Improbable Research - podcast cover

Improbable Research

Marc Abrahamswww.improbable.com
Research that makes people LAUGH, then THINK — research about anything and everything, from everywhere —research that's good or bad, important or trivial, valuable or worthless. Presented by Marc Abrahams, founder of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony.
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Episodes

Episode #1065: “The Physics of Skulking and Falling Cats”

In Podcast Episode #1065, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to biomedical researcher Chris Cotsapas . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Apr 25, 20216 min

Episode #1064: “The Best Life Opera (Act 3)”

In Podcast Episode #1064, Marc Abrahams presents the third act of “The Best Life”, a mini-opera which debuted in 2015 at the 25th First Annual Ig Nobel Ceremony. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Apr 18, 202111 min

Episode #1063: “And Now, a Needle in the Rectum”

In Podcast Episode #1063, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to statistical geneticist Chris Cotsapas . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Apr 11, 20217 min

Episode #1062: “Happiness from Painful Insect Stings”

In Podcast Episode #1062, Marc Abrahams shows a poetical research paper — about insect-sting pain — to QI Elves James Harkin , Dan Schreiber , Anne Miller , Steve Colgan , and Alex Bell . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Apr 04, 202119 min

Episode #1061: “Jean Berko Gleason’s Disgusting Word List”

In Podcast Episode #1061, psycholinguist Jean Berko Gleason shares an unfortunate lexicon with Improbable founder Marc Abrahams . Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Mar 28, 202112 min

Episode #1060: “How Much Saliva Does a Five-Year-Old Produce?”

In Podcast Episode #1060, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to aerospace engineer Nicole Sharp . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Mar 21, 202112 min

Episode #1059: “The Best Life Opera (Act 2)”

In Podcast Episode #1059, Marc Abrahams presents the second act of “The Best Life”, a mini-opera which debuted in 2015 at the 25th First Annual Ig Nobel Ceremony. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Mar 14, 20218 min

Episode #1058: “How Kids Learn to Say ‘Trick or Treat’”

In Podcast Episode #1058, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to psycholinguist Jean Berko Gleason . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Mar 07, 202117 min

Episode #1057: “Fifty Shades, by Gray”

In Podcast Episode #1057, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to physicist Melissa Franklin . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Feb 28, 202114 min

Episode #1056: “Egg in Your Eye”

In Podcast Episode #1056, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to psycholinguist Jean Berko Gleason . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Feb 21, 20219 min

Episode #1055: “The Best Life Opera (Act 1)”

In Podcast Episode #1055, Marc Abrahams presents the first act of “The Best Life”, a mini-opera which debuted in 2015 at the 25th First Annual Ig Nobel Ceremony. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Feb 14, 20219 min

Episode #1054: “Effect of Eating Garlic on Armpit Odor”

In Podcast Episode #1054, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to psycholinguist Jean Berko Gleason . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Feb 07, 202112 min

Episode #1053: “Does One Armpit Smell Like the Other?”

In Podcast Episode #1053, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to synthetic biologist Christina Agapakis . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Jan 31, 202114 min

Episode #1052: “Do Frogs in Helium Get Squeaky Voices?”

In Podcast Episode #1052, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to developmental biologist Dany Adams . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Jan 24, 202110 min

Episode #1051: “Did His Orgasm Lead to Blindness”

In Podcast Episode #1051, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to statistical geneticist Chris Cotsapas . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Jan 17, 202114 min

Episode #1050: “Bottle-Cork in Your Eye”

In Podcast Episode #1050, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to physicist Melissa Franklin . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Google Podcasts, AntennaPod, BeyondPod and elsewhere!...

Jan 10, 20219 min

Episode #1049 “The M-through-Z of Social Dilemmas”

In episode #1049, Robin Abrahams explores some of the engineering in a classic research study Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant

Jan 03, 20216 min

Episode #1048: “Stress Analysis of a Strapless Dress”

In episode #1048, Marc Abrahams and Nicole Sharp analyze the engineering and the art of “ Stress Analysis of a Strapless Evening Dress ". Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Dec 27, 202016 min

Episode #1047: “Garlic — Sensory Pleasure or Social Nuisance?”

In Episode #1047, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to Chris Cotsapas . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. The research mentioned in this episode is featured in the special Smelly issue (Vol. 22, #2) of the Annals of Improbable Research Magazine. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Dec 20, 202011 min

Episode #1046: “Standardized Food Glops”

In episode #1046, Marc Abrahams shows some unfamiliar research studies to Nicole Sharp . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Dec 13, 20208 min

Episode #1045: “Do Cats Sometimes Pay Some Attention to Their Owners?”

In Episode #1045, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to Jean Berko Gleason . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. The research mentioned in this episode is featured in the special Human Heads & Garlic Juice issue (Vol. 22, #1) of the Annals of Improbable Research Magazine. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Dec 06, 202019 min

Episode #1044: "Boring Machines"

In Episode #1044, Marc Abrahams shares with Chris Cotsapas a number of boring machines. Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. The patents mentioned in this episode of the Improbable Podcast are further elaborated upon in the special Boring Machines issue (Vol. 19, #3) the Annals of Improbable Research Magazine Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Nov 29, 20207 min

Pocket-Sized: "Leaping Fish Injuries"

In Pocket-Sized episode #1043, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to Nicole Sharp . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. The research mentioned in this episode is featured in the special Human Heads & Garlic Juice issue (Vol. 22, #1) of the Annals of Improbable Research Magazine. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Nov 22, 202010 min

Pocket-Sized: “Hot Rod Magazines - A Harmless Diversion?”

In Pocket-Sized episode #1042, Marc Abrahams shows an unfamiliar research study to Melissa Franklin . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Nov 15, 202014 min

Pocket-Sized: “Drunk German Speech”

In this Pocket-Sized episode #1041, Marc Abrahams shows some unfamiliar research studies to Jean Berko Gleason . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Nov 08, 202015 min

Pocket-Sized: “Automatically Recognize Boredom”

In this Pocket-Sized episode #1040, Marc Abrahams shows some unfamiliar research studies to Nicole Sharp . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. The research mentioned in this episode is featured in the special Time & Boredom issue (Vol. 22, #3) of the Annals of Improbable Research Magazine. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Nov 01, 202011 min

Pocket-Sized: “The A-through-L of Social Dilemmas”

In this Pocket-Sized episode #1039, Robin Abrahams explores some of the engineering in a classic research study. Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Oct 25, 20207 min

Pocket-Sized: "Ice Cream & Sluggo"

In this special Pocked-Sized episode #1038, Marc Abrahams extracts some flash-frozen bits of history from techno-sociologist Gus Rancatore, proprietor of Toscanini’s Ice Cream . Today, Gus shares with us the tale of Sluggo and the ice cream flavor that manifested thereafter. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Oct 18, 202010 min

Pocket-Sized: "Chernoff Faces"

In this Pocket-Sized episode #1037, Marc Abrahams shows just a wee bit of unfamiliar research studies to Mason Porter . Dramatic readings and reactions ensue. The research mentioned in this episode is featured in the special Mathematics issue (Vol. 16, #4) of the Annals of Improbable Research Magazine. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Oct 11, 202023 min

Pocket-Sized: "Ice Cream & Intense Scholars"

In this special Pocked-Sized episode #1036, Marc Abrahams extracts some some flash-frozen bits of history from techno-sociologist Gus Rancatore, proprietor of Toscanini’s Ice Cream . Today, Gus shares with us the phenomena of the intense scholar and their many idiosyncrasies. Remember, our Patreon donors, on most levels, get access to each podcast episode before it is made public. Seth Gliksman , Production Assistant...

Oct 04, 202012 min
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