Part-Time Genius

How do ballet shoes keep dancers balanced on their tippy-toes? Why do so many kids learn square dancing in gym class? And if Michael Jackson didn't invent the Moonwalk... who did?! This episode originally aired on September 21, 2018. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Aditya Ali via Unsplash. Thanks, Aditya! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pack your bags and grab your bike, because today we're taking a virtual trip to Denmark—a land where treasure-hunting is encouraged, Walt Disney stole his ideas for theme parks, and there are very specific ways to eat your sandwich. Plus: A shocking conspiracy involving the Swedish Chef. This episode originally aired on January 28, 2025. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo of Copenhagen by Maksym Potapenko via Unsplash. Thanks, Maksym! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you're headed to the ballpark or a movie theater this weekend, chances are you'll encounter one of our favorite snacks: melted cheese on a pile of tortilla chips. You know how delicious this is, but do you know how nachos were invented? Or what happened when an American baseball team flew a little too close to the sun by trying to put them on a stick? You will after you listen to this episode! This episode originally aired on November 20, 2018. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Erick Su via Unsplash. Thanks, Erick! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turns out, the history of board games isn't as simple as passing Go and collecting $200. From the surprising way Abraham Lincoln's beard changed Milton Bradley's career, to the dramatic shift in Monopoly's political orientation, to the ancient Sumerian board game you can play online right now, today Will and Mango go wild game hunting... and come back with plenty of stories to tell.   This episode originally aired on January 6, 2025. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Maria Lin Kim via Unsplash. Thanks, Maria! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will thinks sleep is a waste of time. But will scientists ever find a way to let us survive without it? Why do we sometimes wake up feeling so groggy? And is it true that eating certain foods before bed leads to crazy dreams? Plus, our pal Simone Giertz stops by! This episode originally aired on June 7, 2017. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Possibly the greatest photo in the world by Kate Stone Matheson via Unsplash. Thanks, Kate! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.