Why Would You Ask That?

In Yorkshire there is a special practice that forces a plant to grow so fast, so quick, that if you are quiet, you can hear it snapping and popping in its vain attempt to reach the sky. Candy pink and pale, this delectable vegetable attracts people who wish to sit in silence and hear it grow. We thought we'd give you a short, sweet episode this week after a few longer ones. Enjoy! CW: Illness and...

Blackbeard. Captain Kidd. Stede Bonnet? Pirates have an illustrious and romanticized history, making the golden age of pirates capture the imaginations of so many. Especially lately, with some very queer pirates in some very queer shows. We dive into one in particular: Stede the Gentleman Pirate and his babygirl status in Blackbeard's lap! How much truth is there to it? CW: Slavery, Murder, Gun Fi...

It's common knowledge that US Presidents are 100% male, and equally common knowledge that more than one are known for their sexual exploits. This week's listener question is about what sort of equipment some of our previous presidents have been working with and whose was biggest. We dive into the trousers of the presidents past to figure out where they've been putting them and how some of them mea...

What happens if you turn gravity off on this supposedly Flat Earth of ours? How is everything staying on the plate? How is it that the atmosphere doesn't just float away?! Welcome the the third and last installment of the Flat Earth takedown, where Remy has this theory pinned like a bug. We conclude that without gravity, things are a bit... off. This last episode is our longest, and we hope you lo...

Come with us once again to explore this flat Earth of ours. Where we are desperate to find out what lies beyond... the ICE WALL. Like a paper plate, Antarctica keeps the rest of the flat Earth from spilling onto the picnic blanket of the Universe, and NASA guards this secret. But wait... what's this? It turns out that it isn't as closely guarded as THEY say it is! Join us on this journey through F...

Standing in the desert, admiring the flat plane of the earth... it stretches on forever. Flat. Flat... because the earth has no curves, not a single one, according to some people. And also, the sun? It's very close. And— Sorry, we didn't mean to descend into chaos and scare you. Listen in. Learn about how some people believe the Earth is flat. And then eviscerate the idea. CW: Extensive talk of Ch...

Alcohol has a history far longer than humans— and we carry beliefs about it that stretch to as long as the history of language. What is it about alcohol that has us both fear and love it as a cultural intoxicant? Why has it persisted for thousands of years as a tool for sociability and more? And how many animals do you think will follow in our footsteps? CW: Alcohol Use/Being Drunk, Some Slight Bu...

Bugs lead complicated little bug lives. Bug work. Bug taxes. Bug... dreams? In this episode, we answer listener Cody's question about what goes on in the minds of bugs and arachnids. We sift through the tiny minds to try to figure out what haunts them in the night, or day, or during bug nap time. Do we know if bugs can actually sleep? Can they think? Can they dream? Do bugs have... feelings? Enjoy...

What's the strangest promotion you could think of? There's a long list of them— and today we discuss the strangely popular trend that railroad companies engaged in to attract more customers. We point at one event in particular, where catastrophe was served alongside circus peanuts for the enjoyment of thousands. Come one, come all— to Crush, TX for the ultimate rubbernecking experience. CW: Train...

Barbie is a cultural icon that has been spoofed, marketed, and copied into the mainstream! But what dirty little secrets has she been hiding in her closet? Last week we learned about Barbie's mom, Ruth, and her sexy inspiration plus some extra about Ken! This week, we'll learn some more personal controversies behind Barbie herself and the organization that said "I crave vengeance!" Me too, Barbie,...

Barbie is a cultural icon that has been spoofed, marketed, and copied into the mainstream! But what dirty little secrets has she been hiding in her closet? With a new movie coming out and dozens of shows, games, and doll lines, we thought we would take a peek at what Barbara has to hide. "I crave vengeance!" Me too, Barbie, me too. CW: Death, Microaggressions, Sex Work, Financial Issues Music prov...

In 1969, there was the infamous riot that kicked off the fight for gay rights. In 2016, the Stonewall Inn was declared a National Monument. But Stonewall was not the first, nor the only, riot for gay rights. Nearly lost to history, overshadowed or under reported, the fight raged just under the surface, boiling up at these key moments that led to the Stonewall Riot. Pride originated not from one br...

Coney island, home of the Couney incubator. Pop your baby in and watch it grow! Who would have thought the land of hot dogs and sideshows would also be the lifeline for hundreds of premature babies? We touched briefly on the baby show in a previous episode, but our curiosity could not be resisted. The technology we use today in the NICU was once a sideshow showing people the strangest thing of all...

Juneteenth. What is it about? Why is it important? Why is it just now becoming a holiday? The three of us explore the history, both recent and less so, that has led to the claiming of Juneteenth. The hard work of many has gone into bringing the holiday to mainstream consciousness, especially someone who would walk 1500 miles to see it signed into law. CW: Slavery, Racism, Bigotry, Unpleasant Histo...

This week, we've got an excellent question from Hot dog Slim. What do Nathan's Hot Dogs and dead whales have in common? We address the history of the celebrated Nathan's Hot Dogs chain, peeling back the years to see where things could have gone terribly wrong. With hard work and dedication, hot dogs became a cultural favorite... even with mistakes along the way. And we're definitely planning on ta...

Castles in the sky. The flying dutchman. UFOs. We need an explanation for this nonsense— you say there IS an explanation? In this episode, M talks shipwrecks and fairy tales caused by the famed enchantress herself... the Fata Morgana. CW: Shipwreck Music provided by Dark Fantasy Studios. [License] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-would-you-ask-that--5784165/...

Listener Billy hit us with an excellent question: would redheads bright coloration indicate potentially poisonous meat? We take you on a journey through pigmentation in nature outside of humans, poison, and people-eating to answer this one. In part two, we're looking at where the redhead genetics came from, how those genes affect the way your body functions, and that will finally lead us to a conv...

Listener Billy hit us with an excellent question: would redheads' bright coloration indicate potentially poisonous meat? We take you on a journey through pigmentation in nature outside of humans, poison, and people-eating to answer this one. How did animals get more brilliant colorations? How did humans get the color palette we have now? That's where we'll take you in part one. Billy's question wa...

The glass ceiling has existed in the US for a long, long time— and so have the women who have managed to break through theirs. This episode we talk about two: the first woman to run for president and the first woman to become a millionaire in the US. Against blistering odds, they climbed up into the annals of history and set an example of feminine excellence that others have no choice but to ackno...

Have you ever wondered why the gay pride flag changed through the years? M answers that question today by guiding you through the evolution of the main flag, the rainbow we all know. What do the stripes stand for? What is the meaning behind the new stripes? All covered in this brief mini. CW : Death Music provided by Dark Fantasy Studios. [License] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.s...

This is the second part to our conversation on the origins of feminism in the United States. Last week, we talked about First Wave Feminism and the two women largely considered to have started the movement - Susan B Anthony & Elizabeth Cady Stanton - and how problematic they and their movement was for POC. This week, we talked about women of color and their own efforts despite what was against...

Feminism has roots across many cultures, but how did it get its start in the United States? How did we as a culture begin to move forward with the Women's Rights movement? We take a look back at the pillars of feminism and take bites out of the classic stories being told in modern day textbooks regarding the fight for rights. We might even be downright critical of some foremothers who, we think, g...

Don't you wish you can nip out and make it anywhere on foot? Don't you wish that you didn't have to drive forever just to get around the corner? Well, come on in and give 15 minute cities a gander! The good, the bad— we talk about it all in this episode. CW: COVID-19, the Far Right, Conspiracy Theories Music provided by Dark Fantasy Studios . [ License ] Become a supporter of this podcast: https:/...

How does one achieve immortality? Join us today to find out how two women in history have become effectively immortal (but not in the vampire way). These two women have affected the course of human history in remarkable ways, and we also punctuate the end of Black History Month by featuring two Black women to segue into Women's History Month. CW: Being taken advantage of, poverty, Extensive Cancer...

New moves mean new roommates, right? And new health stuff on Remy's end mean that our researcher needs a brain break. So let's talk about weird roommates. Specifically, let's talk serial killers and having one as a roommate. Of the three of us, Remy has a real serial killer story, For this "Blathersode" as M and Karen named it, we're going to discuss serial killers as a media genre, why it's popul...