The Low Grade Research Podcast

In this episode, Jay tells Mitch about a protein folding disease that's probably in your body right now and only growing stronger. Its like the sad, dangerous, adult-onset puberty you never wanted.  While this episode has nothing to do with puberty, it does talk about infectious diseases and briefly cannibalism (I'm honestly blown away how often I have to warn about cannibalism with this show).  I...

In this episode, Mitch tells Jay about that one kid in high school who grew up to be the real life Spiderman: Benjamin Fodor, AKA Phoenix Jones. This episode contains descriptions of vigilantism, dealing drugs, and spending buckets of cash on a custom super-suit. Listen with care.  If you want to learn more about Phoenix Jones, visit the Wikipedia page . If you'd like to learn more about Mitch's c...

In this episode, Jay tells Mitch why there's more to fear in the deep ocean than just sharks. There is also pressurized gas and your body will explode.  This episode contains descriptions of how extreme pressure effects the body (spoiler, its not good), death, claustrophobia, body recovery, and a host of other unpleasant stuff related to deep scuba diving. Listen with care.  If you wan't to learn...

In this episode, Mitch tells Jay about one dentists insane dream that altered the course of human-bat and dentist-politician relations forever. The Bat Bomb.  This episode contains some descriptions of WW2, and animal-powered bombs engineered during that time.  If you want to learn more about the Bat Bomb, check out the Wikipedia page . Before you leave, Mitch is looking for gently used copies of ...

In this episode, Jay tells Mitch about Fritz Haber, the father of chemical warfare, who was instrumental in advanced agricultural science but hated by his father for his lack of business acumen.  This episode includes content about biological and chemical warfare, lethal gasses and their effect on the body, the holocaust, murder, and suicide. If you'd rather not listen to this one, feel free to ch...

In this episode, Mitch tells Jay about Lake Surfing, ocean surfing's younger, colder, more remote, and extreme (and also less extreme) sibling.  This episode contains descriptions about large bodies of water, Tokyo, and sharks, so listen with care.  If you want to know more about Lake Surfing, visit the Wikipedia page.  P.S. Mitch is purchasing and reselling Girl Scout Cookies at rock bottom price...

In this episode, Jay tells Mitch about the most expensive way to pay for a funeral. I'm talking about spending $50k to climb the most dangerous mountain on Earth.  This episode contains descriptions about death and accidental dismemberment, corpses interred in the Himmalayas, and people falling to their deaths or dying from other injury or exposure. Listen carefully so it doesn't happen to you.  I...

Mitch tells Jay about a monster every drunk uncle at every Thanksgiving claims they've fist-fought: Skin-walkers. This episode contains some talk about murder and frightening subjects, so please listen with care. There is also some talk about a lunatic named Cosmic Ray who has an ice cream stand that is definitely not within health code.  If you'd like to know more about Skin-walkers, visit the Wi...

Jay ruins Mitch's sleep forever: Let's talk about Windegos.  The giant, hungry, murderous villian of Algonquian folklore, the Windego answers the age-old question: Would you rather run into a bear or a Windego in the woods? Choose the bear.  This episode contains descriptions of murder, cannibalism, auto-cannibalism, suicide, dismemberment, and other frightening topics, so don't listen around smal...

Mitch tells Jay about the Chupacabra. A feral, blood sucking, dog-racoon-wolf-Karen hybrid that's terrorizing our farms and livestock... or is completely made up out of the movie Species.  This episode contains descriptions of livestock killings, illiteracy, and worthless careers, so be careful.  If you want to learn more about the Chupacabra, visit the Wikipedia page . Also, I'm not really suppos...

In this episode, Mitch tells Jay about the origins of the oldest medical pastime: zapping stitched-up bodies with lightning to see if they come back to life. We're talking about Frankenstein baybee!  This episode contains descriptions of exhuming corpses and combing them to make a whole new corpse. There is also some sacrilegious talk, so our listeners who are sensitive to corpses or God please li...

Jay tells Mitch about Dracula—you know, Dracula—the murderous, torturous, impalement-loving, blood-sucking, sharp-dressed, cannibalistic lunatic who has held our hearts with his firm but loving gaze through the millenia.  This episode contains a bunch of talk about all the frankly alarming topics listed above, but also includes some stuff about public executions, secret hollywood rituals, and Alex...

In this Monsters & Legends episode, Mitch tells Jay about The Wolf Man (1941), the origins of werewolves, and the first documented werewolf who serves as a cautionary tale for why you need a lawyer when you're on trial for murder.  Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions of torture, murder, cannibalism, and public executions. Please listen with care. Visit Wikipedia to learn more about...

In this Monsters & Legends episode, Jay tells Mitch about Universal's The Mummy, Pre-Code Hollywood, and Viggo Mortensen breaking his toe during Lord of the Rings, I know, Mitch didn't know.  Visit Wikipedia to learn more about The Mummy or Pre-Code Hollywood.  This episode contains talk about curses and death, so listen with care. Also, Mitch is now renting out his boat by the hour,  you can rent...

In this episode, Mitch tells Jay about The Invisible Man (1933), a cautionary tale about playing God with science and abusing mens fashion. This episode contains descriptions of murder, sociopathy, Guy Fieri, and invisible nudity, so please listen with care.  Visit Wikipedia to learn more about The Invisible Man , and before I forget, here's a video tutorial Mitch made about making fruit salad by...

In our new season, Mitch & Jay dive into the history behind the Universal Studios Monsters. In this episode, Jay tells Mitch about the Creature from the Black Lagoon. A mythical fish-man who is observed by science, beloved by science, then murdered by science.  Head on over to Wikipedia to learn more about the Creature from the Black Lagoon , Yacuruna , and the Universal Monsters . Oh yeah, Mitch...

In this episode, Jay tells Mitch about the oldest known example of a single old hermit living with his parents, which flourished into a movement that would surpass his wildest dreams.  This episode in part discusses Human Zoos, which exploited minorities and people of color for profit. The source material contains insensitive language and descriptions of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse again...

In this Obselete Jobs episode, Mitch tells Jay about Knocker Uppers, old school british alarm clocks made from human beings. They're making alarm clocks out of people. Next thing they'll be breeding us like cattle for food. You've gotta tell them!  If you want to learn more about Knocker Uppers, check out Wikipedia.  Don't forget, there are only six days left to sign up as an early investor for Th...

In this Obselete Jobs episode, Jay tells Mitch... and special guest Jeremiah about the Master of the Buckhounds, a painfully boring job banned by England, yes England, and the much more interesting... Fox Hunting. Listen as the gang contemplates the most challenging questions of our day, with only each other, their lust for knowledge, and Wikipedia as their guide. This episode contains description...

In this Obselete Jobs episode, Mitch tells Jay about Chasquis, ancient Incan messengers who revolutionized early message and parcel delivery across a vast jungle empire. We also talk about a few other Obselete Jobs, and swap stories ad nauseam about our absolutely unhinged middle school P.E. coach, who in hindsight probably shouldn't have been around kids.  This episode contains outdated reference...

In our new season, Obsolete Jobs, Mitch tells Jay about an ancient order of acolytes frustratingly devoted to a nonsensical Greek cult where they primarily deliver unknown packages and make clothes they can't wear. Murder, suspense, intrigue, and mystery surround followers of the Cult of Athena, but again its mostly frustration because their lives are so hard. Thanks for listening! If you'd like t...

In a special bonus episode, Jay tells Mitch about the most requested activity at your local nursing home... Whitewater Rafting. Learn about the history, the adventure, the gear, and the injuries, all while Mitch and Jay talk too much about family vacations and inside jokes.  This episode contains descriptions of fast-moving water, watershoes, and hazards such as rocks and sudden drops, so don't li...

Mitch tells Jay about one of the biggest, baddest... and most horrifying rollercoaster you will never ride. Part fever dream and part dissertation concocted by a PhD candidate at the Royal College of Art, the Euthanasia Coaster was designed to be the last ride you'll ever take. This episode contains descriptions of euthanasia and suicide, so please listen with care. Click to learn more about the E...

Jay tells Mitch about one of the earliest health remedies which some say the Kardashians still use today (allegedly)... drinking human remains dissolved in honey. This episode contains detailed descriptions of mummification, grave robbing, and preparing human remains as a medicinal cure, so don't listen with your grandma or your toddler. Click to learn more about Mellified Man and Mummia on Wikipe...

Mitch tells Jay all about the Great Molasses Flood, a slow moving ecological disaster in early 1900's Boston where almost 2.5 million gallons of molasses exploded into the streets. This episode is full of indesputable facts (from Wikipedia), grade-A jokes (if you listen on 2x speed), and a real commercial from an actual sponsor (for legal reasons this is not true). Click to read more about the Gre...