Podcasts · Science · Education

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

Popular Science

239 episodes

At Popular Science, we report and write dozens of science and tech stories every week. And while a lot of the fun facts we stumble across make it into our articles, there are lots of other weird facts that we just keep around the office. So we figured, why not share those with you? Welcome to The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.

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Episodes page 1 of 5

  1. Underwater Songbirds, Tea Bagging for Science, Um Yes Hello it's Spooky Lake Month!

    · 1 h 04 min

    Geo Rutherford joins the show to talk all things spooky lake month! Plus, Liz Clayton Fuller returns to explain how one songbird dives underwater, and Rachel talks about soiling undies... for science. The Weirdest…

  2. On The Origin of Smooching, Mausoleum Madness, Chubby Cheetahs

    · 1 h 12 min

    Amanda Reed and Riley Black join the show to discuss the fat American cheetah, weird mausoleum culture, and where the heck kissing came from. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science.…

  3. Death by Trebuchet, Big Bird's Close Call, Dry Scooping Coffee

    · 53 min

    Shane Madej and Matt Real join the show from The Quizard's Pit! There's discussion of sending Big Bird to space (thank GOODNESS we didn't), a suspicious skeleton, and one writer who loved coffee a little too much.…

  4. Hector the Tickle Robot, Eyeball Teeth, a Little Bit of ~Spice~ (and Neuroscience)

    · 1 h 10 min

    Author and food historian Priya Mani joins the show to talk about the neuroscience of spice. Plus, Laura explains why whales have teeth on their eyes (SERIOUSLY), and Rachel gets into why a tickle robot exists. The…

  5. Pantone-deaf, Naked Mole Rat Perfume, a Berry of Many Names

    · 1 h 11 min

    Alexis Nikole joins the show to talk about the heinous etymology of the juneberry (if that's even it's real name...). Plus, Liz Clayton Fuller returns to explain how birds are behind Pantone, and Rachel details the ins…

  6. Literal Love Languages, Royal Dog of Madagascar, King Tut’s Undies

    · 1 h 09 min

    Greg Jenner joins the show to unravel all of the secrets hidden in King Tut's undies. (Seriously. There are a lot.) Plus, Sara Kiley tells the story of the crusty white dog from Madagascar, and Rachel goes down a…

  7. Boob Backwash, Nighttime Radio Secrets, 10 Toes Down on Tommy

    · 55 min

    Sarah Dern and Emma Gommetz join Rachel this week to talk a trio of extra weird things. We've got babies spitting backwash into the boob, radio's biggest op being literal "night", and a gender-bending squirrel beloved…

  8. The Greatest Con in Mushroom History, Secret Weapon: Normal Dogs, a Bee's Benis

    · 1 h 18 min

    Bee scientist Kit Prendergast joins the show to talk about... well... the birds and the bees. Plus, Rachel explains how portobello (portabella?) mushrooms are not exactly real. And Sara Kiley tells us how a spotted…

  9. Fallout Shelter Fads, The Library of Cocaine, Mosquito Nepobaby

    · 1 h 06 min

    Ben Bradford, host of the podcast Are We Doomed?, joins the show to talk about when buying fallout shelter goods was all the rage. Plus, Laura tells us how she's related to mosquito royalty, and Rachel explains why the…

  10. Creativity is Crumbling, Sarcophagus Juice Sourdough, Mycelium Mutual Aid

    · 51 min

    Pattie Gonia joins the show to talk about how secret networks of underground fungi are basically like nature's mutual aid. Plus, Moiya McTier returns to discuss creativity, why it might be crumbling, and how one…

  11. Marie Antoinette Wearing Braces, Secret Immortal Cells, Chasing the Tooth Worm

    · 53 min

    Hari Kondabolu and Priyanka Wali join the show to talk about cells taken secretly and unethically... but ended up changing human health forever. Then, Rachel divulges a plethora of facts about dental care of…

  12. We Did it Joe (Pilates), They Did Surgery on a Cocaine Hippo, Steinbeck Digs Deep (Literally)

    · 1 h 04 min

    Ben Lillie joins the show to talk about John Steinbeck doing very in-character things on a scientific expedition out on the open ocean. Plus, Sara Kiley talks about Joseph Pilates (yes, that Pilates), and Rachel…

  13. A Musical Secret Weapon, Low Cortisol Beakmaxxing, Roller Coaster Science

    · 50 min

    Dropout's Grant O'Brien joins the show to talk about all things weird roller coasters. Plus, Jess hops on to discuss how a Gregorian chant has infiltrated all of our favorite media, from Shrek to Elden Ring. And Rachel…

  14. Cannibal Caribou, Charming Worms, Strawberry-Flavored Neutrinos

    · 55 min

    Rachel's officially back! Chanda Prescod-Weinstein also joins as a guest host. This week, they talk about self-made caribou snacks, how to charm a worm, and why neutrinos can be classified as nontrinary. The Weirdest…

  15. REVISITING Naked Founding Fathers, Jalapeño Thumb, Counting Vampires

    · 45 min

    In our final rerun episode during Rachel's parental leave, we have the oldest episode yet. It features one of Jess' first appearances on the show in which she details strange vampire folklore (and why they love to…

  16. Killer Demon Core, Victorian Theater-Kid Ghosts, Louis Pasteur's Secrets

    · 1 h 18 min

    Jess brings adef and jacksonparodi on the show this week to discuss how one sphere killed two men in a matter of days, why folks in Victorian Australia used glowing paint to transform into ghosts, and how Louis Pasteur…

  17. REVISITING Art Crime Doesn't Pay, Canines Cooking Meat, Eggs Gone Wrong

    · 1 h 01 min

    While Rachel is on parental leave, here's a vintage episode from our vault! Rachel, Sara, and comedian Josh Gondelman discuss dogs cooking in kitchens, chickens laying eggs inside themselves, and one of the most…

  18. Atomic Priesthood, Space Smells Like Beef, the Power of Pee Fuel

    · 1 h 07 min

    Jess brings on science-minded friends Lindsey and Misti to discuss why space smells like a freshly opened beef stew packet, how having to pee makes you better at video games like Elden Ring, and how rituals and priests…

  19. REVISITING Olympic Weirdness: Barefoot Marathons, Medals for Artwork, Pistol Dueling

    · 1 h 03 min

    While Rachel is on parental leave, here's a vintage episode from our vault! Rachel, Claire, and Sara discuss all things weird related to the Olympics way back in 2021 (when the games were pushed back a year from the…

  20. Beaver Skull Obsession, Aussie Widowmakers, Koalas Eating $#!%

    · 1 h 09 min

    WELCOME TO SEASON 10! Jess hosts the show solo while Rachel is on maternity leave, but brings on a pair of her creator friends to chat about how beavers keep wildfires at bay, koalas eating their moms' poop (kind of),…

  21. Bat-Devouring Rodents, Penguin Retirement Home, Chicago "Rat" Hole

    · 58 min

    Kendra Pierre-Louis joins Weirdest Thing for the season 9 finale! She talks about the rats chowing down on bats, producer Jess Boddy explains the scientific study on Chicago's rat hole, and Rachel talks about the…

  22. Vintage Antivaxxers, Horror Flick Psychology, Robin-Eating Bats

    · 57 min

    Coltan Scrivner joins the show to talk about the strange empathy of horror movie enjoyers. Plus, Sara Kiley talks about bats dogfighting and devouring birds, and Rachel delves into the bizarre history of the first…

  23. Footless Goose Murder, Sex in Space, Viking Sicko Mode, Sports Bra Tech

    · 1 h 18 min

    Behold: our LIVE show from earlier this year at Caveat in NYC! Rachel, Jess, Moiya McTier and Claire Maldarelli each bring a weird fact to the stage. Topics run the gamut this week. We've got an avian murder mystery,…

  24. Check it out: 'Ask Us Anything' from Popular Science. On this episode, GOOSEBUMPS

    · 15 min

    Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. On this episode: Goosebumps are a valuable tool for…

  25. What Rats are REALLY Saying, Cosmic Caffeine, Lamarck was RIGHT?!

    · 1 h 04 min

    Tom Lum joins the show to reveal what rats are ACTUALLY saying to each other. Plus, Rachel talks about the color of the Universe, and Lauren explains one evolutionary exception. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week…

  26. Ant Yogurt, Bunny Horns, Deadly Feather Fashion

    · 57 min

    Liz Clayton Fuller joins the show to talk about the deadly feather trade. Plus, Jess hops in to explain the strange virus causing bunnies to sprout horns, and Rachel gets into the way some folks are using ants to make…

  27. Check out: On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti from WBUR!

    · 39 min · Bonus

    We're sharing an episode of On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti. On Point is a rare public space where you hear nuanced explorations of complex topics live and in real time. Host Meghna Chakrabarti leads provocative…

  28. Drunk Monkeys, Heroic Rats, Forehead Teeth

    · 46 min

    Carly York joins the show to talk about the most heroic rats you'll ever meet. Plus, Sara Kiley talks about some drunk monkeys, and Rachel gets into sharks' toothy foreheads. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is…

  29. Skateboard Archeology, Dire Wolf Bones, The Great Fear

    · 55 min

    Annalee Newitz joins the show to talk all about how 18th century gossip spread like an actual infectious disease. Plus, Laura delves into how dire wolf bones could help our modern pups, and Rachel talks about the…

  30. Airborne Butt Cam, Snake Panic, Oops! All Cloacas

    · 1 h 02 min

    Sarah Gailey joins the show to discuss why one scientist put the cutest little monocles on a bunch of chameleons. (And also to talk about their new book, Spread Me, out now wherever you buy books!) Plus, Rachel talks…

  31. Thank Your Local Horse, OG Canners, Busting Bird Gender Norms

    · 1 h 02 min

    Nathan H. Lents joins the show to discuss why some birds are extra loud in bed, along with his new book: The Sexual Evolution: How 500 Million Years of Sex, Gender and Mating Shape Modern Relationships. Plus, Sara…

  32. Medical Butt Chugging, Ancient Ice Cream Pyramids, "The Thing" but Midwestern

    · 56 min · S9 E15

    Mary Roach RETURNS to Weirdest Thing to share her new book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy! From this phenomenal new read, she discusses a section on breathing through your butt, a thing not only turtles…

  33. Bette Midler and the Salamander, How Marathon Swimmers Pee, D+D is Good for Your Brain

    · 1 h 06 min

    The wonderful Ryan Mandelbaum is BACK to discuss their latest animalian interest: salamanders in New York City! Laura also explains how peeing while swimming a marathon is shockingly complicated, and Rachel gets into…

  34. The Bone Collector, Threads of God, Cloacal Chamber

    · 50 min

    Scientific illustrator and Twitch streamer Liz Clayton Fuller (ipaintbirbs) joins the show once more to talk all things cloaca -- and why some birds lack them. Plus, Jess hops behind the mic to talk about the world's…

  35. A New Green, THIS IS MY EVEREST, Chickens Influencing Cats

    · 56 min · S9 E12

    Actor and creator of the Brat Apple Dance, Kelley Heyer, joins the show! The squad talks about a BRAND NEW green color, cheating at climbing Mt. Everest, and a sneaky trick to make cats less allergenic. The Weirdest…

  36. Horny Bugs, Women are Stronger Than Men, Evil Monkey Backpack Trends

    · 49 min

    Casey Johnston joins the show this week to talk about how women are truly and actually stronger than men (all of which she details in her new book!). Plus, Laura talks about promiscuous fruit flies, and Rachel talks…

  37. Masochistic Trees, Lean Mean Sex Machines, Ancient Doodles

    · 52 min · S9 E10

    Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian joins the show to talk about horny eels. Plus, Sara Kiley explains the tree that loves getting struck by lightning, and Rachel goes into detail about kids passing notes in ancient times. The…

  38. The Piss Current, Mucking Up Space, a Cocky Legend

    · 57 min · S9 E9

    Divya Anantharaman aka Gotham Taxidermy joins the show to talk about a bird with a very big personality. Plus, Rachel talks about a whale conveyor belt, and Lauren dishes dirt on the ISS (literally). The Weirdest…

  39. Time Balls, Bug Culture, Traffic Mimes

    · 47 min · S9 E8

    Balint Kacsoh of SciAnts_Streams joins the show today to talk about how flies have their own sort of culture. Plus, Jess hops behind the mic to discuss mimes mocking traffic offenders, and Rachel divulges the story of…

  40. Rat Sommeliers, Pneumatic Tube Flirting, Why Periods Hurt

    · 52 min · S9 E7

    Kate Downey joins the show to explain how little we actually know about why periods hurt so dang bad. Plus, Rachel divulges how to flirt using tubes, and Laura talks about the cutest, sweetest little rat sommeliers.…

  41. The Poison King, the Seismic DONK, Contagious Peeing

    · 52 min · S9 E6

    Trace Dominguez joins the show to explain just how inconceivable building up an immunity to iocane powder (or other poisons) is. Sara Kiley also discusses unidentified seismic objects, and Rachel talks about how peeing…

  42. Space Squirrels, the Most Beautiful Youth, Glass Brains

    · 1 h 05 min

    John Green joins the show to talk about how Everything is Tuberculosis -- which is coincidentally the name of his new book. Plus, Lauren talks about sending squirrels into space, and Rachel explains how brains can…

  43. Roman Water Fights, Pet Squirrels, Perpetual Pre-Singing

    · 55 min · S9 E4

    Vinny Thomas joins the show to talk about Victorian-era pet squirrels. Jess hops behind the mic to discuss filling the Roman colosseum with water, and Rachel unravels how chewing gum can stop us from "pre-singing."…

  44. Surfing Bats, Deep Sea Bologna, Environmental Trolley Problem

    · 56 min

    Lauren Leffer joins the show to explain how silver carp are creating an environmental trolley problem. Plus, Laura divulges the story of the surfing bat, and Rachel talks about scientists that ate an ancient bologna…

  45. Hockey English, Lasagna Power, How to Find the Light

    · 43 min · S9 E2

    Paleontologist and writer Riley Black joins the show to talk about a plant mystery. Plus, Amanda talks about turning your leftover lasagna into a power source, and Rachel discusses Letterkenny and "hockey English."…

  46. Poodle Sled Dogs, Why Orange Cats Are "Like That," Seal Nose Anatomy

    · 48 min · S9 E1

    Welcome to SEASON 9!! MIT Technology Review science editor (and former Weirdest Thing champ) Mary Beth Griggs joins the show to talk about self-sealing seal noses. Plus, Laura jumps on to talk about poodles running…

  47. Catch Weirdest Thing LIVE on February 8 – Listen for a special promo code!

    · 4:33 · Bonus

    Catch us LIVE in NYC or via livestream on February 8! Get your tickets now: https://caveat.nyc/events/the-weirdest-thing-i-learned-this-week-2-8-2025 Use code BUTTERFIRE for $5 off in-person and $10 off livestream…

  48. Orca Fashion, Cookie Cannibalism, BEAR ATTACK!!

    · 44 min · S8 E24

    Alex Goldman of Hyperfixed and Reply All joins the show to talk about a historic bear attack incident in Japan. Plus, Amanda talks about why stuff tastes different at 30,000 feet, and Rachel explains the latest fashion…

  49. Elephant Pranks, Ghost Armies, Would You Still Love Me If I Was A Silkworm

    · 45 min · S8 E23

    Sophie Bushwick and Claire Maldarelli join the show to talk about silkworms in tea and ghost armies (though not the kind from Lord of the Rings). Plus, Rachel talks about a prankster elephant. The Weirdest Thing I…

  50. Casting Smell Spells, the Quantum Slap, the Boniest Jigsaw Puzzle

    · 41 min · S8 E22

    Twitch Partner Cheebs joins the show to talk about some mega weird quantum physics. Plus, Jess talks about real-life stinky witch magic, and Rachel lays out a jigsaw puzzle made of bones. The Weirdest Thing I Learned…

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