Podcasts · The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

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

3 Jun 2026 · 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 yesteryear, from how Marie Antoinette wore braces (yes, seriously), to how Neanderthals drilled for cavities.

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, Merch Store and More: https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman

Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman

Link to Jess' Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn

Link to all of Jess' content: https://www.jesscapricorn.com/

--

Follow our team on Twitter

Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman

Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy

Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci

Theme music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Links in the notes 12

• https://www.facebook.com/groups/theweirdestthing
• https://www.twitter.com/weirdest_thing
• https://www.popsci.com/weird
• https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman
• https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman
• https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn
• https://www.jesscapricorn.com/
• https://www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman
• https://twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
• https://www.twitter.com/PopSci
• https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ
• https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices