Part-Time Genius

Will and Mango dig into their favorite ballpark treat to talk about the surprisingly layered story of nachos. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango go deep into their chess cave to determine: what's the most dangerous styles of chess, why did the game move from the battlefield to the royal court, and if a billion people to play chess, can that stop an alien invasion? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From plants that eat rats and frogs, to the strange reason bats curl up in pitcher plants, Will and Mango explore the strange world of Carnivorous Plants. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sure, Halloween's over. And the candy is gone. But these facts about the most searched costumes of the season will last a lifetime! (Especially if you like knowing where to get a hunting license for mythical beasts, and why your dog is a natural witch detector.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango dust off some ninja history and discover some pretty strange facts... like: Why did so many ninjas walk around with crickets? Why did they like to keep pocket change on them? And what does it mean when a ninja sends you a packet of dried fish? 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.

What part of the turkey are turkeys most attracted to? Can a scene out of a ghost story make you stop biting your nails? And what's the best music to play for your house guests, if your house guests are rats and they're high on cocaine? Will and Mango explore some of the strangest science experiments and the reasons they got funded in the first place. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remember when monograms were considered tacky, squash was played in back alleys and barn-yard flavored beers weren't expensive? Neither do we. Will and Mango peel back the humble origins of some supposedly elitist things. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For some reason our hearts keep going on and on for the Titanic. But what was life actually like on the ship? Why were there so many electric horses on board? How bad did the third class passengers have it? And did Hollywood really produce a silent movie about the disaster just 2 weeks after it occurred? Will and Mango investigate. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, North Korea has been an outlier. How did the country get to be so isolated? Why do they export so many statues? And can you actually study abroad there? Will and Mango shed a little light on the Hermit Kingdom. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Want to know where you can indulge in a massive, massive omelet, or why Niceville, Florida has a festival dedicated to the mullet? Will and Mango run down the most wonderful Fall festivals everyone needs to know about. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is Japan's adult adoption rate so high? Why don't American car dealerships succeed in the country? And why did Colonel Sanders put a curse on a beloved Japanese baseball team? Plus, Will and Mango discover the shortest escalator in the world! (Just take the stairs, guys.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango have so many questions about pirates: did they really exaggerate their R's? Did they all have parrots? Were lady pirates more successful than male ones? And was there really a rabbi pirate who made his crew keep kosher? From buried treasure to walking the plank, Will and Mango take a good look at the Golden Age of Piracy. 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.

Will and Mango have their good pal AJ Jacobs on the program to talk about his new book Thanks a Thousand, where he decided to thank the thousands of people who made his cup of coffee possible. Along the way they hear stories of "the Elon Musk of coffee lid design," how gratitude can help you sleep better, and why Jonas Salk was kind of a terrible person. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the most heavy metal apples out there, to the reason New York City transitioned from a New Orange to the Big Apple, to the insane lengths Japanese farmers go to to grow the perfect apple, Will and Mango pluck some the best apple stories they can find. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Which airport should you hang out at if you want to meet a mini-horse? Why is the art in the Denver Airport so evil? And are TSA agents more likely to search you if you're carrying an Almanac? Will and Mango investigate. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do we square dance in class? Where did Madonna learn to vogue? Did David Bowie actually inspire Michael Jackson's dance moves? And what does the Chicken Dance have to do with skiing? Will and Mango get to the bottom of the biggest dance mysteries. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Okay, maybe some of these tricks aren't that genius (building your office on a giant Lazy Susan, for instance). Dig in as Will and Mango investigate the tricks artists have used to claw their way out of creative slumps. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does a female camel need to see a gross neck bubble before she'll swipe right? Why do bald eagles need to hug it out before they decide they're right for one another? And what do tennis grunts have to do with any of this? Will and Mango take a look at the world's strangest dating techniques, all plucked from Animalia. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If your time machine got jammed in the past, what would you need to rebuild all of modern civilization? Mango sits down with Ryan North, author of the new book How to Invent Everything, to talk about how to make soap, why leeches were pretty useful for a very short period, how to invent a better horse harness, and why windmills just might be superior to waterwheels. Oh, and how to understand all of Western religion and philosophy through high-fives. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In honor of the new show, Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe, Will and Mango revisit some of their favorite questions: What is Quantum Teleportation? Are we all swimming in Dark Matter? And why are scientists so obsessed with smashing particles together? And we've got astrophysicist Daniel Whiteson, co-author of the wonderful new book We Have No Idea, ready to answer them all. Buckle up!Daniel & Jorge Explain the Universe starts September 25th. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango pester their pal Nick with all their whale questions: Why are whales so large? How do they sustain those massive bodies? And also-- why do they have belly buttons? Featuring Nick Pyenson, author of Spying on Whales and curator of marine mammal fossils for the Smithsonian. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango check out the strangest requests ever fielded at hotels. Plus, they look into how you can tell if your concierge is part of a secret society, why you probably shouldn’t use the glass cups in your room, and why you should always (always) book a hotel room that comes with a Dingle. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango brick-roll the show with questions about LEGO: What are the most amazing things to be built from LEGO bricks? How have they been used to solve real-world problems? And why should you never ever pluralize it as LEGOs? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever since Bill Bryson wrote A Walk in the Woods, Will and Mango have been fascinated with the Appalachian Trail. But who was the first person to actually hike the path? What is a Trail Angel? And will hiking the path actually take you through Norway one day? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the funniest, most ridiculously cursed Porsche on record to the car that infuriated Houdini, Will and Mango test-drive some ridiculous car stories. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's about time! From the birth of time zones, to the invention that made us rethink time travel, to the location of the world's largest cuckoo clocks, Will and Mango usher you into a very, very brief history of time. 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.

From musical instruments that run on explosions and gasoline, to why every party needs at least one Sousaphone-player, Will and Mango discuss 9 instruments they don't want their kids practicing inside the house. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are extroverts happier than introverts? Is coffee bad for an introvert's brain? And does your personality type make you more likely to be arrested? (Spoiler: it does!) Will and Mango take a closer look at the secret talents lurking inside your friendly neighborhood introvert. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who decided there should be a beekeeper on staff at the White House? Who manages the First Family's budget and makes sure they're paying for their own toothpaste? And can you just find these job postings on Craigslist? Will and Mango look at some of the most surprising non-political jobs in the White House. Featuring Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Lyndon Johnson's ultra-smooth money-making scheme to Akoin's surprising African investments, Will and Mango discover the weird ways some famous people have filled their piggybanks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango dig into the surprising stories behind our favorite fictional characters. Like: who was the ridiculous personality who inspired the Muppets' Swedish chef? Who was the (stinky) ladies man behind Pepe LePew? And is the Godfather actually based on a terrifying mom? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone loves Dolly Parton. The American country singer has sold over 100 million albums worldwide, and her career has included six decades of chart-topping songs. But how did Dolly become Dolly? Where does she find inspiration for her lyrics? And why do people in Zimbabwe love her so darn much? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango abused the English language with vigor as they discuss the Apostrophizer, the QuizDing, and why you should never (ever) mess with a Bengal finch's sentence structure. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Will and Mango sniffle through their hay fever they answer this season's biggest questions: What are allergies? How close are we to a cure? And is putting Vaseline up your nose a good lifehack for stopping pollen? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango try to pinpoint some famous firsts, from the first dog to work as a guide dog (way back in the first century!), to the first dog trained as an Archaeologist, to the first dog to drive a car, these are the essential stories you'll need to impress your pooch on your next walk together. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the strange reason Abe Lincoln started the Secret Service to how to use the phrase Horse Blanket in a sentence (we know you've been wondering!) to the weirdest prank people used to play on Rembrandt, Will and Mango are making it rain with money facts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you realize that when your fingers get wrinkly in the bath, there's a crazy, superhero reason for it? Or that everyone's body is covered in invisible stripes? Or that a single snipped foreskin can yield a football field full of new skin in the lab? Will and Mango investigate the wonders (and strangeness!) of the human body. Featuring Jonathan Strickland. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stand back far enough, and most American presidents look smart, polished and the picture of decorum... but not these gents! From a rabble-rousing arsonist to a fancy pants gossip, to a card-playing Do Nothing, Will and Mango look back at some of the greatest men to squander their time in the Oval Office. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We know these statues are supposed to be art, but they also kind of feel like mistakes. Will, Gabe and Mango discuss some colorful and confusing tributes... and the ridiculous stories behind them! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Gabe and Mango as they trace the birth of the supermarket and answer tons of ridiculous questions along the way. From why flexing your arm is terrible for impulse shopping, to the reason North Korean spies train in grocery stores, to how Johannes Kepler made the world better for grocers, we've got tons of facts to load up your cart with. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Florida the birthplace of ostrich racing? Why do male Emperor penguins get an extra stomach flap? And why should you be extra wary of a loose Cassowary? Mango and Gabe run through their biggest questions about the world’s biggest birds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is aiming for your opponent's caddy a good strategy in golf? Did old-timey baseball umpires really sit in rocking chairs? And why are there 8-pointers in North Korean basketball? Will and Mango explore the hilarious ways games ought to be played. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After author Danny Wallace received the world's worst customer service (and possibly the world's worst hotdog) from a hotdog vendor, he decided to search for the root cause of rudeness. Danny joins Will and Mango on this week's episode to talk about snarky celebrity judges, why surgeons are in dire need of a rudeness vaccine (it's for our own safety!), and how one politician effectively fought rudeness... with mimes! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the world becomes more and more polarized, and people become more entrenched in their ideas, Will and Mango explore how we can find consensus, and what the science tells us about shifting public opinion. Plus, we look at how Heinz's disastrous attempt to change Australia's opinion on condiments and why it took such a long time for the pie chart to catch on. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From houses the clean themselves to how a merry-go-round helped Eggo's waffle business grow, Will and Mango explore the world of hobbyist inventors and the incredible ideas they brought forth. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spoiler: it involves lots of slime! Will and Mango explore the channel's early history from how Double Dare horrified the sanitation department, the (savvy) reason one TV show never used purple, and why a channel that had no business getting into cartoons staked their business on 3 groundbreaking shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do movie theaters limit their audiences to 299 seats? Did dishware really save the movie industry? And why is Lara Croft: Tomb Raider considered a Hollywood masterpiece? (spoiler: it has nothing to do with the plot!) Grab your popcorn and turn off your ringers as Will and Mango head to the movies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.