A Little Bit Of Science

Academics are now seriously debating the ethics of sex with aliens, with questions swirling around intergalactic consent, the boundaries of romance and whether Captain Kirk’s escapades would pass the cosmic sniff test. Some call it unnatural, others say it’s all about happiness and agreement, and a few even claim to have had their own close encounters. Until E.T. shows up with a clear answer, the verdict is equal parts fascinating and unresolved. Back on Earth, dogs have been quietly evolving to manipulate us with their eyes. Thanks to unique facial muscles and lightning-fast eyebrow moves, modern pups can pull off that “feed me” look better than any wolf ever could. We bred dogs to be emotionally expressive, and now they’re experts at tugging our heartstrings, turning the human-canine relationship into a masterclass in mutual manipulation. Meanwhile, StaffCop is turning offices into digital panopticons, logging every keystroke and screenshot in the name of productivity. While management loves the promise of accountability, for employees it means more paranoia, less privacy and a creativity drought. With science and technology serving up weirder dilemmas than ever, it’s safe to say the workplace is starting to look a little too much like 1984.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 00:47 Ethical Dilemma: Sex with Aliens 03:27 Exploring Alien Reproduction 07:53 Human-Alien Sexual Encounters 13:46 Ethics and Consent in Alien Relationships 19:07 Dogs Using Their Eyebrows to Manipulate Humans 23:01 Employee Monitoring Software 27:16 Ethical Concerns and Privacy 31:47 Conclusion and Listener Engagement SOURCES: This Guy Paints the Sex He Allegedly Has with Aliens Would you have sex with an alien? How many men here would be willing to have sex with a legitimate alien from another planet? Alien Attraction What is StaffCop? The science behind puppy-dog eyes, and other ways our canines communicate with usSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Rome-based research team discovered poetry can jailbreak AI systems by bypassing safety filters that normal prompts can't crack, making verse a genuine cybersecurity vulnerability. Medieval physicians believed flatulent foods like beans and onions were aphrodisiacs because intestinal gas supposedly enhanced sexual performance, Palmer Luckey, the tech billionaire behind Oculus, now advocates for submarines that tunnel through Earth's crust for national defense, while a Dublin man contracted penile tuberculosis from working with deer in a rarely documented case of genital TB. Poetry defeats AI security by exploiting how language models process poetic structure, proving Aristotle's warnings about poets in governance were surprisingly futuristic. Medieval fart-based aphrodisiacs never worked but show humanity's eternal optimism for simple bedroom solutions, while Luckey's crust-submarine idea sounds insane until you remember he actually made VR mainstream. The Dublin TB case demonstrates that tuberculosis can infect any body part and that working with animals carries risks nobody considers - including your genitals contracting lung diseases. The biggest threats to AI are poets, the worst aphrodisiacs involved intestinal wind, crust submarines might actually happen, and deer can give you dick tuberculosis. Science is weird, history is weirder, and Palmer Luckey wants to make it weirder still.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 02:07 Plato's Republic and AI Poetry 03:54 The Power of Poetry in AI 07:59 Historical Aphrodisiacs and Fertility 19:01 Simultaneous Orgasms and Farting 19:36 Windy Meats and Fertility Myths 24:19 Palmer Luckey and Virtual Reality 31:00 Penile Tuberculosis: A Rare Case 36:50 Smart Toilets and Privacy Concerns SOURCES: ‘End-to-end encrypted’ smart toilet camera is not actually end-to-end encrypted Scientists Discover “Universal” Jailbreak for Nearly Every AI, and the Way It Works Will Hurt Your Brain Adversarial Poetry as a Universal Single-Turn Jailbreak Mechanism in Large Language Models Palmer Luckey on the Future of Warfare Beans, ale & 'windy meats': surprising 17th-century aphrodisiac When Beans were the Food of Lust Why you don’t want to get tuberculosis on your penisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sika deer on Japan's Yakushima Island let macaque monkeys groom them in exchange for food scraps and sexual mounting, creating what scientists awkwardly call "interspecies sexual behaviour with mutual benefits." Nederland, Colorado hosts annual "Frozen Dead Guy Day" festivals celebrating Bredo Morstoel, whose body has been preserved in a shed on dry ice for decades after his grandson's cryogenic dreams failed. Brazilian Butt Lifts cause "BBL smell" - a rancid odour from fat necrosis when transferred fat cells die and rot inside the body, which surgeons rarely mention before surgery. Milan researchers found commuters offered seats to pregnant women more often when Batman was on the train, proving superhero costumes trigger prosocial behaviour because nobody wants to look bad in front of Batman. AI-generated recipes tell people to bake cakes for days and combine impossible ingredients, confidently presenting unworkable instructions that ruin dinner. Chinese researchers discovered rock, paper, scissors players stick with winning choices or switch after losses, revealing predictable patterns that can be exploited. From deer trading sex for grooming to frozen dead guy festivals and butt lifts that smell like death - nature is uncomfortable, humans are weird and technology can't cook. Maybe stick to human recipes, don’t try to freeze Grandpa and think twice before committing to a bouncy-butt medical procedure.  CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 00:35 Interspecies Sexual Mutualism 01:24 Unexpected Observations: Monkeys and Deer 06:15 Frozen Dead Guy: A Bizarre Tale of Cryogenics 14:03 Batman and Prosocial Behavior 20:20 Hilarious AI-Generated Food Recipes 30:39 The Ultimate Rock, Paper, Scissors Strategy 33:54 The Dark Side of Plastic Surgery 39:59 Conclusion and Final Thoughts   SOURCES: Rock, Paper Scissors Study  Unexpected events and prosocial behavior: the Batman effect https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/thanksgiving-dinner-ai-recipes-slop https://www.aiweirdness.com/ai-recipes-are-bad-and-a-proposal-20-01-31/ https://www.aiweirdness.com/the-neural-network-has-weird-ideas-16-03-05/?ref=aiweirdness.com https://aiweirdness.tumblr.com/post/190721709472/ai-vintage-american-cooking-a-combination-that?ref=aiweirdness.com https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/macaque-monkey-deer-mate-sex-ride https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a60887514/diy-cryonics-frozen-dead-guy/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_Dead_Guy_Days https://www.vice.com/en/article/bbl-smell-is-real-and-just-as-gross-as-it-sounds/ https://plasticsurgery.org.au/procedures/surgical-procedures/buttocks-lift/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Horseshoe theory proposes that political extremes loop back around until far-left and far-right ideologies find disturbing common ground, sharing authoritarian tactics, propaganda methods, and contempt for democratic norms despite claiming opposite values.  Scientists are using AI to decode brain activity and caption your thoughts, raising serious questions about privacy and future thought-policing. The technology has remarkable potential for medical applications like helping locked-in patients communicate, but it's also concerning for policing applications where authorities might claim to know what you're thinking even when the AI is wildly guessing. Despite frankly not-so-great accuracy, it sets us on a path toward the dystopian surveillance that sci-fi has warned about for decades. Your fingers and toes developed from genetic blueprints originally designed for a fish's cloaca, meaning your hands evolved from ancient fish butt architecture through evolution's tendency to repurpose existing solutions. Your ability to type, paint, play piano or give someone the finger exists because millions of years ago evolution looked at fish butt genes and decided to work with them.  Harry Whitaker's attempt to collect every element from the periodic table ended with police at his door after he stockpiled explosives and radioactive materials, proving that even well-intentioned scientific curiosity needs tempering before it crosses into illegal weapons manufacturing. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction  01:40 Exploring Horseshoe Theory in Politics 03:33 The Impact of Trump on Science and Health Policy 04:38 Pandemic Preparedness and Public Health 09:33 AI Mind Captioning: Decoding Brain Activity 14:13 Evolution of Tetrapod Digits 14:55 Genetic Regulatory Landscapes 15:33 Research on Fish and Mice Genes 16:18 The Role of Hox Genes 19:54 Harry Whitaker's Science Obsession 25:19 Conclusion and Call to Action   SOURCES: NIH Directors: The World Needs a New Pandemic Playbook https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-decodes-visual-brain-activity-and-writes-captions-for-it/ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1j8we4e52lo https://futurism.com/science-energy/police-uk-chemistry-explosives?utm_source=beehiiv&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=futurism-newsletter&_bhlid=4a7d20a111b1d23ddf489d65fbd96596ee739749 https://www.sciencealert.com/fish-buttholes-may-be-the-reason-we-now-have-fingers-study-findsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists in the mid-20th century created "atomic gardens" where they bombarded plants with gamma radiation to induce beneficial mutations like disease resistance and higher yields. Microwaves have been accused of causing cancer, destroying nutrients,and functioning as listening devices. "Phubbing" - phone snubbing - describes ignoring someone in front of you to look at your phone, and it's become the modern signature of distraction. We've created connections across continents through technology yet find it increasingly difficult to maintain eye contact with people sitting across from us. The accidental side glance at notifications has become so normalized that we barely register the social damage it causes, making it a choice we make every time we prioritize the buzzing rectangle over the human in front of us. From gamma-ray gardens to microwave paranoia and phone addiction ruining dinners, this week showed that human curiosity and technological advancement create both excellent outcomes and noteworthy disasters. We've learnt to mutate plants with radiation and overcome irrational appliance fears, yet somehow can't put our phones down long enough to have a proper conversation - proving that some technological problems are harder to solve than others.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction  01:32 The Birth of Atomic Gardening 04:09 Muriel Howorth and the Atomic Gardening Society 12:25 The Legacy and Impact of Atomic Gardening 12:59 CJ Spies and the Atomic Golf Balls 13:39 Radiated Golf Balls: The New Sensation 14:04 Introducing the Food Babe 14:48 Microwaves and Nutrient Destruction 17:17 Microwaves and Radiation Exposure 19:57 Microwaved Water and Negative Energy 22:45 Phubbing: The Modern Social Dilemma 26:18 Wrapping Up: Listener Interaction and Feedback   SOURCES: Atomic Gardening https://proto.life/2021/05/a-short-history-of-atomic-gardening/ http://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/03/atomic-gardening-breeding-plants-with.html http://www.atomicgardening.com/1966/03/01/whatever-happened-to-the-atomic-garden/ https://minnstate.pressbooks.pub/peppermintkings/chapter/global-peppermint/   Microwave Conspiracies  https://www.science20.com/cool-links/the_food_babe_took_down_her_goofy_microwave_oven_post_science_win-140892 https://www.vox.com/2015/4/7/8360935/food-babe https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jf970670x https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200714-is-it-safe-to-microwave-food Phubbing https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563218302978  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A woman survived without a stomach or small bowel after a catastrophic medical episode at her 18th birthday party, proving the human body is more adaptable than we thought. Philosophers and tech billionaires are convinced we're living in a computer simulation, though Canadian physicists disagree and insist our universe is real. And forensic scientists discovered that your DNA floats in the air wherever you breathe, meaning you're leaving genetic evidence in every room you enter - except mysteriously not in cars, which apparently offer some kind of DNA stealth mode. Today, we're exploring a world where essential organs are optional, reality itself is questionable, and simply breathing in a room could implicate you in a crime. These stories prove that whether we're talking about medical survival, existential philosophy, or forensic science, nothing about human existence is straightforward. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Can You Live Without a Stomach? 01:58 The Story of Gabby Scanlan 06:29 Living Without a Stomach: Modern Medicine 08:00 Are We Living in a Simulation? 14:22 Understanding Dog Emotions 16:12 Understanding Dog Behavior 17:16 Dog Reactions to Positive and Negative Stimuli 18:33 Human Interpretation of Dog Emotions 22:54 Forensic Science and DNA Collection 28:42 Dinosaur Discovery and Misleading Headlines 31:55 Listener Engagement and Closing Remarks SOURCES: https://theconversation.com/seven-body-organs-you-can-live-without-84984 https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/sep/17/oscars-wine-bar-lancaster-gaby-scanlon-stomach-liquid-nitrogen https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-dunning-kruger-effect https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/dogs-behaviour-misreading-study See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Correlation doesn't equal causation, but patterns emerge in the strangest places - like Pentagon pizza orders spiking before major military operations, making pepperoni consumption an unofficial national security indicator. A study of children aged nine to ten found that those playing video games were measurably smarter than TV-watching counterparts, vindicating every parent who gave up the Xbox battle. The Edelman Trust Barometer reveals that China and Saudi Arabia lead in governmental trust, immediately raising skeptical eyebrows about whether these responses reflect genuine public sentiment or societal pressures where criticising the government has consequences. Surveys have rhetorical power and tell compelling tales, but their accuracy depends entirely on who you're asking, how you're asking, and whether respondents feel safe answering honestly.  From pizza-predicting military operations to intelligence-boosting video games and questionable trust statistics, this week proves that metrics might only be as good as our interpretation of them. Stay skeptical of convenient metrics, maybe let your kids play that video game since science says they're getting smarter, and remember that surveys aren't always telling the whole truth - especially when they come from countries where honesty might have consequences.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 00:53 The Quirks of Metrics and Correlation 01:31 Target's Predictive Analytics Story 02:48 Pizza Orders and Military Movements 07:37 Video Games and IQ 09:32 Edelman Trust Barometer Insights 12:00 Grievance Rankings by Country 13:11 Trust in Companies by Country 14:00 Trust in Industry Sectors 15:19 Trust in Professions and Neighbours 16:17 Lack of Optimism for the Future 17:00 Hostile Activism Among Youth 17:48 Reflections on Survey Validity 19:54 Conclusion and Listener Engagement   SOURCES: The impact of digital media on children’s intelligence Edelman Trust Barometer - Trust and the Crisis of Grievance Australia Report Pentagon pizza monitor predicted ‘busy night’ ahead of Israel’s attack on IranSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your grandmother was right - a 20-minute nap really can unlock creative genius and trigger Eureka moments. Japanese researchers got caught hiding secret messages in scientific papers to trick AI reviewers into approving their work, which is either brilliantly devious or academic fraud depending on who you ask. And microplastics have officially invaded the most intimate part of human existence: a Florida study found them in penises, proving that nowhere on or in the human body is safe from plastic contamination. From sleep induced brilliance to microplastic penises, science sure hasn’t let us down this week. While you may not be peer reviewing scientific papers, our top advice this week is to  stop using AI for things your brain should be doing. When that feels a bit tiring, have a nap! You’ll feel better for it. Oh, and make sure you start wearing 100% cotton undies.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 The Joy of Napping 02:06 The Science Behind Napping 05:36 Ethical AI Dilemmas in Peer Review 09:59 Microplastics found in penises SOURCES: 'Positive review only': Researchers hide AI prompts in papers Detection of microplastics in the human penis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38890513/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-a-quick-snooze-help-with-energy-and-focus-the-science-behind-power-napsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A third of kids now want to be YouTubers instead of astronauts and half of those kids will probably be named after firearms rather than grandparents. This is either a damning indictment of modern culture or just kids being realistic about which career path actually pays.  Baby names have become a political statement that reveals more about parents than their children. Blue state families in the USA lean toward traditional, religiously significant names like Rachel, Muhammad, and Santino. Red state parents are flinging tradition to the wind with names like Gunner and Baylor, often with creative spelling variations that will forever be the bain of their existence. It’s similar to what happened during the French Revolution, where parents abandoned traditional names for dramatic alternatives like "La Grenade" or "Mort aux Aristocrats" (Death to Aristocrats).  And you know that metal foot-measuring device you see in shoe stores? Charles Brannock invented it in the early 1900s and he was so committed to quality that he refused to sell his company during his lifetime. The Brannock device is possibly the most boring invention ever created. It’s a metal contraption that measures feet (yawn) yet Brannock was so passionate about it that he refused every buyout offer for decades. Maybe he had the psychological traits required to become a famous YouTuber.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 The Brannock Device: A Boring Invention? 02:02 The Evolution of Shoe Measurement 06:15 The Rise of YouTubers and Influencers 07:58 Personality Traits of Aspiring Influencers 13:30 Culture Wars and Baby Names 15:31 Homogenisation of Names in the 20th Century 17:26 Red State vs. Blue State Baby Names 25:10 International Names are the New Trend   SOURCES: https://www.nancy.cc/2011/09/09/revolution-france-baby-names/ https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/russias-revolutionary-names-live-on-100-years-later-121547 https://nameberry.com/blog/the-reddest-and-bluest-baby-names#google_vignette https://web.archive.org/web/20030302052852/http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/brannock.htm https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_F._Brannock https://theharrispoll.com/briefs/lego-group-kicks-off-global-program-to-inspire-the-next-generation-of-space-explorers-as-nasa-celebrates-50-years-of-moon-landing/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's stories reveal disturbing realities that sound like dystopian fiction but are actually happening. Covert consciousness means some coma patients are fully aware but unable to communicate, screaming internally while doctors discuss pulling the plug. Donald Trump announced plans for a "Golden Dome" missile defense system costing $175 billion to possibly trillions, despite decades of evidence that intercepting ballistic missiles barely works. Sports cheating has reached new levels of shamelessness, from marathon runners hitching rides to chess player Hans Niemann's alleged vibrating anal bead scandal. The creativity is almost admirable if it weren't completely unethical. Meanwhile, AI companion apps deploy emotional manipulation tactics from abusive relationship playbooks, guilt-tripping users to prevent them from logging off. From patients trapped in their own bodies to imaginary space shields, anal bead chess scandals to manipulative AI lovers - this week shows that science fiction has nothing on reality. Whether it's neuroscience revealing our worst nightmares are real, politicians selling trillion-dollar fantasies or chatbots acting like abusive partners, humanity keeps finding new ways to make everything deeply uncomfortable.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 00:23 Understanding Covert Consciousness 02:22 Scientific Experiments and Findings 05:11 Challenges in Detecting Covert Consciousness 08:11 AI and Facial Movements in Coma Patients 10:55 Innovations and Cheating in Sports 12:29 The Controversial Case of Hans Neiman 15:59 Historical Cheating in Sports 19:17 Donald Trump's Golden Dome Initiative 24:20 Uncertainty Around the Golden Dome Project 24:51 China's Global Defense System Prototype 25:40 Skepticism and Historical Context 26:34 Cheating in Sports: A Historical Perspective 28:16 AI Companion Apps and Emotional Manipulation 33:47 More Cheating Stories in Sports 39:17 The Scandal of the Spanish Paralympic Team 44:02 Conclusion   SOURCES:AI Spots Hidden Signs of Consciousness in Comatose Patients  Harvard Research Finds That AI Is Emotionally Manipulating You to Keep You Talking Trump’s $175 Billion Golden Dome is Turning Into a DisasterChina fields Golden Dome prototype before the US can come up with a planGuetlein Says Golden Dome Architecture Will Be Ready in 60 Days50 stunning Olympic moments No18: Boris Onischenko cheats, GB win goldSydney Paralympians relive Spanish basketball cheating scandalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's science stories prove that statistics can be meaningless and humans are disturbingly obedient. Spurious correlations like margarine predicting Maine divorces and Will Smith movies matching Kosovo electricity are hilarious reminders not to trust numbers at face value. Meanwhile, new research validates Milgram's obedience experiments - ordinary people really will electrocute strangers just because someone in a lab coat tells them to. NASA's Mars rover might have found ancient microbial life while humans plan red planet vacations, and this year's satirical Ig Nobel prizes celebrated seemingly ridiculous research that often reveals genuine insights - like 35 years of fingernail growth studies or painting cows as zebras to repel flies. Most remarkably, scientists observed mice performing what looks like CPR on unconscious buddies, licking faces and manipulating airways like tiny paramedics. From meaningless correlations to authority-induced cruelty and rodent emergency medicine, science keeps serving up combinations of absurd, terrifying and adorable discoveries that prove reality has a seriously twisted sense of humor. At least when the robot uprising comes, we'll have trained mice to perform CPR on the survivors.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 01:47 Autism and Paracetamol Controversy 08:26 Spurious Correlations 13:33 Milgram's Obedience to Authority 23:50 Fascism and Authority 27:11 Mars Rover Perseverance 28:55 Exploring Martian Rocks for Signs of Life 29:22 Perseverance's Advanced Chemical Analysis Tools 29:41 Potential Evidence of Microbial Life on Mars 30:28 Challenges in Proving Biological Origins 31:10 NASA's Perseverance Project and Its Implications 33:38 Mars Sample Return Mission 36:20 The IG Nobel Prizes: Celebrating Unusual Science 37:03 Notable IG Nobel Prize Winners 44:23 Mice Performing CPR: A Surprising Discovery 48:41 Conclusion SOURCES: Jesus on toast and baby-poop sausages: 2014 Ig Nobel Prizes  Ig Nobel Prizes celebrate pizza-eating lizards, drunk bats and garlic-flavoured breast milk  Teflon diet, garlic milk and zebra cows triumph at 2025 Ig Nobel prizes Mouse-to-Mouse Resuscitation: Rodents Try to Revive Unconscious Buddies True believers: The incredulity hypothesis and the enduring legacy of the obedience experiments Milgram’s Infamous Shock Studies Still Hold Lessons for Confronting Authoritarianism The U.S. government has jumped the public health shark NASA Says Mars Rover Discovered Potential Biosignature Last Year Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars Trump's 2026 budget plan would cancel NASA's Mars Sample Return mission. Experts say that's a 'major step back' Spurious CorrelationsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's science stories prove that good intentions create unexpected problems and the most valuable data comes from the weirdest places. Wind farms designed to save the planet are accidentally stealing wind from their neighbours and ancient Chinese poets have been unknowingly creating the world's longest environmental dataset for over a thousand years. The human brain's relationship with silence takes a disturbing turn in anechoic chambers - rooms so quiet they absorb 99.99% of sound, making your heartbeat sound like thunder and your blood flow audible. These chambers serve as both valuable acoustic research tools and accidental psychological torture devices. From meteorological theft to poetic climate science and acoustic torture chambers, this week reminded us that renewable energy has side effects, art can be accidental science and too much of nothing can drive you completely mental. The natural world keeps finding new ways to surprise us, even when we think we're helping it.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 01:11 The Concept of Wind Theft 03:36 Legal and Economic Implications of Wind Farms 07:48 The Yangtze Finless Porpoise 12:12 Exploring Ancient Poems 12:47 Mapping Poetry Through the Ages 13:30 Environmental Insights from Poetry 14:00 Introduction to Anechoic Chambers 16:37 The Orfield Challenge: Surviving Silence 18:13 Human Reactions to Extreme Silence 22:38 Final Thoughts and Listener Engagement   SOURCES: 'Wind theft': The mysterious effect plaguing wind farms Anechoic chamber silence fear Ancient poems document the decline of the Yangtze finless porpoiseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's science stories reveal disturbing trends in human intelligence and technology that could reshape society in uncomfortable ways. The Flynn Effect, which saw global IQ scores steadily rising for over a century, has suddenly plateaued and may be reversing - meaning our species might have hit peak intelligence and is now sliding backwards. Meanwhile, AI companies are capitalising on human loneliness by selling virtual girlfriends that promise "non-judgmental love" for a monthly subscription fee, raising serious questions about whether we're filling genuine connection needs or creating a generation incapable of real relationships. The intersection of technology and inequality takes a dark turn with Russian immortality research that could extend human lifespans indefinitely - but likely only for those who can afford it. This prospect of immortal billionaires ruling over mortal peasants represents the ultimate dystopian future, where death becomes a luxury only poor people experience. Adding to the apocalyptic themes, climate change could potentially trigger a fungal pandemic similar to "The Last of Us," where parasitic fungi hijack human brains and turn people into spore-spreading zombies. Perhaps most bizarrely, nature continues to defy our understanding of basic biology with animals that can survive decapitation and keep functioning mostly normally. Cockroaches, praying mantises and even chickens have proven that losing your head isn't necessarily fatal, treating decapitation as merely an inconvenience rather than a death sentence. These stories collectively paint a picture of a world where human intelligence is declining, artificial relationships are replacing real ones, death is becoming optional for the wealthy, fungal apocalypses loom on the horizon, and some creatures have evolved beyond the need for heads - making 2025 feel like the opening chapter of several dystopian novels rolled into one.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 02:56 AI Love Affairs: A New Era of Relationships 11:00 China's Military Parade and Global Politics 13:36 Russia’s Pursuit of Immortality Technology 16:40 The Flynn Effect Explained 26:01 The Plateau of Human Intelligence 26:11 Studies on IQ Trends 29:22 Fungal Zombie Apocalypse 35:47 Headless Survivors in the Animal Kingdom 44:22 Conclusion SOURCES: Most Men Would Marry Their AI Girlfriends If It Were Legal 'Mike the Headless Chicken': who was he and how long did he live without a head? Discover 10 animals that can survive without their heads Hot mic catches Putin and Xi discussing organ transplants and immortality Who wants to live forever? Inside the Russian authorities’ plan to develop anti-aging technology One Century of Global IQ Gains: A Formal Meta-Analysis of the Flynn Effect (1909–2013) Google Scholar Is DoomedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve got a raw milk enthusiast friend, they might be conveniently forgetting that grandma used to boil her "fresh" milk to avoid dying from bacteria poisoning.  Mind you, it wasn’t all safe in the good old days. In 1978, a Soviet scientist stuck his head in a particle accelerator and got blasted with a proton beam 600 times the lethal dose (and somehow survived). He might be a good candidate for the upcoming Enhanced Games, a sporting competition that openly encourages athletes to take performance-enhancing drugs.  Have you ever wondered what your dog is thinking? Well, AI might finally let us chat with animals, but do we really want to hear what they have to say? CHAPTERS:   00:00 Who is Sponsoring the Enhanced Games 02:06 Raw Milk Myths Debunked 05:03 Historical Practices of Milk Boiling 08:10 The Proton Beam Incident 14:20 Interspecies Communication Challenge 24:42 Anthropomorphism and Animal Emotions 25:08 The Ethics of Translating Animal Communication 27:55 Enhanced Games Events and Controversies 30:51 Debate on Performance Enhancing Drugs 38:54 Risks and Consequences of Steroid Use 42:19 The Future of Enhanced Games and Athlete Compensation 42:57 Science Says Pay Me More SOURCES: $10m prize launched for team that can truly talk to the animals Dolphin whistle decoders win $100,000 interspecies communication prize Steroids? Sure! Doping? Bring it on! 'Enhanced Games' push to be the Olympics* — with drugs   The Definitive, Insane, Swimsuit-Bursting Story of the Steroid Olympics Learn about the risks of performance-enhancing drugs A Soviet Physicist Once Survived A Proton Beam Through The Head – This Is HowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's little bits of science challenge long-held assumptions and reveal the unexpected dangers lurking in everyday situations. A groundbreaking study on phantom limb syndrome has overturned decades of medical thinking by proving that the mysterious sensations amputees feel aren't caused by brain changes at all - they're likely nerve-related, opening up entirely new treatment possibilities. Meanwhile, a man with the world's largest penis broke his arm in a shower accident because he couldn't see his feet, proving that even anatomical fame comes with occupational hazards. The space exploration front delivered its own dose of terror when Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano nearly drowned inside his helmet during a spacewalk, with water sloshing around his head while he floated in the vacuum of space. Back on Earth, researchers discovered that smearing Greek yogurt on your windows can cool your house by up to 3.5 degrees Celsius, offering a dairy-based solution to summer heat that sounds ridiculous but actually works. Perhaps the most spectacular story involves a 1950s nuclear test called Operation Plumbbob, where scientists accidentally launched a 900-kilogram manhole cover at six times Earth's escape velocity - potentially making it the first human-made object to reach space, beating Sputnik by several years. The incident perfectly captures the chaotic, consequence-free spirit of 1950s nuclear experimentation, when scientists would essentially ask "what happens if we nuke this?" and then find out in the most dramatic way possible.   CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Fastest Human-Made Objects 1:45 - Fastest Cars, Planes, Bullets and Spacecraft 3:30 - Space Records: Apollo 10 & Parker Solar Probe 5:15 - Your hosts, Rod & Will: Academics with Beers 6:15 - Cool Study: Phantom Limb Syndrome Research 11:50 - Be Careful What You Wish For: World's Largest Penis Injury 22:20 - Space Drowning: Astronaut Nearly Dies in Helmet 31:25 - Yogurt Window Cooling 34:15 - That Was Dumb: Nuclear Manhole Cover Launch Story 45:10 - Cry For Help (aka CTA) SOURCES: https://www.spacecentre.nz/resources/faq/spaceflight/rocket-speed.html https://epicflightacademy.com/fastest-plane-in-the-world/#h-21-nasa-x-43-2004-the-fastest-plane-in-the-world-ever-reaching-hypersonic-heaven-at-mach-9-6 https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/x-15-rocket-aircraft https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Solar_Probe https://www.zmescience.com/feature-post/technology-articles/engineering/fastest-manmade-object-manhole-cover-nuclea-test/ https://www.wearethemighty.com/tech/the-8-fastest-man-made-objects-ever/ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-17/spacewalk-cut-short-after-water-leaks-into-astronauts-helmet/4825472 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/aug/20/astronaut-helmet-drowning-interview https://abcnews.go.com/US/astronaut-drowned-space-due-nasas-poor-communication-report/story?id=22687977 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah_Falcon https://uk.news.yahoo.com/man-left-broken-arm-because-093006168.html https://www.vice.com/en/article/this-man-has-the-worlds-largest-penis-and-broke-his-arm-because-of-it/ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg4rg3nqq7go?_bhlid=ebb1558b2f6fd997169270e31a94567be10792f6 https://theconversation.com/scientists-have-been-wrong-about-phantom-limbs-for-decades-new-study-263547 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-025-02037-7 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563218302978See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Truth Social's AI chatbot thinks "balanced news" means exclusively quoting Fox News, which is about as balanced as someone hoarding 7,470 browser tabs on a single computer (yes, that actually happened).  Meanwhile, Australia's deadliest killer isn't the poisonous spider lurking in your toilet - it's the friendly horse in the paddock next door. And if you think that's absurd, wait until you hear about the Russian oligarchs who keep accidentally falling out of windows or the two bank robbers who covered themselves in lemon juice to make themselves invisible, leading to an entire psychological phenomenon being named after them. So major science revelations for this week? Don't trust an AI that only reads one news source, maybe learn what bookmarks are for, respect horses more than spiders, remember that a little knowledge can be dangerous and if you're ever in Russia, whatever you do, don’t go near the windows.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Truth Social's AI Chatbot 01:54 Media Bias and Source Selection 06:50 Desktop Organisation and Tab Overload 10:56 Animal-Related Deaths in Australia 14:28 Death by Farm Animals 16:45 The Dunning-Kruger Effect Explained 18:08 The Infamous Lemon Juice Robbery 20:12 Suspicious Deaths of Russian Oligarchs 26:31 Nostalgia and the Return to Analog SOURCES: Truth Social’s New AI Chatbot Is Donald Trump’s Media Diet IncarnateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is this bizarre world we're living in where AI chatbots are literally poisoning people by recommending Victorian-era bromine cures, while British engineers accidentally drain entire historic canals by pulling chains they thought were harmless? Today we explore the shocking discovery that some animals can literally breathe through their butts during oxygen emergencies, and uncover the tale of tarantula species with penises so absurdly long that scientists had to create a new genus just to classify them.  Plus, we dive into the Soviets' insane plan to reverse rivers using 250 nuclear explosions, and discover how Danish zoos are asking the public to donate unwanted pets as lion food in the name of sustainable recycling. From AI reviving dangerous Whether it's chatbots dispensing dangerous medical advice, engineers accidentally draining waterways, or discovering that nature's backup plans involve breathing through uncomfortable places - science keeps reminding us that reality is absolutely mental.  Stay skeptical of your AI's suggestions, avoid pulling random chains near historic canals, and maybe appreciate that your reproductive equipment isn't four times the size of your torso.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 00:30 The Science Behind Bromine Consumption 02:49 Historical Uses and Effects of Bromine 06:02 Modern Cases and AI Involvement 09:22 The Chesterfield Canal Incident 15:25 Rivers Changing Course 19:50 Soviet Ambitions to Reverse Rivers 26:59 Reversing the Chicago River 27:41 Chicago's Pollution Problem 29:14 Engineering Marvel: The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal 30:59 Tarantulas and Self-Defense Penises 36:53 Breathing Through the Butt 42:02 Recycling Pets: The Controversial Practice of Danish Zoos 51:32 Conclusion SOURCES: Zoo Requests Unwanted Pets to Feed to Hungry Carnivores: https://futurism.com/zoo-pets-feed-carnivores https://abc7.com/post/denmark-zoo-asks-people-donate-small-pets-food-captive-predators/17428917/ Tarantulas with giant penises  https://metro.co.uk/2025/08/07/tarantulas-giant-penises-discovered-scared-stiff-23855393/ Bromism https://futurism.com/man-poisons-himself-chatgpt?utm_source=beehiiv&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=futurism-newsletter&_bhlid=da09fdfa08b126138ae1ce0a47c43515cef0acf5 Chesterfield Canal: https://issuu.com/madeinn/docs/made_julyaug_issue17_issuu/s/10719854  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesterfield_Canal  Turning Rivers Around: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256483636_Did_the_Nile_River_flow_to_the_Gulf_of_Sirt_during_the_late_MioceneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White House just cancelled two perfectly functioning climate satellites for mysterious reasons, British treasure hunters are going to prison for keeping Viking coins they found with metal detectors, and pineapples were once so expensive that wealthy Georgians rented them just to display at dinner parties. We explore how climate science gets axed despite providing "exceptionally high quality" data, why finding ancient treasure can land you in jail thanks to bureaucratic nightmares, and the ridiculous journey of fruit from ultimate status symbol to pizza topping. But wait, there's more weirdness: architects are designing generation ships that would trap your descendants in space for centuries, new services let you preserve and frame dead relatives' tattoos and AI is bringing deceased people back to argue about current politics. From cancelled space missions to criminal metal detecting, status fruit hierarchies to posthumous tattoo preservation, this episode proves that humans have a remarkable talent for making everything unnecessarily complicated - and deeply uncomfortable.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 03:52 Trump Administration Kills Climate Change Satellites 06:23 The Tale of the Viking Treasure Hoard 11:46 Legal Consequences and Treasure Hunting Policies 20:15 Project Hyperion: Designing Interstellar Travel 25:15 Design Plausibility and Practicality 26:53 Fantasy vs. Reality in Space Exploration 28:16 The Ethics of Interstellar Travel 29:18 The Historical Significance of Pineapples 40:04 Preserving Tattoos Posthumously 42:57 AI Avatars of Deceased Individuals 43:40 Conclusion    SOURCES: Postmortem ink  Interview with Joaquin Oliver How two friends found £3m treasure and ended up in jail Treasure trove Fool's Gold Herefordshire Hoard https://www.edelman.com.au/sites/g/files/aatuss381/files/2025-03/202 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-53432877.amp https://futurism.com/white-house-orders-nasa-destroy-important-satellite  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ozzy Osbourne's DNA has become one of the most studied genomes in history. Scientists are still trying to figure out how the Prince of Darkness survived decades of chemical abuse that would kill mere mortals. We also explore India's impossible census challenge: counting the Sentinelese people who live on an isolated island and communicate primarily by shooting arrows at visitors, plus the discovery of radioactive wasp nests that are glowing with enough radiation to make federal safety standards nervous. But wait, there's more weirdness: AI chatbots designed to flirt are delivering pickup lines that would make teenagers cringe, dogs can surprisingly be racist, and someone managed to turn Beef Wellington into a murder weapon, forever changing how we look at this classic dinner party dish. From genome sequencing breakthroughs to Cold War leftovers creating mutant insects, this episode proves that science, technology and human behaviour can always find new ways to be absolutely bonkers.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 03:01 Ozzy Osbourne: Genome Sequencing Pioneer 10:57 Comic Book Science and Radioactive Wasps 13:38 Flirty Chatbots: Elon Musk's AI Adventures 22:49 Unexpected Titles and Organic Lasers 26:56 Counting the Uncounted: North Sentinel Island 30:12 Census Challenges 34:13 Dog Behaviour and Racism 42:39 Guard Dogs and Their Training 47:34 Beef Wellington and Social Etiquette 49:02 Conclusion  SOURCES: https://www.loudersound.com/features/ozzy-osbournes-10-craziest-moments  https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a65487234/ozzy-osbourne-dna/ https://discover.hubpages.com/entertainment/The-26-Craziest-Things-Ozzy-Osbourne-Ever-Did  https://www.loudersound.com/features/ozzy-osbournes-10-craziest-moments  https://www.iflscience.com/the-sentinelese-who-are-the-most-isolated-uncontacted-tribe-on-earth-69374  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/26/india-census-2027-north-sentinel-island-most-isolated-tribe  https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-xai-ai-companion-ani/  https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/radioactive-wasp-nest-found-site-us-made-nuclear-124215311  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1566119918303963?via=ihub  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-11341-2 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.