Teach Me Something

There are quite a lot of lobster facts floating around the internet in meme form that seemed too crazy to be true, so we decided we should explore these claims with some (kind-of) in-depth research. Along the way though, we realized there were other groups of people who are very interested in lobster research. Tune in to find out why NASA and the Department of Homeland Security are so interested i...

You've almost definitely heard that there was a nuclear disaster at Chernobyl (or close to it, anyways). But how much do you really know about the nuclear disaster that shook the world in 1986? We realized we didn't have many of the details so we took a look at what happened, and most importantly, why it happened. Tune in to hear fascinating factoids like how a nuclear reactor works, how melanin p...

Join us as we debunk all sorts of animal myths. You probably know that most of them are myths, but this episode is packed full of all sorts of amazing animal facts to keep you entertained. How do vampire bats find their prey? How do chameleons change their skin colour? What is the fastest cellular process in the whole animal kingdom? Tune in to find out! Support this show http://supporter.acast.co...

The title of this episode really sums it up the best: "It simply isn't an adventure worth telling if there aren't any dragons." - J.R.R. Tolkien. We are simply going to talk about as many dragons, from as many cultures as possible. We'll do some comparing and contrasting and tell you as many dragon stories as we can in this supersized episode. Enjoy! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/te...

We have been silent for a few extra weeks and will be off air for a few more. To tide you over, here is a mini episode about the number 4 on sundials in the time of the Romans. Catch you again in about 5 weeks. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our second and final mummy episode, we are going to talk about Egyptian mummies. But that's not all that's in store for you this episode. We get into medical cannibalism, ancient construction materials and the four sons of Horus; we'll even tell you how much you'll need to pay if you want to be mummified when you die. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on A...

It seems wild that we are not going to discuss Egypt at all on this episode (ok maybe a few sentences, but that is it), but this episode is about mummies from around the world. We are going to talk about bog mummies, mummies from South America, and even people who tried to mummify themselves. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f...

This episode is a deep dive into the mind of Roman naturalist (among other things), Pliny the Elder. He compiled the first encyclopedia, which was epically long, and chock-full of really wrong, really ridiculous "facts." Play along with us at home, and take your best shot at guessing what exactly you should do to treat a snakebite or cure your headache. And this episode we have our very first, ver...

We are going to educate you on the origins of many of the sayings you are used to hearing every day. Well, at least we are going to try. The internet is full of stories, some of which might be true and some of which may be less than true. Join us so that you can decide for yourself. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

Come along with us for a little tour of fire myths. Trickster gods just love to steal fire and sometimes even share it with us. You have probably heard of Prometheus, but do you know how Maui stole fire? Or how opossum stole fire for his people? Well, you will soon! P.S. If you're wondering why this is a 'part 1', Parts 2 and 3 of comparative mythology (dragons and floods), and any other parts I d...

Join us to hear about one of the most important and amazingly innovative minds in history, the Greek mathematician Archimedes. Little is known about his life, so some stories have been embellished (would you ever run naked in the streets screaming just because you got excited?) and some stories have been outright made-up. But what we do know is that his ideas were way ahead of their time. Support...

This episode is all about farming. But did you know that humans are far from the only animal that farms for their food? There is an amazing diversity of farming behaviours found in the animal kingdom (mostly in the insects) and we'll tell you all about them! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode we'll fill you in on the fascinating diversity of cave-living and cave-loving animals. We'll also explain how and why cave animals lose their eyesight and why evolutionary biologists are so interested in these, "wrecks of ancient life." (As they were called by Charles Darwin). Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

This episode is all about THE Inquisition. Not just what happened in Spain, but the whole Office within the Roman Catholic Church called the Inquisition. The Catholic Church, along with greedy, power-hungry monarchs, used torture and interrogation to "suppress heresy" and enforce a uniform religion. So join us to learn all about a pretty crazy period in the history of the Catholic Church. Support...

Join us for a riveting discussion of the dangers lurking in your local baking aisle. Sugar, syrup, honey, and molasses all have their twisted tales from the past (ten years counts as the past, right?) and this episode we are spilling the beans. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode takes a look at some really interesting ways that we use animals in medicine and research. Animal studies not only help us realize how our own bodies work, but they also lead to the discovery of some really important substances like new antibiotics. Join us for answers to questions like, "why is the Gila monster is so important for diabetics?" and, "why have humans become horseshoe cr...

In part 2 of our math history episode, we'll head to the East and check out China, India, and the Arabic Empire. Eventually we'll head over to Europe again (Italy, specifically) and we'll end our math-history tour in the Americas, where we'll talk about some indigenous mathematics. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf...

Join us on a journey through the development of mathematics starting in the Western world. We promise you won't have to solve any math problems or times tables whatsoever. We will also fill you in on what we know so far about how your brain does math and give you some possible reasons why math emerged. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

Yes this episode really is about the ROYGBIV of colours that your body can turn. Let's explore the human body and learn about blood, chemistry, and even food science. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ok maybe a little bit about Balto, but only a little bit. In this episode we explore what made the 1925 Serum Run important and highlight all the heroes. Get ready to learn about Diphtheria and dog sledding—and then to fall in love with a special dog named "Togo." Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode we are focusing on Chicago's rather odd relationship with their river. They have really put some gross things in it, dyed it, and even reversed the direction of its flow. On purpose. Why did they do this? And how in the world did they pull that off? Tune in and we'll tell you! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

We crammed this episode full of as many tales of metamorphoses as we could. We even sprinkle in facts and tidbits about gods, goddesses, and history to tie it all together. Get ready to learn about the mythological origins of olives, myrrh, and more. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we tackle some plant based mythology. In part 1 of this 2 part series, we are going to explore a typical Roman villa to find out how they liked to garden. We'll also take a cue from the Roman poet Ovid and use his famous poem, Metamorphoses, to explore the mythological symbolism of different plants. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast....

In this episode Everett will teach us all about World of Warcraft. Why would he do this you ask??? Turns out, human behaviour is fascinating! Sociologists and epidemiologists have been able to study a great pandemic in World of Warcraft and gain valuable insight into human decision making during a real life pandemic. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast...

This is the episode where you learn everything about bird song. (That's a bit of an exaggeration, but I promise you'll learn a little bit about a lot of things.) If you've ever wanted to know the who, what, where, when, why, or how of bird song, we've got you covered. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.