Digest

The podcast begins with an announcement of the hosts' upcoming 10th anniversary tour, "Thunder Nerds," which will take them across the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. The episode then dives into the first modern Olympics held in 1896, focusing on the surprisingly cold Mediterranean water that caused an American swimmer to drop out and the unconventional hurdles race where athletes jumped with both feet simultaneously. The hosts then discuss Japan's ambitious plan to build a 300-mile conveyor belt system to transport goods between Tokyo and Osaka, aiming to address a driver shortage and reduce traffic congestion and pollution. The episode explores the term "latronalia," coined in 1966 to describe graffiti found in toilets, and delves into the history of this phenomenon, from ancient Rome to modern times. Studies reveal gender differences in toilet graffiti content, with men's graffiti more likely to contain sexual content and insults, while women's graffiti is more likely to express feelings of love, support, and humor. The hosts uncover a unique pizza offering from Pizza Hut in Hong Kong: a pizza topped with ham, mushroom, and snake. They discuss the history of snake consumption and explore other regional pizza variations, including the cheeseburger crown crust and the squirting crust. The episode concludes with a deep dive into the world of pizza, exploring the strict guidelines for authentic Neapolitan pizza and the surprising fact that Norway consumes the most pizza per capita. They discuss the origins of modern pizza in America and the evolution of the calzone.

Outlines

00:00:00

Thunder Nerds Tour Announcement

The podcast hosts announce their upcoming 10th anniversary tour, "Thunder Nerds," which will take them across the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. They encourage listeners to purchase tickets and join them for a live podcast recording and behind-the-scenes experience.

00:01:36

The First Modern Olympics: Cold Water and Other Oddities

The episode delves into the first modern Olympics held in 1896, focusing on the swimming events. The hosts discuss the surprisingly cold Mediterranean water, which caused an American competitor to drop out, and the unconventional hurdles race where athletes jumped with both feet simultaneously.

00:17:25

Japan's Conveyor Belt Plan and Its Impact

The hosts discuss Japan's plan to build a 300-mile conveyor belt system to transport goods between Tokyo and Osaka. This ambitious project aims to address a driver shortage and reduce traffic congestion and pollution.

00:31:09

Latronalia: The History of Toilet Graffiti

The episode explores the term "latronalia," coined by a professor in 1966 to describe graffiti found in toilets. The hosts discuss the history of this phenomenon, from ancient Rome to modern times, and delve into studies that reveal gender differences in toilet graffiti content.

00:41:45

Pizza Hut's Snake Pizza and Other Regional Delights

The hosts uncover a unique pizza offering from Pizza Hut in Hong Kong: a pizza topped with ham, mushroom, and snake. They discuss the history of snake consumption and explore other regional pizza variations, including the cheeseburger crown crust and the squirting crust.

00:49:04

The World of Pizza: From Naples to Norway

The hosts delve into the world of pizza, exploring the strict guidelines for authentic Neapolitan pizza and the surprising fact that Norway consumes the most pizza per capita. They discuss the origins of modern pizza in America and the evolution of the calzone.

Keywords

Q&A

• What is the main reason behind Japan's ambitious conveyor belt plan?

  The plan aims to address a driver shortage and reduce traffic congestion and pollution by transporting goods between Tokyo and Osaka via a conveyor belt system.

• What are some of the key differences between men's and women's toilet graffiti, according to studies?

  Studies suggest that men's graffiti is more likely to contain sexual content and insults, while women's graffiti is more likely to express feelings of love, support, and humor.

• What are the strict guidelines for making an authentic Neapolitan pizza?

  The guidelines, outlined in a 27-page guide, cover aspects like dough preparation, scorch marks, and dimensions, with a maximum diameter of 35 centimeters.

Show Notes