In this Weird Science edition, we look at the achievements of 13-year-old Willis Gibson, the first human player to complete the classic game Tetris. Technology and nature intersect as our hosts discuss the potential use of plants to create supercapacitors for energy storage, opening possibilities for organic, biodegradable power sources. In AI news…

Happy 2024 everyone. ßorry there's been a gap uploading. A lot of personal nonsense. The show has been going out on BFM bu we haven't been uploading here consistently. Richard Bradbury and Matt Armitage offer a satirical and insightful review of technology in 2023. Alongside Matt’s obsession with creating conspiracy theories, we look at the prolife…

In this episode, Matt and Richard explore the complex relationship between technology and memory, focusing on the preservation of digital content after death and the concept of digital avatars. They look at concerns around the preservation of digital records for future generations, questioning what our current digital footprints will contribute to …

In the future, we might not be able to see the stars for the trees if wood becomes the material of choice for interstellar habitation. Plus wilful ignorance, scent location and self-driving cars. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://gizmodo.com/daye-tampon-can-test-for-stis-185…

Celine Dion terrorizes a New Zealand city as officials in Guangzhou wipe the Halloween smile from riders’ faces and Meta’s chatbots sow confusion and apathy. Plus, VR helps with the horrors of hoarding. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://futurism.com/neoscope/vr-hoarders-prac…

As AI unveils its ability to speak to us, we take a look at the hidden world of data labelling, the secrets of 100-year-old blood and in-the-box updates. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: · https://gizmodo.com/chatgpt-gains-the-ability-to-see-hear-and-speak-1850869977 · https://sea.…

What’s in a word? From the leisurely shopping arcades of the 19th Century to the algorithm-driven surfing of today, the nature of browsing has transformed from casual entertainment to coercive click-bait. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Image by Kulturpop via MidJourney Subscribe to the Substack n…

It’s Fat Bear Week on Mattsplained, with a cast of characters including purring cats, U2, Mean Girls, and disembodied hands and tongues. If it sounds weird, it’s only science. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2395709-scientists-have-only-just-fi…

Human NPCs, phlubbing your partner and AI influencers fail to to out-weird Elon Musk’s latest X-rated escapade. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Image by Kulturpop via MidJourney Subscribe to the Substack newsletter: https://kulturpop.substack.com Follow us: Tw: @kulturmatt In: @kulturpop & @kultur…

In a world where everything is rated, what value do those ratings have? And how are they driving generational change in our attitude to work? Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 In this episode, hosts Richard Bradbury and Matt Armitage discuss various topics related to work, technology, and society. M…

What do exit surveys for exes, a global glitter shortage, red coloured green screens and the brain patterns of lonely people have in common? They’re all extremely weird. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Mattsplained, where we delve into the weird and wond…

History is a wild and savage place. And one day that wild and savage place will be us. Will future societies cringe at our selfies, food shots and obsession with screens? Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/01/26/style/culture-regret-crocs-soci…

Sorry! We accidentally uploaded MSP238 as 237. This is the real episode. Hope you enjoy it. Web3 promises to democratise the Internet, and return control to users at the expense of Big Tech. But is it a problem masquerading as a solution? Further Reading: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734220-200-web3-promises-to-reclaim-the-internet-from…

Bingbots, algo-cheating, taped-up batteries, aliens and Neanderthals are just some of the topics Mattsplained is weirding out with today. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/14/23599300/hyundai-kia-car-theft-software-update-free-tiktok-challenge https:/…

Does the idea of shape-shifting T-1000 robots terrify you? Science create a robot that can shift from metal to solid, as this week’s Weird Science takes in comets, aquatic dairy farms and more ChatGPT. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://www.iflscience.com/chatgpt-can-pass-par…

It’s the first Weird Science of 2023. Inside our almanack of insane ideas are an elixir of youth, an insulating superwood and a system that creates a 3D surveillance system from your WiFi box. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://gptzero.me https://gizmodo.com/cnet-ai-chatgpt-n…

Electric cars, lies and the metaverse. As far as Mattsplained is concerned, it’s all you need to know about 2023. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/29/technology/personaltech/new-tech-2023-ai-chat-vr.html https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/de…

Mattsplained went goblin mode in 2022. How else do you cope with Twitter warfare, quiet quitting and crypto collapses? Oh yeah, there was some good stuff about the year, too. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/12/05/crypto-ftx-collapse-ban…

ChatGPT, a chatbot from OpenAI, has been creating headlines with its incredible ability to generate screenplays, write code and seemingly answer questions on any topic. Sage or snake oil: is it too good to be true? Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Image by Kulturpop via MidJourney Subscribe to the …

If the Metaverse is the Internet, where does that leave VR? Exploring the Immersive layer of XR – extended reality. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2323682-working-in-virtual-reality-for-a-week-made-people-less-productive/ https://futurism.com/…

In part one of our simples guide to the Metaverse, we try to cut through the complexity and corporate clutter to delineate what the metaverse is, and when we’ll get to use it. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Image by Kulturpop via MidJourney Subscribe to the Substack newsletter: https://kulturpop.…

We're skipping ahead a couple of episodes because this story is about Elon Musk. Which means it will be out of date before you take your next breath: Mass layoffs, a financial crisis, growing voices of intolerance. And a kitchen sink. No, it isn’t the global economic crisis. It’s Twitter under its new owner, Elon Musk. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Ric…

A Hot Wheels-looking centrifuge that fires projectiles into space, submarine-cloaking stealth rubber, the science behind bullwhips and a full menu of Musk feature on today’s episode. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://www.space.com/spacex-galaxy-33-34-intelsat-satellite-launc…

For up to a third of the population, sleep is a task that never seems to be completed successfully. Thankfully, a new generation of sleep science is creating individualized approaches to sleep therapy that could see millions of people nodding off peacefully at night. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.…

It’s time to put your backpack on and join the cyber cockroaches as we look at insect cyborgs, robo-Vader, asteroid impacts, ETH mining and the return of Gawker. Hosted by Matt Armitage & Richard Bradbury Produced by Richard Bradbury for BFM89.9 Further Reading: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/sep/25/gawker-comeback-sued-closure-hulk-hogan…