Best Thunk Podcasts (2024)

1
251. Safety and Risk Management 8:53

2M ago8:53

8:53

Scaremongers drive many to search frantically for something, anything that will make them feel safe, but safety isn’t a thing you can buy - it’s a feeling you have to build for yourself. Video: http://youtu.be/ob7XTCtZn6U Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/05/13/251.-Safety-and-Risk-Management.html…

1
250. Angkor Wat and Collapse 8:40

3M ago8:40

8:40

Angkor Wat & the thousand stone temples surrounding it are some of the most impressive structures humanity has produced - what happened to the society that built them? Video: http://youtu.be/mYu-BBoW9g8 Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/04/15/250.-Angkor-Wat-and-Collapse.htmlBy Josh Pelton

1
249. Information Overload 12:37

5M ago12:37

12:37

Why is there something, rather than nothing? Video: http://youtu.be/-Z9qi41lrK0 Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/03/06/249.-Information-Overload.htmlBy Josh Pelton

1
248. Reductionism 10:47

5M ago10:47

10:47

Trying to understand something in terms of its parts is natural…but when is it justified? Video: http://youtu.be/YHkS4upFy_4 Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/02/13/248.-Reductionism.htmlBy Josh Pelton

1
247. Zombie Sci-Fi Technologies 13:17

6M ago13:17

13:17

Gretchen, stop trying to make Vactrains happen! It’s not going to happen! Video: http://youtu.be/dp2r1C9LDJQ Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2024/01/21/247.-Zombie-Sci-Fi-Technologies.htmlBy Josh Pelton

1
246. Against Worldbuilding 12:20

7M ago12:20

12:20

“Worldbuilding” has become a necessity for authors of genre fiction, but sci-fi author M. John Harrison thinks it’s crippling both writers & their audiences. Video: http://youtu.be/QJHR2NB7Wt4 Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/12/30/246.-Against-Worldbuilding.htmlBy Josh Pelton

1
Beast of Jersey 22:14

7M ago22:14

22:14

This episode is about a horrific serial rapist who terrorized a community for over a decade. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/12/19/beast-of-jersey/

1
Harmonist Rappites 30:08

8M ago30:08

30:08

I found out about a little cult near where I live and did and episode about them Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/12/04/harmonist-rappites/

1
Hubble 22:36

8M ago22:36

22:36

The Hubble Telescope was named after an amazingly human person. Blog: http://acunit.home.blog/2023/11/20/hubble-and-the-universe/

1
245. The STEM Shortage 13:18

8M ago13:18

13:18

The 2023 tech sector layoffs have claimed a quarter of a million jobs to date, but this hasn’t seemed to make a dent in the enthusiasm for getting more kids into STEM - what’s going on here? Video: http://youtu.be/BraS-fMgB5A Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/11/16/245.-The-STEM-Shortage.htmlBy Josh Pelton

1
War Poetry 21:37

8M ago21:37

21:37

Three poems about war and the history that made them Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/11/14/war-poetry/

1
Terrible Lizard 21:17

9M ago21:17

21:17

The man who discovered dinosaurs was a weird-horrible person. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/11/07/terrible-lizard/

1
Balloon Boy 17:17

9M ago17:17

17:17

Back in 2009, a family captivated the nation when they told police their 6-year-old boy floated away in a makeshift weather balloon. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/10/31/balloon-boy/

1
Borderland 13:29

9M ago13:29

13:29

The true story of a serial killer who amassed a cult following in Mexico City and killed dozens. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/10/24/borderland/

1
Strangers 25:03

9M ago25:03

25:03

The 2008 movie the Strangers kind of sucked... but the murders that inspired it were very interesting. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/10/17/strangers/

1
The Blob 16:41

10M ago16:41

16:41

The movie The Blog is about an alien blob that falls from outer space and engulfs people into a horrible, gooey death... and it's based on a true story. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/10/10/the-blob/

1
Rabies 34:09

10M ago34:09

34:09

Rabies is one of the oldest, most terrifying, and most fatal diseases known to man. Which is why I chose it as a topic to kick off 2023's Who'd a Thunk It? FRIGHTFEST! Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/10/03/rabies/

1
244. The Meaning of Games and Flow 13:36

10M ago13:36

13:36

Many assume that, when a game’s over, there’s nothing more to reflect on besides the fun. Positive psychology’s theory of “Flow” prompts a similar stance. But what if games and Flow are both saying more than we might suppose at first glance? Video: http://youtu.be/GEl5cbzkD6M Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/10/02/244.-The-Meaning-of-Games-an…

1
SkyWalkers 22:38

10M ago22:38

22:38

"Putting riveting tools in the Mohawks’ hands was like putting ham with eggs. They were natural-born bridgemen, said one construction company official." - Carnegie Museum of Natural History Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/09/26/skywalkers/

1
The Real Rain Man 21:32

10M ago21:32

21:32

Dustin Hoffman took home an Oscar award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of the autistic savant Raymond in the film Rain Man. Dustin Hoffman's character is based on a real person named Laurence Kim Peek. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/09/19/the-real-rain-man/

1
Stomp the Invader 22:42

11M ago22:42

22:42

The spotted lanternfly is a menace and needs to be stopped! Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/09/12/stomp-the-invader/

1
243. Maintenance 12:44

11M ago12:44

12:44

Maintenance is often ignored, minimized, or portrayed as being inferior to creative/productive work, but it’s really the most fundamental activity of life itself, & it can teach us a lot about the world. Video: http://youtu.be/7pFrhsC2I7Q Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/09/07/243.-Maintenance.html…

1
Caissons 12:01

11M ago12:01

12:01

Have you ever walked past a bridge or pier and thought: "how the hell did they make this?" Well the answer may shock you. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/09/05/the-caissons/

1
Piss in the Wind 19:15

11M ago19:15

19:15

He was an American Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space, and the first American to orbit the Earth, circling it three times in 1962. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/08/29/piss-in-the-wind/

1
Czechoslovak Legionnaires 42:11

11M ago42:11

42:11

This tales comes from WW1 and the Russian Civil War, but about men who weren't interested in fighting in either one of those really. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/08/22/czechoslovak-legionnaires/

1
Cards 30:22

11M ago30:22

30:22

Playing cards are cool and I wanted to know about their history... and some Fun Facts! Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/08/15/cards/

1
242. The 'Tragedy' of the Commons 17:57

12M ago17:57

17:57

Everyone’s heard of the infamous “Tragedy of the Commons,” but the real tragedy is that Elinor Ostrom’s work refuting it isn’t just as widely-known. Video: http://youtu.be/9h0iidPzMXE Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/08/10/242.-The-'Tragedy'-of-the-Commons.htmlBy Josh Pelton

1
Soviet Strongman 15:16

12M ago15:16

15:16

At age 9 he joined the circus and by age 14 he got his first performance! Only to suffer a career ending injury. But fear not, this one has a happy ending :) Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/08/08/soviet-strong-man/

1
The Bush Dog 21:38

12M ago21:38

21:38

This rare species of canine was thought to be extinct until a guy name Peter saw one in a Brazilian cave. It looks and acts like no other species of canine on the planet. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/08/01/the-bush-dog/

1
Corpse Flower 15:15

12M ago15:15

15:15

The Indonesian island of Sumatra has a native plant that can only be found there: the Titan Arum (AKA the Corpse Flower) Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/07/25/corpse-flower/

1
Modern Falconry 17:46

1y ago17:46

17:46

They use the ancient art of falconry to keep tourist destinations free of pesky birds. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/07/18/modern-falconry/

1
241. Mental Speed 7:52

1y ago7:52

7:52

Children can be impressively ingenious when given enough time to work thru a problem, but we tend to judge their mental prowess by how quickly they figure things out - is mental speed really the best yardstick for intelligence? Video: http://youtu.be/ONpydsGW3Tg Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/07/13/241.-Mental-Speed.html…

1
Georgia Guidestones 19:37

1y ago19:37

19:37

Was this monument created by a satanic cult? We will likely never know

1
Bomb Sniffing Bees 17:25

1y ago17:25

17:25

Bees are being used to sniff out explosives, meth labs, and dead bodies

1
The Last Queen of Hawaii 19:59

1y ago19:59

19:59

Hawaii wasn't always the 50th state. It used to be its own thing and how that changed came about is a story worth telling

1
Where Did I Put that Nuke? 22:59

1y ago22:59

22:59

The US drops bombs ... even on itself

1
240. Dual Process Theory and The Mythical Number Two 8:50

1y ago8:50

8:50

Kahneman’s “Thinking, Fast and Slow” has become a popular reference in public discussions of cognition and the dangers of impulsive decision-making, but many researchers think it might be wrong, or even damaging to the field at large. Video: http://youtu.be/-UVoAYFYtoM Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/06/01/240.-Dual-Process-Theory-and-The-My…

1
Smartass 21:47

1y ago21:47

21:47

Court Jesters, fools, and baffoons!

1
Halley's Comet 26:20

1y ago26:20

26:20

Halley's comet made people go bonkers in the past.

1
Income Taxes 22:03

1y ago22:03

22:03

Recorded this one on my phone due to technical issues. Hope you enjoy

1
Unit 731 27:01

1y ago27:01

27:01

This episode is about Imperial Japan Unit 731's worst experiments. They are some of the most horrific war crimes ever committed. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/05/10/unit-731/

1
239. How to Read a Book 8:45

1y ago8:45

8:45

Reading nonfiction can be an enjoyable, leisurely hobby, but sometimes you just need to ASSIMILATE KNOWLEDGE. Video: http://youtu.be/u7EiDwPCb7M Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/05/10/239.-How-to-Read-a-Book.htmlBy Josh Pelton

1
Unheard History 22:36

1y ago22:36

22:36

This week I'm having a hard time finding the motivation to dig deep into one topic... so I didn't. I've decided to share short little snippets of historical stories I've accumulated over the years. I hope you... enjoy. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/05/03/unheard-history/

1
Multiple Injuries from a Haircut 3:12

1y ago3:12

3:12

I got much more than I expected! -- Tales from an Unconventional Life -- https://whowouldathunkit.net/ Support the showBy Mort Kantor

1
Lake Bacon 27:12

1y ago27:12

27:12

April 12th, 1910, The New York Times wrote: "Lake cow bacon, made from the delicious hyacinth-fed hippopotamus of Louisiana's lily-fringed streams, should soon be obtainable from the Southern packing houses." It was not a joke. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/04/26/lake-bacon/

1
238. Conway's Law and Division of Labor 10:05

1+ y ago10:05

10:05

Melvin Conway noticed a curious symmetry between the shape of organizations and the technologies they created, an observation that might be invaluable for avoiding disaster. Video: http://youtu.be/anac2Cdyzi0 Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/04/24/238.-Conway's-Law-and-Division-of-Labor.htmlBy Josh Pelton

1
Anchorage Parking Fairies 25:33

1+ y ago25:33

25:33

A story about pair of sisters who lead a successful and peaceful protest at the top of the globe. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/04/19/anchorage-parking-fairies/

1
Ancient Computer 25:12

1+ y ago25:12

25:12

What was once thought to be a worthless hunk of bronze in a box found at the bottom of the sea is now regarded as one of the most expensive devices ever created in the ancient world. Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/04/12/ancient-computer/

1
EMDR 29:07

1+ y ago29:07

29:07

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy was initially developed in 1987, and today my wife's gonna talk about it! Blog: https://acunit.home.blog/2023/04/04/emdr/

1
237. Machine Learning Models and Reification 13:32

1+ y ago13:32

13:32

Machine learning algorithms are in the spotlight right now, leading some to worry about them remaking the world into something alien, but there’s another, less popular concern: what if they make it into exactly what we think it is? Video: http://youtu.be/vuyaZtBSV1w Show Notes: https://thunkshow.com/2023/03/31/237.-Machine-Learning-Models-and-Reifi…

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