Stuff To Blow Your Mind

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1986 sci-fi creature feature “Critters,” starring Dee Wallace, M. Emmet Walsh, Billy Zane, Terrence Mann and a bunch of ravenous space creatures. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert discusses big questions, fears and possibilities concerning extraterrestrial life with astrophysicist Adam Frank, author of “The Little Book of Aliens.” 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses Sleipnir, the mythical stead of the Norse god Odin. (originally published 06/07/2023) 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yes, the Halloween tradition continues as Robert and Joe dive into the rich history of TV horror and sci-fi anthology shows to focus on STBYM topics that might not otherwise make the show. In this installment, they spin some science and contemplation out of the 2001 episode of “The Outer Limits” titled “Think Like a Dinosaur” and the 1974 episode of “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” titled “The Spanish Moss Murders.” 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Anton Jessup takes a break from his experiments to read some of the listener and viewer mail that has accumulated in the university basement, but this time things take a more dramatic turn… 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These lands are old and the elves who lived before us still watch and wait. Cross them, and you may feel the prick of their arrow. You’ll find no wound, though your flesh will swell and ache, and if you happen upon one of their elfstones in the grass then you might have chance at survival. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the superstition, archaeology and science of elfshot. (originally published 10/04/2022)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the late-franchise Hammer horror film “Dracula A.D. 1972,” in which Chrisopher Lee’s vampiric prince of darkness rises from the ashes a century later in groovy London. Are hippies and the descendents of Doctor Van Helsing up to the challenge? Find out…

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of shadows. How do human conceptions of shadows factor into our literature, art, history and monster making? What does it mean to cast a monstrous shadow, or to cast no shadow at all? Find out… 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the undead mummies of horror cinema and where they emerge from in modern Egyptomania… 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of shadows. How do human conceptions of shadows factor into our literature, art, history and monster making? What does it mean to cast a monstrous shadow, or to cast no shadow at all? Find out… 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These lands are old and the elves who lived before us still watch and wait. Cross them, and you may feel the prick of their arrow. You’ll find no wound, though your flesh will swell and ache, and if you happen upon one of their elfstones in the grass then you might have chance at survival. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the superstition, archaeology and science of elfshot. (originally published 09/29/2022)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the amazingly weird and wonderful 1935 horror classic “The Bride of Frankenstein.” Has the doctor put his monster-making days behind him, or can he be tempted to even greater crimes of mad science by an even madder scientist? Find out… 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spooky cats are an iconic part of Halloween iconography, so in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of Kaibyō: the various strange and supernatural cats found in Japanese tradition.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To deploy responsible AI and build trust with customers, businesses need to prioritize AI governance. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Laurie Santos discuss AI accountability with Christina Montgomery, Chief Privacy and Trust Officer at IBM. They chat about AI regulation, what compliance means in the AI age, and why transparent AI governance is good for business.

Visit us at: ibm.com/smarttalks

Explore watsonx.governance: https://www.ibm.com/products/watsonx-governance

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spooky cats are an iconic part of Halloween iconography, so in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe dive into the world of Kaibyō: the various strange and supernatural cats found in Japanese tradition. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve ever actually been around a goat, you probably wouldn’t confuse it for the ultimate evil spirit. And yet, goats have various demonic and satanic connotations in Christian traditions. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the humble goat and ponder why. (originally published 10/25/2022)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the stand-alone, second installment of Spanish director Amando de Ossorio’s “Blind Dead'' series from 1973. The sightless revenants of the Knights Templars return 500 years after their grisly deaths to enact vengeance on a sleepy and corrupt Portuguese town. (originally published 8/20/2021) 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve ever actually been around a goat, you probably wouldn’t confuse it for the ultimate evil spirit. And yet, goats have various demonic and satanic connotations in Christian traditions. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the humble goat and ponder why. (originally published 10/20/2022)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of STBYM’s The Artifact, Robert discusses Freddy Kreuger’s infamous claw weapon and how it compares to the actual use of bladed gauntlets in history… (originally published 10/05/2022)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve ever actually been around a goat, you probably wouldn’t confuse it for the ultimate evil spirit. And yet, goats have various demonic and satanic connotations in Christian traditions. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the humble goat and ponder why. (originally published 10/18/2022)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strange lights and black helicopters in the night. Cattle found dead with blood or organs seemingly removed from strange incisions. Alien visitors in the heartland. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe take a skeptical look at the cattle mutilation phenomenon of the 1970s. (originally published 10/06/2022)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe tune their satellite dish to 1986 and discuss the outrageous sci-fi horror camp-fest that is Ted Nicolaou’s “TerrorVision,” starring Gerrit Graham and Mary Woronov. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s that time of year again. Join Robert and Joe as Stuff to Blow Your Mind descends into the Halloween season. In this episode, explore the historic and psychological origins of necromancy: the ancient practice by which shamans, wizards and sorcerers sought communication with the dead. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special bonus episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses Clive Barker’s Rawhead Rex and various related creatures and spirits from English lore and legend…

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Open-source innovation is the future of AI. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Tim Harford discuss the open-source AI community with Jeff Boudier, head of product and growth at Hugging Face. They chat about the history and future of open-source AI, its critical importance to AI progress, the IBM watsonx partnership with Hugging Face, and how businesses can leverage open-source AI for their specific needs.

Visit us at ibm.com/smarttalks

Learn more about the Hugging Face partnership: https://newsroom.ibm.com/2023-08-24-IBM-to-Participate-in-235M-Series-D-Funding-Round-of-Hugging-Face

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s that time of year again. Join Robert and Joe as Stuff to Blow Your Mind descends into the Halloween season. In this episode, explore the historic and psychological origins of necromancy: the ancient practice by which shamans, wizards and sorcerers sought communication with the dead. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert discusses witch bottles and other forms of counter-witchcraft of olden days with Brian Hoggard, author of "Magical House Protection: The Archaeology of Counter-Witchcraft." His website can be found at www.apotropaios.co.uk. (originally published 11/01/2022)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe kick off the Halloween season with 1967’s “The Sorcerers,” starring Boris Karloff. It's a groovy mix of hypnosis, mind control and murder. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s that time of year again. Join Robert and Joe as Stuff to Blow Your Mind descends into the Halloween season. In this episode, explore the historic and psychological origins of necromancy: the ancient practice by which shamans, wizards and sorcerers sought communication with the dead. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the mythological Chinese monster known as the Nine Faces of Death… 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s that time of year again! Join Robert and Joe as they discuss some of this year’s Ig Nobel prize-winning scientific studies and papers – honored as always for first making us laugh, then making us think. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might not think your car’s odometer is that exciting, but it’s actually the modern incarnation of an ancient invention with roots in China and the Greco-Roman world. Join Robert and Joe as they discuss the invention of the hodómetron and the li-recording drum carriage in this classic invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind. (originally published 09/06/2022)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1965 cult classic crime thriller “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” directed by Russ Myers and starring Tura Santana, Haji and Lori Williams. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s that time of year again! Join Robert and Joe as they discuss some of this year’s Ig Nobel prize-winning scientific studies and papers – honored as always for first making us laugh, then making us think. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence research often reshape the design and utility of AI in both business and society. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Goldstein explore the conceptual underpinnings of modern AI with Dr. David Cox, VP of AI Models at IBM Research. They talk foundation models, self-supervised machine learning, and the practical applications of AI and data platforms like watsonx in business and technology.

Visit us at: https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/smart/talks/

Learn more about watsonx: https://www.ibm.com/watsonx

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1970 book “Future Shock,” futurist Alvin Toffler outlined a vision of post-industrial society in which rapid technological and social changes outstrip the average human’s ability to cope. More than half a century later, how does this idea hold up and are contemporary humans victims of future shock? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss how it seems to be panning out. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the origin of surgical gloves, the differing concepts for their composition and the struggle to get surgeons to wear them. (originally published 08/30/2022)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss Nicolas Roeg's 1976 sci-fi film "The Man Who Fell to Earth," starring the legendary David Bowie.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1970 book “Future Shock,” futurist Alvin Toffler outlined a vision of post-industrial society in which rapid technological and social changes outstrip the average human’s ability to cope. More than half a century later, how does this idea hold up and are contemporary humans victims of future shock? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss how it seems to be panning out. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Artifact, Robert discusses various gadget canes, from Benjamin Franklin’s walking stick to Edgar Alan Poe’s cane sword… 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1970 book “Future Shock,” futurist Alvin Toffler outlined a vision of post-industrial society in which rapid technological and social changes outstrip the average human’s ability to cope. More than half a century later, how does this idea hold up and are contemporary humans victims of future shock? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss how it seems to be panning out. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once more, it's time for a weekly dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail...

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the standard nugget of textual thought: the paragraph. (originally published 8/25/22)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe return to the phantasmagorical world of Mario Bava with the stylish 1968 crime thriller “Danger: Diabolik,” starring John Phillip Law and Marisa Mell.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.