Stuff To Blow Your Mind

Why do kitten faces and cartoon cuties hold such power over us? Why does the sight of a puppy tug our heart strings? Find out in this Stuff to Blow Your Mind journey into the science of cute. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Autotomy: Nature's Dismemberment Plan: When threatened, some species of lizards simply jettison their own twitching tails form their bodies. It's grisly but effective. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Julie explore the science of autotomy in both the vertebrate and invertebrate worlds. Plus why can't humans do this? And how might it benefit regeneration science? Learn more ab...

Into the Hologenome... How can the bacterial fauna thriving inside our bodies influence evolution? Find out in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monster Mash: Mummies and Trolls: Could real science possible explain a horror movie mummy's murderous escape from a museum or a troll's transformation into stone? In the same tradition as their gremlin and zombie episodes, Robert and Julie give it a try for this special Halloween edition of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnys...

Wendigo: What are we to make of this evil spirit of Algonquin folklore, said to transform unfortunate travelers into cannibalistic monsters? Have true accounts of "wendigo psychosis" actually occurred in the Canadian wilds? Join Robert and Julie as they explore the mythic, anthropological and scientific dimensions of this fearsome legend. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodca...

Tainted Love Hormone: There's a dark side to oxytocin. Tune into this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind for the latest research on the dark side of the love hormone. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there a link between nudity and fear? Does naked combat make us more powerful or more vulnerable? Nudists and never-nudes alike can find out in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listener Mail Roundup: The Stuff to Blow Your Mind mailbag grows and the mail-bot grows increasingly insane in its boredom. To remedy the situation, Robert and Julie devote an entire episode to catching up. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ig Nobel Science of 2013: The IgNobel Prizes never fail to highlight the absurdity of scientific research. In this episode, Robert and Julie look at five of 2013's winners. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

STBYM: Three Years of Word Salad: Robert and Julie celebrate 3 years of cranium-popping episodes and discuss how Stuff to Blow Your Mind has changed their lives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Science of Uncanny Music: Why is scary music so scary? Why does an uncanny tune creep us out so? Is it all context and culture or is there something deeper at work? Robert and Julie provide the answers and Christopher Gladwin of The Wyrding Module provides some unsettling tunes and a few answers of his own. Be sure to check out Robert's interview with Gladwin, as well as his roundup of uncanny...

What is dread and how are we supposed to cope with it? Why do we let it control our lives so much? Find out in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will our robots ever love us? And what does that question reveal about the true nature of this much-touted human emotion? Find out in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climb into the dinosaur hot tub machine with us on this classic STBYM episode featuring the concept of the cloacal kiss and the very direct question: how did dinosaurs -- with all their spikes and plates -- get it on? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ouroboros is an ancient symbol of a mythical serpent or dragon that bites its own tail. It has come to represent, rebirth, infinity and the continuous wheel of cycles. But it also turns out to be a clever way for some animals to defend themselves and can be seen in everything from storms on Saturn to nanotechnology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See o...

Nostalgia: The Kryptonite of Existential Angst? Nostalgia is a bittersweet emotion that evokes a pleasurable memory tinged with the knowledge that you can never really go back. Find out why nostalgia was once considered a psychiatric disorder and why it actually may be balm for the soul. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Word Aversion: The Story of Moist: Put your favorite pair of slacks on and join guest host Allison Loudermilk as she and Julie get to the bottom of word aversion. Find out why the word "moist" is so maligned and see if your favorite worst word made the list. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fire Tornado vs Sharknado: What would win in a fight, a swirling column of fire or a vortex full of killer sharks? It's not a question to dismiss slightly, so join Robert and Julie as they break down the real science of fire tornadoes as well as the not-so-real science of the deadly "sharknado." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

Human Paper Dolls:Enclothed Cognition: Can a doctor's lab coat make you feel smarter and more confident? Does a police uniform give the wearer a sense of power? The answers may surprise you. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Julie explore the manner by which clothing items allow us to wrap ourselves in symbolic power and become something new. Learn more about your ad-choices a...

Microchimerism: The Mother Inside You: Does a mother retain cells from her child? Does the child retain cells form the mother? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Julie introduce you to the fantastic world of microchimerism. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Medieval and renaissance maps are resplendent with sea monsters, but what were these fanciful beasts all about? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Julie breakdown the science, economics and mythology of sea serpents, walruses and whales the size of islands. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Fine Young (Animal) Cannibals: Cannibalism is a bit yucky in the human world, but for animals it's just a matter of economics. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Julie expore the world of cannibalistic insects and their kin. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Left-Handed Scissors: Lefties make up 10 percent of the population, but what are we to make of their curious inversion? Why do they exist? Why do they excel at sports and murder? And might they one day rise up and force right-handed folks to wear special gloves? All this and more shall be revealed... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/li...

Symbols on the Brain:A symbol can instantly convey an abstract idea that would require paragraphs of traditional language to relate. So what are they all about? In this episode, Robert and Julie explore the manner in which symbols take hold of our brain - and how they constantly influence our unconscious mind. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio....

Walls:Civilizations surround themselves in walls. They raise walls against enemies, against the environment and against the spirit world. In this classic episode, Robert and Julie examine walls, from Ming Dynasty battlements to the galactic borders of our universe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.