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.
This episode we’re all about Gators as Will and Mango chat about the best way to get an alligator to duet with you, why gators are surprisingly good mothers, and how a California theme park taught Americans to share their water slides with these toothy beasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For this International Women's Day episode, Will and Mango handed the mic to their good pal Jo Piazza. Here are the lady geniuses you should be thanking for your trash can foot pedal, your quieter airplane, and so much more! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Remember how fun it was to save up your quarters and go to the arcade? These are the games you didn't want to play. From the Tetris sequel that features Abe Lincolns and Frankensteins, to a game that somehow blends Honey, I Shrunk the Kids with an anti-smoking campaign, to the greatest (maybe only?) game based on Noah's Ark; Will, Gabe and Mango try to out-do each other with the most ridiculous video games they can find. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Se...
Ever wonder what the Royal family's preferred way to eat fruit is? Or why the British Monarchy insists on weighing dinner guests before a meal? Or what type of humor makes the Windsors the happiest (spoiler: it's plane humor.) Join Will, Gabe and Mango as we serve up a boatload of royally silly facts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
When Mango's kids show off their bad table manners, he scolds them for being Philistines... but do the Philistines actually deserve their bad rap? Was Goliath the actual underdog? And why did someone make a video game that featured them? Will, Gabe and Mango answer one of the most important question on everyone's minds in today's 9 Things: What's so bad about the Philistines? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...
From the world's weirdest cinema (it serves couscous with viewings?!) to an internet for plants, to the perfect job for lazy people who also want to hide underground, Will, Gabe and Mango dig deep in search of 9 great facts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This episode Will, Gabe and Mango raid the US Patent office to find some of the weirdest, funniest, and most confusing inventions of all time. Plus, the trio discusses the easiest way to scam $6 off of us. Instagram Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Gabe loves monster moves! And Will and Mango... tolerate them. But, it turns out, we all love facts about Godzilla. From how Godzilla changed paleontology, to the giant monster's (secret) signature move, to why flattened buildings aren't the worst part of a Godzilla attack, this episode we tip our hats to the King of the Monsters. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Elevators seem pretty mundane, until you realize a certain king used them to hide his mistresses; a certain politician used them to exaggerate the height of his buildings, and all of America refused to ride them until a certain marketing genius (the one and only P. T. Barnum!) designed a stunt to get everyone on board. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Will, Mango and Gabe are stuck inside this week, and decide to hop on the phone to chat comics... specifically, some of the worst comic creations in all of history. Want to know what killed Captain Tootsie? Or why Arm-Fall-Off-Boy was rejected from super hero glory twice? Plus, we discuss why you should never, ever try to crash an X-Men birthday party disguised as a food product. (There's a good reason.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/...
In today’s special episode, Mango sits down with Erin McCarthy, editor-in-chief of Mental Floss to talk about everything Teddy Roosevelt… from whether he really climbed a mountain out of spite, to how a seal inspired his fossil collection, to what made him so darn productive (hint: it helps to drink coffee from a mug the size of a bathtub). Plus, we get into just how high-pitched TR’s voice was, and why Dr. Seuss was so darn scared of him. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpo...
Trash pandas. Nature's ninjas. Sure, these ring-tailed rascals go by plenty of names. But whether you love 'em or hate 'em, they're clearly taking over Toronto. Will and Mango discuss everything raccoons, and why they deserve a little respect. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Will and Mango go deep into their chess cave to determine: what's the most dangerous styles of chess, why did the game move from the battlefield to the royal court, and if a billion people to play chess, can that stop an alien invasion? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why can't princes wear pants? Why does Prince Charles carry a bag of blood with him on his vacations? Is the Queen allowed to use a Pooper Scooper? Why is it so hard to make a perfect tuna sandwich for the royal family? And who is responsible for ironing the Queen's money so that it is perfectly crisp? Will and Mango dig into all the Queen's business and find some delightful stories in the process. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listen...
Researcher Gabe joins Will and Mango in the studio to talk about why his family likes to Christmas carol so slowly. (They take over a week to to sing one song!) Plus, the crew discusses bird boxes, conspiracy theories and whether 12 days of gift giving from your true love is just a little excessive. (It is.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Forget Dr. Evil and his ridiculously evil plans... lasers are so much more practical than that! In this episode, Will and Mango discover why lasers are perfect for precision-cooking your bacon, how they can be used as chopsticks, why washing dishes is so much better when it's done by laser, and a simple laser trick for keeping pesky pirates at bay. Plus, we take a look at the very strange way Texas tried to educate aliens about queso. (Spoiler: It involved a laser.) Learn more about your ad-choi...
Everything Will and Mango read about New Zealand made them want to visit! From how Hokey Pokey became the country's favorite ice cream flavor, to why the nation is giving away free gym memberships... to birds, to the reason the coffin clubs are taking off, Will and Mango dig deep into the country's history to discover why New Zealand is *so much* better than the Old one. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Every holiday season, Will and Mango rewatch The Peanuts classics. But how did Charles Schulz get his inspiration for the comic strip? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why do short people dominate soccer? Is owning a library more important than actually reading the books? And is being handsome important to being taken seriously as a scientist? Will and Mango delve into some super weird ways people wield advantage. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Will and Mango dig into all the biggest bicycle questions: From how bikes seriously altered the dating scene, to how blind people ride bikes through traffic, to the ingenious way Kermit pedaled his Schwann in the Muppets Movie. Grab a helmet and join us! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How did Agatha Christie churn out so many novels? Was Woodrow Wilson more important to the mystery genre than Sherlock Holmes? And what happened to Inspector Gadget's mustache (because he used to have one!) Also, Mango uses incredible deduction skills to squash a neighborhood lie. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Will and Mango have so many questions about the dollar store business: Why have so many more of these stores cropped up recently? How do you make a profit when everything in your store sells for under a buck? Is a $1 steak a good deal? Plus: the tea on why dollar store employees hate Hot Wheels so much! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Why is there a bull on the Elmer's glue bottle? What did kids use to carry their books around before they had backpacks? And why does a giant cone tree get everyone excited about starting school in Germany? Will and Mango dig deep into their Trapper Keepers to bring you some stories you definitely didn't learn in school. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
New Orleans is one of the most charming and distinct cities in America… but 300 years ago, it would have been hard to see that potential. In this episode, Will and Mango dig into how French the French quarter really is, why the graveyards look like little villages, and whether the Peacemaker sandwich really can keep an angry couple together. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Will and Mango take a look around the office, from why cubicles were actually a forward-thinking invention, to how knives became a wonderful way to show your applause at the workplace in Cuba to why that office rumor we’re spreading this week about Tristan is probably true (studies prove it!) Plus, nap pods, office ferris wheels and so much more! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Sure, they nuzzled their way into Mike Tyson's heart (and Nikola Tesla; and Bert from Bert and Ernie!), but how intelligent are pigeons? Have scientists really trained the birds to read? Did they actually play a role in discovering the Big Bang? And why are they so darn good at finding their way home? Plus: are catfish their new nemesis? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Is Cap'n Crunch Really a Captain? Is the Silly Rabbit using psychological tricks on kids? And why did everyone stop putting prizes in cereal boxes? Will and Mango take a trip down memory lane, exploring why America is so nostalgic for those sugary sweet breakfast treats. Featuring Cereal Time TV's Gabe Fonseca. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Why do movie theaters limit their audiences to 299 seats? Did dishware really save the movie industry? And why is Lara Croft: Tomb Raider considered a Hollywood masterpiece? (spoiler: it has nothing to do with the plot!) Grab your popcorn and turn off your ringers as Will and Mango head to the movies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
While no one is going to malls (or so it seems), everyone seems to be talking about them: the CDC is writing up reports on mall walkers, people are growing beards to get into the mall Santa game, and writers are waxing nostalgic about them. But what exactly were malls intended to be? Why did the inventor of the mall try to distance himself from his greatest invention? And why are there never any escalators in the middle of them? Will and Mango dig in. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://...
Will and Mango dig wonder: how hard it is to bring a species back from extinction? Plus: why do people wake up in the morgue after being declared dead? Why are fish markets the best places to look for extinct species? And can resurrecting the Wooly Mammoth help us solve climate change? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
