The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week
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Marie Antoinette Wearing Braces, Secret Immortal Cells, Chasing the Tooth Worm
Hari Kondabolu and Priyanka Wali join the show to talk about cells taken secretly and unethically... but ended up changing human health forever. Then, Rachel divulges a plethora of facts about dental…
We Did it Joe (Pilates), They Did Surgery on a Cocaine Hippo, Steinbeck Digs Deep (Literally)
Ben Lillie joins the show to talk about John Steinbeck doing very in-character things on a scientific expedition out on the open ocean. Plus, Sara Kiley talks about Joseph Pilates (yes, that…
A Musical Secret Weapon, Low Cortisol Beakmaxxing, Roller Coaster Science
Dropout's Grant O'Brien joins the show to talk about all things weird roller coasters. Plus, Jess hops on to discuss how a Gregorian chant has infiltrated all of our favorite media, from Shrek to…
Cannibal Caribou, Charming Worms, Strawberry-Flavored Neutrinos
Rachel's officially back! Chanda Prescod-Weinstein also joins as a guest host. This week, they talk about self-made caribou snacks, how to charm a worm, and why neutrinos can be classified as…
REVISITING Naked Founding Fathers, Jalapeño Thumb, Counting Vampires
In our final rerun episode during Rachel's parental leave, we have the oldest episode yet. It features one of Jess' first appearances on the show in which she details strange vampire folklore (and…
Killer Demon Core, Victorian Theater-Kid Ghosts, Louis Pasteur's Secrets
Jess brings adef and jacksonparodi on the show this week to discuss how one sphere killed two men in a matter of days, why folks in Victorian Australia used glowing paint to transform into ghosts,…
REVISITING Art Crime Doesn't Pay, Canines Cooking Meat, Eggs Gone Wrong
While Rachel is on parental leave, here's a vintage episode from our vault! Rachel, Sara, and comedian Josh Gondelman discuss dogs cooking in kitchens, chickens laying eggs inside themselves, and…
Atomic Priesthood, Space Smells Like Beef, the Power of Pee Fuel
Jess brings on science-minded friends Lindsey and Misti to discuss why space smells like a freshly opened beef stew packet, how having to pee makes you better at video games like Elden Ring, and how…
REVISITING Olympic Weirdness: Barefoot Marathons, Medals for Artwork, Pistol Dueling
While Rachel is on parental leave, here's a vintage episode from our vault! Rachel, Claire, and Sara discuss all things weird related to the Olympics way back in 2021 (when the games were pushed…
Beaver Skull Obsession, Aussie Widowmakers, Koalas Eating $#!%
WELCOME TO SEASON 10! Jess hosts the show solo while Rachel is on maternity leave, but brings on a pair of her creator friends to chat about how beavers keep wildfires at bay, koalas eating their…
Bat-Devouring Rodents, Penguin Retirement Home, Chicago "Rat" Hole
Kendra Pierre-Louis joins Weirdest Thing for the season 9 finale! She talks about the rats chowing down on bats, producer Jess Boddy explains the scientific study on Chicago's rat hole, and Rachel…
Vintage Antivaxxers, Horror Flick Psychology, Robin-Eating Bats
Coltan Scrivner joins the show to talk about the strange empathy of horror movie enjoyers. Plus, Sara Kiley talks about bats dogfighting and devouring birds, and Rachel delves into the bizarre…
Footless Goose Murder, Sex in Space, Viking Sicko Mode, Sports Bra Tech
Behold: our LIVE show from earlier this year at Caveat in NYC! Rachel, Jess, Moiya McTier and Claire Maldarelli each bring a weird fact to the stage. Topics run the gamut this week. We've got an…
Check it out: 'Ask Us Anything' from Popular Science. On this episode, GOOSEBUMPS
Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. On this episode: Goosebumps are a…
What Rats are REALLY Saying, Cosmic Caffeine, Lamarck was RIGHT?!
Tom Lum joins the show to reveal what rats are ACTUALLY saying to each other. Plus, Rachel talks about the color of the Universe, and Lauren explains one evolutionary exception. The Weirdest Thing I…
Ant Yogurt, Bunny Horns, Deadly Feather Fashion
Liz Clayton Fuller joins the show to talk about the deadly feather trade. Plus, Jess hops in to explain the strange virus causing bunnies to sprout horns, and Rachel gets into the way some folks are…
Check out: On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti from WBUR!
We're sharing an episode of On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti. On Point is a rare public space where you hear nuanced explorations of complex topics live and in real time. Host Meghna Chakrabarti…
Drunk Monkeys, Heroic Rats, Forehead Teeth
Carly York joins the show to talk about the most heroic rats you'll ever meet. Plus, Sara Kiley talks about some drunk monkeys, and Rachel gets into sharks' toothy foreheads. The Weirdest Thing I…
Skateboard Archeology, Dire Wolf Bones, The Great Fear
Annalee Newitz joins the show to talk all about how 18th century gossip spread like an actual infectious disease. Plus, Laura delves into how dire wolf bones could help our modern pups, and Rachel…
Airborne Butt Cam, Snake Panic, Oops! All Cloacas
Sarah Gailey joins the show to discuss why one scientist put the cutest little monocles on a bunch of chameleons. (And also to talk about their new book, Spread Me, out now wherever you buy books!)…
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The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week has published 229 episodes since April 2018, covering topics in Education, Science.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is currently highly active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 49m.
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