In 2013, two university professors set out to answer a question no one was asking, "Can robots trust humans?" But, unfortunately, the answer is apparently not. David Harris Smith and Frauke Zeller wanted to understand if there were reasons for robots to turn on humans like we often see in movies. The experiment used a robot designed to hitchhike across Canada to test the ability of humans to take care of robots. The investigation was a huge success and stirred up much publicity. So the professor...
Feb 21, 2023•46 min•Ep. 159
Most people dream of leaving a mark on the field at the onset of their careers. However, few manage to stir up the lasting impact that they expected. Elizabeth Seaman Cochran, also known as Nellie Bly, made a lasting impact in her field and many others. Nellie Bly was a journalist in the late 19th century. It was a time when most female writers were relegated to gossip columns, but Nellie was transforming the industry. Early in her career, she managed to go undercover and get institutionalized a...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 158
For as long as there has been money to be earned, there have been scammers ripping people off. Some scams are low-profile and unelaborate. Others make a prolific status that cements it in the public mind for years, like pyramid schemes. One such scam that surfaces time and again is the Ponzi Scheme. The fraud's namesake, Charles Ponzi, may not have invented the scam, but he did take it to a new height. Even after getting caught and serving jail time for his crimes, Ponzi attempted to defraud the...
Feb 07, 2023•44 min•Ep. 157
We've all grown accustomed to disclaimers at the bottom or the end of advertisements. We know that, most of the time, there has to be a catch. But, even if there isn't a catch, most people don't have the will to face a mega-corporation to get what they are due. John Leonard isn't most people, though. In the mid-1990s, Pepsi ran the promotional campaign 'Pepsi Stuff.' The campaign concept was simple, drink Pepsi and earn points to purchase special edition gear. However, the ad showcased a student...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 156
There may not be a corner of the internet garnering more buzz today than Ai. Specifically, Ai-generated art is creating quite a stir. One side of Ai art that wasn't expected is a woman named Loab. In April of 2022 a user creating with an Ai-art generator created a terrifying image of a woman. This user subsequently recreated the woman in increasingly horrifying forms for months before releasing the photos to the public. He named her Loab after the text generated in one of the many images. The im...
Jan 24, 2023•55 min•Ep. 155
Stefan Mandel is a mathematician who changed the game of the Lottery. Born in Romania, Stefan applied his mathematical brilliance to develop a revolutionary algorithm that increases the chances of winning the Lottery. He successfully used this system to win 14 first prizes in lotteries worldwide. Mandel faced many challenges, but the impact of his work on the lottery industry and the secrets behind his winning strategy are incredibly fascinating. This is the unbelievable tale of Stefan Mandel, t...
Jan 17, 2023•45 min•Ep. 154
Frane Selak was a Croatian music teacher famously known for his string of incredible luck and unlucky events. From narrowly escaping death on several occasions to winning the lottery, Frane's life has been filled with both miraculous and unfortunate events. Watch as we delve into the details of his extraordinary story and decide for yourself if Frane Selak is the luckiest or unluckiest man alive. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim ...
Jan 10, 2023•42 min•Ep. 153
Nolan Bushnell pioneered so much of the world we enjoy today. His crowning achievement, a company called Atari, brought video games into every household. Often he is credited as creating the world's first video game, pong. Even though video games, albeit nothing like the games we think of today, existed before pong. Along with his long list of successes, he's also the only person Steve Jobs ever worked for; Jobs spent time at Atari before founding Apple. Bushnell's unconventional management styl...
Jan 03, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 153
James, The Fan Man, Miller is famous for something that no other person ever to live can claim the same fame. He fell into multiple boxing matches, football games, and even Buckingham Palace. Miller was a parachutist in the 1990s who loved the extreme sport of paragliding. He also was vocal about his distrust of social norms. Those two passions led Miller to his most famous stunt. He was skydiving into a boxing match at Caesar's Palace. In the 7th round of the heavyweight title fight match betwe...
Dec 27, 2022•51 min•Ep. 151
Merry Christmas to everyone! Thanks for spending your holiday with us for the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. We had a blast, and we hope you did too. Tim and Jaron share their traditions as we all celebrate the newest addition to our holiday traditions (wink wink). This is episode 12 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we’re releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Things I Learned Last Night is an ed...
Dec 24, 2022•22 min
In the 1950s, Sears printed a catalog ad encouraging kids to call Santa. That ad included a phone number to a Sears hotline. Except there was a typo in the ad. After a flurry of children called NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense Command) wishing to speak to Santa, the base commander was inspired. The command center tracked Santa every Christmas eve since that day. This is episode 11 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode ...
Dec 23, 2022•7 min
The Welsh tradition of the Mari Lwyd might just be the strangest one we've covered on the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. We can't make this up, it wraps horse skulls, caroling, and rap battles all in one. You won't believe this. This is episode 10 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best f...
Dec 22, 2022•9 min
In World War 2, the United States government concocted a genius plan to rescue prisoners of war using maps disguised as playing cards. The military partnered with Bicycle and the red cross to deliver Christmas gifts to the POWs, thus beginning their escape. It was an ingenious plan that saved hundreds. This is episode 9 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcas...
Dec 21, 2022•7 min
Home Alone did so well at the box office that it ruined every other movie's chances in theaters. Also, Joe Pesci was a little scary and would've died in real life. This is episode 8 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and h...
Dec 20, 2022•8 min
In the middle ages, a Christmas tradition like none other was born in Catalonia, Spain. Celebrated to this day, the Caganer is a figurine that looks like the brainchild of any middle school boy. You're not prepared to find out what this is, we promise. This is episode 7 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational c...
Dec 19, 2022•11 min
The makeup for the Grinch Costume that Jim Carrey wore was so torturous to endure that he needed CIA training. This is episode 6 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and ...
Dec 18, 2022•9 min
In 2017, Sprite ran an ad for their hot new flavor Sprite Cranberry. The ad featured Lebron James and became a legend in the meme-verse. But it didn't end with memes and gifs. You have no idea the twists and turns this story is going to take. This is episode 5 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podc...
Dec 17, 2022•11 min
Ever wonder why It's A Wonderful Life is on TV for about 24 hours a day every Christmas? Neither did we, but luckily now we don't have to. Here's the story of how It's A Wonderful Life stole Christmas. This is episode 4 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Ti...
Dec 16, 2022•8 min
One time the earth froze and made everyone enjoy cold snowy Christmases. Until one day, it wasn't cold anymore. Then all the people who grew up during the little ice age were "dreaming of a white Christmas... Just like the ones they used to know." This is episode 3 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy...
Dec 15, 2022•7 min
Bing Crosby, who didn't even write White Christmas by the way, holds the title of the king of Christmas. His song White Christmas has some of the most prestigious records in Christmas music history. This is episode 2 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim S...
Dec 14, 2022•7 min
The ancient Romans celebrated Saturnalia during the same time that we celebrate Christmas. The festivities were shockingly similar. But the thing we need more of this Christmas is the Mock King. This is episode 1 of the 12 days of TILLN Christmas. Every day until Christmas, we're releasing a new mini-podcast episode about all kinds of holiday topics. Available wherever you get your podcasts. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone...
Dec 13, 2022•17 min
In 1989, retired millionaire Gene Flemming met Andy, the goose. Gene immediately took compassion upon Andy because the poor bird was born without feet. Flemming sought to remedy the goose's situation by inventing a mode of transit for the goose while on the ground. He settled for a modified pair of shoes. The gimmick worked like a charm. From that point forward, Gene and Andy formed an inseparable bond. In an inspiring turn of events, the duo gained notoriety throughout the nation. They made app...
Dec 06, 2022•53 min•Ep. 150
On the eastern tip of Long Island lies Camp Hero. The now-defunct military base has been reclaimed as a state park. However, the reuse of the space does not come with any less conspiracy. For years residents of the neighboring town of Montauk wondered what happened behind the security lines of camp hero. The expectation was nefarious, of course. Today we have full-blown conspiracy theories involving mind control, mutants, and even time travel. So, what, if anything, about the Montauk Project, is...
Nov 29, 2022•39 min•Ep. 149
Fredrick Russell Burnham might have been the first model of American masculinity. His lifestyle would one day permeate into the 20th century as men across the country sought to adopt the mindset of Burnham. The long line of Fredrick's imitators is unsurprising since he was the inspiration for the founder of the boy scouts. Furthermore, one esteemed colleague of his had based much of his beliefs and behavior on him before rising to the president's office. Of course, we are talking about none othe...
Nov 22, 2022•52 min•Ep. 148
In the modern era, few famous eaters are household names. Perhaps the only one who has risen to that level is Joey Chestnut. However, that hasn't always been the case. In the years of the sideshow, people would line up to watch people eat stuff—a strange hobby. One of the more famous cases of people who live off of eating was the man known as Tarrare. His astounding ability to swallow just about anything whole and survive drew crowds from around Europe. His abilities even attracted doctors. In h...
Nov 15, 2022•47 min•Ep. 147
In the shadow of the 2008 housing crisis, one Malaysian businessman was building staggering wealth. It was an era wrought with financial fraud, and he was no different. Jho Low has become infamous for his lavish lifestyle and multi-million dollar benders. One of his most significant claims to fame was a new years eve event that he celebrated in Sydney, then boarded a private 747, flew to Las Vegas, and partied with celebrities so that he could do New Year's Eve twice. On the other hand, his crim...
Nov 08, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 146
Eve Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG for short [MMO for shorter {M for shortest}]). This game has repeatedly found itself in the headlines of more than just gaming magazines. Due to the ultra-realistic in-game economy, the game has often landed articles discussing the complexities of the in-game economic system in finance magazines. More than that, the game has made headlines about the large-scale scams that have taken place, sometimes robbing people of their mo...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 145
In July 2014, a handful of Tumblr users opened the doors to the long-awaited DashCon. The eclectic Tumblr community had been dreaming of a scenario where they could gather and celebrate their various fandoms for years. Unfortunately, when a group of friends got together a few months before, they had no clue what they were getting into. Needless to say, the event was a disaster. Before the conference even began, the team that planned the event was heavily laden with problems, from talent backing ...
Oct 25, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 144
Imagine going out for a night on the town with your friends and returning home to a message on your computer. The scenario sounds pretty standard in the internet age. Now, imagine that same scenario in 1984, long before the internet had entered the public psyche. That is exactly what happened to Ken Webster when his BBC micro became a communication device between him and a mysterious other. Whatsmore, the person on the other end of the line claimed to be from the 17th century. To top it all off,...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 143
Year after year organizations like Forbes and Bloomberg put together lists of the world’s richest people. Today names like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos top the list. But in the late ‘90s, one man rose to prominence at lightning speed. What’s more, he broke records that have yet to be broken to this day. Masayoshi Son grew his wealth after found his successful business Softbank. The company is a leader in investing to this day. He is most known for his off-the-wall personality and risky investment st...
Oct 11, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 142
