The good news is that we know antidepressants can treat major depression, helping millions of people live healthier lives. The bad news is that we don’t really know how they do that. Check out the theories on how antidepressants work in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pete Rose said she was “bigger than any one player” in baseball during the 70s and 80s. Morganna the Kissing Bandit became a legend in sports for running onto baseball fields and kissing players during games. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Scrabble is a game that neither of us plays with regularity. And maybe that's good for this episode. We're all learning, right? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It is literally all around you (and even inside you) - electricity makes up the basis of modern life. But what exactly is electricity and how does it work? In this classic episode, Josh and Chuck chase away the darkness and explain electricity in their usual electrifying way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The market for Chinese art used to be very small and is now a billion dollar annual industry. What changed? And how is this all tied to a string of heists? Listen in to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A request by our producer Dave C, we explore how totally on your own you were in Medieval England when the court declared you an outlaw. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The telephone switchboard was a real wonder of technology and laid the groundwork for the next generation of connectivity. Learn how these things worked today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This episode explores the potential of crickets as a sustainable food source. It discusses the environmental impact of meat consumption, the nutritional benefits of crickets, and the rise of cricket farming. The hosts also touch on the cultural acceptance of eating insects and practical aspects of raising and cooking crickets, highlighting the innovative efforts to introduce crickets into the Western diet.
In a tribute to Marshall Brain, the hosts discuss the history, technology, and vulnerabilities of GPS. They explain how GPS works using satellites, microwaves, and trilateration to determine location. They also touch on GPS accuracy, alternative positioning systems, and the various uses of GPS technology beyond navigation, highlighting its economic impact and potential for disruption.
Fanta has its roots in Germany during WWII, so the Nazi association is something that's tough to deny. Dive in and hear all about how this beloved soda got its start as a non-orange, bad-tasting fizzy drink. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
One of the more famous unsolved true crime cases concerns a woman found stuffed into a tree in a woods outside Worcestershire during WWII. Despite an extensive effort by police at the time of her discovery, she still has never been identified. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A decade before the U.S. officially segregated in 1896, baseball banned black players. A decade before the US integrated, baseball broke the color barrier. Between, the Negro Leagues produced some of the finest players to ever take the field. Explore this important piece of American history with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Josh and Chuck explore the fascinating world of inner speech, or the voice in your head, discussing its various forms, functions, and how it develops. They delve into research, different types of inner dialogues, and the impact of its presence or absence on memory, mental health and conditions like schizophrenia. The hosts also share personal anecdotes and listener insights, making it a relatable exploration of the human mind.
The 24/7 short order restaurant Waffle House is known for staying open during natural disasters, so much so that federal agencies gauge where to start helping in areas where they’re closed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Harry Belafonte is most famous for introducing America to calypso music, with hits like Day-O and Jump In the Line. But he was also one of the most earnest and hard-working fighters of injustice America has ever produced and he deserves to be celebrated. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The collar bomb heist is the crime caper that keeps on giving. Every time the story seemed like it was figured out, another layer appeared. Tune in to this classic episode to hear Josh and Chuck detail this very odd and twisty story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Operation Flagship was undertaken at a time when the U.S. Marshals performed their jobs with a lot of flair. What other agency would throw a football party in order to arrest a handful of (mostly) non-violent criminals? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
If you lived in ancient Persia, you could do a lot worse in trying to cool things down than by building a yakhchāl. Today we break down how the early fridges worked. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Keeping things cold with electricity changed the world as we know it. In more ways than you might expect. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The robber barons were not a group of evil super villains. OR WERE THEY? Learn all about these titans of industry from the Gilded Age in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Since it was introduced in the 60s, the Tragedy of the Commons, the idea that humans will inevitably ruin any resource we all share, has had sweeping effects on government and public attitudes on who owns the environment. Problem is, it was fictitious. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
One of the lesser-known cases of American true crime is also a very sad one. Meet Charles Morgan, a man who got in over his head with organized crime. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Beneath Paris lies the bones of more than 6 million people. And you can walk among them for 31 euros. These are the Paris catacombs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It was only in the last few decades that science became aware that itches aren't just low-level pain. And in that time, the mystery of how we itch and why we scratch has gotten even more baffling. Explore the mystery with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You want payback don’t you? Sure, we all do. We all want it so bad. So bad. Sometimes people do things to get payback against someone who’s wronged them and sometimes those things they do are memorable and monumental. We commemorate some here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Guiness beer is famous for its smooth and creamy texture, thanks in part to nitrogen, and also a simplistically brilliant little device called the Guinness widget. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Being gullible is a weird thing. But are you born with it? Is it learned? Can you be trusting and not gullible? Listen in to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mount St. Helen's is a lovely sight to behold, but was a pretty scary thing to be around in the Spring of 1980. Listen in to the harrowing story in this classic episode! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Once upon a time no visit to New York was complete without eating at an automat. Putting a nickel in a slot and pulling your own ham sandwich from a lit glass case thrilled people to no end. Eventually the novelty wore off and automats faded into history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bread is about 30,000 years old. Sliced bread is less than 100. What gives? Listen in to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
