Part-Time Genius

Finally, an episode that scratches at all those answers you've been craving (in the most satisfying way)! Did an itching epidemic really halt the Revolutionary War? What happens when you scratch an itch and look in the mirror? And can tiny electrocutions really help your itchy skin? 

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This episode originally aired on S...

If you enjoy biking in Finland, eating a bagel with cream cheese in New York, or avoiding the sun in Italy, bad news: you may owe tax on that. The good news is, we’ve got nine of the world’s most unusual tax laws to distract you from the pain in your pocketbook.

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How did an ailing Connecticut wife inspire the pay phone? Why did thousands of people flock to the Mojave Desert just to use one? And do people really talk for longer when they know someone else is waiting? Today Mango and Gabe answer the call of nostalgia by tracing the rise, fall, and possible resurgence of the public pay phone. 

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How long do whales live, and how do scientists figure out their age? What does it take to sustain a whale's enormous size? And why do whales have mustaches and belly buttons? Featuring Nick Pyenson, author of Spying on Whales and curator of marine mammal fossils for the Smithsonian.

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This episode originally aired on September 12, 2018.

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Will, Gabe and Mango take the focus off the nuclear button, and put it squarely on all the other buttons out there that are feeling a little neglected, from colonial button molds to Jimmy Carter’s panic button accident in a bathroom.

This episode originally aired on January 4, 2018.

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What unique title do you earn if you climb Scotland’s tallest mountains? How is the Scots language being preserved? What’s the deep, dark secret behind bagpipes? And most important, do you support Will and Mango’s plan to register an official Part-Time Genius tartan with the Scottish government? Today we’ve got 9 kilt-tilting facts about Scotland!

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Forget boring toast—the world has been making all sorts of avocado advances. Why aren't you using an avocado sock? Should you be investing in diet avocados from Spain? And why aren't you drinking your lattes out of avocado shells, like Australians do? Will and Mango dive deep into the tasty world of avocados to determine why they took so long to catch on, and what Baywatch Nights has to do with their popularity. (Spoiler...

Strap on your sword and grab your ocarina, because today we're celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda! Join Mango and Gabe as they uncover the secrets of Nintendo's landmark fantasy series, including the real-world inspirations and technical breakthroughs that helped bring the games to life. Plus: The inspiring story of a nonagenarian Zelda fan, and the reason why Link is so darn handsome.

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On his deathbed, Winston Churchill’s last words were: “I’m bored with it all.” What a missed opportunity! In this slightly morbid but highly entertaining episode, Will and Mango dig up more last words, from Marie Antoinette's polite remark en route to the guillotine to the businessman who used his final breath to win a game. Plus: the infamous word that helped create one of the world's most famous sneaker br...

What’s an ear trumpet, and where can you find the world’s biggest collection of them? How did a frustrated young watchmaker transform the wheelchair forever? Why does a robotic arm make such a great dining companion? Today, Will and Mango discover some incredible inventions, past and present, that have made life a little easier for millions of people.

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New Orleans is one of the most charming and unique cities in the United States… but 300 years ago, it would've been hard to see that potential. In this episode, Will and Mango dig into how French the French Quarter really is, why the local graveyards look like little villages, and whether the Peacemaker sandwich really can keep an angry couple together. 

This episode originally aired on August 26, 2019.

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Travel identification has taken many forms over the years, from stone tablets to an exhausting process that involved posting your itinerary on a church door. But how did we arrive at the standardized booklets many of us carry today? How do different countries use art and technology to distinguish their passports? And what’s the best (and worst) passport in the world, according to experts? Plus: Why you can blame a German spy ...

Why does Germany use five different bins for recycling? Can you trick people into being greener by putting wolves on packaging? And is recycling a good business to be in? Plus, why Totes McGoats is one of the worst phrases of all time... but also perhaps the best recycling mascot ever. Featuring Christopher Hassiotis from HowStuffWorks.

This episode originally aired on January 24, 2018.

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Why did people start (and stop) dyeing pistachios red? How do thieves pull off high-stakes nut heists? What’s up with the coconut that looks like a butt? And why do so many members of the PTG team have beef with pine nuts? Today, we’re cracking the delicious mysteries of nuts (and, yes, things that aren’t technically nuts).

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Is our obsession with cleanliness keeping us from peak health? Also, can hookworm cure allergies? Will harvesting panda poop make you rich? Plus: Why Amish dust is superior to other dust (seriously!). Featuring Penny Sarchet.

This episode originally aired on June 14, 2017.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

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Why is it so hard to stop oversleeping and eating candy? Why is it equally hard to start going to the gym and preparing healthy snacks? If you’ve been struggling with New Year’s resolutions, you’re not alone—turns out humans have wrestled with habits for centuries, like the guy who paid his servant to drag him out of bed in the morning. Will and Mango have the answers you need, with a little help from behavi...

We have ZERO intention of eating less food! But if you had to pare down your pantry to the bare minimum, what are the only foods you'd need to survive? Is an all-potato diet healthy? And did Steve Jobs' strange diet affect his business decisions? Plus, Will and Mango discuss the Woodstock for fruit lovers and find out why the elderberry might be the most overlooked berry. Featuring Spudfit.com's Andrew Taylor.

This episode original...

We honk at them in the street and shoo them away from our trash cans, but opossums are so much more than nocturnal nuisances. In today’s episode, Mango and Gabe get better acquainted with America’s only native marsupials, including the truth behind their famous talent for playing dead and their surprising connections to President Taft and Captain John Smith. Plus: A stirring ode to the opossum on Mango’s balcony a...

Will and Mango are on a mission to uncover chocolate's darkest secrets. What's the difference between cacao and cocoa? Why have Swiss scientists been working on a pink chocolate for so long, and what does it really taste like? Plus, why does chocolate melt so perfectly in our mouths?

This episode originally aired on February 21, 2018.

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