The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

At Popular Science, we report and write dozens of science and tech stories every week. And while a lot of the fun facts we stumble across make it into our articles, there are lots of other weird facts that we just keep around the office. So we figured, why not share those with you? Welcome to The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week. For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com We wanna make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4 Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/us/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy

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Episodes

Evil Forrest Gump, Poopsmiths, Penis Legs

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Theme music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6Lq...

Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 6Ep. 8

Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock and Fantastic Fungi’s Paul Stamets on Mushrooms & Mycelium

Join host Sing For Science host Matt Whyte in this fungi fantastic episode about psilocybin research! We learn about mushroom properties that can stave off dementia, decrease social ills and hear about Isaac’s experience with UFOs. -- Sing For Science is a science and music podcast that pairs famous musicians and renowned scientists in conversation. The concept for each episode is that we take a song by our guest artist and discuss how it connects to our guest scientist’s area of expertise. Part...

Nov 09, 2022•53 min

Introducing Inside Voice, A New Audiobook from Lake Bell

Today, we’re shaking things up and bringing you a preview of a new audiobook we’re think you'll enjoy! Writer, director, and actress Lake Bell has a new audiobook all about the voice – Inside Voice is a humorous, insightful, and personal deep dive into the cultural constructs, social science, and psychology around our voices. Featuring contributors like Drew Barrymore, Pam Grier, and Jeff Goldblum, Lake explores everything from how our vocal cords work to the cultural phenomenon around what she ...

Nov 03, 2022•6 min

Birds Aren't Real, Everest Poopsicles, Actual Flying Cars

Nov 02, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 6Ep. 7

Vampire Epidemics, Parasitic Mind Control, Sasquatch Science

Oct 19, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 6Ep. 6

Knives for Hands, Gay Bombs, Bee-on-Bee Crime

Oct 05, 2022•52 min•Season 6Ep. 5

Self-Destructing Octomoms, Exoplanet Adventures, Why Rats Don't Vom

Sep 21, 2022•54 min•Season 6Ep. 4

Lice-Feeding Nazi Fighters, Bisexual Birds, EZ Pass Origins

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! Check out the Erins' show, This Podcast Will Kill You! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Theme mus...

Sep 07, 2022•54 min•Season 6Ep. 3

An Innovative Erection, Secret Oyster Rules, Nuking Hurricanes

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! Check out Laura Krantz's show, Wild Thing! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Theme music by Billy ...

Aug 24, 2022•55 min•Season 6Ep. 2

Human Echolocation, Extreme Pogo Sticking, Elephants Evading Poachers

Welcome to Season 6, Weirdos! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Theme music by Billy Cadden: https...

Aug 10, 2022•59 min•Season 6Ep. 1

Season 6 is coming SOON!

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! You can buy Rachel's book here , and find out more on her website ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci Theme mu...

Jul 27, 2022•3 min

150 Years of Moon Crabs, Blowing Things Up, and Asbestos Obsession

Enjoy this super special bonus episode celebrating Popular Science's 150th birthday! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twit...

May 18, 2022•55 min

A special announcement from Weirdest Thing!

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! You can buy Rachel's book here , and find out more on her website ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBo...

May 09, 2022•4 min

Why Pain Hurts So Good, Growing Mutant Gardens, Emo Teen Puppies

Leigh Cowart, science reporter and author of Hurts So Good: The Science and Culture of Pain on Purpose , joins Weirdest Thing for the season finale! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Sara Kil...

Mar 09, 2022•53 min•Season 5Ep. 10

A Delicious Chocolate Debacle, IBS In Orbit, the Tuffy Saga

This episode celebrates our latest digital issue going live! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter! Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Theme music by Billy Cadden: https://open....

Feb 23, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 5Ep. 9

Human Refrigerators, Poop Knives, Whacky Tongues

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Sara Kiley Watson: www.twitter.com/SaraKileyWatson Lauren Young: https://twitter.com/laurenjyoung617 Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci Produced by Jess...

Feb 09, 2022•55 min•Season 5Ep. 8

A Mid-Season Update

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter! Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Theme music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsM...

Feb 02, 2022•3 min

Teeny Frogs With Tarantula Bodyguards, the Science of Hair Magic, an Everlasting Lightbulb

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Purbita Saha: www.twitter.com/hahabita Claire Maldarelli: www.twitter.com/camaldarelli Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci Produced by Jess Boddy: www.tw...

Jan 19, 2022•43 min•Season 5Ep. 7

Snake Island, Controversial Chimps, Brussels Sprout Vindication

Arielle Duhaime-Ross—host of Vice's A Show About Animals and Vice News Reports —joins the show this week! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! Follow our team on Twitter! Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Sara Kiley Watson: www.twitter.com/SaraKileyWatson Po...

Jan 05, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 6

Superheated Falcon Poo, Banana Babies, Gross (But Delicious) Bug Goop

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Sara Chodosh: www.twitter.com/ schodosh Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy Theme music by Billy Cad...

Dec 22, 2021•50 min•Season 5Ep. 5

Judging Meat, Vampire Fish Invasion, the Rise of White Castle

This episode celebrates our latest digital issue going live! Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Corinne Iozzio: www.twitter....

Dec 08, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 5Ep. 4

Mary Roach talks Moose Crash Test Dummies, Famous Ferrets, and Deadly Planets

Mary Roach—author of incredible books like Gulp, Bonk, Spook, and most recently, Fuzz—joins the show this week! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! Follow our team on Twitter! Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Sara Chodosh: www.twitter.com/ schodosh Popular...

Nov 24, 2021•59 min•Season 5Ep. 3

Ancient Brain Surgeons, the Crows Have Eyes, Why Radiators are so Annoying

Actor and famous Schitt's Creek impersonator Michael Judson Berry joins the show this week! The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! Follow our team on Twitter! Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman Sara Kiley Watson: www.twitter.com/SaraKileyWatson Popular Science:...

Nov 10, 2021•55 min•Season 5Ep. 2

Haunted Vaginas, Fairy Floss, Books Made of Human Skin

SEASON 5 IS HERE! The weirdest things we learned this week range from REAL ectoplasm to how many licks it (allegedly) takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! Follow our team on Twitter! Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFelt...

Oct 27, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 1

Chimps Raised Like Humans, Blood Swapping, Polio & Candyland

This episode celebrates our latest digital issue going live! The weirdest things we learned this week range from a swapping blood with the Pope to the dramatic origins of the Monopoly board game. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Buy your Weirdest Thing virtual live show tickets here : https://www.caveat.nyc...

Sep 21, 2021•1 hr

Spooky Rivers, Eyes Wide Shut, Pet Crocodiles

Producer Jess Boddy joins Rachel for a listener voicemail Q&A episode! The weirdest things we learned this week range from a killer creek to naked mole rat facts at breakfast. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Buy your Weirdest Thing virtual live show tickets here : https://www.caveat.nyc/event/the-weirdest-thing-i-learned-this-week-livestream-9-21-2021 Click here to lea...

Sep 15, 2021•38 min

Ask Us Anything: Can you cure a hangover?

Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! Buy your Weirdest Thing virtual live show tickets here : https://www.caveat.nyc/event/the-weirdest-thing-i-learned-this-week-livestream-9-21-2021 The live show is Tuesday, September 21st, at 7pm EST. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! -- Follow our team on Twitter! Ra...

Sep 08, 2021•14 min

A very weird live event is in the works...

Buy your Weirdest Thing virtual live show tickets here : https://www.caveat.nyc/event/the-weirdest-thing-i-learned-this-week-livestream-9-21-2021 The live show is Tuesday, September 21st, at 7pm EST. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter! Ra...

Aug 24, 2021•4 min

Skyscraper Death Ray, History of Hot Tubs, Our Sun's Death

This episode celebrates our latest digital issue going live! The weirdest things we learned this week range from a skyscraper that can fry an egg to the Italian legacy of hot tubs. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, A...

Jul 14, 2021•50 min•Season 4Ep. 18

Q&A: Punkin Chunkin, Mysterious Shipwrecks, Midwestern Scorpions

Producer Jess Boddy joins Rachel for a listener voicemail Q&A episode! The weirdest things we learned this week range from dangerous pumpkin launching to an Illinoisan scorpion. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us ! Click here to learn more about all of our stories! Click here to follow our sibling podcast, Ask Us Anything! -- Follow our team on Twitter! Rachel Feltman: www....

Jul 07, 2021•43 min•Season 4Ep. 17

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