TechStuff

What is fusion? Why is fusion power so challenging? What is cold fusion? Learn more about the challenges -- and potential promises -- of fusion power in this podcast with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 20 years, the Seti@Home program is going on hiatus. How did this project let the average computer user lend a hand in the search for alien intelligence? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a social platform. It's a meme generating machine. It's a . . . threat to national security? It's time to learn about TikTok. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does Han Solo's line about parsecs not make any sense? In the Star Wars universe, what exactly is hyperdrive? Why would hyperspace cause huge causality problems if it were real? Learn more about hyperspace with Lauren and Jonathan. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gamification is exactly what it sounds like -- adding an aspect of gameplay to an activity. So why would someone add a game layer on top of an application or service -- and how old is gamification, exactly? Join Chris and Jonathan to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could we blow up an asteroid like in the movie Armageddon? Join Jonathan and Chris as they tackle what may become one of Earth's most important questions: What do we need to do to be better prepared for an asteroid impact? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What was the purpose of Napster? Who created Napster? How is the Napster of today related to the original Napster? Join Lauren and Jonathan as the explore the rise of Napster. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who was Archimedes, and what did he actually invent? Join Jonathan as he revisits this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists have created a way to 3D print small objects by using beams of light directed at special resin. It's all based off tomography and photopolymers. Here's how it works. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the history of the Segway? How does a Segway work? What are gyroscopes? Listen in and learn more about Segways with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Special guest Shea Lee joins the show to talk about Internet folklore, conspiracy theories and hoaxes and how platforms like Facebook and communities like 4chan can perpetuate misinformation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Washington Post published an article revealing that the CIA secretly owned and operated an encryption company for decades. How did that happen and what does it mean? And what lessons should we learn from it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the history of refrigerators? How is a refrigerator like an air conditioner? How does vapor compression work? Learn the cold, hard facts about refrigeration with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What exactly is radiation? How is electromagnetic radiation different from particle radiation? What is ionizing radiation? And how do Geiger counters work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smoke detectors save lives, but how do they work? From photoelectric effects to nuclear radiation, we explore how smoke detectors let you know when there's a fire. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a digital pet? What was the first digital pet? Why did the digital pet craze fizzle out so quickly in the United States? Learn more about the rise and fall of digital pets in the U.S. with Jonathan and Lauren. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do lighters work? Jonathan explains the mechanics and chemistry behind lighters from their earliest forms to the type you can buy today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How were matches invented? From toxic chemicals to pee science, we learn about matches. And a fictional character stops by to irritate our host. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who was Nikola Tesla, really? What did he invent? What are some of the popular misconceptions about Tesla and his work? Join Jonathan and Lauren as they explore Nikola Tesla: the man, the myths and the truth. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just a few years ago, optimism was running high that we'd have fleets of autonomous vehicles by early 2020. What happened? We learn more about autonomous cars and their limitations in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do all those smart speakers actually work? From basic speaker technology to the complicated science behind voice recognition and natural language processing, we find out! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are tractor beams? How do photons normally react with matter? How are scientists using beams of light to pull microscopic objects? Listen in as Jonathan and Lauren explore the tech behind tractor beams. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ultrasonic waves let medical professionals see what's going on inside us without ever making an incision. But what makes sonography so effective? Join Lauren and Jonathan as they look into the history and amazing applications of ultrasound technology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Ferdinand Porsche's grandson reshape Volkswagen? And how did a scandal with diesel vehicles nearly break the company? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a domestic robot? Why are today's domestic robots specialized? Why is it so hard to build a bipedal robot? Get the answers to these questions and more in this episode of TechStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.