Stuff To Blow Your Mind

How do insects factor into our traditions of death -- and how do insects handle their own burials? Find out in this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind as Robert and Joe discuss ants, termites, Virgil, ancient civilizations, bees and more. (originally published 1/21/2021) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe take a ride in Dutch filmmaker Dick Maas’ 1983 killer elevator movie “The Lift.” Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe explore the world of tumbleweeds. While it’s easy to dismiss these amazing plants as overused symbols of the American west, these detachable diaspores are more than meets the eyes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the legendary Manticore… Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe explore the world of tumbleweeds. While it’s easy to dismiss these amazing plants as overused symbols of the American west, these detachable diaspores are more than meets the eyes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The lock and key are such a central part of modern life, both technologically and metaphorically, but when and how did this technological advancement take place? In this Invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the ancient history of security technology. (originally published 1/12/2021) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe explore Marcell Jankovics’ hallucinogenic animated masterpiece of Hungarian mythology: Fehérlófia, known to English-speaking audiences as “Son of the White Mare.” Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the science and history of sinkholes. How have these impressive geographic features impacted our world, and what can they reveal about the past? (originally published 1/19/2021) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Artifact, Robert discusses money you can eat or drink... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the science and history of sinkholes. How have these impressive geographic features impacted our world, and what can they reveal about the past? (originally published 1/14/2021) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert and Joe are still on break, but here's an update on what you'll hear this week. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nope, “Heavy Water” isn’t the new bottled beverage for headbangers. It’s actually an alternate form of water called deuterium oxide that plays a key role in nuclear power plants and the creation of nuclear weapons. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe get to know heavy water. Can you drink it? Why did the Nazis want it? Find out… (originally published 12/17/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the nations of the Earth solved all their problems with giant robot gladiatorial battles? That’s the concept behind 1990’s “Robot Jox,” directed by horror wizard Stuart Gordon and written by military sci-fi author Joe Haldeman. Join Rob and Joe for a discussion of mech politics in this Christmas Day episode of Weirdhouse Cinema. (originally published 12/25/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s obvious that our preferences guide our choices, but do our choices also determine our preferences? In this classic episode, join Robert and Joe as they explore this question with the help of a half-century of psychological research and reminiscences concerning Sonic the Hedgehog and Metallica. (originally published 12/24/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of STBYM’s The Artifact, Joe talks about mind-boggling prehistoric mineral formations. (originally published 2/10/2021) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many of us, toy guns were part of our childhood, but how are we to think about them today? In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe look at some of the current thinking on the use of toy weapons in childhood play. (originally published 12/22/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stuff to Blow Your Mind is off for the week, but Robert and Joe take a few minutes to discuss the classic episodes that will be showcased in the feed. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, Stuff to Blow Your Mind leans into the holidays -- this time for an invention-minded episode about some of the technologies that bring the winter holidays to life. Join Robert and Joe as they discuss electric Christmas tree lights, tinsel and angelic tree toppers. (originally published 12/15/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Star Wars franchise is home to many cinematic entries some consider to be unnatural. In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1985 made-for-TV film “Ewoks: The Battle For Endor,” starring Wilford Brimley and various forest monsters. (originally published 12/4/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 1983 holiday film “A Christmas Story” warned us of the dangers associated with BB guns, bar soap and frozen flag poles – but it also introduced us to the Old Man’s prized leg lamp. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the deep, ancient and occult history of lamps and other objects shaped in the likeness of a human leg or foot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses a surprise holiday monster... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, time travel fiction is everywhere – and we understand the cosmos enough to even speculate what is and isn’t possible. But how old is the notion of travel through time? What sorts of attitudes and ideas concerning the nature of time were seemingly necessary before humans first imagined firing up a time machine? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might consider spinning around in a circle either great fun or a one-way ticket to barf town, but spinning and whirling are also tied to childhood development, artistic expression and the pursuit of meditative states. Join Robert and Joe as they explore the spin on this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. (originally published 12/10/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the classic 1960s Russian fairy tale spectacular “Morozko,” better known to many fans as “Jack Frost.” It’s a tale of love, evil stepmothers, mushroom wizards, animal transformations, Baba Yaga and of course the Russian personification of winter, Morozko or Ded Moroz. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know music can influence our moods, but can it actually boost our memory? How do musical memories emerge at the borders of identity, experience and culture? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore these questions and discuss the curious ways we remember music and sounds. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global supply chains have made headlines this year, with businesses in every industry and consumers all experiencing unprecedented volatility. How can companies stabilize this boundless bullwhip? In this episode of Smart Talks, Malcolm talks to Jonathan Wright, Global Managing Partner for Supply Chain Consulting at IBM, about demand forecasting and other technologies that manufacturers and vendors are using to make their supply chains more resilient. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, time travel fiction is everywhere – and we understand the cosmos enough to even speculate what is and isn’t possible. But how old is the notion of travel through time? What sorts of attitudes and ideas concerning the nature of time were seemingly necessary before humans first imagined firing up a time machine? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might consider spinning around in a circle either great fun or a one-way ticket to barf town, but spinning and whirling are also tied to childhood development, artistic expression and the pursuit of meditative states. Join Robert and Joe as they explore the spin on this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. (originally published 12/8/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe consider their first holiday horror film selection: 1983’s “Bloodbeat.” Filmed in Wisconsin, the film explores the complexity of holiday family time, while also wondering what might happen if mom had to battle a Samurai ghost with her psychic powers. Plus, Rob and Joe will discuss holiday horror films in general. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe welcome back Daniel Whiteson, particle physicist and co-host of Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe. Tune in for a discussion of time travel, wormholes and more that will actually transport you roughly an hour into the future. Plus Daniel will discuss the new book "Frequently Asked Questions About the Universe." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, consumers, businesses and governments are united in their sense of urgency about the sustainability of the planet. But how do we go about achieving it? In this episode of Smart Talks, Malcolm talks to Marc Rolfe, Senior Vice President and Head of Strategic Partners Ecosystem Success at SAP, and Jason Kelley, General Manager, IBM Strategic Partners, about how strategic partnerships between companies can create a larger industry shift toward sustainability. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, Robert and Joe consult the winners of the Ig-Nobel Prizes for a few examples of the hilarious and the weird from the world of legitimate scientific research. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Planet Earth a bit much for you right now? Well venture back out to Venus on Stuff to Blow Your Mind. Join Robert and Joe as they discuss recent news in the search for possible signs of life in the Venusian clouds, as well as the possibility of probes or even human explorers sailing over Venus in futuristic airships. (originally published 12/01/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time to dive back into the Shaw Brothers cinematic treasure chest, this time for the sci-fi action film “The Super Infra-Man” starring Danny Lee and a whole bunch of monsters and stylish costumes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, Robert and Joe consult the winners of the Ig-Nobel Prizes for a few examples of the hilarious and the weird from the world of legitimate scientific research. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Artifact, Robert discusses a most nautical form of exorcism... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stuff to Blow Your Mind is back from Thanksgiving break, so Robert and Joe discuss even more crab science and mythology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In recognition of Thanksgiving, Robert and Joe devote this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind to the very topics that might float through your head at the dinner table: What is a wishbone, why do we pull it apart and what does it have to do with dinosaurs? Are turkeys messengers of the gods? What is gravy and is it ever considered sacred? Find out... (originally publihsed 11/26/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In celebration of MST3K Turkey Day, this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema from earlier this year explores a film from a beloved episode of MST3K. We consider the Florida Movie par excellence: 1971’s “Zaat,” also known as “The Blood Waters of Dr. Z.” Prepare to stalk and skulk through the sargassum in this suitably swampy creature feature. (Originally published 4/30/2021) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the horror of “melt movies,” in which the melting human takes on nightmaric qualities, to far more benign and even sublime takes on the concept of the melt, there does seem to be something to our fascination with personal phase transition. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe try to figure out what it all means. (originally published 11/5/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of STBYM’s The Artifact, Robert discusses an ancient Chinese sword noted for its unusual sharpness and resistance to tarnish... (originally published 2/17/2021) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We sure do spend a lot of time in bed, but what exactly IS a bed and what were ancient beds like? In this classic invention-based episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the ancient history of the bed. (originally published 11/17/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're off this week, but don't let that stop you from having seconds on some classic content from last year. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are more people identifying and even foraging wild mushrooms than in previous years? If so, why is this? In these classic episodes of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe talk about mushroom foraging, the importance of human foraging and even some studies that pit forager against forager. (originally published 9/17/2020) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time for a hippie necronomicon extravaganza as Rob and Joe crack open 1970’s “The Dunwich Horror,” starring the late, great Dean Stockwell, Sandra Dee and Ed Begley Sr. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.