Digest

This podcast episode is a summer audience fact special, where the hosts share a collection of intriguing and often humorous facts. The episode begins with an announcement of their upcoming 10-year anniversary tour, "Thunder Nords." The hosts then delve into a range of topics, including the proposed 200-person bungee jump for the Chicago World's Fair, the absence of a Bush, Clinton, or Biden on the upcoming US election ticket, and the prevalence of the name "James" in relation to James Bond. They also discuss nominative determinism, with examples like a traveling Christian preacher named Arthur Owen Blesit and a Scottish poet named Iva Kotler. The episode continues with facts about cutlery collections, US banks having their own zip codes, a mushroom that smells like sperm, and the tragic story of scientist Henry Daglian who died from radiation exposure. The hosts also explore the increase in vasectomies during March in the US, attributed to men wanting to recover during "March Madness," and the German city of Konstanz keeping its lights on during World War II to deceive pilots. They discuss the Royal Albert Hall's unique construction, "Bookland" as a fictional country of origin for all books, and a proven remedy for hiccups involving a finger in the rectum. The episode also features facts about Harry Bulls, the mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Dr. Anthony Wattel's invention of budget frog saunas, the Canadian police procedural "Due South," and a Shakespearean coincidence on the New York City subway. The podcast concludes with a discussion about the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, the history of driving in Italy, and the surprising fact that more people have worked on the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise than there were ever actual pirates in the Caribbean.

Outlines

00:00:00

Summer Audience Fact Special & Tour Announcement

The podcast hosts introduce the episode as a summer audience fact special and announce their 10-year anniversary tour, "Thunder Nords."

00:02:09

Bungee Jumping, Eiffel Tower, and London Landmarks

The hosts discuss a proposed 200-person bungee jump for the Chicago World's Fair, bungee jumping's popularity in New Zealand, and brainstorm ideas for a London landmark to rival the Eiffel Tower.

00:07:59

Presidential Names, Nicknames, and Nominative Determinism

The hosts discuss the upcoming US election, presidential nicknames, and nominative determinism, with examples like a traveling Christian preacher named Arthur Owen Blesit and a Scottish poet named Iva Kotler.

00:11:47

Cutlery Collections, Zip Codes, and Saks Fifth Avenue

The hosts discuss a man with a massive cutlery collection, US banks having their own zip codes, and the unique zip code assigned to the shoe floor of Saks Fifth Avenue.

00:14:33

James Bond, Train Stations, and Russian Language

The hosts discuss a humorous anecdote about being mistaken for James Bond, the prevalence of the name "James," and the Russian word for "train" and its connection to the Vauxhall tube station in London.

00:16:26

Mushrooms, the Demon Core, and Radiation Exposure

The hosts discuss a mushroom that smells like sperm, the "demon core," and the tragic story of scientist Henry Daglian who died from radiation exposure.

00:19:25

Vasectomies, March Madness, and Recovery Time

The hosts discuss the increase in vasectomies during March in the US, attributed to men wanting to recover during "March Madness," and share humorous anecdotes about the procedure.

00:26:00

World War II Deception, Royal Albert Hall, and Construction

The hosts discuss the German city of Konstanz keeping its lights on during World War II to deceive pilots, the Royal Albert Hall's unique construction, and compare it to the Duomo in Florence.

Keywords

Q&A

• What is nominative determinism and how does it apply to the podcast?

  Nominative determinism is a phenomenon where a person's name seems to predict or influence their profession or life path. The podcast features examples like a traveling Christian preacher named Arthur Owen Blesit and a Scottish poet named Iva Kotler, highlighting the humorous connection between their names and their careers.

• Why is March a popular month for vasectomies in the US?

  March is a popular month for vasectomies in the US because it coincides with "March Madness," the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Men often choose to have the procedure during this time so they can recover while watching the games.

• What is the "demon core" and what happened to scientist Henry Daglian?

  The "demon core" was a plutonium sphere used in experiments during World War II. It was nicknamed "Rufus" and later "the demon core" due to its dangerous radioactivity. Scientist Henry Daglian died from radiation exposure after accidentally dropping a brick onto the core during an experiment.

• What is the "hiccoway" and how does it work?

  The "hiccoway" is a device that uses forced inspiratory suction and swallowing to cure hiccups. It's also known as "F-I-S-S-T," which stands for Forced Inspiratory Suction and Swallow Tool. The device helps to interrupt the hiccuping reflex by creating a strong suction that forces the diaphragm to relax.

• What is the chitrid fungus and how is it affecting frog populations?

  The chitrid fungus is a deadly fungal infection that affects amphibians, particularly frogs. It's a major threat to frog populations worldwide, leading to the extinction of many species. The fungus attacks the skin of frogs, disrupting their ability to breathe and absorb water.

• What are frog saunas and how do they help combat the chitrid fungus?

  Frog saunas are heated environments created by Dr. Anthony Wattel to combat the chitrid fungus. The heat treatment helps frogs develop immunity to the fungus and prevents it from spreading. The fungus is unable to survive in high temperatures, making the sauna a safe haven for infected frogs.

• How does the Royal Flying Doctor Service provide medical care to remote areas of Australia?

  The Royal Flying Doctor Service uses a fleet of aircraft to transport doctors and medical supplies to remote areas of Australia. They also provide telemedicine services, allowing patients to consult with doctors remotely.

• How did archaeologists determine that the Romans drove on the left side of the road?

  Archaeologists examined the depth of ruts in ancient Roman roads. They found that the ruts on the right side of the road were deeper than those on the left, indicating that carts were arriving lighter on the left and heavier with stones as they were leaving.

• How many pirates are estimated to have lived in the Caribbean throughout history?

  According to a leading piracy historian, there were only an estimated 4,000 pirates in the Caribbean throughout history. This is a surprisingly small number considering the influence pirates have had on popular culture.

Show Notes