this is - or might be - the case. Have a listen. Or don't. It's up to you. The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.

Should you go back to the office? Do you want to? Our anthropologists believe it's the most human thing to do. It's a key location that helps us make sense of the world, forge relationships, and get creative. Listen to the fieldwork (in the wild) that proves the point. The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.

Another of our MOREDIBLE short stories. We all hate those (often AI generated) welcome messages you get when you phone your bank or utility provider. The constant list of menu and options and no human beings available. But what would happen if all the humans disappeared and the voices in cyberspace had only each other to talk to? Our story speculates.  The only university that makes you chuckle AN...

 A short story from South Mimms U's new MOREDIBLE service created by our drama and creative writing departments. In this story, a professor of Happiness Studies takes the train home and doesn't feel so happy about his life. Will his wife be there to meet him? The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.

A short story from South Mimms U's new MOREDIBLE service created by our drama and creative writing departments. In this story, a boy tells of how his grandfather teaches him to exercise his imagination using random elements from the world around him.  The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.

Research shows that most of us are never far from our phones. They're attached to us constantly. So, why not just implant them in our brains? At South Mimms, our technologists are working on a brain implant that means all you need to do is think to make and answer calls, send texts, surf the web - and do your Internet Banking. Good idea? Or a very bad one? Judge for yourself. The only univers...

Artificial Intelligence threatens to change everything, even creativity. Is it possible to use AI to write not just coherent prose but poetry too? It was first tried way back in the 1980s, and now our AI department is attempting to go further by developing Artificial Inspiration. But is it actually Artificial Insanity? The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.

Digital assistants like Alexa and Siri are listening to your EVERY word. ALL the time. What if, instead of waiting to hear their name and answer a question, they were also monitoring whether you’re telling the truth or not? That would be REALLY creepy. Our Artificial Intelligence specialists have developed a unique digital assistant that can do just that – and the police are interested in it do th...

This episode has been made entirely by Artificial Intelligence. It explores the rise of the AI therapist, an idea pioneered in the 1960s by Joseph Weizenbaum and his famous ELIZA program. The goal of automating therapy - and cutting out the expensive human therapist - sounds attractive, but it can lead to some strange results. We found a man with NO problems to see if that the offbeat concept woul...

The music that touches us in our teens and early twenties is the music that resonates throughout the rest of our lives. Psychologists call it the 'Reminiscence Bump' and it's why advertisers use carefully targeted songs to get the attention of key demographics. And music can even help patients come out of a coma! In this episode we track down an obscure band from the early 1980s to...

You might glance at the dedication, but you probably never read a book's Acknoweldgments. Well, our Creative Writing department thinks you should. There are hidden insights and stories in amongst the thanks and praise for agents, publishers, editors, and family members. There might even be evidence - if the book is by a Serial Killer. The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at th...

Everyday we are different versions of our true selves. As T.S Eliot put it we, 'prepare a face to meet the faces that we meet.' One psychologist likens it to different cover versions of the same song. The tune and the lyrics don't change, but the interpretation does. It's a fascinating idea. Oh, and it's the first ever podcast hosted by an AI enabled robot! The only univer...

Victorian amusements were - wild. Pleasure Gardens with 'dark walks' for courting couples and daredevil feats performed by fearless performers like tightrope walkers and hot air balloon ascents. The latter often featured unfortunate creatures thrown from the basket as they glided high above the spectators - from cats to dogs to - monkeys. They had makeshift parachutes which failed regula...

Serendipity is what you make it. Literally. Seemingly random events and ideas can be melded together to create something brilliant. All you have to do is have the right mindset and be open to that inner voice (which might be a little squeaky) that's telling you to be active and take chances. We interview the famous 'Philosopher on Helium' to find out how. The only university that ma...

Our Peace Studies department, led by a bellicose general, has suggested that the best way to combat cyberwarfare is to go back to analogue means of communication. A reliance on too much technology, military history shows, usually leads to Goliaths falling prey to David’s. Join us in the bunker. The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.

We can't move for conspiracy theories. Our world-renowned department which studies them have found yet another: a secret cabal of 'deep state' conspirators that engineer opposing leaders to distract the populace from what's really going on. It started in 1360, earned it spurs when the Roman Catholic Church elected two Popes in two disputed elections and continues to this day wi...

All podcasters worry about the success of their creations. But maybe we worry too much. It's the curse of all creative people; will anyone like what we do? Our Failure Studies Dept. believes that nothing is ever truly a failure if it is attempted in good faith. That's what our Professor of Failure tries to convince our podcast host of as he struggles to record this episode. He wants to g...

There will only ever be 21 million Bitcoin. No one knows why (they might say they do, but they don't) and it's set off a frenzy of 'mining' which is sucking up power and pumping out carbon. Is it the madness of Easter Island all over again? A mad rush for a symbol of wealth that ends up undermining our ability to protect our ecosystems? We take a wry look at the subject. Turns...

If you're a hypochondriac - don't listen to this podcast. Just don't.  The only university that makes you chuckle AND learn at the same time.