Part-Time Genius

Every week, the FBI, CIA and Treasury Department would show up to Elizebeth Friedman's door and hassle the mother of two-- not for any crime, but because she had an insane talent: she solved puzzles to protect America. Meet the Quaker poet who caught gangsters, defeated Nazis and unlocked a new world of Codebreaking in this episode-long interview with "The Woman Who Smashed Codes" author Jason Fagone. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cookbooks have come a long way from their Mesopotamian origins. Will and Mango try to pinpoint the Joy in Joy of Cooking, peek inside the world of cookbook ghostwriters and debate whether an official Titanic cookbook is better than the one from Coolio (it isn't.) Featuring “Leave Me Alone with the Recipes” editor Sarah Rich. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know Amazon.com started as a bookseller, that’s now a grocery store and personal assistant and online streaming service. But how did this Seattle start-up outlast the hundreds of other online stores that started at the same time? Will and Mango take a look under the hood to explore the secret ways Amazon hopes to dominate the future. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China is going all in on green technologies. Banks are slowing down the investment in domestic coal mines. People are buying more electric cars than anywhere else. And the country is investing in wind, solar and hydro power unlike any other nation. They're also doubling down on nuclear energy. But what's the end goal? Is this environmental movement really about pleasing the middle class and clearing out the smog? Or is China just positioning itself for economic success? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the super strange reason Burt Reynolds grew a mustache to why you need to invest in a mustache spoon, Will and Mango chat all about facial topiaries with their good pals Yves and Alex. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have ZERO intention of eating less food! But if you had to pare down your pantry to the bare minimum, what are the only foods you'd need to survive? Is an all potato diet healthy? Plus, Will and Mango discuss the Woodstock for Fruit Lovers; why the Elderberry might be the most overlooked berry, and did Steve Jobs' strange diet affect his business decisions? Featuring Spudfit.com's Andrew Taylor Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From plumbing to catering, everything’s a little harder in Antarctica. Will and Mango dive into everyday life on The Ice. Plus, we talk glamping on the continent, why the South Pole pole moves every year, and why the Antarctica only has one ATM. Featuring all-star Antarctica Artist-in-Residence Jynne Dilling Martin. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Iowa, you can't just show up on your neighbor's doorstep with a costume... kids have to work for the treats! Will, Mango and Gabe scour for the sweetest Halloween facts they can find in this special 9 Facts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grab your sleeping bags and hop in the station wagon… we’re off to Canada! Will and Mango take a whirlwind tour through America’s hat as we make pit stops at a jail for delinquent bears, a single’s scene for Canada’s most eligible snakes and a bar pouring the nation’s strangest cocktail. Featuring superstar astronaut Chris Hadfield. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From being Saddam Hussein’s body double to being a whale snot collector there’s a whole world of jobs our guidance counselors thankfully forgot to tell us about. Will and Mango take a deep dive into things you probably don’t want to do for a living. Featuring the New York Review of Comics’ Lucas Adams. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That time Richard Nixon got kidnapped at Disney, why John Lennon had bittersweet memories of his Disney hotel, and other stories you (probably) haven’t heard. Featuring HowStuffWork.com’s Allison Loudermilk. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Ben Franklin took over the US Postal Service, he couldn’t have predicted the crazy ways the institution would evolve. From pneumatic tubes to missiles filled with mail, Will and Mango dig into the post office's weirdest experiments, while discussing why Olympic athletes can no longer mail themselves home when they lose a wallet. Featuring Nancy Pope of the National Postal Museum. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Cap'n Crunch Really a Captain? Is the Silly Rabbit using psychological tricks on kids? And why did everyone stop putting prizes in cereal boxes? Will and Mango take a trip down memory lane, exploring why America is so nostalgic for those sugary sweet breakfast treats. Featuring Cereal Time TV's Gabe Fonseca. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Wonder Bread's worst idea to the greatest sandwich to ever emerge from a Ramada Inn, Will and Mango celebrate the handiest food of all time. Featuring Lauren Vogelbaum from FoodStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America spends over $700 billion on the US Military. But where does that money go? And as long as Will and Mango are talking about the military, they try to figure out: Does a golf course count as a military base? What’s the most fun night on a submarine? And is Bob Ross’ calm demeanor all thanks to his military training? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are Lego fans so into "Swooshability?" Did a single giant banana really help Manchester City fans regain their love for the sport? And can windmill fans and members of the Roundabout Appreciation Society ever get along? From Cheeseheads to Potterheads, Sherlockians to Beliebers, Will and Mango take you into the superfun, strange and curious world of fandoms. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are the things you accidentally bury, and then there’s everything on this list. Will, Mango and Gabe discuss the weirdest facts they've unearthed about things that have been unearthed. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From monkey lifehacks, to Victorian shame about bananas to why slipping on a peel became the go-to gag, Will and Mango are ready to dish on the Cavendish. Featuring the International Banana Club’s Top Banana, Ken Bannister. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Something isn't working. American prisons are overcrowded and relapse rates are high. But why is Norway so good at helping the incarcerated become productive citizens again? And can taking away the walls and guards help? Plus, the ingenious scam Bernie Madoff pulled off in prison! (Spoiler: It involves hot chocolate.) Featuring Doran Larson. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you’re covertly adding to a New Hampshire sock collection or crocheting a pair of knockers in your spare time, there are all sorts of ways to give back. Will, Gabe and Mango put a spotlight on some unusual charity work in this bonus episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scanners that allow people to type with their mind; fresh memories that can be implanted into mice; and an immersive video game that helps people regain motor control by teaching them to be... dolphins?! Computer implants are getting weirder, and already changing the world in ways you can’t imagine. Featuring John Krakauer, MD from BLAM labs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are sneakers in the classroom bad for your education? Should schools keep investing in janitors? And why does no one do homework anymore? Join Will and Mango on an Open House of the World's Best Schools (and what works in building a better pupil.) Featuring reporter Lauren Camera. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes you find facts about rich people. Sometimes you find facts about Sigourney Weaver. But rarely will you find both in one place. In this exclusive, never-been done before feat, the team presents 9 facts about rich people and/or Sigourney Weaver. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango dig deep into the Cola Wars: from the official soda of the KKK, to the time Coke tried to convince Eisenhower to create a new currency, to the very best soda named after Jesus (not that Jesus). Featuring John Nese of Galco’s Soda Pop Stop. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us have given Facebook, Amazon, Google and Twitter a lot of information. These companies know what you search, where you live and what shows you hate-watch with your friends. But what exactly do they know about your life off-line? The answer might shock you. Featuring Ben Bowlin and Matt Frederick from Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what happens when wild fact-finders are accidentally released into a supermarket… Join us for a bonus Fact-Off, featuring Researcher Gabe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the Billy Bookcase to the air conditioner, the gramophone to the stacks of paper we needed for the Guttenberg press to work, history is filled with important-but-overlooked inventions. Will and Mango spend this episode giving some less glamorous ideas their due (did you know a bag of concrete is one of the best weapons against poverty?). Featuring a big assist from economist Tim Harford. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Westminster Kennel Club show is America’s second oldest continuous sporting event! But are there any shortcuts to entering Fido and taking home some hardware? Will and Mango look for easy tricks as they study the “Michelangelo of Poodle Groomers,” decipher how to get an obscure breed recognized, and question why there are separate bathrooms for male and female dogs at the shows. Featuring photographer Sophie Gamand. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you want to construct a theme park, there are some big questions to answer: do you want to create a theme park or an amusement park (there’s a difference!) Also, how many Santa Clauses do you want on hand? (Important.) And what do you need to do to be more eccentric than Walt Disney (Start by picking a favorite juice, and then acting irrationally when people don’t want to drink it.) Featuring author David Younger and Theme Park Insider's Robert Niles. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sure, invisibility is about Harry Potter cloaks and invisible inks. But it’s so much more than that, too! From the way butterflies see a secret world of light that humans can’t, to the reason polar bears are completely undetectable to infrared cameras, there’s a whole big world you ought to hear about… even if you can’t see it. Featuring author Bob Berman. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People always say money is the root of evil. But are you 100% certain it isn’t Pizza? Will and Mango take a deep dive into a shallow dish (more of a pan really) to discuss pizza wars, mafia ties, and why the proper term for a pizza rat in Australia is a Charlie Cheese. Featuring Scott Weiner from Scott’s Pizza Tours. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re tired of the news cycle. You might be too… Join us for a little bonus Fact-Off, featuring our head research Gabe Luzier. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know what day Garfield hates. But what’s the best day to avoid a bank robbery? And when can you get the freshest sushi? And why are there 7 days in a week, anyway? Will and Mango dive into your calendars, and emerge with some pretty surprising answers. Featuring author Melissa Heckscher. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re looking for the Bad Boys of plant life, look no further! Will and Mango discover squirting cucumbers, dynamite trees, and salacious orchids that have ruined more than one wasp's marriage. Plus, we’ll tackle the origins of the guerrilla gardening movement and chat up Trevor Jones, head gardener of The Poison Garden. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dinosaurs and Other Failures! Uncreative Writing! Tree Climbing! There are plenty of classes out there that would have mom and dad scratching their heads and wondering why they're paying so much on tuition. Will and Mango dive into the course catalog to find the craziest, funniest and most specific classes they can, and try to figure out what's actually getting taught. Featuring Kenneth Goldsmith and Tyler Shores. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From tips from a 122-year old rap star, to the latest research on how many eggs a week is too many (80 eggs a week is probably too many), Will and Mango dig into the most recent science on longevity and investigate the best ways to hit the triple digits. Featuring Howard Friedman of the Longevity Project. And special celebrity guest, Mamaw. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We know you're prepared for next week's eclipse: You know where you'll be viewing the event from. You've ordered your special glasses. You've even on top of your appetizer game (Eclipse chips and dips are a MUST!) But if you haven't planned for the awkward small talk, Will and Mango have you covered with plenty of weird, quirky and fun facts to have on hand in this week's bonus edition. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango push aside the Fyrkantigs and Grönkulla, to hunt for IKEA’s secrets. Want to know why it considers 'air' the enemy? Or why IKEA cafeteria prices are really a Jedi mind-trick? Or how cheap the billionaire founder really is? (Spoiler: pretty cheap.) Featuring author Grady Hendrix, and STDWYTK’s Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America has a soft spot for scoundrels. From the (evil) genius who kept selling the Brooklyn Bridge to foreigners to the original snake oil salesman, we race through history's most legendary cons and discover why Denver was the Florence of the Con-Man Renaissance. Featuring Maria Konnikova and Patrick Hoffman.   Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are a lot of things we don’t know about the Vatican: Why did the Popes of yore sit on chairs with holes in the seats? How did Doc Martens become the unofficial walking shoe of John Paul II? And why has no one told you about the Vatican’s top-notch cricket team? We’ve got all these secrets and more. Featuring Jo Piazza. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From onions hawked by animated ogres, to upbeat soundtracks created explicitly for sharks, there’s a lot of pork in the government’s budget. But just how outraged should we be? Will and Mango try to get an answer for you. Featuring James Ledbetter and the editors of CoinWeek. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Americans get an incredible deal on tap water. For just $.03, you can draw 10 gallons of drinkable, bathable, flushable liquid easily from your faucet. But is there a water crisis on the horizon? (Spoiler: yes.) And can a whole slate of incredible inventions save the world? (Spoiler #2: also, yes!) Featuring water sommelier Martin Riese. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From air fresheners to air molecules, Montgolfier’s stinky hot air balloon to Alfred Nobel’s floating death barge, we’re taking deep breaths and pausing to savor all the incredible stories hidden in the air around us. Also, why Marie Curie would have gone bananas for bananas. Featuring Sam Kean. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Usain Bolt can scarf down 47,000 calories worth of chicken nuggets and look great, while some dieters work out 4 hours a day and never shed a pound. So is exercising to lose weight a big scam? And what does Calvin Coolidge's exercise horse have to do with it? Featuring Dr. Herman Pontzer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long before there were sorting hats and Buzzfeed quizzes, Walt Whitman and Clara Barton were obsessed with personality tests. But can a scalp massage and 4-letter code really determine your potential success? And what do octagonal houses have to do with any of this? Featuring our sisters. And Jonathan Katz. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know the American places in America (Cleveland is one). But where should a US citizen go to feel at home abroad? Will and Mango visit a wee America (in Brazil?!), tour the territories, and look for the Kentucky in Japan’s KFCs. Featuring Doug Mack. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get out your Horsemanship Badge and dust off your neckerchief-- we’re going deep on the Scouts! From its surprising roots in South Africa, to how it kickstarted Steven Spielberg’s career, Will and Mango wade their way through Boy Scout history. Featuring Chuck Bryant. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a reason records books are routinely stolen from libraries! Learn just how hard it is to grow the world’s longest fingernails; why India’s lone records judge has the hardest job in the world, and how chainsawing apples out of your mouth can lead to glory. Featuring Dan Rollman. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guess what happens when we try to pick the top 8 U.S. museums to visit? (Spoiler: we accidentally end up with 11 on the list.) From a mecca of Kazoos to a dinner theater in a mine, here are the places you shouldn’t miss. Plus, facts about SPAM! Featuring Dylan Thuras. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why heavier bowls, a pair of headphones and an electronic lollipop can trick your mind grapes into making food tastier. Plus, the legend of the PB and Mayo sandwich. (And one very cute pepper to avoid!) Featuring Bob Holmes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.