Why does steak taste so much better grilled or seared, compared to boiled? What does the colour brown have to do with the taste of food? How can I up my cooking game to impress my date? Let's learn about the science of what makes cooked food delicious! Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explainthiscast/...
What happens to us after we die? What is the weirdest, sex-related death in history? How is Death personified in different parts of the world? Explain This is back from Jin's long exam study hiatus and we're coming strong out of the gates with the deep, fascinating topic of how we die! Come learn about all of the fascinating things that happen in your body as death overcomes you, and how death has been envisioned throughout the ages. Trigger warning: mentions of suicide, violent death,...
Can people change? What can I do to improve my school grades, job performance and relationship? How does mindset affect success, learning, growth and happiness? For our last episode of the year, we explore a powerful mental tool that will change how you approach learning new skills, overcoming challenges, and becoming a happier, better you! Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: https://www.insta...
How does breathing and thinking work? What magic makes my body tick and keep me alive? Where in the Sistine Chapel can I find an anatomical painting of the human brain? Today's episode is a five-part rapid fire episode, covering the five "most important" organs in your body (the bias will be explained in the episode). Come learn about how YOU work! Heart anatomy Lung anatomy Kidney anatomy Liver anatomy Brain anatomy Prometheus Bound by Rubens The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo ...
What is the scientific method? What do you mean that Power Pose is pseudoscience? How is the Replication Crisis invalidating my pop psychology knowledge base? We're back from our break to bring you more simplified explanations of complex concepts, like the Replication Crisis - one of the biggest crises to shake the academic world in modern times! Come learn how we (should) learn new things! Relevant xkcd comic - " Significant " Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://ww...
NB: This episode was reuploaded as the original upload had a corrupted audio file. Please enjoy and sorry for the interruption! Why does coffee make me feel so good and let me work harder, faster and longer? Why do I need to poop every time I drink coffee? How did caffeine start the greatest scientific revolution in European history? Let's learn about the world's most popular and most used psychoactive, performance-enhancing drug, and the various benefits of being hooked on it! Email: ...
How can I use perspective to draw physical space more accurately? What was the Renaissance? How can learning about art history improve my Instagram influencer status? We're learning all about art today, by talking about how the technique of linear perspective completely revolutionised how we capture 3D space on 2D paper! Join us on a journey to 15th century Florence to see human ingenuity in action. Jin's beautiful beach drawing , or " Why Jin went to med school instead of art sch...
Why am I so exhausted all the time? How can I be more resilient against work-related stress? What can I do to feel less burnt out? In this episode, we talk about a special topic that I'm particularly interested in learning and teaching about, because it's such a common source of stress and misery, yet many people don't know enough about it to fight against it. Hope this episode adds something to your life, or helps you make a step towards positive change! The Happiness Lab Email: ...
Why is the sky blue and not yellow or tan? Did ancient Greek people see the same blue skies we do now? Why do Koreans call a green light on a traffic signal "blue"? How can language affect the colours that our brains see? Today we take a deep dive into the colour BLUE, along with all the fascinating history and science behind the colour! You'll be surprised that you can learn so much about a single colour, and it might even make you re-examine how you perceive the world. Bacchus a...
Are prime numbers sponsored by Amazon Prime? What do maths have to do with secure online messages and cicadas? How can I win $250,000 using maths? It's time to go back to elementary maths class and study the fundamental building blocks of numbers, while learning about how the weird and cool properties of prime numbers can be super useful! Turns out, maths CAN be fun. Numberphile - Lucas-Lehmer Primality Test Numberphile - Euclid's Theorem Email: [email protected] Facebook: http...
How do pain relief medications like paracetamol and morphine work? What should I take when I have a headache? Why do we curse when we hurt ourselves? Why is life pain? We go for a deep dive into Jin's specialty world that is medicine and learn all about pain and how we treat pain in the hospital! Learn how to manage your own pain at home with the right kind of medication. Pain scale from Allie Brosh's Hyperbole and a Half Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook....
What is game theory? What's the best strategy when you don't know if someone is a friend or foe? How can maths minimise the number of years I'll go to jail for? All this and more in today's episode about the infamous Prisoner's Dilemma - where two prisoners have to make a choice, while trying to figure out if they trust the other prisoner or not! It's about to get mathematical. Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitt...
How can I turn lead into gold? Why did Lord Voldemort and the Elric brothers seek the Philosopher's Stone? How can I use alchemy to make my own Philosopher's Stone? In this episode, we explore the magical world of alchemy, while learning about the power of allegories and science! The Squared Circle Rebis Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explainthiscast/...
How do the new COVID-19 vaccines work? What happened to smallpox? What is the anti-vaccination movement about it? Why should my children and I be vaccinated? We learn all about the history and science behind vaccines and immmunisation, the scientific evidence supporting the safety of them, and the harrowing stories of how misinformation can literally kill people. John Green's The Anthropocene Reviewed Roald Dahl - Measles: A Dangerous Disease Kurzgesagt video on The Side Effects of Vaccines...
Who was Sigmund Freud and why is he a big deal? What are ego and id, repression and Freduian slips? Why do I have deep, secret urges to sleep with my mother? Today, we go deep into the murky waters of the unconscious mind through the lens of one of the earliest theories on how our unconscious mind work. Along the way, we'll learn about the beginnings of psychotherapy, crazy theories on what drives us, and how our personalities are formed! Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://w...
How does Bitcoin work? What is a blockchain? How can I make insane amounts of money through memes? We return from our hiatus with an exciting episode on the weird world of cryptocurrency - a type of money that only exists virtually! A small PSA: we're publishing every two weeks from now, but in exchange, each episode should be longer and more detailed than the first season of episodes. Hope you enjoy, and make sure to subscribe and share! Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://w...
Why do people sometimes "overreact" to little things like losing their car keys? What can I do to to prevent myself from having a meltdown? What on earth is the Fork Theory, and how does it relate to the Spoon Theory? We continue our cutlery-themed episodes with a follow-up to last week's episode on Spoon Theory! Let's delve into the world of self-care. Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThis...
Why am I tired and irritated all the time? What does it feel like to have a chronic health condition like lupus? What can cutlery teach us about being a functional adult with a balanced life? Today we explore the zany-sounding Spoon Theory, a cool analogy that explains how we need to mindful of our physical and emotional energy reserves, and how to balance our life to improve our mental health. Read the original essay by Christine Miserandino at https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by...
If you inherit your grandfather's axe then replace both the blade and the handle, is it still the same axe? Is it true that our body is completely turned over every seven years? Why does the Ship of Theseus matter? Today, we delve deep into one of the oldest thought experiments in Western philosophy and discuss how pondering philosophy can help us resolve our quarter- and mid-life crises! Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://tw...
Can bacteria get infections too? How do the new mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 work? Why on Earth would doctors make you swallow a pill full of poop? Today we study a curious organism with a name that literally means "devourer of bacteria" and how we can harness the power of viruses in modern medicine. Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explainthiscast/...
What do cameras, eyes and TVs have in common? How do we see and detect colour? Can you imagine a colour you have never seen? Today's episode is a colourful exploration of how colour vision works...and when it doesn't. Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explainthiscast/...
What is the meaning of life? Why should I bother doing anything if nothing really matters? How can philosophy make me happy and content? This week, we explore a way of life that appears to be too oxymoronic to be effective, yet it can have a profound impact on your satisfaction with life. Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explainthiscast/...
What do insects, angels and centaurs have in common? Why are dragons and pegasi unrealistic? How can we make an animal grow more limbs? Today we examine mythical creatures through the lens of science, learning a lot about evolutionary biology on the way! Example of forearm bone homology: https://i.imgur.com/0atTBJ8.png Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explainthisca...
Why does my coffee get cold? How will the universe end? What can I do about my propensity for laziness and procrastination? This week, we tackle a particularly complicated thermodynamic physics concept, while applying it to our lives to strive for better productivity! Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explainthiscast/...
Is hygge some new interior design style promoted by influencers? What makes you feel cozy and safe? How do you introduce more sustainable happiness in your life? Let's jump into the wonderful world of hygge - a Danish word that encompasses so many different ways we can add happiness to our days. Come learn a thing or two about being consciously cozy! Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: ht...
Why does alcohol make us do silly things? What causes blackouts and Asian flushes? How can I get over hangovers quicker? In this episode, we go deep into the effects of alcohol on our brain, body and personalities. Because if you're going to recreationally use a poison, you might as well understand how it works, right? Side note: this episode pairs excellently with a glass of single malt whisky or a fine cabernet sauvignon. Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com...
How can you shatter a wine glass with perfect singing? Why do I get goosebumps when I listen to sweet tunes? What have vibrations got to do with finding a soulmate? Today we'll learn about the science of resonance and vibrations, followed by an alternative interpretation of resonance and how it can positively impact our lives! Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/...
Why do we get fevers when we're sick? How do paracetamol and ibuprofen work? How did doctors in the early 20th century "fight fire with fire" using fever as a treatment? Let's learn about the cool (and hot) ways the body controls it's internal environment - and what happens when it goes pear-shaped! Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explaint...
Why do New Year's Resolutions never work? What's the best way to plan for and action positive life change? What should the theme of my year be, and what is a Yearly Theme even? This episode, we learn about how SMART goals and Yearly Themes will help you lose weight, save money, get stuff done and generally become a better, more awesome you in 2021! Special thanks to @CortexPodcast for introducing me to Yearly Themes! Watch this awesome video by CGP Grey if this episode wasn't enou...
Is it right to let one person die to save five people? What do doctors, terrorists and self-driving cars have in common? How come Jin keeps pronouncing "lever" differently each time? We return to another thought experiment and go deep into the world of morality and ethics, while picking up some tips on how to look out for our own happiness! Email: [email protected] Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExplainThisCast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explainthiscast...
