Podcasts by Robot or Not?

276: Italian Ice from 2023-12-11T17:00

A perfectly normal discussion of Italian Ice takes a left turn and goes into outer space, where other ices are available.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

275: Musician from 2023-11-27T17:00

When is someone a musician? Are DJs musicians? And more importantly, are John and Jason musicians?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

274: Avoid All Robots from 2023-11-13T17:00:43

Some timely news regarding a university warning its community members to“avoid all robots.”

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

273: Lies from 2023-10-30T16:00

On John’s other podcast, Casey Liss often says he lied when he means he made a mistake. So what is a lie? (Trust us, we totally answer this one.)

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

272: Spoiler Policy from 2023-10-16T16:00

Listener Nick wonders what John’s policy on spoilers is. (Spoilers for“Romeo and Juliet”and“Citizen Kane.”)

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

271: Nachos from 2023-10-02T16:00

Hold on, John, Jason’s got this one.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

270: Relay FM Podcastathon Special from 2023-09-26T16:07:09

Live from the Relay FM Podcastathon, Jason and special guest Stephen Hackett ask John a bunch of questions from the Robot Or Not question list. Topics include: Toast, Roadkill, Sandwich Order of O...

268: Sigh from 2023-09-18T16:00

Listener Jamie wonders whether his dog is really sighing. We discuss noises dogs make. Also, after posting our previous episode we realized we got the numbering of the podcast out of order. Sigh. Listen

269: The Worst from 2023-09-04T16:00

Listener Andrew is worried that things we say are“the worst”are really just bad.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

267: Hiatus from 2023-08-22T01:30:13

Listener Magnus is concerned that his favorite podcast is on hiatus. When is something on hiatus and when is it cancelled?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

266: AI Camerabot from 2023-08-07T17:00

Finally we talk about robots again. If a robot controls a camera, is it a camera robot?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

265: Frown from 2023-07-24T16:00

☹️

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

264: Cookie Dough from 2023-07-07T22:06:53

If it’s never meant to make a cookie, is it still cookie dough? (Also: Peanut Butter Spread, Cheese Food, and other food labeling we have known.)

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

263: Shade from 2023-06-26T16:00

This time we’re throwing shade. But do sunglasses?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

262: Keys from 2023-06-12T16:00

If any device can open a door, is every device a key?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

261: Buildings from 2023-05-29T16:00

A chair is not a house and house is not a home, but is a house a building? And what about gazebos?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

260: Dish v. Plate (revisited) from 2023-05-15T16:00

Jason’s trip to his mother’s house makes him rethink his definition of what a dish is. Also, he gets some upsetting news about the long-term relationship between the fork and the spoon.

John Sira...

259: Ports from 2023-05-01T16:36:39

Don’t anthromorphize ports. They hate that.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

258: Beach from 2023-04-17T16:35:34

Where do beaches exist? And what materials do they need to be comprised of?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

257: Island from 2023-04-03T16:34:25

The difference between islands and continents, and also why Pluto can be a planet if you want to lower your standards.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

256: Stepmom from 2023-03-20T16:32:58

Sometimes they’re wicked, sometimes not. Can an adult call a parent’s new wife a stepmom? Bonus: Can you be too old to be an orphan?

255: Ice from 2023-03-06T17:30:30

Listener Chris clues us into an important ice safety campaign.

254: Shoes from 2023-02-20T17:29:16

Shoes, socks, sandals, boots. Footwear is complicated.

253: University from 2023-02-06T17:26:54

What makes a university? Is it the buildings, or the people, or the big hole you throw money into?

252: Friend of the Show from 2023-01-23T17:25:26

Listener Rob and Listener Reiner, who are not Director Rob Reiner, want to know if they are Friends of the Show.

251: Happy New Year from 2023-01-09T17:00

Are we too late to say it?

250: Roomba Update from 2022-12-26T17:00

Some deeper questions about whether certain Roomba behavior makes it more or less of a robot.

249: Blaine the Mono from 2022-12-12T16:00

Blaine is a pain, and that is the truth.

248: The Follow-Up Episode from 2022-11-28T17:00

For the very first time, we do some housekeeping about holes, Russian robots, salad, genocide, Voltron, and available sales leads.

247: Garlic from 2022-11-14T17:00

Is garlic a vegetable, an herb, a spice, or what?

246: Undead Zombie Spider Robots from 2022-10-31T09:00

Spooky!

245: Werewolves from 2022-10-17T15:00

If you’re a werewolf, are you a werewolf all the time?

244: House or Boat? from 2022-10-03T15:00

It’s a house, but it floats.

243: Wheels and Doors from 2022-09-19T15:00

Sometimes, everyone on the Internet wants John’s opinion.

242: A Group of Robots from 2022-09-05T15:00

When robots flock together naturally, will humans give them a name? Or will we be too busy dying?

241: Voltron from 2022-08-22T15:00

Many robots, one robot, or no robots?

240: Holes in a Straw from 2022-08-08T15:00

Topology can be tricky.

239: Monolith from 2022-07-25T15:00

It’s a big thing in the middle of nowhere. Does it need to be a rock to be a monolith?

238: Electronic vs. Electric from 2022-07-11T15:00

When is something electronic, and when is it electric?

237: Cameos from 2022-06-27T15:00

Is that just a really short acting part, or is it only a cameo?

236: Stay-at-Home Moms from 2022-06-13T16:00

We salute all Moms, no matter their classification.

235: Robot Loathing from 2022-05-30T16:30

Listener/Professor Lisa can handle conceptual analysis on her own, but she does wonder why campus delivery robots make her so angry. (It wasn’t just because they’re Russian.)

234: Pasta Draft from 2022-05-16T17:30

A bunch of baseball writers drafted pastas. John has thoughts.

233: Magnetic Slime from 2022-05-02T17:30

Does texture matter when it comes to robots?

232: Stillsuits from 2022-04-18T16:00

Paul Atreides and the Fremen sure look cool, but won’t they die of hyperthermia in those suits? (Incomparable Members will find a special bonus episode of Robot or Not in the First Class feed toda...

231: CAPTCHAs of South African"robots" from 2022-04-04T16:00

Select all ROBOT RELATED PODCASTS. If there are none, click Stop.

230: Accents from 2022-03-21T16:00

John has one, but also doesn’t have one. Mary married some merry carrots.

229: Friendship from 2022-03-07T17:00

Listener Ashley wants to know about the true meaning of friendship.

228: America from 2022-02-21T17:00

Why do Americans crowd out the rest of two continents from the namespace? John thinks it’s about imperialism; Jason thinks it’s because our country has no proper name.

227: Semi-Homemade Cooking with John Siracusa from 2022-02-07T17:00

Listener Scott wants to know what“homemade”cooking is. Jason made this episode from scratch. (But the theme song was store-bought.)

226: Email, and Preparing the Way (for Roombas) from 2022-01-24T17:00

Jason starts to ask John a question, but everything gets derailed.

225: Car from 2022-01-10T17:00

What makes a car a car, and not a truck, or an SUV, or a crossover?

224: Next Wednesday from 2021-12-27T17:00

When is Next Wednesday? Is it Wednesday? Or the Wednesday after that?

223: Money from 2021-12-13T17:00

What makes something money? Is gold money? Is Bitcoin?

222: Sundays from 2021-11-29T17:00

Do Sundays start the week, or end it? When does the week end, and is that the weekend?

221: Cooking from 2021-11-15T17:00

What’s cooking? Is making tea cooking? John’s answers may surprise you. They certainly surprised Jason.

220: Popcorn from 2021-11-01T23:30:19

The proper way to eat popcorn. 🍿

219: Camping from 2021-10-18T16:00

Listeners Jono and Chris, and friend Tony Sindelar, have questions about what John defines as‘camping.’Suffering is surprisingly part of the calculation.

218: Photo from 2021-10-04T23:35:36

Listener Beth seeks enlightenment about what makes something a photo.

217: Floating Bridge from 2021-09-20T22:28:25

Listener Isaac wants us to judge if a certain“floating bridge”is actually a ferry. This leads, of course, to a discussion of infinite bridges and whether a fairy is a ferry in California.

216: Grocery Robot Swarm from 2021-09-07T23:30

If robots at a grocery-store warehouse works in tandem, are they robots? If they have a hive mind, are they still robots?

215: A Criterion of Data from 2021-08-16T16:00

Singular or plural?

214: Religious or Spiritual from 2021-08-02T16:00

When you see an org chart and money changes hands, your spirituality has become something else.

213: Daylight Saving Time from 2021-07-19T16:00

Should we really spring forward and fall back?

212: Dishwasher from 2021-07-05T16:00

When do you run the dishwasher? Do you rinse the dishes first? And wouldn’t it be nice if our dishwashers were robots?

211: Rules for Watching TV from 2021-06-21T16:00

Do you always start watching at the beginning? And do you have to watch till the end?

210: Burrito, Part 2 (Qdoba v. Panera) from 2021-06-07T15:00

The strange case of the burrito sandwich.

209: Dog-Shaped Dogs from 2021-05-24T16:00

What is the shape of a dog?

208: Self-Driving Cars, Part 2 from 2021-05-10T16:00

Tim Cook thinks that self-driving cars are robots. Does John want to revisit his opinion?

207: Pandemic Changes (or not) from 2021-04-27T20:52:12

Has the pandemic made John reconsider some of his previous rulings? (One guess.)

206: Relish from 2021-04-05T16:00

Not all pickles are pickles, and not all relish is pickle relish.

205: Pots and Pans from 2021-03-22T16:00

What divides pots from pans?

204: Peanut Butter from 2021-03-08T17:00

Chances are pretty good that the peanut butter you eat is terrible.

203: Bagel Update from 2021-02-22T17:00

A very unfortunate bagel on either side of the Atlantic.

202: Books from 2021-02-08T17:00

Is a book a bound, printed collection of pages, or is it something more?

201: Apocalypse from 2021-01-25T17:00

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the robot, happy stuff: When does the apocalypse start, and when do we reach post-apocalyptic times?

200: Microscopic"Robots" from 2021-01-11T17:00

We celebrate our 200th episode by going back to where it all started—news about whether something is a robot or not. Also, we may have inadvertently started a religion. (Congratulations, Listener E...

199: Christmas Special from 2020-12-24T17:00

In the spirit of the season, we discuss when a Christmas tree is dead. (Thanks to Listener Darran.)

198: Soda from 2020-12-14T17:00

Fizzy water. Is it soda, or pop, or a soft drink, or something else? (Incomparable members also get a bonus episode about Coca-Cola and cocaine, also released today.)

197: Indoors from 2020-11-30T20:00

When are we indoors and when are we outdoors? And where do tents fit in?

196: Video from 2020-11-16T17:00

Is a GIF a video? (Incomparable members also get a bonus episode about movie studio logos, released today.)

195: Child from 2020-11-02T20:00

When is a child no longer a child?

194: Henge from 2020-10-19T19:00

When the definition escapes its antecedent.

193: Puppet from 2020-10-05T19:00

When is it a puppet, and when is it just someone in a suit? And what does this mean for the future of Gritty?

192: Backup Brain from 2020-09-21T19:00

If we clone your body and transfer your memories to it, is it you?

191: Game from 2020-09-07T19:00

The universe is Candy Land.

190: Pillow from 2020-08-24T19:00

You can use this podcast as a pillow, if you like, but it’s still not a pillow.

189: What We're Owed from 2020-08-11T02:19:48

When a book series hasn’t completed, what does the author owe us?

188: Reboot from 2020-07-27T16:00

Beginning in this episode, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto will be portraying John and Jason. Or not.

187: The Cloud from 2020-07-13T16:00

Is The Cloud just Other People’s Computers? Watch out for Cloud Men!

186: Gum from 2020-06-29T16:00

Most people aren’t eating light bulbs.

185: Blanket from 2020-06-15T16:00

Listener James sends us a special message from beneath his blanket.

184: Indie Developer from 2020-06-01T16:00

What’s an Indie Developer, and is John one now? What does it mean to be“indie?”

183: Slots and Ports from 2020-05-18T16:00

Is a port a slot? PCMCIA cards have slots, but USB devices have ports. Either way, Jason has to make amends.

182: Working From Home from 2020-05-04T15:48

Whatever this is called, a lot of us are doing it these days.

181: Camera from 2020-04-20T23:01:04

My other car is also a camera.

180: Tabs from 2020-04-06T16:00

Tabs or spaces? AFTERSHOW: Commas.

179: Grocery Store from 2020-03-23T16:00

But what if they also sell shampoo there?

178: Morning from 2020-03-09T16:00

Morning has broken, like the first…morning?

177: Walking Distance from 2020-02-24T17:00

It’s within walking distance. How far is that?

176: Swipe Right from 2020-02-10T17:00

Where does your finger go when you“swipe right”?

175: Beard from 2020-01-27T17:00

When is it stubble and when is it more?

174: Reading from 2020-01-13T17:00

It’s fundamental, yes. But is it something you can do with your ears?

173: River from 2019-12-30T17:00

When is a body of water a river?

172: Soup, Part II from 2019-12-16T17:00

Is soup a drink? What separates liquids from food?

171: Dish from 2019-12-02T17:00

From dish to plate to bowl.

170: City from 2019-11-18T17:00

Does it all come down to the U.S. Postal Service?

169: Burgers from 2019-11-04T17:00

And do sliders have to slide?

168: Augmented Reality from 2019-10-21T20:16:14

An Accidental AR podcast.

167: Pet Names from 2019-10-07T15:00

Can we differentiate between how people name pets and how they name children? Listeners Rover and Whiskers, drop us a line.

166: Smart Devices from 2019-09-23T15:00

Where do we draw the line between a regular device and a“smart”device?

165: Leftovers from 2019-09-09T15:00

When does a meal turn into leftovers?

164: Cover Version from 2019-08-26T15:00

Listener Luke sent in this week’s theme song. Is it a cover version of our canonical theme song? When is a new version of a song not a cover?

163: Family from 2019-08-14T15:00

What constitutes family? Blood relatives only? Are friends family? Are co-workers family? Can you escape your family?

162: Doors from 2019-07-29T16:00

What about when they’re ajar?

161: Storefronts from 2019-07-15T16:00

Select all the STOREFRONTS to prove that you’re a human.

160: Bacon from 2019-07-01T16:00

By popular demand, John has done his research—or maybe not?—and is here to break down what is bacon and what is an impostor.

159: Campus Delivery Robots from 2019-06-11T17:39:51

Prompted by a note from Listener Zach, we discuss the trend of“autonomous food delivery vehicles”on college campuses.

158: Pants from 2019-06-03T16:00

The entire conversation is pants. (The Brits will get that.)

157: Board Games from 2019-05-20T16:00

How much board is required?

156: Combination Restaurants from 2019-05-06T16:00

We’ll see you at the Carl’s Jr./Green Burrito/KFC/Taco Bell.

155: TV and Movies from 2019-04-15T16:00

When is it a TV show and when is it a movie? It’s confusing.

154: American Food from 2019-04-01T16:00

It all goes back to Mesopotamia.

153: Live Action from 2019-03-18T16:00

If the new“Lion King”film features CGI animals talking with other CGI animals, is it a“live-action”movie or just a different kind of animation? What about a movie like“Avengers: Infinity War”?

152: Milk from 2019-03-04T17:00

Legal news: Is Almond Milk milk?

151:"Chick Flick" from 2019-02-18T17:00

What is a“Chick Flick”? Let’s start off by taking apart the term itself.

150: Marty the Supermarket Robot from 2019-02-04T17:00

In a rare topical episode, John and Jason discuss Marty, the tall, googly-eyed robot that may soon be roaming the aisles of a supermarket near you. Does Marty meet the Roomba test? Are the googly e...

149: Simulated Universe from 2019-01-21T17:00

Is this real or are we in a video game? How can we tell the true nature of the universe?

148: Hacker from 2019-01-07T17:00

Do hackers do good, or bad, or both?

147: Cult from 2018-12-24T17:00

“Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.”Merry Christmas, everybody!

146: GIF from 2018-12-10T17:00

Choosy mothers pronounce it differently.

145: Database from 2018-11-26T17:00

Where spreadsheets and databases collide.

144: Soup from 2018-11-12T17:00

“You haven’t done soup yet, have you?”

143: Phones from 2018-10-29T16:00

Smartphones, dumb phones, feature phones, and computers in your pocket.

142: Toasters from 2018-10-15T16:00

Slot toasters, toaster ovens, and the definitions thereof.

141: Podcasting from 2018-10-01T16:00

What makes something a podcast? OMG, are we one?!

140: Bread from 2018-09-17T16:00

Bread is bread, but what about hot dog buns, bagels, tortillas, and pitas?

139: Planets, and also Pluto from 2018-09-03T17:11:59

John is given the opportunity to endorse or reject the rulings of the International Astronomical Union.

138: Job Security from 2018-08-20T16:00

John’s worked (and left) a lot of jobs. What’s his personal philosophy about job security versus going it alone as an independent?

137: Nerds and Geeks from 2018-08-06T16:00

The subtle and vexing difference between a nerd and a geek.

136: Programming from 2018-07-23T16:00

What is computer programming? And what doesn’t qualify?

135: Reality TV from 2018-07-09T16:00

When is a game show a game show, and when is it reality television? Also, we reveal our favorite reality TV show.

134: Personal Computers from 2018-06-25T16:00

Is a Mac a PC? Is an iPad a computer? Does John favor a broad definition or a narrow one?

133: Gnocchi from 2018-06-11T17:08:36

What makes pasta pasta?

132: Seasons from 2018-05-28T17:07:40

The conundrum of seasons versus eternally pleasant weather.

131: Savory Donuts from 2018-05-14T17:06:08

Bagels are not donuts, people.

130: Sweaters from 2018-04-30T15:00

Listener Ed, we’ve got bad news.

129: Pets from 2018-04-16T15:00

What makes an animal a pet?

128: The Midwest from 2018-04-02T15:00

Did both of Jason’s parents both come from the Midwest, or only one? What are the true boundaries of America’s heartland?

127: Potato Chips from 2018-03-19T15:00

From Sour Cream&Onion to BBQ, what are the“real”potato chip flavors?

126: Vacation from 2018-03-05T16:00

If you don’t go anywhere, is it a vacation? What if you go somewhere, but you don’t relax?

125: Cheesecake from 2018-02-19T17:00

Is cheesecake cheese, cake, pie, tart, or none of the above? Does the angle of the pan matter? Does crust content matter? Do any of us matter, really?

124: The Trolley Problem from 2018-02-07T20:28:34

As recently highlighted on“The Good Place”, it’s a classic ethical conundum that John wants absolutely no part of. And what if the trolley drives itself?

123: Janet from"The Good Place" from 2018-01-22T19:09:07

Never believe what a robot tells you.

122: Night (bark) Joggers (bark) from 2018-01-08T17:00

A dog interlude.

121: Holidays and Holiday Movies from 2017-12-25T15:30

What makes a movie a holiday movie? How do they celebrate winter holidays in warm climates? Merry Christmas to all, especially in Australia!

120: Death from 2017-12-11T16:00

Okay, time to call it. Time of death—wait, wait, everybody hold on. How do we define death?

119: Life from 2017-11-27T16:00

How can we call something alive?

118: Ice Cream from 2017-11-13T16:00

It would seem like ice cream versus frozen yogurt would be the main debate. But the pronunciation of a third competitor completely derails us.

117: Brunch from 2017-10-31T19:45:08

We discuss the names of meals and when they happen, and make an interesting(?) digression into human sleep cycles.

116: Salad from 2017-10-16T16:00

From leafy greens to sugary Jell-O concoctions, all sorts of things are called salads.

115: Barbecue from 2017-10-02T16:00

Continuing our confused series of episodes about food-related topics, it’s time for John and Jason to talk about Jason’s favorite food style and what happens when you put food on a grill.

114: Smoothie from 2017-09-18T14:00

If everything can be a smoothie, then nothing is. So we try to define what makes a smoothie and acts as a bulwark against the milkshake.

113: Art from 2017-09-04T16:00

I don’t know what it is, but I know it when I see it.

112: Donuts from 2017-08-21T15:00

We don’t know quite what an old-fashioned donut is, but we know what we like…and what we don’t.

111: Artificial Intelligence from 2017-08-07T15:00

What makes machine intelligence“real AI”? And what is the difference between strong and weak AI?

110: Anime and Kaiju from 2017-07-24T15:00

The very definition of video entertainment from Japan.

109: Sport from 2017-07-10T16:00

What makes something a sport, and not an exercise or a game?

108: Condiments and Favorite Foods from 2017-06-26T15:00

Exploring Jason’s favorite food, what a“favorite food”even is, and the hazy dividing line between condiments and other edibles.

107: Science Fiction from 2017-06-12T15:43:39

What’s science fiction? And more importantly, is Star Wars science fiction, fantasy, or something else?

106: Computer Chips from 2017-05-29T15:42:20

Is everything a computer chip? Is nothing a computer chip? Jason thinks this is gonna be good. John thinks it’s obvious.

105: Canonical Bagel Flavors from 2017-05-15T15:00

What is the canon of bagels? Why are some ingredients allowed in an Everything Bagel but not any other bagel style? What makes raisins an acceptable ingredient, yet bars blueberries? Mr. Siracusa, ...

104: Pizza Toppings from 2017-05-02T23:57:35

What toppings are allowed on pizza? And what about using a knife and fork to eat pizza? There are many rules.

103: Pizza from 2017-04-17T18:58:52

John weighs in on what makes something a pizza, including the horror of the Turkey Dinner Pizza.

102: Sandwiches from 2017-04-03T14:00

Exploring what makes a sandwich, while also discussing the history of food, sandwiches as satire, and the difference between llamas and camels.

101: Supervillains from 2017-03-20T15:43:26

John helps Jason figure out the precise moment when a villain becomes a supervillain.

100: The Robot from 2017-03-06T18:47:39

Your hosts return to where it all began and then prepare to set out for new horizons. (Robot or Not will return in two weeks with a new series of episodes.)

99: Your Hosts from 2017-02-27T16:00

Are John and Jason robots? All will be revealed!

98: Human Beings from 2017-02-20T16:00

Could it be? Are we all robots?

97: Captchas from 2017-02-13T16:00

What does a robot do when it gets to a web page with a checkbox that says“I’m not a robot”?

96: The Gate at Jabba's Palace from 2017-02-06T16:00

The gate at Jabba’s palace in“Return of the Jedi”talks to droids, or has something inside it that talks to droids. So is it a robot?

95: Autonomous Sailboats from 2017-01-30T16:00

They roam the ocean, scanning for important data and relaying their information home. There are no humans on board. Are these lonely sea voyagers robots?

94: Shardik from 2017-01-23T16:28

The robotic guardian of the Beams. He looks like a bear but has a satellite dish on his head. He’s a thousand years old.

93: Nintendo R.O.B. from 2017-01-16T17:40

Game controller, robot, or total embarrassment?

92: Pronunciation from 2017-01-09T16:00

ˈrōˌbät or rōbət?

91: Naked Robotic Core from 2017-01-02T16:00

An unadorned iPhone can be a Naked Robotic Core, but is it a robot?

90: Mechagodzilla from 2016-12-26T16:59:42

Look who was under the tree! It’s a giant mechanical monster!

89: Battlebots from 2016-12-19T16:58:28

Among the fiercest creatures in the machine kingdom are the Battlebots. They’re designed for fighting! But are they really robots, or is that just a clever marketing name?

88: School Babies and CPR Dummies from 2016-12-12T16:57:10

High school students carry them around and learn what it’s like to be a parent. Or you learn how to revive them by pressing their chest and breathing into their mouths. But are these learning tool...

87: K5 Mall Robot from 2016-12-05T16:00

It patrols the mall. Sometimes it knocks over small children.

86: The Hosts of"Westworld" from 2016-11-28T16:53:11

The HBO series“Westworld”makes us contemplate whether its central characters, the Hosts, are robots or not. (We recorded this episode after the first seven episodes of season one had aired; forgive...

85: The Bicentennial Man from 2016-11-21T16:00

A robot slowly turns himself human. When does he stop being a robot?

84: Metal Mario from 2016-11-14T16:00

Sometimes Mario is metallic. Does that make him a robot?

83: Kayaks from 2016-11-07T16:00

They are boats with paddles. What else are they?

82: The Borg from 2016-10-31T15:00

Straight out of“Star Trek”come these technological villains. Also, we discuss larger issues including AIs and hive minds.

81: The Energizer Bunny from 2016-10-24T15:00

It just keeps going, and going, and going….

80: Tachikoma and Fuchikoma from 2016-10-17T15:00

Little cute robots from“Ghost in the Shell.”

79: SpaceX from 2016-10-10T15:00

Self-guided rockets and drone barges.

78: Hot Dogs from 2016-10-03T15:00

They’re sure tasty, and it’s meat between bread, but are hot dogs sandwiches?

77: Daft Punk from 2016-09-26T15:00

They sure look like robots. But who’s under the masks?

76: Animals in"Blade Runner" from 2016-09-19T15:00

The owl and the snake from“Blade Runner”raise some interesting questions.

75: Bubo from 2016-09-12T15:00

A little metal owl from“Clash of the Titans.”Crafted by the gods, can he possibly be a robot?

74: Gort from 2016-09-05T15:00

The robot from“The Day the Earth Stood Still”, plus a long digression into Star Trek androids.

73: Cartoons from 2016-08-29T15:00

Is all animation“cartoons”?

72: Robots from"Castle in the Sky"and"The Iron Giant" from 2016-08-22T15:00

Two beloved metal creatures from animation.

71: RoboCop from 2016-08-15T15:00

That“Robo”prefix is sure interesting, and he’s probably a cop, but…

70: The Robots of"Futurama" from 2016-08-08T15:30

Bender, Calculon, and Hedonismbot.

69: Tron from 2016-08-01T16:00

He fights for the users inside a computer. Can software people be robots?

68: Canadarm from 2016-07-25T16:00

A fancy“robot arm”from Canada. But when is a robot arm just an arm, and when is it a robot?

67: Silicone Stingray from 2016-07-18T18:31:23

Part animal, part machine. But is it a robot?

66: Traffic lights in South Africa from 2016-07-11T15:00

Please obey robot.

65: Serena Williams from 2016-07-04T15:00

It’s Wimbledon time, and so our discussion turns to tennis, and Serena Williams—who is not a robot, despite her perhaps wishing she was.

64: Rossum's Universal Robots from 2016-06-27T15:00

Karel Capek’s play that made this podcast possible.

63: Animatronic Creatures from 2016-06-20T15:00

The Country Bears, Chuck E. Cheese, and the things from Five Nights at Freddy’s.

62b: Filesystems and Flowerpot Robots from 2016-06-18T15:56:58

Live from RelayCon WWDC 2016, it’s a special live edition of Robot or Not.

62: General Grievous from 2016-06-13T15:00

He’s a droid with a cough. So what’s the deal?

61: Elevators from 2016-06-06T15:00

They go up, they go down. They might even go sideways from time to time. And they can be smart. But are they robots?

60: Inspector Gadget from 2016-05-30T15:00

Go go Gadget! Also we get off on a tangent about Penny, inspired by The Flop House.

59: The Doctor from"Star Trek: Voyager" from 2016-05-23T15:00

Please state the nature of the medical emergency. Can a hologram be a robot?

58: Synths from 2016-05-16T15:00

From the AMC TV series“Humans,”the lifelike Synths look like humans but don’t act like it. And they bleed a funny color.

57: Baymax from 2016-05-09T15:00

He’s an inflatable, medical robot from“Big Hero 6”—but can you back up your personality and still be a robot?

56: The Incomparable's Logo from 2016-05-02T18:30

Our own robot (or not) is in the spotlight at last.

55: The Tin Woodman from 2016-04-25T15:10

If he only had a heart.

54: T-1000 from 2016-04-18T15:00

It’s made of liquid metal.

53: Tamagotchi from 2016-04-11T15:00

Is it even a game? What if you had a video game that featured a robot?

52: The Robots of"Destiny" from 2016-04-04T15:00

From Bungie’s bestselling video game, Ghosts, Exos, Rasputin, and other things that might be robots.

51: Lego Simulated Worm Toy from 2016-03-28T15:00

A software model of a flatworm, piloting a Lego Mindstorms toy.

50: The Matrix from 2016-03-21T15:00

Agents and Oracles and Architects from the“Matrix”trilogy.

49: Chatbots from 2016-03-14T15:00

They listen to us and talk back. But is that enough?

48: Replicants from 2016-03-07T16:00

Roy Batty, Pris, and all the rest. They’ve seen the Tannhauser Gate, but are they robots?

47: Thomas and Friends from 2016-02-29T16:00

Living rail cars in Sodor.

46: Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo from 2016-02-22T16:00

The bots from“Mystery Science Theater 3000.”

45: Nanobots from 2016-02-15T16:00

Enter the realm of the very, very tiny as John and Jason ponder if size matters when it comes to whether something is a robot or not.

44: The Internet of Things from 2016-02-08T16:19:25

Security expert Bruce Schneier said the Internet of Things was a robot, but what does John think? You can probably guess.

43: Daleks and Cybermen from 2016-02-01T16:00

Two enemies wrapped in metal shells from“Doctor Who”face their ultimate foe—the judgment of John Siracusa.

42: Prince Robot IV from 2016-01-25T16:00

It’s right there in the name of this character from the acclaimed comic book“Saga,”but as we’ve learned, names can be misleading.

41: Burritos from 2016-01-18T16:00

This one seems to have gotten in by mistake.

40: Swimming Pool Cleaners from 2016-01-11T16:00

Things that clean your swimming pool: are they Roombas or just dumb hoses? Also, if a toaster can’t be a robot, can a robot be a toaster?

39: Cars (from"Cars") from 2016-01-04T16:00

If the cars in Pixar’s“Cars”movies aren’t cars, what are they, and where did they come from?

38: Podcasts from 2015-12-28T16:00

Just in time for the holidays, some existential questions. Also, could a robot be on a podcast?

37: Clockwork Droids from 2015-12-21T16:00

Doctor Who’s clockwork repair droids (from the episodes“Girl in the Fireplace”and“Deep Breath”) come under scrutiny. Sure, they start out as robots, but do they become something else..?

36: Iron Man, Ultron, and Vision from 2015-12-14T16:39

From the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and specifically“Iron Man 3”and“Avengers: Age of Ultron,”deep robot-or-not questions about Iron Man’s suits, Ultron, and the Vision.

35: Herbie The Love Bug from 2015-12-07T16:00

A Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of his own!

34: Aperture Science from 2015-11-30T16:00

GlaDOS, Wheatley, turrets, cubes, spheres and more.

33: Vicki from"Small Wonder" from 2015-11-23T16:00

She’s a small wonder, pretty and bright with soft curls. She’s a small wonder, a girl unlike other girls. She’s a miracle, and I grant you She’ll enchant you at her sight. She’s a small wonder,...

32: Lobot from 2015-11-16T16:00

Cloud City’s majordomo from“The Empire Strikes Back”is in the spotlight.

31: robots.txt from 2015-11-09T16:00

It’s right there in the name, but what about the things that connect to it? And what about when Merlin talks about putting things“in the robot”? We need answers, John!

30: Twiki and Dr. Theopolis from 2015-11-02T19:58:45

We take you back to the days of“Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”to debate the show’s two artificial sidekicks.

29: Johnny 5 from 2015-10-26T15:00

That little guy from“Short Circuit.”

28: The TARDIS from 2015-10-19T15:00

The blue box from“Doctor Who”might be sentient, might be alive, but is it a robot?

27: V'ger from 2015-10-12T15:00

V’ger and the Ilia probe, both from“Star Trek: The Motion Picture”. Also, John complains about fake skin on androids.

26: Cylons from 2015-10-05T15:30

The metal robots (and their fleshy successors) from the old and new“Battlestar Galactica.”

25: Home Appliances from 2015-09-28T15:00

What would a toaster have to do in order to be a robot? This episode introduces Siracusa’s Law, which somehow involves kitchen countertops.

24: Sasquatch from 2015-09-21T15:00

The bigfoot/sasquatch from“The Six Million Dollar Man.”

23: Space Probes from 2015-09-14T15:00

From golf carts on Mars to New Horizons flying past Pluto, these are impressive machines, but are they robots?

22: Hitchbot from 2015-09-07T14:00

He tried to hitch his way across the country, but was dismembered in Philadelphia. Image by archier on Flickr.

21: Droids from 2015-08-31T16:09:52

Are droids robots? Do they have rights? Is the Empire based on a robo-slave economy?

20: Pinocchio from 2015-08-24T16:10

Are we seriously talking about magic here?

19: Marvin the Paranoid Android from 2015-08-17T17:38:14

Your plastic pal who’s fun to be with!

18: Commander Data from 2015-08-11T00:16:51

Is an android a robot?

17: The Terminator from 2015-08-03T14:14:04

I know now why you humans cry.

16: Siri from 2015-07-27T21:54:58

So-called intelligent agents.

15: The Major from 2015-07-20T17:38:22

From“Ghost in the Shell,”a human brain in a mechanical body. And what about uploaded brains and bodies?

14: Jaegers from 2015-07-13T15:17:26

Big robots with people inside, as seen in“Shogun Warriors”and“Pacific Rim.”

13: Transformers from 2015-07-07T17:54:13

Like the song says.

12: USS Enterprise from 2015-07-02T23:41:09

The main computer of the USS Enterprise.

11: KITT from 2015-06-29T23:28:07

The“Knight Rider”car is cool, but is it a robot? What about KITT’s evil twin, KARR? Also, the dark pre-history of Pixar’s“Cars.”

10: ASIMO from 2015-06-25T21:06:30

Honda’s ASIMO, Sony’s AIBO, and other cute things that can do The Robot dance. Also, our Radio Shack memories.

9: Assembly-Line Robots from 2015-06-22T16:42:02

Look for the union label.

8: Roomba from 2015-06-19T20:48:35

Does a self-guided vacuum cleaner cross John’s minimum bar for a robot? And what does that have to do with ants and dogs?

7: Telepresence Robots from 2015-06-15T15:53:19

They’re funny, but are they robots?

6: Self-Driving Cars from 2015-06-10T22:29:41

Pondering sentient Google cars, Johnny Cab, and autopilots.

5: Emotions from 2015-06-04T21:02:31

The greatest prog rock album ever made.

4: K-9 from 2015-06-02T15:39:07

John and Jason try to understand robot dogs. Plus, a trip through old“Doctor Who”episodes.

3: Darth Vader from 2015-05-29T14:49:07

Cyborgs and robots and humans—how do we tell these things apart?

2: Service Kiosks from 2015-05-25T15:23:44

John’s position on supermarket self-checkout machines, Jason’s need for beer when he visits his in-laws, and whether attaching arms to things makes them robots.

1: Mr. Roboto from 2015-05-22T21:13:45

We explain why we’re here, and then discuss the protagonist of Styx’s 1983 album“Kilroy Was Here.”

0: Origin from 2015-04-07T21:00:33

A flashback to past podcasts, as a way of explaining why this podcast exists.