Let Me Google That
By Let Me Google That
Let Me Google ThatJan 14, 2024
Who Was Mother Goose?
Is the character of Mother Goose based on a real person? (Or a real goose?)
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Can You Work Yourself to Death?
Spoiler: Um, yeah.
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The *Other* DNA Structure 🧬
It's #DNADay! Let's talk about a DNA structure that's *not* the classic double helix: the i-motif! Which kind of looks like a uterus. . .
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How Earth Was Named
It's "Earth" in English, but that's hardly the universal term. Each language has its own word for our home planet.
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License Plates
Call in with your best vanity plate idea!
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The Swedish Hotline Riots
Pre group chat = party lines. In the 1980s, a bunch of Swedish teens used one to plan IRL meetup that went viral.
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Why You Hear Better When It's Cold Out
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Disaster
The true legacy the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory workers left behind was an uprising of women who fought for worker's rights and a union in the year before the tragic fire claimed their lives.
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The Americanization of St. Patrick's Day
In Ireland, #StPatricksDay was just a minor religious holiday for centuries — and not one that involved drinking. Then Americans appropriated it in the 1960s and now we have the #shamrockshake.
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Why Are We Still Doing Daylight Savings Time?!
Research has shown that more daylight means MORE TIME FOR CRIME.
Why Do We Yawn?
Leap Seconds
You've heard of #leapyear now get ready for leap SECONDS.
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How Do Coupons Work?
Ever wondered how coupons work? The whole cycle (from when you hand your $1 coupon to the cashier to when the store gets reimbursed by the manufacturer) takes about a month.
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Who Invented Conversation Heart Candies?
We have a frustrated pharmacist to thank for the chalk-and-talk-tastic Valentine's Day candy.
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Collective Nouns
The terms we use to describe groups of animals aren't just for animals, apparently.
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How The Flu Kills You
SPOILER: You don't technically die from the flu. ⚰️😷
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Why NASA Loves Peanuts 🥜
January 24th is #NationalPeanutButterDay! On this week's episode find out why NASA’s peanuts & which U.S. coast prefers crunchy over smooth.
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Can Dogs Really Smell Fear?
Can animals really smell fear? Can *humans* smell fear? And if the military were to, say, use pheromones to psych out enemy troops would that count as biochemical or psychological warfare?
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Car Inspections
The rules about car safety inspections aren't the same everywhere and some places don't require you to have your car inspected ever??
Oh, and if you have any leads on work for your laid-off host, please check out my website! abbynormanwriter.com
Auld Lang Syne
You can sing a tipsy rendition of it with your friends tonight to ring in the #newyear but elsewhere in the world, Auld Lang Syne pops up at funerals and...closing time at your local watering hole.
A Generous History of Secret Santa
The tradition has worldwide appeal, but there's actually one generous dude who was *the* Secret Santa.
Undecember
Well, it's been another shitty year so it's probably fine that we didn't end up making Undecember, the 13th month of the year, a thing.
Gifts vs. Presents 🎁
How Whispering Works
Why is whispering not talking? Why do we whisper? Do non-humans whisper? Also: Here's The Magic School Bus episode referenced.
Amelia Earhart's Sinuses
Chronic sinusitis from the 1918 pandemic flu meant flying wasn't easy for Amelia Earhart.
Does Silver Disinfect Itself?
Thanksgiving week is a great time for infection-prevention trivia, right? So, we wanted to know: does silver really disinfect itself?
Triggers vs. "Glimmers"
The term “trigger warning” gets thrown around and mocked, but at the most basic level, it’s an attempt at self-preservation. But is there an opposing force to a trigger? That’s the idea behind “glimmers.”
Additional reading:
- The blog post mentioned in this episode: The Nervous System, Triggers & Glimmers!
- More about the Polyvagal Theory.
Will-‘o-the-Wisps & Jack o' the Lanterns
Cough Medicine—One Helluva Drug!
Turns out the OTC cough medicines of your childhood were...pretty risky.
Why Is it Dark at Night?
Stars are bright, right? And there's a lot of 'em. So why isn't the night sky lit up!?
Friday the 13th
Trying to prove #FridayThe13th is unlucky? Turns out most data gathered on the subject is biased because people tend to avoid certain activities or exercise extra caution on that day!
A Brief History of ChapStick®
The Carrington Event
The Teacup Poisoner
A chemistry teacher figured out Young was behind the murders…because he’d left poison in his desk. ☠️
How Narcan Works
In the context of America's opioid epidemic, you've probably been hearing a lot about Narcan. But the "miracle drug" isn't new. It's actually been around since the 1960s. So how does it work? And can anyone use it to save a life?
How TLC’s “A Baby Story” Birthed Reality TV
25 years ago, the idea of live-streaming your child’s birth didn’t really exist—then TLC started airing a show called “A Baby Story.”
The Disappearance of Bobby Dunbar
Bobby Dunbar disappeared. The boy found, returned to his family, and raised as their son — was not him.
Check out the episode of This American Life I reference here.
A Cool History of Popsicles®
Here's the history of the "frozen confection of attractive appearance" which was *accidentally* invented by an 11-year-old boy in 1905.
Why Does the Perseid Meteor Shower Happen Every Year?
The Internet's First Photo
There's so much to love about Les Horribles Cernettes: 1. A doo-wop parody girl group of CERN scientists 2. Songs had titles like "Collider" and "Daddy's Lab" 3. In 1992 this promo photo became the first pic uploaded to the internet.
Heat Exhaustion v. Heat Stroke
You should know the difference between heat exhaustion versus heatstroke because heat-related illness kills! ☀️
The Pain Scale
In the 1940s, researchers burned the hands of women in labor to try to come up with an objective way to measure pain. And yes, I did write a book and this was in it! (And yes, to answer your other question: I am ready to die because Gillian Anderson blurbed it)
Barbie's Huuuuge Family Tree
Since her debut in 1959, Barbie has had many looks, jobs, and amassed quite an impressive collection of friends and extended family.
IMMORTAL SHARKS
The Science of Fireworks
Since it’s #4thofJulyweekend in the U.S., let’s talk about what makes fireworks so beautiful and loud.
How Hurricanes Get Named
If you scorned a weatherman circa 1967 you probably got a hurricane named after you.
Laundromats
Why did we stop calling laundromats "washaterias?!"
Blue Raspberry
Who do we have to thank (or blame?) for the mouth-staining marvel that is BLUE RASPBERRY?
Why Don't Eyelashes Grow Super Long?
Eyelashes are in the growing phase of the hair cycle for about a month while head hair can be there for 6 years!
AI MADE THIS EPISODE
From scripting to recording and editing, every part of this episode was made with AI. DEAR GOD WHAT HATH I WROUGHT?! Also, now you have to google Roko's Basilisk. Sorry.