Part-Time Genius

Part-Time Genius

Will and Mango have lots of questions. Will we ever live without sleep? How do rats keep outsmarting humans? Where are the sunniest tax havens to hide your money? Join these Part-Time Geniuses as they dive into ridiculous topics... and discover some pretty smart stuff along the way.

Episodes

May 20, 2025 • 32 mins

You are cordially invited to this very festive episode about parties! Will and Mango unpack Italy’s history of painful confetti, the surprisingly violent origin of surprise parties, and the accidental invention of glitter. (Hint, it involved schnibbles in New Jersey.) Plus: Will makes a convincing case for having MORE clowns at parties.

Photo by Aneta Pawlik via Unsplash. Thanks, Aneta!

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Sure, Animal Crossing is cute. But what about a Tetris sequel that features Abe Lincolns and Frankensteins? Or a game that somehow blends Honey, I Shrunk the Kids with an anti-smoking campaign? Or the greatest (and maybe only?) game based on Noah's Ark? Today Will, Gabe, and Mango try to outdo each other with funniest, silliest, and most ridiculous video games they can find.

This episode originally aired on September 1, 2020.

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May 13, 2025 • 30 mins

Today Will and Mango are taking you on an adventure to the far-flung Canadian island of Newfoundland, a place known for its rugged beauty, majestic icebergs, sneaky fairies, rare fossils, and... moose bologna. Along the way we'll discover some of its unique traditions, like welcoming visitors by making them smooch a fish. Pack your bags and pucker up!

Photo of St. John's, Newfoundland by Ritche Perez via Pexels. Thanks, Ritche!

Hav...

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In honor of Mother's Day, Will and Mango talk about what make moms special, from why their hearts are so in sync with their babies to their impact on your driving habits. Plus: how Thomas Edison's mom challenged his teacher—and helped him believe in his own genius.

Photo: Yes, that's Mango and his mom Lalita!

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Chickens are full of surprises, from their understanding of property boundaries to their unique personalities to their ability to recognize (and name!) the humans around them. Author and longtime chicken enthusiast Sy Montgomery stops by to share some fascinating facts—and hilarious true stories—from her new book, What the Chicken Knows

Buy Sy’s book: https://symontgomery.com/what-the-chicken-knows/

If...

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Will and Mango have so many questions about pirates: Did they really exaggerate their R's? Did they all have parrots? Were lady pirates more successful than male ones? And was there really a rabbi pirate who made his crew keep kosher? From buried treasure to walking the plank, Will and Mango take a good look at the Golden Age of piracy.

Photo via Chris Robert on Unsplash. Thanks, Chris!

We're on Instagram, mateys—follow us @p...

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April 29, 2025 • 18 mins

Chances are, you’ve heard all these songs made famous by film and TV… but you probably haven’t heard the stories behind them. Why did young Will Smith overrule music legend Quincy Jones? How did a contract clause influence the lyrics to one of the best-known theme songs of the 1960s? And what did Joe DiMaggio really think when Paul Simon wrote a song about him? Turn the volume up, because Will and Mango have the ...

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Baseball season is underway, so Will and Mango are celebrating with a deep dive into America’s pastime. What’s the secret feminist message of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”? Why are you more likely to hit a home run in Denver than in Miami? And how did the pipe organ become baseball’s semi-official soundtrack? Our brain-bases are loaded and we’re ready to answer these questions, plus many more!

P...

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Elevators seem pretty mundane, until you realize a certain king used them to hide his mistresses, a certain politician used them to exaggerate the height of his buildings, and all of America refused to ride them until a certain marketing genius (the one and only P. T. Barnum!) designed a stunt to get everyone on board. 

Photo via Sung Jin Cho on Unsplash. Thanks, Jin!

Next time you're on an elevator staring at your phone, foll...

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April 18, 2025 • 20 mins

It may be on the verge of extinction, but the humble penny is rich with history. Will and Mango dig deep into their pockets and discover stories like the origin of the phrase “a penny for your thoughts,” the rare penny that’s worth $2.4 million, and an English trend of chopping pennies in half. Plus: The real reason why you shouldn’t swallow a penny from 1982. (Actually, just don’t swallow any pennies ...

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Today marks the 113th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking, so we're bringing back this classic episode! For some reason our hearts keep going on and on for the Titanic. But what was life actually like on the ship? Why were there so many electric horses on board? How bad did third class passengers have it? And did Hollywood really produce a silent movie about the disaster just two weeks after it occurred? Will and Mango investigate...

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April 11, 2025 • 22 mins

Dr Pepper's flavor is just one of many questions we have about the drink. Who is the doctor behind Dr Pepper? Is tomato one of the soda's 23 secret ingredients? Should you actually be drinking your Dr Pepper hot? And why doesn't Dr Pepper have a period in its name? (Does the good doctor think it's above the laws of grammar?!) Also, what did Dr Pepper do to make Guns 'n Roses so angry? Will and Mango have a lot of questions... and a...

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Shh! Today Will and Mango are exploring the Library of Congress, one of the world’s greatest repositories of literature, science, art, and… old cake? They also discover how this legendary institution came to be, and what the Librarian of Congress actually does all day (no, it doesn’t involve stamping books). Plus: The inside story of Thomas Jefferson’s short-lived pasta-making career.

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Are extroverts happier than introverts? Is coffee bad for an introvert's brain? And does your personality type make you more likely to be arrested? (Spoiler: it does!) Will and Mango take a closer look at the secret talents lurking inside your friendly neighborhood introvert.

 

Image Via Nothing Ahead at Pexels

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Want to know how a British pickle merchant was almost crowned Chinese royalty? Or why San Francisco's policemen regularly doffed their caps to a man who claimed to be America's Emperor? And what happened when a lion tamer just started wandering around pretending to be King of Albania? This week Will and Mango dive into the ridiculous stories of some very unusual royals and what happened when they declared themselves king. 

&nb...

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From the Parmesan Mafia to the gas station hot dog Will accidentally ate, there are way too many cheese crimes out there! This episode Will and Mango investigate a fondue cartel, ride with food detectives, and look into an Ocean's 11... of cheese?!  

 

Image by Polina Tankilevitch via Pexels (thanks Polina!) 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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March 28, 2025 • 25 mins

It’s the official candy of Part-Time Genius, but there’s so much more to know about these delicious red-hot treats, from why NASA can’t work without them to what gives them their signature burn. Along the way Will and Mango discover the story of the enterprising young law student who invented them, and reveal the recipe that takes two weeks (!) to make.

Do you like Atomic Fireballs? Or do you love Atomic Fireballs...

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March 25, 2025 • 30 mins

So, it turns out there are a LOT of rules for visiting Bhutan. DON'T climb the mountains (it's illegal!). DO buy a stamp (especially one you can play on your record player!). DON'T ask anyone about their birthday. DO make yourself happier-- by thinking about death three times a day?! This episode, Will and Mango learn what makes the Himalayan kingdom just so special... while trying to grab a jar of fresh mountain air in the pr...

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Forget Dr. Evil and his ridiculously evil plans... lasers are so much more practical than that! In this episode, Will and Mango discover why lasers are perfect for precision-cooking your bacon, how they can be used as chopsticks, why washing dishes is so much better when it's done by laser, and a simple laser trick for keeping pesky pirates at bay. Plus, we take a look at the very strange way Texas tried to educate aliens about que...

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March 21, 2025 • 28 mins

From making cows a little less gassy, to seasoning your clouds with salt, to creating floating pastures and hospitals, communities and scientists have come up with a whole lot of ingenious solutions to deal with climate change. Dig in as Will and Mango explore the sunnier side of climate resilience. 

Got a fact to share? Want to drop us a line? Hit us up on our Insta @parttimegenius

 

Photo via Pexels by Julie Aagaard. (T...

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Will Pearson

Will Pearson

Mangesh Hattikudur

Mangesh Hattikudur

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