Stuff To Blow Your Mind - podcast cover

Stuff To Blow Your Mind

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Deep in the back of your mind, you’ve always had the feeling that there’s something strange about reality. There is. Join Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick as they examine neurological quandaries, cosmic mysteries, evolutionary marvels and our transhuman future.

Episodes

The Invention of the Gimbal

In this invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the ancient origins of the gimbal, its connections to Chinese incense censers and its role in technological innovation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 27, 202246 min

From the Vault: The Invention of the Mirror, Part 3

Smoking pools of dark reflection. Propagator of uncanny doubles. Gateway to inverse kingdom. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe venture into the world of mirrors, discussing their predecessors, their invention and way humans relate to the world on the other side. (originally published 8/12/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 24, 202248 min

Weirdhouse Cinema: The Last Starfighter

The year is 1984 and it’s time to save the galaxy… with arcade games. On this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, join Rob and Joe as they discuss “The Last Starfighter.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 23, 20221 hr 22 min

Incense, Part 2

Humans have burned incense since ancient times for reasons that range from the practical to the divine. To aid in these rites, various cultures have created exquisite censers and housings for the burning, smoke-emitting biotics. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider some outstanding examples from the history of incense, including the incense clocks of China and swinging thuribles of Catholic tradition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Sep 22, 202248 min

The Monstrefact: Incense for the Damned

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses incense and ghosts in Eastern traditions… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 21, 20225 min

Incense, Part 1

Humans have burned incense since ancient times for reasons that range from the practical to the divine. To aid in these rites, various cultures have created exquisite censers and housings for the burning, smoke-emitting biotics. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider some outstanding examples from the history of incense, including the incense clocks of China and swinging thuribles of Catholic tradition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Sep 20, 202240 min

Listener Mail: A Giallo is Born

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 19, 202221 min

From the Vault: The Invention of the Mirror, Part 2

Smoking pools of dark reflection. Propagator of uncanny doubles. Gateway to inverse kingdom. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe venture into the world of mirrors, discussing their predecessors, their invention and way humans relate to the world on the other side. (originally published 8/10/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 17, 202252 min

Weirdhouse Cinema: Extra Terrestrial Visitors

Once more on Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe venture into the wild world of Spanish b-movie cinema with Juan Piquer Simón’s “Extra Terrestrial Visitors,” in which a pair of aliens respond to drastically differing human encounters in the woods. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 16, 20221 hr 11 min

The Nature of Fun, Part 3

What exactly is "fun" and how does it differ from other concepts related to quality and experience? Robert and Joe explore the question in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 15, 202256 min

The Monstrefact: Ocron

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses Ocron, the masked sorceress in Lucio Fulci’s 1983 film “Conquest.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 14, 20224 min

The Nature of Fun, Part 2

What exactly is "fun" and how does it differ from other concepts related to quality and experience? Robert and Joe explore the question in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 13, 202241 min

Listener Mail: And The Gunslinger followed

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 12, 202225 min

From the Vault: The Invention of the Mirror, Part 1

Smoking pools of dark reflection. Propagator of uncanny doubles. Gateway to inverse kingdom. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe venture into the world of mirrors, discussing their predecessors, their invention and way humans relate to the world on the other side. (originally published 8/5/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 10, 202243 min

Weirdhouse Cinema: Devil Girl From Mars

This week on Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1954 Scottish sci-fi film “Devil Girl From Mars,” featuring a fashionable Martian queen, her robot Chani and interplanetary intrigue on the Scottish moors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 09, 20221 hr 19 min

The Nature of Fun, Part 1

What exactly is "fun" and how does it differ from other concepts related to quality and experience? Robert and Joe explore the question in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 08, 20221 hr 4 min

The Monstrefact: Locksnakes of Thra

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the Locksnakes of “The Dark Crystal.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 07, 20224 min

The Invention of the Odometer

You might not think your car’s odometer is that exciting, but it’s actually the modern incarnation of an ancient invention with roots in China and the Greco-Roman world. Join Robert and Joe as they discuss the invention of the hodómetron and the li-recording drum carriage in this invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 06, 202252 min

From the Vault: Regression to the Mean

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss regression to the mean, a phenomenon that occurs when a random sampling point is an outlier -- with applications to everything from economics and sports to health, religion and disappointing sequels. (originally published 8/3/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 03, 202247 min

Weirdhouse Cinema: Conquest

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe continue their jaunt through 1980s fantasy with gore master Lucio Fulci’s 1983 film “Conquest.” It’s a strange, hazy dream full of werewolves, warriors, magic, snakes, dolphins, morlocks, bats and stoneage nunchucks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 02, 20221 hr 12 min

From the Vault: Bill Schutt on the Heart

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert chats with Bill Schutt, author of "Pump: A Natural History of the Heart," about the evolution of the heart and the history of humanity’s attempt to understand it -- along with a few questions about monsters. (originally published 09/30/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 01, 202240 min

Smart Talks with IBM: The Mayflower Autonomous Ship: AI and Automation at Sea

The world’s first autonomous vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean is signaling a new era in maritime technology. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Lauren Ober, host of The Loudest Girl in the World, and guests Brett Phaneuf and Don Scott, the engineers behind the Mayflower Autonomous Ship project. The two explain how automation and AI allowed them to reimagine the design and use of a ship at sea and their implications beyond maritime navigation. Thi...

Aug 31, 202230 min

The Invention of Surgical Gloves

In this invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the origin of surgical gloves, the differing concepts for their composition and the struggle to get surgeons to wear them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 30, 202258 min

Listener Mail: Beware the Wheelers

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 29, 202226 min

From the Vault: The Dog with the Burning Brand

From dogs in old paintings that look like dope smokers to Aztec psychopomps, what’s with all these fire dogs? In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore… (originally published 8/31/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 27, 202254 min

Weirdhouse Cinema: Krull

This week on Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe dive into another slice of 1980s big screen fantasy with 1983’s “Krull,” which pits a ragtag group of fantasy adventurers against a technologically advanced alien force from another world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 26, 20221 hr 25 min

The Paragraph, Part 2

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the standard nugget of textual thought: the paragraph. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 25, 202248 min

The Artifact: The Boustrophedon

In this episode of STBYM’s The Artifact, Robert discusses an ancient style of writing that involved reading left to right and right to left… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 24, 20225 min