Podcasts by 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.
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Further podcasts by Popular Science
Podcast on the topic Wissenschaft
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The Truth About Quicksand, Release the Tea Kraken, Learning Without Brains from 2023-11-22T08:00
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 gro...
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Taxidermy Robots, Talking to Dolphins (and Aliens), Methuselah the Fish from 2023-11-08T14:21:02
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 ...
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American Hippo Ranchers, Peacock Vasectomies, Leave Einstein Alone from 2023-10-25T07:00
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 get...
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Ancient Tweezers, Modern Leprosy, Space Rock Recycling from 2023-10-11T07:00
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...
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Defensive Puking, Self-Cooling Curls, Zambia's Teen Astronauts from 2023-09-27T07:00
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, ...
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How to Survive an Apocalypse, Teeth with Secrets, Birds Who BBQ from 2023-09-13T07:00
Annalee Newitz discusses how to survive an apocalypse while eating good, Rachel talks about birds using spikes as barbecue skewers (and more), and Chelsey gets into sexing skeletons. The Weirdest ...
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Our Swolest Ancestor, Climate Fungi-pocalypse, Terrifying Bananas from 2023-08-30T07:00
Guest host Kasha Patel talks how wildfires could play a part in spreading Last of Us-like fungi, Rachel spins a yarn about how bananas can induce crippling fear, and Sara Kiley describes our buffes...
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Catch Weirdest Thing Live TOMORROW! from 2023-08-23T10:00
LIVE SHOW TICKETS: https://caveat.nyc/events/the-weirdest-thing-i-learned-this-week-8-24-2023 The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and s...
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Bird Chess, Monkey Selfies, Crocodile Dung Birth Control from 2023-08-16T07:00
Stan explains the iconic monkey selfie legal struggle, Amanda talks about how scientists got crows to stop pooping so much, and Rachel divulges many details about crocodile dung birth control. The...
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The First Constellations, Surprisingly Spicy History, Kids Find the Darndest Fossils from 2023-08-02T07:00
Moiya McTier joins the show to talk about math, the first constellations, and more! Plus, Rachel explains why children are master fossil discoverers, and Sara Kiley divulges a surprising spicy orig...
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Butts: A Backstory, Parrot Social Media, Why We Eat Chickens from 2023-07-19T07:00
Radiolab's Heather Radke joins the show to talk about butts! Plus, Rachel talks about the history of chickens as pets, and Chelsey divulges why parrots are video calling each other. The Weirdest Th...
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Weirdest Thing LIVE! on August 24th from 2023-07-13T10:00
That's right, we're doing our first live show since 2019! It'll be on Thursday, August 24th at Caveat in New York City. Grab tickets here: https://caveat.nyc/events/the-weirdest-thing-i-learned-thi...
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George Washington: Swamp Ghost Hunter, Cockroach Chocolate, Science Scams from 2023-07-05T07:00
Producer Jess Boddy talks about the science in Dark Souls' swamps, Rachel explains cockroaches giving sexy gifts, and Amanda dishes on scientific scammers. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is...
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The Sleepiest Epidemic, Really Deep Holes, Goddess of Dirty Dishes from 2023-06-21T07:00
PopSci intern Jack Izzo talks about the deepest hole EVER. Plus, Rachel explains contagious sleepiness throughout history, and Sara Kiley divulges the captivating story of the woman who invented th...
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Ancient Enemies to Lovers, Landscape of Fear, Hoax of the Century from 2023-06-07T07:00
Ali Hazelwood joins the show to divulge the scientific hoax of the century, Rachel shows how wolves create a landscape of fear, and Sandra talks about Puebloans carrying logs with their heads—and m...
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A Horse in the Toilet?!, Creepy Clowns, Superpowered Bug Pee from 2023-05-24T07:00
Melissa Dunphy joins the show to explain why she found a horse in the toilet. Meanwhile, Rachel talks super-powered bug pee, and Chelsey gets into the science of fearing clowns. The Weirdest Thing ...
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Worm Time in Whale City, Neanderthal Funk, Old-Timey Sauna Science from 2023-05-10T07:00
Defector's Sabrina Imbler joins the show this week to talk about whale falls! Plus, Rachel talks about how a bunch of dudes sat in saunas for science, and Sara Kiley explains why Neanderthals proba...
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Science of Elden Ring, Walmart Entomology, Architectural %&@*-Measuring Contest from 2023-04-26T07:00
This week, Rachel explores Walmart for new insect species, Jess divulges the science behind Elden Ring's corpse wax, and John talks about New York City architects hiding spires in their buildings t...
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Eating Bog Butter, Disappearing Eels, Urinal Splashback Science from 2023-04-12T07:00
This week, Rachel gets into delicious, delectable butter made in a bog, Ryan F. Mandelbaum explains that we know almost nothing about eels, and Purbita describes the details of pee splashback at th...
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Brain Death Cocktails, Fur Seal Crimes, Fish Driving Cars from 2023-03-29T07:00
This week, Rachel talks about fish getting behind the wheel, Sara Kiley unravels the story of rodent DNA and a secret fur seal trade, and Sandra explains how cocaine might be the key to organ trans...
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Lubed Up Chocolate, Ovaries Before Brovaries, Birds on the Moon from 2023-03-15T07:00
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...
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Deprogramming the Patriarchy, Metric Pirates, Earwax Types from 2023-03-01T08:00
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...
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'Silly Walk' Science, Trombone-Head Dinosaurs, Museum Secrets Revealed from 2023-02-15T08:00
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...
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Head Transplants, Criminal Koalas, Sneezing Sponges from 2023-02-01T09:13
Welcome to Season 7! 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 m...
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A Weirdest Thing end-of-year update! from 2022-12-26T12:00
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...
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Flying Toad Butts, High-Speed Uteruses, Lemurs Picking Noses from 2022-12-14T09:07
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...
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Sex Rafts, Garbage Birds, Girded Loins, Security Geese from 2022-11-30T09:01
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...
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Evil Forrest Gump, Poopsmiths, Penis Legs from 2022-11-16T10:05
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...
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Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock and Fantastic Fungi’s Paul Stamets on Mushrooms&Mycelium from 2022-11-09T10:06
Join host Sing For Science host Matt Whyte in this fungi fantastic episode about psilocybin research! We learn about mushroom properties that can stave off dementia, decrease social ills and hear a...
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Introducing Inside Voice, A New Audiobook from Lake Bell from 2022-11-03T13:00
Today, we’re shaking things up and bringing you a preview of a new audiobook we’re think you'll enjoy! Writer, director, and actress Lake Bell has a new audiobook all about the voice – Inside Voice...
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Birds Aren't Real, Everest Poopsicles, Actual Flying Cars from 2022-11-02T08:00
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...
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Vampire Epidemics, Parasitic Mind Control, Sasquatch Science from 2022-10-19T08:00
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...
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Knives for Hands, Gay Bombs, Bee-on-Bee Crime from 2022-10-05T08:00
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...
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Self-Destructing Octomoms, Exoplanet Adventures, Why Rats Don't Vom from 2022-09-21T08:00
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...
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Lice-Feeding Nazi Fighters, Bisexual Birds, EZ Pass Origins from 2022-09-07T08:00
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...
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An Innovative Erection, Secret Oyster Rules, Nuking Hurricanes from 2022-08-24T08:00
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...
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Human Echolocation, Extreme Pogo Sticking, Elephants Evading Poachers from 2022-08-10T08:00
Welcome to Season 6, Weirdos! 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 t...
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Season 6 is coming SOON! from 2022-07-27T09:00
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! You can buy Rachel's book here, and find ...
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A special announcement from Weirdest Thing! from 2022-05-09T15:27
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! You can buy Rachel's book here, and find ...
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A special announcement from Weirdest Thing! from 2022-05-09T15:27
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! You can buy Rachel's book here, and find ...
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Why Pain Hurts So Good, Growing Mutant Gardens, Emo Teen Puppies from 2022-03-09T09:00
Leigh Cowart, science reporter and author of Hurts So Good: The Science and Culture of Pain on Purpose, joins Weirdest Thing for the season finale! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podca...
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A Delicious Chocolate Debacle, IBS In Orbit, the Tuffy Saga from 2022-02-23T10:00
This episode celebrates our latest digital issue going live! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook gr...
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Human Refrigerators, Poop Knives, Whacky Tongues from 2022-02-09T10:00
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...
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A Mid-Season Update from 2022-02-02T09:00
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...
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Teeny Frogs With Tarantula Bodyguards, the Science of Hair Magic, an Everlasting Lightbulb from 2022-01-19T09:00
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...
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Snake Island, Controversial Chimps, Brussels Sprout Vindication from 2022-01-05T10:00
Arielle Duhaime-Ross—host of Vice's A Show About Animals and Vice News Reports—joins the show this week! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest ...
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Superheated Falcon Poo, Banana Babies, Gross (But Delicious) Bug Goop from 2021-12-22T10:00
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...
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Judging Meat, Vampire Fish Invasion, the Rise of White Castle from 2021-12-08T10:00
This episode celebrates our latest digital issue going live! Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Scie...
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Mary Roach talks Moose Crash Test Dummies, Famous Ferrets, and Deadly Planets from 2021-11-24T10:00
Mary Roach—author of incredible books like Gulp, Bonk, Spook, and most recently, Fuzz—joins the show this week! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your we...
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Ancient Brain Surgeons, the Crows Have Eyes, Why Radiators are so Annoying from 2021-11-10T10:00
Actor and famous Schitt's Creek impersonator Michael Judson Berry joins the show this week! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and sto...
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Haunted Vaginas, Fairy Floss, Books Made of Human Skin from 2021-10-27T09:00
SEASON 5 IS HERE! The weirdest things we learned this week range from REAL ectoplasm to how many licks it (allegedly) takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. The Weirdest Thing I Learned Thi...
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Chimps Raised Like Humans, Blood Swapping, Polio&Candyland from 2021-09-21T09:00
This episode celebrates our latest digital issue going live! The weirdest things we learned this week range from a swapping blood with the Pope to the dramatic origins of the Monopoly board game. W...
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Spooky Rivers, Eyes Wide Shut, Pet Crocodiles from 2021-09-15T09:00
Producer Jess Boddy joins Rachel for a listenervoicemail Q&A episode! The weirdest things we learned this week range from a killer creek to naked mole rat facts at breakfast. The Weirdest Thing I...
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Ask Us Anything: Can you cure a hangover? from 2021-09-08T10:00
Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! Buy your Weirdest Thing virtual live show tickets here: https://www.caveat.nyc/event/the-weirdest-thing-i-learned-this-week-livestream-9...
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A very weird live event is in the works... from 2021-08-24T16:00
Buy your Weirdest Thing virtual live show tickets here: https://www.caveat.nyc/event/the-weirdest-thing-i-learned-this-week-livestream-9-21-2021 The live show is Tuesday, September 21st, at 7pm EST...
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Skyscraper Death Ray, History of Hot Tubs, Our Sun's Death from 2021-07-14T09:00
This episode celebrates our latest digital issue going live! The weirdest things we learned this week range from a skyscraper that can fry an egg to the Italian legacy of hot tubs. Whose story will...
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Q&A: Punkin Chunkin, Mysterious Shipwrecks, Midwestern Scorpions from 2021-07-07T09:00
Producer Jess Boddy joins Rachel for a listener voicemail Q&A episode! The weirdest things we learned this week range from dangerous pumpkin launching to an Illinoisan scorpion. The Weirdest Thin...
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Olympic Weirdness: Barefoot Marathons, Medals for Artwork, Pistol Dueling from 2021-06-23T08:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from gold medals for art to underwater hockey. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I Learned This ...
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Parachuting Cats, Butt-Breathing, Secret Uses for Viagra from 2021-06-09T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from flying cats to breathing through your butt. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I Learned Thi...
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Science Meets Magic, High-Tech Murders, Bees?! from 2021-05-26T09:00
Writer and game designer Jonathan Sims joins the show! The weirdest things we learned this week range from bees telling time to death by apple core. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I ...
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Art Crime Doesn't Pay, Canines Cooking Meat, Eggs Gone Wrong from 2021-05-12T09:00
Comedian and writer Josh Gondelman joins the show! The weirdest things we learned this week range from dogs cooking in kitchens to chickens laying eggs inside of themselves. Whose story will be vot...
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Radioactive Horses, Sipping on Pee, Sleeping With One Eye Open from 2021-04-28T09:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from vertically sleeping whales to fake motion sickness cures. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing...
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A Quick Weirdest Thing Update! from 2021-04-20T18:59:38
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 ou...
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Q&A: Cubed Poops, Forked Penises, Murderous Squirrels from 2021-04-14T09:00
Producer Jess Boddy joins Rachel for a listener voicemail Q&A episode! The weirdest things we learned this week range from wombat poop to possum penises. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is ...
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Radioactive Bananas, Self-Decapitating Sea Slugs, Maine's Jumping Frenchmen from 2021-03-31T09:00
Theoretical physicist Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein joins the show! The weirdest things we learned this week range from non-trinary particles to kleptoplasty. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest...
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Get a Good Brainwash, Museum Tragedies, Scary Smart Cuttlefish from 2021-03-17T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from literal brainwashing to the marshmallow test. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I Learned ...
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Ask Us Anything: Can you boost your immune system? from 2021-03-16T10:00
Check out the first episode of Ask Us Anything, a brand new podcast from the editors of Popular Science! Claire and Jess dive into whether you can boost your immune system, giving it ninja-like cap...
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Astrology’s Hidden Sign, Ancient Brunch, The Uncanny Valley from 2021-03-03T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from eating poison oak to creepy animated babies. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I Learned T...
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The Truth About Soy Boys, the Sexiest Number, the Potato King from 2021-02-17T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from soy boy panic to a magic number found in peregrine falcon dives and Robert Pattinson's face. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Lea...
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Immortal Jellyfish, Cocaine Hippos, Potato Chip Controversy from 2020-12-09T11:00
This episode celebrates our latest print issue hitting newsstands! The weirdest things we learned this week range from a jellyfish that can live forever to invasive cocaine hippos. Whose story will...
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Moon Allergies, Singing Statues, Secrets of Famous Movie Sounds from 2020-11-25T11:00
Dallas Taylor, sound designer and host of Twenty Thousand Hertz, joins the weirdos as a guest host. The weirdest things we learned this week range from statues that sing first thing in the morning ...
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Meat Rain, Medicinal Sword Swallowing, a Nuclear Kodak Moment from 2020-11-11T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from meat raining down from the heavens to swallowing swords to help doctors look down esophaguses. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I L...
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Dog Mayors, Zombie Presidents, Death By Voter Fraud from 2020-10-28T10:00
In this special episode, the weirdest things we learned this week range from Edgar Allen Poe's peculiar death to how salamanders influenced the term Gerrymander. Whose story will be voted "The Weir...
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Toxic Animal Boyfriends, Birding for Freedom, Egg Yolks Explained from 2020-10-14T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from stage-five-clinger anglerfish to Harriet Tubman's birding expertise. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Wei...
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Exploding Underwater Mountains, Boar Sex and Celery, Hidden History of Vaccination from 2020-09-30T10:00
Contributing editor Kat Eschner joins the weirdos as a guest host. The weirdest things we learned this week range from the surprising link between pig sex and celery to blowing up a mountain underw...
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Hot Dog Sports, Sexy Pseudoscience, Intestinal Power Walking from 2020-09-16T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a beetle that can waltz through frog intestines unscathed, to the a man who thought he could capture sexual energy in a cage. Whose story will be...
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Catch our live show TONIGHT! from 2020-09-15T10:00
Tonight, September 15th, we'll be doing an exclusive live-streamed show. It'll be all of the fun of a classic Weirdest Thing Live show—your favorite hosts (calling in remotely), weird facts, drinks...
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Your Car is Full of Spiders, the Cloud Whisperer, She Who Invented N95 Masks and Bugles from 2020-09-02T10:00
Welcome to Season 4! For this first episode, Kendra Pierre-Louis, former Popsci editor and current reporter for the Gimlet podcast How To Save a Planet, joins the weirdos as a guest host. The weird...
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We're Back! Season 4&Live Show Updates from 2020-08-31T19:25:47
Hey weirdos! We have two very exciting pieces of news for you. First, Weirdest Thing is returning every other Wednesday starting September 2nd! Second, on Tuesday, September 15th, we'll be doing an...
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Boning Baseball Bats, Rolling Cheese, Playing With Wallpaper Cleaner from 2020-05-20T10:00
It's the Season 3 Finale! The weirdest things we learned this week range from breaking bones chasing cheese down a cliff and rubbing baseball bats with cow femurs. Whose story will be voted "The We...
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Evasive Genital Maneuvers, A Nazi Carrot Hoax, Eternal Daytime from 2020-05-06T10:00
Rose Eveleth, host of the hit podcast Flash Forward, joins the weirdos as a guest host! The weirdest things we learned this week range from a Russian experiment that tried to make daytime last fore...
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Sailing Boulders, Mom-Eating Worms, the Most Humongous Fungus from 2020-04-22T10:00
Happy Earth Day! We're celebrating with facts about worms that eat their moms' skin, the fungus bigger than a blue whale, and rocks that sail across deserts all by themselves. Whose story will be v...
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Bonus: Sprained Teeth, Pina Coladas, Flying Snakes from 2020-04-16T16:58:43
Surprise! It's Rachel and Jess, and we're popping in your feeds with a bonus episode. Join us as we listen to some voice messages submitted by you guys, and delve into facts about tooth ligaments, ...
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Getting Green Blood, Animal Crossing's Rarest Fish, Bird-Like Plague Masks from 2020-04-08T10:00
This week, we've got the first half of our remote live show! The weirdest things we learned this week range from Animal Crossing's most fascinating fish to a man with forest green blood. Whose stor...
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Join us for a special livestream on March 30 from 2020-03-27T16:16
Hey weirdos! On Monday, March 30th, we'll be doing two livestreamed episodes in partnership with Caveat, our favorite New York City venue. It'll be all of the fun of a classic Weirdest Thing Live s...
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Terrifying Tumbleweeds, Coffee Poops, Three Peters Who Changed Childbirth from 2020-03-25T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from tumbleweeds that terrorize entire towns to a tantalizing obstetrical secret. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? ...
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A Weirdest Thing Update from 2020-03-23T16:04:42
Hey weirdos! We just wanted to drop in and update you all on what's happening with our show during the pandemic. Since we're all working remotely to help flatten the curve in New York City, it woul...
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Chicken Hypnotism, The One and Only Ferris Wheel, Interspecies BFFs from 2020-03-11T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a coyote and badger becoming BFFs to instructions on hypnotizing sharks. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The...
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Syphilis But Make It Fashion, Cilantro Haters, Quarantine: From Typhoid to Coronavirus from 2020-02-26T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from Christmas tree-flavored burritos to XXL codpieces. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I Lear...
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Serial Poopers, Elephants on LSD, Whiskey Business from 2020-02-12T12:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from an elephant on an acid trip to people who urgently need to poop upon entering bookstores. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned...
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Fletcherize Your Life, Wawa Origins, Who's Your Zaddy? from 2020-01-29T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from choosing your zaddy to the origin of (arguably) the best gas station convenience store in the history of the world. (Yes, Wawa.) Whose story will...
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Chainsaws for Childbirth, A Poop-Weighing Hero, Pregnancy on Command from 2020-01-15T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a man who weighed all of his poop, pee, and sweat on a homemade scale to animals that can choose when they want to get pregnant. Whose story will...
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A Very Weird Christmas Special from 2019-12-25T11:00
On this week's special Christmas episode, the weirdest things we learned this week range from a Santa-esque giantess named Gryla and her 13 yule lads to a disease named after a boy called Christmas...
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The Science of ASMR (And People Who Hate It) from 2019-12-18T11:00
This week, we have a very special episode all about the science behind the autonomous sensory meridian response, a.k.a. ASMR. While people who experience ASMR feel extremely pleasant and satisfying...
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When Death Was Sexy, The Knuckle-Cracking King, The Pouch You Never Knew You Had from 2019-12-11T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a secret pouch in your body to a literally killer fashion trend. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdes...
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Tying Up Penises, Dimple-Making Machines, Exotic Poop For Sale from 2019-12-04T11:00
Ellen Airhart, host of the podcast Plant Crimes, joins us this week as a guest host! The weirdest things we learned ranged from Williams-Sonoma selling Bronx Zoo poo to a jaunty foreskin trend. Who...
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A Marathon Catastrophe, Dangerously Spooky Tunes, Confused Cannibals from 2019-11-27T12:00
This week, we've got the second half of our extra spooky Halloween live show! The weirdest things we learned ranged from eating mummy dust to a man drinking rat poison to boost his marathon time. W...
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Coffee or Death, Radioactive Slippers, Literally Blinding Beauty from 2019-11-20T11:00
This week, No Such Thing As A Fish's James Harkin joins Rachel and Jess as a guest-host! The weirdest things we learned ranged from painting glowing, radioactive messages on your teeth to how Queen...
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Harry Styles’ Nipple Count, Frankenstein’s Mom-ster, Madame Tussaud’s Macabre Origins from 2019-11-13T11:00
This week, we've got the first half of our extra spooky Halloween live show! The weirdest things we learned ranged from a ship filled with a collection of wax heads to Harry Styles' surprising numb...
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A special Q&A with Rachel and Jess from 2019-11-06T11:00
In lieu of a regular episode this week—which we were too swamped with live show prep to record!—enjoy this chatty Q&A with Jess and Rachel. They talk about getting into science journalism and podca...
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Blood Gourds, Tiny Taffeta Frog Pants, Dying for Weather Data from 2019-10-30T10:00
The New York Times' Kendra Pierre-Louis—a former PopSci Editor!—joins us this week as a guest host! The weirdest things we learned ranged from gourds full of royal blood to frogs wearing tiny taffe...
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Bisexual Situations, Limey Sailors With Scurvy, Origin of Morons from 2019-10-23T10:00
Helen Zaltzman, host of The Allusionist podcast, joins us this week as a guest host! The weirdest things we learned ranged from bisexual space stations to guinea pigs with scurvy. Whose story will ...
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Death By Rainbow, Face Blindness, Watermelon Snow from 2019-10-16T10:00
PopSci contributor Kat Eschner joins us this week as a guest host! The weirdest things we learned ranged from how snow banks turn millennial pink to a dazzling yet dangerous chemistry demonstration...
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Pooping Magic Rocks, How We Ruined Bison, Common Cold Lies from 2019-10-09T10:00
Arielle Duhaime-Ross, host of Reset from Vox, joins us this week as a guest host! The weirdest things we learned ranged from dunking chickens in ice baths to magical stones from porcupine bellies. ...
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Debunking Hymen Myths, Moving Corpses, Birth Control to Please the Pope from 2019-10-02T10:00
OB-GYN and author Jen Gunter joins us this week as a guest host! The weirdest things we learned range from the invention of the birth control pill to corpses that change position long after their t...
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10k Steps is a Lie, a Secret Poop Factory, Eleanor Roosevelt's Mysterious Death from 2019-09-25T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from robots wiping your butt to a Cheeto-shaped bacteria killing Eleanor Roosevelt. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"...
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Spiny Female Penises, Goth Girl Summer, Hardcore Flamingoes from 2019-09-13T10:00
This week, we've got another voice messages edition of Weirdest Thing! We listen and react to extra weird, listener-provided facts that range from how a volcanic eruption led to the invention of th...
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Calling All Weirdos For A Very Important Announcement from 2019-08-21T19:00
We're dropping in to tell you about a few special episodes coming up—and how you can participate! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts ...
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Feminist Butter Art, The First Celebrity Athletes, The Secret Lives of Algae from 2019-07-31T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from butter sculptures' feminist origins to the cutthroat world of competitive endurance walking. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Lear...
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The Hungriest Boy, Eyeglasses for Cannibal Chickens, Champion Guppy Gulpers from 2019-07-24T10:00
In the second half of our live show on June 14th, the weirdest things we learned this week range from the hungriest boy who ever lived to swallowing live goldfish for sport. Whose story will be vot...
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Victorian Sex Drugs, Milk in Your Veins, Radioactive Dishes from 2019-07-17T10:00
The weirdest things we learned range from injecting cow's milk into a person's veins (don't worry, it's fresh!), to a modern gay sex drug with Victorian origins. Whose story will be voted "The Weir...
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Nazis Eating $@#!, The First Pregnancy Test, Permanently Swollen Feet from 2019-07-10T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a good reason to eat fresh, steamy camel poo to injecting rats with human urine and seeing what happens. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest ...
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Running Naked Through 24 Time Zones, Virgin Births, Corpse Compost from 2019-07-03T11:00
The weirdest things we learned range from South Pole streakers getting frostbitten nipples and weenies to pacemakers playing a role in exploding crematoriums. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdes...
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The Secret to Perfect Sleep, Naked Mole Rat Royalty, Baby Shark (do do do do do do) Puke from 2019-06-26T10:00
In the first half of our live show on June 14th, the weirdest things we learned range from the bloody path to becoming a naked mole rat queen to a tiger shark vomiting feathers onto the deck of a b...
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Magical Pee, a Feline Telephone, an Infuriating Math Problem from 2019-06-19T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from reading pee bubbles to discern one's future, to turning a living, breathing cat into a functional telephone. Whose story will be voted "The Weird...
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Labor-Inducing Salad, White Hair Overnight, Coyotes Vs. Cats from 2019-06-12T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a salad that makes pregnant people have their babies to hair going white overnight. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This ...
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Wendy Zukerman talks werewolf tomatoes, overdosing on placebos, and snapping necks from 2019-06-05T10:00
Wendy Zukerman from Gimlet's Science Vs. joins Weirdest Thing this week. The weirdest things we learned range from a man falling unconscious after taking too many placebo pills, to why the tomato's...
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Bill Nye talks killer clowns, mermaids, pigeon poo, and deadly bicycles from 2019-05-29T10:00
Bill Nye joins Rachel, Claire, and Eleanor on the show this week. Facts range from how pigeon poop led to the verification of the big bang to why your brain ignores gorillas and killer clowns lurki...
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A very weird guest host is coming to Weirdest Thing! from 2019-05-24T10:00
Something very weird is happening at Weirdest Thing... Some science guy is coming on to be a guest host! Check out this teaser to get the scoop. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast...
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Historical Sex Toys, Killer Trains, Charles Fricken Dickens from 2019-05-10T10:00
This week, we've got the first-ever voice messages episode of Weirdest Thing! We listen and react to extra weird, listener-provided facts that range from a dildo machine for nuns to a chicken named...
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Here's your chance to be on Weirdest Thing! from 2019-05-02T15:22:11
Want to star in an episode of Weirdest Thing? Now’s your chance! We want to hear your weirdest science, tech, health and engineering facts so we can share the absolute weirdest of the bunch with th...
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Fetish Origins, the Big Oyster, the Most Luxurious Fruit from 2019-04-24T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from preferring to have sex on a carnival velcro wall to eating a banana in tin foil with a knife and fork. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Th...
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Animal Prostitution, Pavlovian Pee Responses, Painful Ginger Genes from 2019-04-17T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from monkeys selling sex to a physiological explanation of peeing involving bagpipes. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Wee...
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Man-Eating Deer, History’s Top Counterfeiters, a 12-Foot-Tall Bird from 2019-04-10T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from an absolutely enormous bird from New Zealand to deer with a taste for human flesh. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This W...
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Falcon Sex Hats, #HumanBones, Sleepy Muscle Twitches from 2019-04-03T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a hat made for romancing falcons to a booming bone trade on Instagram. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The W...
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Disney’s Military Tech, DIY Mummies, Forgotten Female Scientists from 2019-03-27T12:02:17
The weirdest things we learned this week range from monks that who themselves into mummies to the tech transfer between the military and Disneyland. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I ...
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Asses on Trial, The Brown Dog Riots, An Apple a Day… from 2019-03-20T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from animals being put on trial to the origins of the phrase "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I L...
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Poodle Science, The Great Pigeon Race Disaster, Artificial Hips from 2019-03-13T10:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from the science of the poodle haircuts to the most dangerous pigeon race in history. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Wee...
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Astronaut Farts, Deadly Dancing Plagues, A Shocking Art Scam from 2019-03-06T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from NASA's fears of fart-induced explosions to groups of people who died from dancing. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This W...
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Naked Founding Fathers, Jalapeño Thumb, Counting Vampires from 2019-02-27T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from founding fathers of the USA who liked being nude to a condition called Jalapeño Thumb (aka "Hot Pepper Hands") and how to cure it. Whose story wi...
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The Most Man-Eating Tiger, Historical Balloon Riots, Baseball’s Curses from 2019-02-20T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a tiger that ate more than 600 people over seven years to not one, not two, but three historical hot air balloon riots. Whose story will be voted...
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Sideshow Babies, Strange Sneezes, Rust for the Rust God from 2019-02-13T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from premature babies displayed as a sideshow exhibit to people who sneeze after eating a big meal. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Le...
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Biting Cow Lips, Death by Molasses, Shopping for a New Finger from 2019-02-06T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a 30-foot-tall molasses wave to the man who invented "bulldogging" in rodeos. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"?...
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Ladies Dueling Topless, Eating Every Animal, Birth via Pseudopenis from 2019-01-30T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from stripping during duels to stay alive to a man who wanted to eat every animal (for science). Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learn...
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The Sweetest Butts, Flaming Birds, The U.S. vs. 40 Barrels and 20 Kegs of Coca-Cola from 2019-01-23T11:00
The weirdest things we learned this week range from the sweetest smelling butts to birds that were used as candles. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirde...
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The Deadliest Surgery Ever, Severed Foot Epidemic, Toe-Touching Athletes from 2019-01-16T11:00
On season 2 premiere of Weirdest Thing, the weirdest things we learned this week range from dozens of severed feet that wash up in the Pacific Northwest to an operation on one person that killed th...
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Torturous Treadmills, Champagne and Balls, History's Calendars from 2018-12-25T11:00:05
On the this special New Year's episode, the weirdest things we learned this week range from the origins of treadmills (your New Year's resolution) to the origin of the sparkling wine and the New Ye...
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The Weirdest Things We Learned in Season 1 from 2018-12-05T11:00:07
We learned a lot of weird facts in season 1 of this show. Rachel and long-suffering producer Jason reflect on the first 25 episodes of The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week and go through the data...
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Halloween Spooktacular 2018 (Season 1 Finale) from 2018-10-31T10:00:13
On the season 1 finale of "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week," four of our original hosts jump behind the mic to share their spookiest facts, in honor of Halloween. The weirdest things we lea...
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Glowing Civil War Wounds, Bubble Wrap's Origins, Historic Font Disputes from 2018-10-24T10:00:13
The weirdest things we learned this week range from the origins of bubble wrap to Civil War soldiers whose wounds glowed in the dark. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This We...
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Taxidermy's Dark Secret, Woman "Births" Rabbits, The Parthenon's Optical Illusion from 2018-10-17T10:00:09
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a piece of taxidermy with a dark secret to a woman who claimed to give birth to rabbits. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned ...
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Vanishing Twins, The Poison Squad, Levitating Frogs from 2018-10-10T10:00:09
The weirdest things we learned this week range from levitating a frog with electromagnets to the idea that absorbing a twin in utero gives you superpowers. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest T...
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The Economy of "Frozen," Hopping Space Robots, Animals on Drugs from 2018-10-03T10:00:19
The weirdest things we learned this week range from the science and economics of the kingdom in the movie "Frozen" to the most (and least) wholesome scientific studies of animals on drugs. Whose st...
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Illegal Cheese, The Worst Dairy Disaster, Holes in People (and Cows) from 2018-09-26T10:00:09
The weirdest things we learned this week range from the world's worst dairy-related disaster to a Sardinian cheese that is illegal to sell. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned T...
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Two Facts and a Lie with PopSci Editor-in-Chief Joe Brown from 2018-09-19T10:00:06
The weirdest things we learned this week are weird things we've already learned! In this mini-episode, Popular Science editor-in-chief Joe Brown plays "Two Truths and a Lie" about past editions of ...
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Sucked into a Bottle, the Ultimate Exercise Hack, the Statue of Liberty’s Big Secret from 2018-09-12T10:00:26
The weirdest things we learned this week range from turning the Statue of Liberty into a battery to a man whose penis was sucked into a bottle with an explosion. Whose story will be voted "The Weir...
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Fatal Insomnia, Astounding Poops, NYPD Bees from 2018-09-05T10:00:36
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a plan to bring George Washington back from the dead to a solar storm that powered telegraphs with no batteries. Whose story will be voted "The W...
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The Beauty of Corpses, Zombie George Washington, Solar-Powered Telegraphs from 2018-08-29T10:00:16
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a plan to bring George Washington back from the dead to a solar storm that powered telegraphs with no batteries. Whose story will be voted "The W...
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Organ Meats, Fitness and Sweating, The World's Largest Dog Ban from 2018-08-22T10:00:28
The weirdest things we learned this week range from what organs you can and can't eat to the world's largest dog ban. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? Come to ou...
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Laughing Gas Parties, Human Femur Flutes, Domesticating Zebras from 2018-08-15T10:00:04
The weirdest things we learned this week range from flutes made from human femurs to trying to tame zebras. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I...
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Skin-Peeling Soup, Chlorinating the Ocean, Secret Drug Toilets from 2018-08-08T10:00:05
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a soup that makes your skin peel off to secret drug-finding toilets in airports. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Wee...
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Detachable Sex Organs, Human Skin Artwork, 17th Century Thought Experiment Solved from 2018-08-01T10:00:34
The weirdest things we learned this week range from animals that detach their sex organs during or after sex to artwork you can hang in your home on a human skin canvas. Whose story will be voted "...
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Bears in Ejector Seats, Nobel Prize for Giving Patients Malaria, The Secret Origins of Beer Yeast from 2018-07-25T10:00:05
The weirdest things we learned this week range from the Air Force testing ejector seats with black bears to a doctor winning the Nobel Prize for infecting his patients with syphilis. Whose story wi...
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Le Pétomane (The Fartiste), Tesla Loved a Pigeon, Meat Lozenges from 2018-07-18T10:00:24
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a flatulist who became the highest-paid performer in France to meat lozenges. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"?...
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Poisonous Wallpaper, Cruise Ship Poop, The Best Ultramarathon Runners from 2018-07-11T10:00:24
The weirdest things we learned this week range from poisonous wallpaper that people voluntarily put in their homes to an exploration of what happens to poop on a cruise ship. Whose story will be vo...
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Sex Magick, The Oldest Mac and Cheese, Contagious Writer's Block from 2018-06-27T10:00:24
The weirdest things we learned this week range from a NASA engineer who believed in sex magick to the world's oldest recipe for macaroni and cheese. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I ...
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Corpses Doing Yoga, The Loneliest Island, Biblical Quail Rhabdo from 2018-06-20T10:00:05
The weirdest things we learned this week range from rhabdo, a potentially fatal medical condition first mentioned in the bible, to the most remote inhabited island on Earth. Whose story will be vot...
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Ketchup Consistency Standards, Implanting Memories, People Inside of Sperm from 2018-06-13T10:00:05
The weirdest things we learned this week range from the standards and grading of ketchup to the idea that people were fully-formed inside of sperm before being born. Whose story will be voted "The ...
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The First Underwater Video, Ballooning Over the North Pole, The Call of the Void from 2018-06-06T10:00:12
The weirdest things we learned this week range from finding lost footage of the first-ever underwater video to a daring attempt to fly over the North Pole in a hydrogen balloon. Whose story will be...
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Medical Cannibalism, Hildegard of Bingen, Predicting the Weather from 2018-05-30T10:00:32
The weirdest things we learned this week range from nuns, the origin of the cosmos, and the female orgasm to the number of calories in an average human man. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest ...
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The Best Dog, Carnivorous Mushrooms, Naming Groups of Animals from 2018-05-23T10:00:02
The weirdest things we learned this week range from the world's best dog to mushrooms that eat animals. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"?The Weirdest Thing I Learn...
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Smoke Enemas, Secret Acoustic Engineering, Volcano Traps Lighthouse from 2018-05-16T10:00:12
The weirdest things we learned this week range from trying to revive dead (or unconscious) people by literally blowing smoke up their butts to the secret testing your favorite products go through t...
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The First Celebrity Diet, Animals Adopting Animals, Believing You Are Dead from 2018-05-09T13:01:12
The weirdest things we learned this week range from the world's first celebrity dieter, Lord Byron, to Cotard Syndrome, a mental illness where a person believes they are already dead or do not exis...
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Giant Sloths, Caged Babies, Spicy Horse Butts from 2018-05-02T12:31:32
The weirdest things we learned this week range from Thomas Jefferson and giant sloths to Eleanor Roosevelt and suspending babies above Park Avenue in NYC. Who will win our to-the-death* competition...
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What is The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week? from 2018-04-27T20:55:49
Here at Popular Science, we write (and read) dozens of stories every week. And though many of the fun facts we stumble across during our research make into an article, something always hits the cut...
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