Are you a knowledge junkie who loves when facts are stranger than fiction? Do you find yourself constantly tripping down Wikipedia rabbit holes (and delighting in the journey)? Have you ever been told you ask a lot of questions? If so, congrats! You’re one of us: a Part-Time Genius! Join Will, Mango, and the team as we scour the globe in search of obscure facts, offbeat locales, and hidden histories. Along the way, we’ll chat with experts, play some games, get in touch with our silly side, and celebrate the fine art of staying curious.
Will and Mango investigate one of the most important weekends of all-time. (Assuming you consider celebrations of mollusks, felt and flames as important as we do.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When a billionaire realized his $125,000 bottle of wine might be fake, he hired a crack team to solve the case. This is the story of a private investigator, a motley crew of geniuses, and a fine wine that supposedly belonged to Thomas Jefferson! Plus: Will and Mango discuss Prohibition wines, the Scottish Four Loko, and why badminton gave wine crimes a bad name. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
This week Gabe and Mango scour the library for the strangest newspapers they can find-- from an elementary school paper that nabbed a landmark scoop to a progressive Civil War rag filled with useful lifehacks. Plus, why you'll never want to get on this Alaskan paper's bad side. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Will and Mango have lots of questions about why people get angry. Like: Why do humans all make the same angry face? Is lying down while angry better for your health? And will being angry actually make you more creative? (Spoiler: your boss and kids might be working overtime to make you more creative.) Plus, we look at the science of tickling and solve the puzzle of how to tickle yourself! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...
There are plenty of princesses with fairy tale endings. These aren't those princesses! Will and Mango chat with Princesses Behaving Badly author Linda Rodriguez McRobbie to determine which princess you'd want on your wrestling team, which princess left royalty for the circus, and which princess parties you definitely want to avoid. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
On his deathbed, Winston Churchill’s last words were: “I’m bored with it all.” What a missed opportunity! Will and Mango discuss their favorite geniuses, why their final words lived up, and how two different phrases inspired America’s greatest shoe company. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
From Youtube to Nest, Maps to Android, it's hard to imagine life without Google. But how did the web giant really get its start? Will and Mango travel back to the mid-90s to see how a horrible campus tour, some extra Lego bricks and a week at Burning Man all contributed to the making of Google. Also, the weird reason Larry Page didn't sell the company for $1.6 million when he got the chance (spoiler: it wasn't because the offer was too low!). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ihear...
When you've got a headache, those bottles of over-the-counter medicines can feel interchangeable. But the truth is, the drugs work in different ways... and each has their own benefits and side-effects. From which drugs work best on toothaches, to which ones are best for hangovers, Will and Mango explore the strange world of painkillers. Plus: why, 5 years from now, you might be replacing your pills with a phone, a pair of goggles and some green apple air freshener. Learn more about your ad-choic...
From a dangerous island the Brazilian Navy refuses to let you visit (it's for your own good!), to a place where monkeys think they're training for the Kentucky Derby, Will and Mango are scouring the globe for water-locked lands and the incredible stories that come from them. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Everyone knows herding cats is impossible. But is it because we never fully domesticated them? Will and Mango dig into a history of cats-- from why they were unfairly blamed for so many divorces, to how a bag of clay forever changed their prospects, to what a lion's sneeze tells us about their instincts. Plus-- the number one country you HAVE to travel to (if you want a cat to massage your back.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener...
Sure, we've watched Pixar's Cars a few times. But doesn't mean we know anything about racing. Will and Mango dive into the strangely boozy origins of NASCAR, why you might need a yacht to enjoy Formula One, and how driver Dick Trickle made sure every race got off to a smoking start. (Spoiler: it involved drilling a couple holes in his helmet.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
From the imaginary daughter Dr. Seuss made up (just so he had an excuse to brag to his friends) to the remote town in Switzerland where he stole all his ideas from (it's hard to find on a map) to the one children's author he wished he'd gotten to read as a child, Will and Mango dive headfirst into the spectacular world of Dr. Seuss. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
What band was named as a tribute to their high school gym coach? Why did The Earwigs change their name to Alice Cooper (it might have something to do with a Ouji Board)? And would Chubby Checker have been as popular if he'd taken the name Chubby Chesspiece? Setting aside the quality of the music (KISS), Will and Mango explore some of the funniest, quirkiest and greatest band names in music history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listen...
Sure, one time in the '80s a blind guy was struck with lightning and it shocked his system into seeing again. But striking people with lightning bolts isn't exactly a safe and easy procedure. So what are scientists working on? From stem cells to bat helmets to why putting some algae in your eye socket could restore your vision, Will and Mango explore the most fascinating advances in vision science today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/...
If chugging mead at Medieval Times and downing burgers at Johnny Rockets feels tired to you, check out these wacky theme restaurants from around the world. Will and Mango explore what happens when you surprise diners with regular earthquakes, and why filling your cafe with giant David Copperfield statues might not be the smartest thing. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
From Hula Hoops to Frisbees, Superballs to Slip-n-Slides, Wham-O has put smiles on generations of American kids. But how did the little toy company that could get its start? (Spoiler: a meat-pellet shooter for your pet falcon!) And what are some of their greatest duds? (Spoiler 2: Instant fish!) Join Will and Gabe as they romp through the history of WHAM-O. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
After author Danny Wallace received the world's worst customer service (and possibly the world's worst hotdog) from a hotdog vendor, he decided to search for the root cause of rudeness. Danny joins Will and Mango on this week's episode to talk about snarky celebrity judges, why surgeons are in dire need of a rudeness vaccine (it's for our own safety!), and how one politician effectively fought rudeness... with mimes! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See om...
How did a potted plant named Jeff become an internet celebrity? Does Switzerland really manufacture 'Luxury Manure'? And what's your Valentine trying to tell you with that vase full of basil? Plus: why you should never, ever poach a Venus Flytrap! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Will and Mango are on a mission to uncover chocolate's darkest secrets. What's the difference between cacao and cocoa? Why have Swiss scientists been working on a pink chocolate for so long? (And what's it taste like?) Plus, why does chocolate melt so perfectly in our mouths? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
From rockets on pogo-sticks to nuclear powered toasters, there's a whole strange world of emerging technologies that will improve and/or ruin everything in our future! Will and Mango chat with author Zach Weinersmith about the hilarious, future-looking text book he and his wife Kelly wrote, Soonish. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Need some new material for the water-cooler? Will and Mango chat about the tragedy of cubicles, how a fit of rage led to better pen design, and why bread might just be the best eraser. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Between practicing judo, wrestling bears, and meddling with democracies, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has a lot on his plate. But how did the former KGB operative come to power? And how has he sustained his grip on the country for so long? Will and Mango dig into his biography to try to understand one of the most fascinating figures on the political stage. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
9/11 changed Rick Steves and how he wanted to approach writing about the world. In this special interview, Will and Mango sit down with legendary PBS host and travel writer Rick Steves to talk about the newest edition of "Travel as a Political Act", why watching a Sufi dance can be such a transcendent moment, and whether the best French cheeses really smell like "Angel's Feet." (They don't.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for ...
Is the Walking Sausage the most romantic insect? What happens when Wallabies get high on poppies? And why do wombats have super strong wombutts? Will, Mango and Gabe explore the wonderful world of Australian animals. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why is Japan's adult adoption rate so high? Why don't American car dealerships succeed in the country? And why did Colonel Sanders put a curse on a beloved Japanese baseball team? Plus, Will and Mango discover the shortest escalator in the world! (Just take the stairs, guys.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
As sniffles and coughs abound (and Tristan tries to inoculate the whole office), Will and Mango try to figure out why some flu seasons are worse than others. Also: How do scientists know when some seasons will be particularly bad? What goes into deciding what this year’s vaccine is going to look like? And was the Spanish flu really that Spanish? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Why was FDR so obsessed with mysteries? What's hiding in KFC's super secret Spice Mix vault? And what was the murder rate in the town from Murder She Wrote? (Pretty darn high!) Will and Mango put on their Sherlock Holmes hats and try to solve some cases. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chinese restaurants have an incredible history in America. (They actually pre-date the Civil War!) But is the food we scarf down every week actually Chinese? Will and Mango stuff themselves with takeout facts: from the origin of the Lazy Susan, to Buster Keaton's obsession with Chop Suey, to why everyone needs to make a pilgrimage to Butte, Montana. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Remember when Pliny the Elder thought women were cursed and unicorns had elephant feet, so he wrote long encyclopedia entries on both of them? Neither did we. From Roget to Britannica, Webster's to Wikipedia, we're exploring the history of the most important reference books on the shelves... while digging for some truly weird entries. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Why did straw hats once spur a revolt? Did Nixon kill the top hat trend? And where on Earth is Jackie O's pill box hat? Will and Mango discover some extremely important facts you'll want to know about hats. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
