Fighting Assumptions Podcast
Unlearning the 'facts' we are all absolutely sure of.
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Recent Episodes
The three-second lie: why your goldfish remembers more than you think
We’ve all used the excuse. You walk into the kitchen, stare blankly at the open refrigerator, and realise you have absolutely no idea what you came for. “Ugh, I have the memory of a goldfish,” you…
Electricity is not water: breaking the 'pipe' analogy
Imagine you flick a switch and, in a fraction of a second, a lamp across the room hums to life. We’ve all been taught the same “common sense” explanation: the battery or wall outlet pushes electrons…
Lightning does strike twice (and thrice, and a million times)
Today, we are tackling a phrase you’ve probably used to comfort a friend: “Lightning never strikes twice in the same place.”We use it to reassure people. Survived a freak round of corporate layoffs?…
The election deception: why the founders of democracy used a lottery instead
We have been conditioned to believe that the “ballot box” is the ultimate symbol of freedom. We are taught that the right to vote is the finish line of democratic progress.But if you could transport…
Why Chameleons are “terrible” at camouflage
We’ve all seen the cartoon: a sleek, bug-eyed chameleon strolls across a checkerboard and poof it’s covered in black and white squares. It’s the ultimate metaphor for adaptability. We use the word…
The fat-burning zone is a lie (and other uncomfortable truths about cardio)
You’ve seen the chart: a friendly graph showing a “Fat Burning Zone” at a low, conversational heart rate, and a “Cardio/Performance Zone” at higher intensities. The assumption we’ve been fed is…
Why the egg definitely came first
It’s the undisputed champion of circular reasoning, the ultimate rhetorical question used to describe a situation where it’s impossible to tell what caused what: Which came first, the chicken or the…
The "blind as a bat" lie: how science accidentally erased an animal's eyesight
We picture bats as creatures of the pitch-black night, relying entirely on biological sonar to frantically navigate the skies while their useless, unseeing eyes go along for the ride.But there’s a…
The greatest trick ever pulled: why the Trojan horse never actually existed
We all know the story of the giant wooden horse. But the archaeological and historical realities of the Trojan War point to a very different kind of destruction.Read more… Get full access to Fighting…
Sorry, but astronauts cannot see the Great Wall of China
“The Great Wall of China is the only human-made object visible from space”. It is etched into our collective consciousness. It appears in travel brochures, old textbooks, and pop culture. It is a…
The flat earth fallacy: why Columbus wasn’t the hero you think he was
We’ve all heard the story. It’s 1492. Christopher Columbus stands before a panel of grim-faced Spanish inquisitors and skeptical “experts.” They point at his maps and scoff, warning him that if he…
The dinosaur in your dinner
We’ve all been sold a story. It’s a story reinforced by every museum diorama, every plastic toy in a sandbox, and every Jurassic Park sequel.The story goes like this: 66 million years ago, a massive…
Van Gogh: the “starving artist” who actually sold many paintings
We think of Vincent van Gogh as a ‘unappreciated genius’ who only got recognition after his death. During his life he only sold a few paintings. The truth? He spent years dominating art sales.Read…
The $50 Million myth: Why Blockbuster was right to reject Netflix
We all know the story of Blockbuster laughing Netflix out of the room. It’s business folklore. It’s also an incomplete narrative that hides a much darker, more complex tragedy about corporate…
The great lemming lie: how Disney faked nature’s most famous suicide
We use “lemming” as a metaphor for mindless conformity, based on the belief that these rodents commit mass suicide off cliffs. The only problem? The entire phenomenon was staged by cinematographers…
Frequently Asked Questions
Fighting Assumptions Podcast has published 15 episodes since February 2026, covering topics in Documentary, Education.
Fighting Assumptions Podcast is currently active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 5m.
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