Podcasts – Weird Things - podcast cover

Podcasts – Weird Things

Andrew Mayneweirdthings.com
How would you fight a Yeti in hand to hand combat? Would you attempt to sell your soul to the devil in the interest of science? How can you prepare for a zombie apocalypse? Find out all of this and more every week on the Weird Things podcast, where your hosts, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young and Brian Brushwood probe the most challenging questions about the paranormal, supernatural and fringe.
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Episodes

AI, Dinosaurs, and the Future of Entertainment

In this episode of Weird Things, Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young explore the fascinating pace of AI development, demonstrating with a live example how a 2D image can be transformed into a 3D model. They discuss the potential of AI in creating new entertainment and gaming experiences, and the implications of job […]

May 30, 2025

Quantum Leaps, Human Cannonballs, and AI Evolution

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young dive into a variety of topics, starting with the potential signatures of life on the exoplanet K2-18b, thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope’s findings. The conversation shifts to the rapid advancements in AI, including the evolution from hydraulic to electric motors in robotics and the implications […]

May 30, 2025

Of Mammoths and Mice: The Weird Science of De-Extinction

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood kick things off with a nod to the anniversary of GPT-4, reflecting on its impact and the rapid pace of AI development. The conversation takes a historical detour to the Ramree Island crocodile attack during World War II, with Andrew using AI to sift […]

Mar 21, 2025

Nano Arcade and AI Musings

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young, with a special appearance by Bella, embark on a journey through the latest in nano technology, showcasing a nano-scale video game that could revolutionize biomedical engineering and nanotechnology. They explore the advancements in AI, particularly in workflow automation and the challenges of nano-tech. The conversation shifts to […]

Mar 07, 2025

Asteroids, Quantum Computing, and Disneyland Adventures

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood kick things off with a cosmic sigh of relief as the chances of an asteroid hitting Earth decrease. They ponder the implications of a moon impact, drawing parallels to sci-fi scenarios and historical events. The conversation then shifts to Microsoft’s announcement of a quantum […]

Mar 07, 2025

Asteroids, AI, and the Art of Avoiding Armageddon

In a thrilling episode devoid of AI discussions (initially), Andrew, Brian, and Justin tackle the alarming news of an asteroid, dubbed ‘Kanye’s next album’, with a 2.2% chance of colliding with Earth. The trio explores various mitigation strategies, including nuclear options, while lamenting their AI tool’s refusal to cooperate on other matters. The conversation shifts […]

Feb 21, 2025

The AI Frontier: Deep Dive into DeepSeek, O3, and Beyond

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young tackle the rapid advancements in AI, focusing on DeepSeek’s R1 model and its cost-effective training methods. They discuss the skepticism and excitement surrounding DeepSeek’s claims and the broader implications for AI development and compute needs. The conversation shifts to OpenAI’s release of the O3 […]

Feb 05, 2025

AI’s Latest Leap: Operator and the Future of Internet Browsing

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood explore the rapid advancements in AI, particularly highlighting the Chinese AI model Deep Seek and OpenAI’s latest creation, Operator. They discuss the technical achievements and controversies surrounding Deep Seek, its implications for the AI community, and the groundbreaking capabilities of Operator in controlling a browser to perform […]

Feb 01, 2025

The AI Frontier: Hitting Walls and Vaulting Over Them

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young dive into the latest in AI advancements and the philosophical and practical implications of artificial general intelligence (AGI). They start with a discussion on recent developments from OpenAI and Google, segue into a Wall Street Journal article questioning if AI has hit a developmental wall, and then […]

Jan 24, 2025

A Timeless Dive into the Future and Past of Entertainment

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood take listeners on a fascinating exploration of entertainment’s past, present, and future. They kick off with a nostalgic look at how theme parks like Universal Studios have evolved, highlighting the technological advancements in attractions such as the Born Stunt Spectacular. The conversation then shifts […]

Jan 23, 2025

The AI Frontier: Robotics, Simulators, and the Future of Labor

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood discuss the recent flurry of AI announcements from OpenAI’s Shipmas event and Google’s AI developments. They explore the implications of advanced AI models like GPT-3 and OpenAI’s O3, touching on their potential to revolutionize coding, problem-solving, and even the future of robotics and labor. […]

Jan 23, 2025

Magic, AI, and the Future of Video Generation

In this episode of Weird Things, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood explore the cutting edge of AI technology. Andrew kicks things off with a magic trick performed for an AI, showcasing the interactive capabilities of current AI models. The trio discusses the recent advancements in AI, including live video features and the […]

Dec 20, 2024

The Future of Robotics and Sky Quakes

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood kick things off with a brief chat about the latest addition to Justin’s family and the implications of raising a child in today’s tech-saturated world. The conversation quickly shifts to Elon Musk’s recent showcase of Tesla’s advancements in robotics, including the Optimus robot and […]

Dec 20, 2024

Space Catchers and the Future of Robotics

In this episode of Weird Things, Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young tackle the advancements in AI, marvel at SpaceX’s successful catch of the Starship’s first stage, and ponder the future of robotics, including Tesla’s Optimus. They discuss the implications of these developments and share their excitement for what this means for the […]

Dec 18, 2024

The AI Revolution Marches On

This week, Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young explore the forefront of AI technology, from OpenAI’s Dev Day revelations to Meta’s video AI marvels. They discuss the practical applications and implications of these advancements, such as customer service bots and AI-assisted video production, while also pondering the ethical and professional impacts on fields […]

Oct 10, 2024

Augmented Reality, VR, and the Quest for the Perfect Hologram

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood kick things off with a chat about the weather before diving into the world of augmented reality and virtual reality. They discuss the limitations of Apple’s Vision Pro and the potential of Facebook’s Project Orion, comparing the two and expressing their hopes for the […]

Oct 10, 2024

The Quest for a Silent Burrito Delivery

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood dive into a discussion that starts with Justin’s craving for a burrito and evolves into a conversation about the future of delivery services, including drones and autonomous vehicles like Waymo and Zoox. They explore the implications of AI advancements for space exploration, particularly on […]

Oct 06, 2024

The Matrix Adventure and AI Revelations

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young kick off the episode with a dive into AI advancements, particularly focusing on OpenAI’s new model, Strawberry. Andrew shares a personal anecdote about attending a Matrix screening that turns into a surprise adventure, highlighting the unpredictability of life and the importance of choosing the ‘red pill’ moments. […]

Sep 14, 2024

From Space Mazes to Aquatic Apes: A Weird Things Journey

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young (eventually) take us on a journey from the depths of space to the mysteries of our ancient past. They kick off with space news, discussing the return path for astronauts via SpaceX, not Boeing’s Starliner, and delve into the grounding of SpaceX launches due to a mishap. […]

Sep 01, 2024

SpaceX Oopsie and Genetic Frontiers

In Andrew’s absence, Justin Robert Young and Brian Brushwood tackle the recent SpaceX launch hiccup, where a ‘very rare glitch’ led to an unscheduled disassembly mid-mission, potentially jeopardizing the Starlink satellites’ deployment. The duo then shifts gears to a speculative debate on the future of human genetic modification for space travel, pondering the ethical implications […]

Jul 26, 2024

Aviation Innovations and Misadventures

In this episode of Weird Things, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a journey through the evolving landscape of aviation technology. They discuss the myriad of companies attempting to develop next-generation aerial vehicles, including those adding excessive propellers to electric helicopters in hopes of making flying cars a reality. The trio […]

Jul 08, 2024

Apple’s AI Ambitions and Privacy Paradox

Andrew Mayne and Justin Robert Young dissect Apple’s approach to integrating AI into its ecosystem with a strong emphasis on privacy. They speculate on the implications of Apple’s strategy to handle AI processing on-device as much as possible, while also offering cloud processing with user permission. The trio discusses the technical hurdles, Apple’s historical stance […]

Jul 08, 2024

The Curious Case of 3D Printed Knives and AI-Generated Games

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young embark on a technological odyssey, starting with Andrew’s recent acquisition of a Bamboo A1 3D printer. The excitement is palpable as Andrew shares his adventures in 3D printing everything from knives to whirligigs, showcasing the printer’s impressive capabilities. The conversation then shifts to AI, with the trio […]

Jun 28, 2024

AI Showdown: OpenAI vs. Google

In this episode, Andrew Mayne and Justin Robert Young dive deep into the world of artificial intelligence, focusing on the recent announcements and developments from OpenAI and Google. They discuss the significance of OpenAI’s GPT-4.0, its capabilities, and how it was presented to the public through a live demonstration, contrasting it with Google’s approach of […]

Jun 14, 2024

AI Controversies and Space Ambitions: A Weird Things Exploration

In this episode of Weird Things, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood tackle a range of topics from AI ethics and controversies surrounding celebrity voices in AI models, to the future of space exploration and the intriguing possibility of communicating with whales. Andrew shares insights from his time at OpenAI, debunking rumors about […]

Jun 03, 2024

The Philosophical Snake: AI, Robotics, and a Fossilized Surprise

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a philosophical journey, starting with a tribute to the late Daniel Dennett, whose work on consciousness and thought experiments left a profound impact on Andrew. The conversation then shifts to AI, with Facebook’s new Llama 3 model stirring the pot in the open-source community, and […]

Apr 25, 2024

AI’s Musical Revolution: From Doom Musicals to Broca’s Brainy Beats

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood explore the fascinating frontier of AI-generated music. They kick things off with a nod to AI’s role in creating a musical version of Doom, then pivot to discussing various AI music platforms like Sun AI and Audio, comparing their capabilities and outputs. The trio […]

Apr 19, 2024

AI Revolution and the Future of Creativity

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a comprehensive exploration of artificial intelligence, discussing its current capabilities, future potential, and ethical considerations. From AI’s role in personal training and spam evolution to its application in coding and art generation, the hosts cover a broad spectrum. They highlight the efficiency and affordability of […]

Apr 16, 2024

Navigating the Seas of Speculation and Sci-Fi

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a journey through a variety of topics, starting with a real-world disaster involving a boat crash and a collapsed bridge. They speculate on the implications of tainted fuel and the role of the National Transportation Safety Board in such incidents. The conversation then shifts to […]

Mar 29, 2024

Supersonic Dreams and Toxic Cats

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood dive into a variety of topics starting with Boom’s attempt to bring back supersonic flight, despite the historical and regulatory hurdles. They also touch on the story of a toxic cat in Japan that fell into a vat of chemicals, raising concerns about its […]

Mar 25, 2024
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