Episodes

  • 325: Crabs of Rome

    325: Crabs of Rome
    Nov 26 2024
    Imagine rolling up to excavate an ancient ruin only to spend the day carrying out buckets full of crabs! Today we get to know the Potamon fluviatile crab. Show Notes: National Geographic article: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/river-crab-ancient-rome Musei In Commune Roma, The sculpture of Constantine: https://www.mercatiditraiano.it/en/percorsi/percorsi_per_temi/la_statuaria/testa_rilavorata_come_costantino Wikipedia, Giant Crabs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potamon_fluviatile Freshwater crabs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_crab When a ladybug lands on you: https://www.wellandgood.com/symbolic-meaning-of-ladybugs/ YouTube, Rome's giant crabs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=QNbVPkRDaGI
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    13 mins
  • 324: Helium Alligators

    324: Helium Alligators
    Nov 12 2024
    Have you ever wondered if a hit of helium would change the sound of an alligator's bellows? Lucky for us, there are scientists out there who wanted to know. Show Notes: BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-54197198 Kyoto University Ig Nobel announcement: https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/news/2020-09-29 YouTube resonance to vocalize: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz-plqEyxik Science: https://www.science.org/content/article/ig-nobel-prizes-reward-research-helium-huffing-alligators-and-knives-made-feces CNN US: https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/18/us/ig-nobel-awards-alligator-helium-scli-scn-intl/index.html Journal of Experimental Biology: https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/218/15/2442/14244/A-Chinese-alligator-in-heliox-formant-frequencies
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    13 mins
  • 323: Ball Brothers

    323: Ball Brothers
    Oct 29 2024
    Amy looks into how companies change over time. Start making glass jars, segue into making aerospace technology, and end up only doing metal fabrication. We look at a few other companies too! Show Notes: Ball historical timeline: https://www.ball.com/our-company/our-story/history-timeline Wikipedia on Ball Corp: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_Corporation CPR News 2024, Ball Corp sells aerospace division: https://www.cpr.org/2024/02/16/ball-corp-sells-aerospace-division/ HiRISE camera: https://www.ball.com/newswire/article/123308/ball-aerospace-hirise-camera-returns-stunning-images-from-mars Deep Impact: https://deepimpact.astro.umd.edu/tech/instruments.html Ball Aerospace and Hubble: https://www.ball.com/newswire/article/123389/ball-aerospace-hubble-space-telescope-science-instruments-shine-a-light-on-the-universes Dating a Ball jar: https://www.frenchcreekfarmhouse.com/2018/03/how-to-date-ball-mason-jar.html Mason Jars a history: https://masonjars.com/h
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    12 mins
  • 322: Screaming Plants

    322: Screaming Plants
    Oct 15 2024
    Scientists wanted to know if plants scream and tortured tomatoes to find out the answer. Beckett (Trace's youngest spawn) wanted to know, if plants do scream, can our pets hear it and is this why cats knock plants off shelves? Show Notes: YouTube sound of Plants "screaming": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-_AGgoJ3VA Sci News, Plants Emit Ultrasonic Sounds When Stressed, Groundbreaking Study Shows: https://www.sci.news/biology/plant-ultrasonic-sounds-11794.html How Well do Animals Hear: https://www.lsu.edu/deafness/HearingRange.html Hidden Hearing, Human hearing ranges: https://www.hiddenhearing.co.uk/hearing-blog/hearing-loss/what-animals-have-better-hearing-than-humans
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    13 mins
  • 321: Joro Spiders

    321: Joro Spiders
    Oct 1 2024
    Amy laid the perfect web of "lies"; she lured Trace into an episode about shapeshifting women and then sprang the trap...this episode is about the Joro spider. We talk about the convergence of giant invasive spiders and Japanese mythology. Show Notes: Joro Spider (warning, there are spider photos): https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/millions-of-joro-spiders-are-moving-up-the-east-coast-heres-what-to-expect/ Wikipedia Joro spider: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichonephila_clavata Wikipedia Jorogumo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jor%C5%8Dgumo Described and Captioned Media Program: PBS Digital Studios & Monstrum: https://dcmp.org/media/14555-monstrum-jorogumo-the-deadly-spider-woman-from-yokai-lore (Amy was Right!!!!) Blackarachnia: https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Blackarachnia_(BW) Selkies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selkie
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    13 mins
  • 320: Voices in Your Head

    320: Voices in Your Head
    Sep 17 2024
    How do we define and study the little voice in your head? Is it something you HEAR, hear or is it something you think? For some of us, there's no inner monologue, for others, it's so loud in there, it's hard to participate in the outside world. Trace fell down the research stairs on this one! It's a double header of things we hear and see in our heads. Get ready for anendophasia and aphantasia! Show Notes: Inner voice: https://neurosciencenews.com/anendophasia-inner-voice-memory-26107/ Prevention: inner voice: https://www.prevention.com/health/mental-health/a43128717/inner-monologue/ Not everyone has an inner voice: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38728320/ Sister “issue” aphantasia: https://aphantasia.com/what-is-aphantasia/
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    22 mins
  • 319: Porridge Championship

    319: Porridge Championship
    Sep 3 2024
    Who knew that a simple combination of oats, water and salt could make for a yearly competition that's lasted for 30 years? We dive into the history of oats in Scotland and the famous Golden Spurtle competition! Show Notes: Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship: https://www.goldenspurtle.com/ BBC: World Porridge winner crowned October 2023: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-67053001 Wikipedia World Porridge Making Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Porridge_Making_Championship 2023 Golden Spurtle newsletter: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/d871ced870.html#page/1 Bob's Red Mill, Porridge vs Oatmeal: https://www.bobsredmill.com/blog/healthy-living/porridge-vs-oatmeal/ BBC How humble oats have fueled a nation: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20231004-oats-the-humble-grain-that-fuelled-scotland YouTube Golden Spurtle prep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJhlAaW5uIA The Guardian No milk, no rolled oats and always
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    21 mins
  • 318: All Things Cheeky

    318: All Things Cheeky
    Aug 20 2024
    We're heading into the end of summer break so it's time for a mash up of wacky facts. Fake navels, cheetahs in heat, the weenus and MORE. Oh yes, we adore a good internet fact deep dive. Also, Trace does drop the 'shit' word once. Show Notes: Amazon fake navels: https://www.amazon.com/Belly-Button-Stickers-Fashion-Longer/dp/B0CC5TZ23P?th=1 SCMP Fake belly button article: https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3230438/fake-belly-buttons-all-rage-china-women-seek-freedom-dress-and-boost-confidence-some-raise-body Cleveland Clinic limb lengthening: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24316-limb-lengthening-surgery Bears and skunk cabbage: https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Skunk-Cabbage USDA Forest Service yellow skunk cabbage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/ipnf/learning/?cid=fsm9_019161 Maryland Biodiversity project & skunk cabbage: https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/view/1660 N
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    30 mins