The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week
At Popular Science, we report and write dozens of science and tech stories every week. And while a lot of the fun facts we stumble across make it into our articles, there are lots of other weird facts that we just keep around the office. So we figured, why not share those with you? Welcome to The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week. For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com We wanna make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4 Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/us/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy
Episodes
July 17, 2024 • 71 mins
Rose Eveleth joins the show to talk about chromosome testing in the Olympics. Plus, Claire returns to talk elite tug-o-war, and Rachel talks about the leech that can fly.
Listen to Rose's new show, Tested: https://link.chtbl.com/js0J2gTx
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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July 3, 2024 • 62 mins
Dr. Jessica Ware from the American Museum of Natural History joins the show to talk about the most perfectly shaped poo. Plus, Laura talks about being popular in the apocalypse, and Rachel explains why some Vikings and other folks had especially pointy heads.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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June 19, 2024 • 56 mins
Owen Ever, co-host of the podcast A Field Guide to Gay Animals, joins the show this week to talk about the scientists who studied homosexuality in giraffes. Plus, Jess explains the most dramatic snakes on the planet, and Rachel gets into birds who wave quite impatiently.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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June 5, 2024 • 58 mins
Annalee Newitz returns to the show to discuss the cutest little food delivery robots you've ever seen. Plus, Rachel talks self-medicating apes, and Amanda explains why we love our pets' stink and our lovers' smelly armpits.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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May 22, 2024 • 53 mins
Streamer and science communicator Moohoodles joins the show this week to talk about carbonated oceans on Enceladus (and the moon's recipe for life)! Plus, Jess explains her obsession with the hyrax, and Rachel talks about bees who are somehow able to hibernate underwater.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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May 8, 2024 • 49 mins
Sociolinguist Erica Brozovsky joins the show to discuss talkative fungi, Amanda Reed chats about nonbinary birds, and Rachel gets into animal sounds—especially the ones we can't hear.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch...
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April 24, 2024 • 57 mins
Maritime archaeologist and historian Joel Cook joins the show to spin the tale of how traveling barbers almost coordinated an uprising that could have derailed the American Civil War. Plus, Rachel talks about a very delicious mutualism between humans and greater honeyguide birds, and Sara Kiley chimes in to talk about why rats might want to take selfies.
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April 10, 2024 • 59 mins
Scientist and Twitch streamer Knimbley joins the show today to talk about how astronomy and Elden Ring intertwine! Plus, Jess returns to talk about lotion spiders, and Rachel explains how ADHD used to offer a real survival benefit in the olden days.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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March 27, 2024 • 45 mins
Scientific American's Lee Billings and Clara Moskowitz join Rachel this week to talk all things eclipse.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman
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March 13, 2024 • 74 mins
Christie Taylor joins the show to talk about dung beetles who love to stargaze. Plus, Laura explains how early beer brewers were women, and Rachel gets into weird internet language on TikTok and beyond.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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February 28, 2024 • 54 mins
Liz Clayton Fuller rejoins the show to talk all things bird milk (yum!), and Amanda Reed spins the tale of the rocket scientist who invented a world renowned lubricant. Finally, Rachel explains the intricacies of the hermit crab housing market.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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February 14, 2024 • 60 mins
This time, Laura Baisas explains the dawn of the cockroach in New York, Rachel discusses a situation when the mitochondria is NOT the powerhouse of the cell (not ideal), and Claire Maldarelli divulges all about the legendary government cheese.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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January 28, 2024 • 67 mins
Welcome to Season 8! Producer Jess Boddy joins the show to talk about the mythical iron maiden (as inspired by Resident Evil 4), Rachel talks about nature's weirdest sleepers, and Amanda explains the fascinating rabbit hole that is American parking psychology.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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December 20, 2023 • 72 mins
In our live show from August of 2023, Rachel talks about magicians' tricks and their hidden misogyny, Sara explains how trees aren't real (and why we are all crabs), Claire details the history of sunscreen, and Jess dives into telling fortunes using cheese.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
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December 6, 2023 • 60 mins
Divya Anantharaman joins the show to talk about the history of taxidermy dating back to Charles Darwin! Plus, Rachel talks menopausal chimps, and Sara Kiley explains how one Dutch town once literally ate the rich.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
Click here to learn more about all of our stories!
Links to Rach...
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November 22, 2023 • 64 mins
Charlie McDonnell (aka coollike on Twitch) joins the show to talk about a very British energy scandal! Plus, producer Jess Boddy does a segment on if quicksand can really suck you down into the ground like it does in the movies, and Rachel explains how creatures can learn without brains.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or twe...
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November 8, 2023 • 48 mins
Laura Krantz returns to discuss how talking to dolphins may help us communicate with aliens! Plus, Rachel talks about dead spider claw machines (and other robot taxidermy), and Chelsey talks about the oldest fish ever.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
Click here to learn more about all of our stories!
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October 25, 2023 • 78 mins
Sarah Gailey hops on Weirdest Thing to talk about how hippos almost became extremely American. Plus, Sandra explains why Miami officials are going to perform vasectomies on peacocks, and Rachel gets into the ethics of saving Einstein's brain.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
Click here to learn more about all o...
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October 11, 2023 • 53 mins
PopSci's Laura Baisas hops on Weirdest Thing to talk about ancient tweezers (and their accompanying screams), Rachel explains the state of Leprosy in past, present, and future, and Sara Kiley talks about tools and weapons made from space rocks.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
Click here to learn more about all...
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September 27, 2023 • 66 mins
Scientific Illustrator and Twitch Partner Liz Clayton Fuller joins the podcast to talk about turkey vultures, their defensive puking mechanism, and why you should thank the next one you see. Plus, Rachel explains how a head of curly hair is actually scientifically cooler, and Purbita talks about Zambia's teen astronaut program.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and sto...
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