Stuff To Blow Your Mind - podcast cover

Stuff To Blow Your Mind

iHeartPodcastswww.iheart.com
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.
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Episodes

Fantastic Numbers, with Antonio Padilla

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert chats with theoretical physicist and cosmologist Professor Antonio Padilla, author of the new book "Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them." Strap in for big numbers, fantastic numbers, black holes and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 28, 202238 min

Smart Talks with IBM: The Good Hacker: Hacking Businesses before Criminals Do

The headlines tell us cyberattacks are a big, consistent threat to business data – and ours. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Tim Harford, host of Cautionary Tales, and Stephanie “Snow” Carruthers, Chief People Hacker for X-Force, IBM. Snow and her team are finding creative solutions to test their clients’ security, including hacking into their systems before criminal hackers do. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. See omnystudio.com/listener ...

Jul 27, 202230 min

From the Vault: Creature of the Gear

What is a gear and when did humans invent it? Plus, Rob and Joe discuss the only known creature to have gears in its anatomy. Plus hear about a couple of wheel-based mythical creatures in this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. (originally published 9/2/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 26, 202258 min

Listener Mail: Warlocks in the Sky

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.

Jul 25, 202226 min

From the Vault: Where do numbers come from?

Join Robert and Joe as they continue their discussion on numeracy and the origins of numerals on Stuff to Blow Your Mind. (originally published 6/17/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 23, 202258 min

Weirdhouse Cinema: Fruit of Paradise

It's time for a little arthouse Adam and Eve! In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1970 experimental Czech film "Fruit of Paradise.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 22, 20221 hr

Dethroned Emperor: The Fall of Valerian, Part 2

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe travel back to the third century CE to discuss the Battle of Edessa, in which the Sasanian Empire not only defeated the Roman army but also took its Emperor as a prisoner of war. How did the emperor’s capture impact the already crisis-ridden Roman Empire, and how was Valerian’s fall possibly mythologized by Christian historians? Find out… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Jul 21, 202251 min

Dethroned Emperor: The Fall of Valerian, Part 1

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe travel back to the third century CE to discuss the Battle of Edessa, in which the Sasanian Empire not only defeated the Roman army but also took its Emperor as a prisoner of war. How did the emperor’s capture impact the already crisis-ridden Roman Empire, and how was Valerian’s fall possibly mythologized by Christian historians? Find out… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Jul 19, 202249 min

Listener Mail: Beans and Babel

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.

Jul 18, 202218 min

From the Vault: The Origins of Numeracy

What are numbers and where does our number sense come from? Is numeracy an innate part of our biology, or is it a cultural invention? In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the origins of numbers. (originally published 6/15/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 16, 202254 min

Weirdhouse Cinema: Horror Rises From the Tomb

There’s no keeping THIS occult power couple down! In today’s episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, watch as Spanish horror icons Paul Naschy and Helga Liné spice things up across the centuries in 1973’s “Horror Rises From the Tomb.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 15, 20221 hr 1 min

The Skybridge, Part 2

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the architectural element known as the skyway or skybridge – typically an enclosed bridge connecting the upper stories of two buildings or skyscrapers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 14, 202250 min

The Skybridge, Part 1

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the architectural element known as the skyway or skybridge – typically an enclosed bridge connecting the upper stories of two buildings or skyscrapers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 12, 202238 min

From the Vault: Reconsider the Bean, Part 2

What are beans? Do they contain the souls of the dead? Can they be used to drive demons from the household? How important are they in the human diet? In this classic Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe discuss a variety of magical ideas and scientific facts associated with legumes. (originally published 5/13/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 09, 20221 hr 12 min

Weirdhouse Cinema: Blade

This week on Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe consider a weird mainstream movie that basically paved the way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with wall-to-wall exploding vampires. Yes, Wesley Snipes puts all blood drinkers on notice in 1998’s “Blade.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 08, 20221 hr 34 min

The Lesser of Two Crab Claws, Part 3

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss biological asymmetry in the natural world – including various examples of organisms in which side A doesn’t quite match up with side B. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 07, 202244 min

The Monstrefact: The Owlbear

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the owlbear of Dungeons & Dragons... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 06, 20226 min

Creative Writing Machines, with Mike Sharples

Will computers one day write the great American novel? What will the future of human/machine creative collaboration look like – and what came before now? In this episode of the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast, educational technologist Mike Sharples discusses the book “Story Machines - How Computers Have Become Creative Writers.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 05, 202246 min

Listener Mail: Morbius Saves Christmas

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.

Jul 04, 202226 min

From the Vault: Reconsider the Bean, Part 1

What are beans? Do they contain the souls of the dead? Can they be used to drive demons from the household? How important are they in the human diet? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe discuss a variety of magical ideas and scientific facts associated with legumes. (originally published 5/11/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 02, 202244 min

Weirdhouse Cinema: Scream and Scream Again

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe dive into a movie billed as "triple distilled horror as powerful as a vat of boiling acid!" Yes, it’s the 1970 Amicus sci-fi conspiracy film “Scream and Scream Again” featuring horror icons Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 01, 20221 hr 4 min

The Lesser of Two Crab Claws, Part 2

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss biological asymmetry in the natural world – including various examples of organisms in which side A doesn’t quite match up with side B. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 30, 202248 min

Smart Talks with IBM: Building Trustworthy AI: A Holistic Approach

Advocating for artificial intelligence to be built and deployed ethically is no longer just a compliance issue but more of a business imperative. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Dr. Laurie Santos, host of The Happiness Lab, and Phaedra Boinodiris, Trust in AI Practice Leader within IBM Consulting. Phaedra’s team at IBM is creatively tackling the global need to build trustworthy AI by approaching the challenge holistically, implementing design th...

Jun 29, 202228 min

The Lesser of Two Crab Claws, Part 1

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss biological asymmetry in the natural world – including various examples of organisms in which side A doesn’t quite match up with side B. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 28, 202247 min

Listener Mail: Legend of a Mind

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.

Jun 27, 202233 min

From the Vault: Star Wars Alien Necropsy, Part 2

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, venture into a galaxy far, far away while also considering the science and biology of our home world. Join Robert and Joe as they break down six fantastic alien species from the Star Wars universe. (Originally published 5/6/2021) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 25, 20221 hr 9 min

Weirdhouse Cinema: Battle Beyond the Stars

It’s time to venture into the world of “Star Wars” knock-offs once more, this time with 1980’s “Battle Beyond the Stars!” Join Rob and Joe as they revel in this wonky space opera featuring a number of b-movie mainstays and future stars. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 24, 20221 hr 22 min
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