Best I Used To Scream At Things Podcasts (2024)

1
Reptilian Theater Kids, Gay Giraffes, Impatient Birds 56:16

1d ago56:16

56:16

Owen Ever, co-host of the podcast A Field Guide to Gay Animals, joins the show this week to talk about the scientists who studied homosexuality in giraffes. Plus, Jess explains the most dramatic snakes on the planet, and Rachel gets into birds who wave quite impatiently. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share …

1
Robotic Roller Derby, Orangutan Skincare Routines, That Good Pet Stink 58:24

15d ago58:24

58:24

Annalee Newitz returns to the show to discuss the cutest little food delivery robots you've ever seen. Plus, Rachel talks self-medicating apes, and Amanda explains why we love our pets' stink and our lovers' smelly armpits. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our F…

1
Hyrax Heaven, Underwater Bees, Carbonated Oceans 53:15

30d ago53:15

53:15

Streamer and science communicator Moohoodles joins the show this week to talk about carbonated oceans on Enceladus (and the moon's recipe for life)! Plus, Jess explains her obsession with the hyrax, and Rachel talks about bees who are somehow able to hibernate underwater. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share…

1
WHY EVOLUTION HAS MADE IT SO DIFFICULT TO LOSE WEIGHT 23:54

30d ago23:54

23:54

First the good news. I checked Google and there are 1000 sites that will tell you how to lose weight fast and easy. So, do you want the BAD news now or later? Maybe you too have had this experience when looking in a full length mirror. Mirror mirror glistening glass...tell me this is not my ass. If you think it’s hard to lose weight and keep it off…

1
WHY EARLY PREGNANCY LOSS AND MISCARRIAGES ARE SO COMMON 18:42

30d ago18:42

18:42

Have you ever tried high-risk activities such as skydiving, rock climbing, big wave surfing, bungee jumping, or cliff diving? If you have tried any extreme sports, they don’t even come close to the most dangerous experience of your life. We have to travel back in time to the few weeks just before mom found out for sure that she was pregnant. It tur…

1
I WILL WHINE CRY AND SCREAM UNTIL I GET WHAT I WANT 25:54

1M ago25:54

25:54

I have used temper tantrums several times, but not when I was a kid. It was just a few years ago when my wife and I were waiting in the checkout line at the grocery store. I was bored and so very hungry. Low blood sugar makes me do crazy things. Temper tantrums range from whining and crying to screaming, kicking, hitting, and breath holding. They'r…

1
Screaming Frogs, "Talking" Mushrooms, Nonbinary Birds 49:54

2M ago49:54

49:54

Sociolinguist Erica Brozovsky joins the show to discuss talkative fungi, Amanda Reed chats about nonbinary birds, and Rachel gets into animal sounds—especially the ones we can't hear. 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…

1
HOW THE HIGHEST RANKED SCHOOLS LIKE HARVARD ALWAYS STAY ON TOP 24:40

2M ago24:40

24:40

The world reputation rankings for 2023 were announced in February 2024. The most respected universities in the world are Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Oxford, and University of Cambridge. Harvard University has been at the very top for quite a few years. The U.S. News & World Report published in …

1
LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE - IS IT REALLY THAT EASY TO SPOT A LIAR 21:13

2M ago21:13

21:13

How good are you at recognizing when someone is lying? Do you recall the TV show called Lie to Me that was popular a few years ago? The show followed the work of Dr. Cal Lightman (played by Tim Roth) and his colleagues. Apparently they had devised ways to detect when someone was lying or telling the truth by analyzing facial expressions, body movem…

1
Traveling Barber Uprising, Rats Taking Selfies, Honeyguide Helpers 57:13

2M ago57:13

57:13

Maritime archaeologist and historian Joel Cook joins the show to spin the tale of how traveling barbers almost coordinated an uprising that could have derailed the American Civil War. Plus, Rachel talks about a very delicious mutualism between humans and greater honeyguide birds, and Sara Kiley chimes in to talk about why rats might want to take se…

1
YOUR BRAIN MAY HAVE EXTRAORDINARY HIDDEN TALENTS 17:47

2M ago17:47

17:47

If you had a hidden talent just waiting to be released, what would you want it to be (only one choice)? Usually, a genius is born that way so most of us already missed that opportunity. But sometimes a person who isn’t born with special abilities, can develop them later in life following brain trauma, an illness, or head injury. Could you imagine b…

1
HALLUCINATIONS ARE EVERYWHERE AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE REAL 16:36

2M ago16:36

16:36

What is the difference between a dream, a hallucination, and the real world? Sometimes there is no difference at all. They may be exactly the same as far as your brain is concerned. The nature of reality has been debated by philosophers and scientists for thousands of years. I am not trying to settle the nature of reality issue today. My goal is to…

1
NOT DISNEYLAND BUT NORDIC COUNTRIES ARE HAPPIEST PLACES ON EARTH 12:50

2M ago12:50

12:50

Since the 1950s, California’s Disneyland has been known as "The Happiest Place On Earth". It’s the only place where everyone can feel that childhood happiness. There is just one problem with Disneyland. You can’t apply for citizenship to live there forever. If you could, it would quickly become the most crowded place on Earth. But if you are lookin…

1
DO ZOMBIES HAVE A BRAIN OR DO THEY JUST EAT THEM 20:11

2M ago20:11

20:11

Movies tell us that there are many threats to humanity’s existence. And just as we know that EVERYTHING on the internet is TRUE, we can also be pretty sure that movies know exactly what they’re talking about. It could be an alien invasion from outer space, a zombie apocalypse, or destruction by artificial intelligence that we have created. I can’t …

1
Lotion Spider Brouhaha, ADHD Superpowers, Earth's Evil Twin 59:09

2M ago59:09

59:09

Scientist and Twitch streamer Knimbley joins the show today to talk about how astronomy and Elden Ring intertwine! Plus, Jess returns to talk about lotion spiders, and Rachel explains how ADHD used to offer a real survival benefit in the olden days. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts an…

1
YOUR EYES DO NOT SEE AND PAIN IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD 21:17

2M ago21:17

21:17

You would probably be offended if someone said your pain was all in your head. But guess what - that is actually true. Pain is constructed entirely in the brain. Just because pain is in your head does’nt make it less real. In fact it’s your brain that literally creates what your body feels. For example, if you accidentally hit your finger with a ha…

1
LIVING A FULL LIFE WITH HALF A BRAIN 21:20

3M ago21:20

21:20

You can live with just one kidney or a single lung, but whoever thought you could live a normal life with only half a brain? Most of us can’t even live without our cellphone for more than a few hours. A human brain contains about 86 billion neurons or brain cells. A single brain cell isn’t very smart by itself. But when they are connected in vast n…

1
Freaky Eclipse Rituals, Cosmic Serendipity, Solar Mysteries 45:31

3M ago45:31

45:31

Scientific American's Lee Billings and Clara Moskowitz join Rachel this week to talk all things eclipse. 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! Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, …

1
ARE INTROVERTS OR EXTROVERTS BETTER 20:12

3M ago20:12

20:12

I might as well give you the bad news right now. Referring to people as INTROVERTS or EXTROVERTS is wrong. It is a false dichotomy. Ambiverts who combine elements of both personality styles are far more common. If you read something that mentions introverts and extroverts, but not ambiverts, you are missing approximately 70% of people in the middle…

1
CELLPHONES WHY NOT BRAIN YOUR FRY 19:37

3M ago19:37

19:37

Almost all North American adults, adolescents, and many children own a cellphone of some kind. The widespread use of cellphones makes it very important to identify any harmful effects. Several years ago, there was a viral video claiming that cellphone radiation can cook popcorn. OMG that's nuts! We are cooking our brains! We are all in danger! Run …

1
Stargazing Poop Bugs, Ancient Beer Ladies, Secret Internet Slang 1:14:04

3M ago1:14:04

1:14:04

Christie Taylor joins the show to talk about dung beetles who love to stargaze. Plus, Laura explains how early beer brewers were women, and Rachel gets into weird internet language on TikTok and beyond. 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 twee…

1
DO YOU WANT TO HAVE CHILDREN OR DO YOU WANT TO HAVE FUN 18:48

3M ago18:48

18:48

They are certainly bundles of joy but so much more. No moment is more life altering than when your first child is born. Gone are the days of thinking only of yourself. Or a semblance of free time. And forget about having a neat and tidy house. Ask any parent, and they’ll acknowledge that having kids is expensive and exhausting. Sixty or 70 years ag…

1
WHY BILINGUAL BRAINS ARE BETTER 19:41

4M ago19:41

19:41

Mi siento muy… excited about this topic. I was born in a galaxy far, far away. I WISH…but actually it was Italy. My family moved to North America when I was five. My name is FIORE which means “flower” in Italian, but I am a MALE. In many parts of the world, being bilingual is common-place and not something unusual. Any young child can become biling…

1
IS IT REALLY LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT OR JUST LUST 20:13

4M ago20:13

20:13

Love at first sight can happen any day, anywhere, and any time. It's the feeling you get when you don't want the moment to end because you feel a connection with another person that you haven't felt before. TV, movies, magazines, music—like to promote the notion of love at first sight. We’ve been trained to expect love to strike like lightning quic…

1
Bird Milk, Space Lube, Hermit Crab Housing Crisis 54:30

4M ago54:30

54:30

Liz Clayton Fuller rejoins the show to talk all things bird milk (yum!), and Amanda Reed spins the tale of the rocket scientist who invented a world renowned lubricant. Finally, Rachel explains the intricacies of the hermit crab housing market. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and sto…

1
FORGET ABOUT SHARKS - HOW MEMORY ERRORS MUDDLE CRITICAL THINKING 17:23

4M ago17:23

17:23

Sharks represent an example of a common fear that is wildly exaggerated. More people are killed by cows or horses each year than by sharks. The availability bias is when we believe examples of things that come easily to mind are far more likely to occur than is actually the case. Media coverage on the Internet or TV makes a big difference. Even mov…

1
IT WASN'T ME - CAN IDENTICAL TWINS GET AWAY WITH MURDER 22:18

4M ago22:18

22:18

Sometimes even the parents of identical twins can’t tell the difference. In 2023, a mother of identical twins in Argentina confessed she felt forced to take her 6-week old infants to the local police station for fingerprint comparison because she couldn’t tell them apart. Mom had placed a blue ribbon around the wrist of one of the twins but cut it …

1
Government Cheese, Mitochondria NOT Powerhousing, Dawn of the Cockroach 1:00:04

4M ago1:00:04

1:00:04

This time, Laura Baisas explains the dawn of the cockroach in New York, Rachel discusses a situation when the mitochondria is NOT the powerhouse of the cell (not ideal), and Claire Maldarelli divulges all about the legendary government cheese. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stor…

1
HOW OUR BRAIN PROTECTS US FROM KILLER FOODS 19:10

4M ago19:10

19:10

Perhaps you did not know, but even YOUR very own kitchen contains many common foods that may be hazardous to your health or even fatal. Even if most foods are actually safe, just one food that is deadly or dangerous can kill you. So today we have more knowledge and safety precautions that protect us from dangerous or fatal foods. But what about 100…

1
35 PEOPLE WITH HIGHER IQS THAN EINSTEIN 17:48

5M ago17:48

17:48

I recently saw this headline in one edition of Readers Digest. My fitbit heart rate alarm started buzzing like I was having a panic attack. Smarter than Albert Einstein? I DON’T THINK SO: Impossible, absolutely not, no chance, no freeakin way, not in a million years. Not in this universe or anywhere else in the multiverse. In other words, WRONG, WR…

1
Nature's Weirdest Sleepers, Iron Maiden Myths, Parking Psychology 1:07:13

5M ago1:07:13

1:07:13

Welcome to Season 8! Producer Jess Boddy joins the show to talk about the mythical iron maiden (as inspired by Resident Evil 4), Rachel talks about nature's weirdest sleepers, and Amanda explains the fascinating rabbit hole that is American parking psychology. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirde…

1
TEACH YOUR DOG TO SKATEBOARD AND YOUR CAT TO PEE IN THE TOILET 16:01

5M ago16:01

16:01

YES THIS IS PSYCHOLOGY. These tricks might seem extremely difficult to teach, but with the right treats and a bit of patience, it’s something you can definitely do. You will need a cat or dog that is reasonably smart. And we must also assume that you are at least as smart as your pet, and preferably smarter. If you can teach a dog how to skateboard…

1
LIVE SHOW: Trees are Fake, Fortune-Telling Cheese, Sunscreen Secrets, Magical Misogyny 1:12:12

6M ago1:12:12

1:12:12

In our live show from August of 2023, Rachel talks about magicians' tricks and their hidden misogyny, Sara explains how trees aren't real (and why we are all crabs), Claire details the history of sunscreen, and Jess dives into telling fortunes using cheese. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest …

1
Eating The Rich, Menopausal Chimps, Darwin's Taxidermy Teacher 1:00:46

7M ago1:00:46

1:00:46

Divya Anantharaman joins the show to talk about the history of taxidermy dating back to Charles Darwin! Plus, Rachel talks menopausal chimps, and Sara Kiley explains how one Dutch town once literally ate the rich. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook gr…

1
The Truth About Quicksand, Release the Tea Kraken, Learning Without Brains 1:04:30

7M ago1:04:30

1:04:30

Charlie McDonnell (aka coollike on Twitch) joins the show to talk about a very British energy scandal! Plus, producer Jess Boddy does a segment on if quicksand can really suck you down into the ground like it does in the movies, and Rachel explains how creatures can learn without brains. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popula…

1
Taxidermy Robots, Talking to Dolphins (and Aliens), Methuselah the Fish 48:47

8M ago48:47

48:47

Laura Krantz returns to discuss how talking to dolphins may help us communicate with aliens! Plus, Rachel talks about dead spider claw machines (and other robot taxidermy), and Chelsey talks about the oldest fish ever. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebo…

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