Stuff To Blow Your Mind

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe talk about crabs eating things. Do YOU have what it takes to become a delicious entree for crab gourmands? Find out! (originally published 11/18/2021)

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We're out for Thanksgiving break, so please enjoy some leftovers...

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In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe talk about crabs eating things. Do YOU have what it takes to become a delicious entree for crab gourmands? Find out! (originally published 11/16/2021)

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Only science and logic can save us from dark magic and dragons! In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and guest co-host Seth discuss the 1982 Rankin and Bass animated film "The Flight of Dragons," featuring the voice talents of John Ritter and James Earl Jones.

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In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert chats with Ryan White, director of the new documentary “Good Night Oppy.” The film follows Opportunity, the Mars Exploration Rover affectionately dubbed Oppy by her creators and scientists at NASA. Oppy was originally expected to live for only 90 days but she ultimately explored Mars for nearly 15 years.

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Having a good data strategy can streamline the way a company does business. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Ronald Young Jr., host of Solvable, and guest Nicholas Renotte, Data Science and AI Technical Specialist at IBM. They discuss how data literacy can help make a business more efficient, the fundamentals of data management, and why data is step one to AI solutions. A study quoted by Nicholas and referenced in this episode can be found here. Some of Nicholas’ guidance on machine learning can be found here.

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

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In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert chats with Barbara Blatchley about her book “What are the Chances? Why We Believe in Luck.” (Originally published 11/04/2021)

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

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In this classic Dune-inspired episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe pick up where they left off in the last episode discussing the politics, philosophy and pain science of the Bene Gesserit, before diving into the spice-assisted navigation of the Spacing Guild. (originally published 11/11/2021)

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In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and guest co-host Anney Reese discuss the 1995 jungle adventure film "Congo" starring Laura Linney, Ernie Hudson and Tim Curry – as well as LOTS of Stan Winston gorilla costumes.

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It’s that time of year again! Join Robert and guest co-host Seth 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.

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In this classic episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the oft-forgotten Kulons of the planet Arrakis…

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It’s that time of year again! Join Robert and guest co-host Seth 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.

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

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The Bene Gesserit of Frank Herbert’s “Dune” use advanced mental and manipulative tactics to further their ends across the galaxy. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss this mysterious order and some scientific and philosophic interpretations of the Gom Jabbar awareness test. (originally published 11/09/2021)

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In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and guest co-host Seth discuss the 1988 surrealist dark fantasy film “Alice” by Czech stop-motion animation master Jan Švankmajer.

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In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert chats with wildlife conservation biologist Dr. Joel Berger about the challenges of conservation in a changing world, as well as conflict between mountain goats and bighorn sheep over mineral resources uncovered by a changing climate.

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In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the creature from “The Viewing,” the seventh episode of “Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities.”

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In this 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.

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In this special Halloween edition of Listener Mail, Dr. Anton Jessup returns from his travels to read some of the listener and viewer mail that has accumulated in the university basement over the last four years.

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In this classic invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss an important piece of cutting technology. Plus, during the Halloween season, masked brutes will chase you around your local haunted attraction with one of these if you buy a ticket. Yes, it’s time to discuss the chainsaw. (originally published 10/28/2021)

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Prepare yourself for sleepovers, tiny demons and gateways to hell. In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and guest David Striepe of the Talkin' Tofu podcast discuss 1987’s “The Gate.”

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Yes, the Halloween tradition continues as Robert and guest co-host Seth 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. This year, strap in for discussions around episodes of "Love, Death & Robots" and "Tales of the Unexpected."

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Intelligent automation can help combat the human biases that can lead to discriminatory hiring practices. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Jacob Goldstein, host of What’s Your Problem?, and guest Angela Hood, founder and CEO of ThisWay Global. They discuss how intelligent automation can accelerate inclusive hiring practices, why machines can mitigate bias but not remove it, and why diverse companies are more competitive.

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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 episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the humble goat and ponder why.

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

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In this classic invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss an important piece of cutting technology. Plus, during the Halloween season, masked brutes will chase you around your local haunted attraction with one of these if you buy a ticket. Yes, it’s time to discuss the chainsaw. (originally published 10/26/2021)

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As the Red Death ravages the surrounding countryside, Prince Prospero and his followers celebrate darkness within their rainbow-hued castle. In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1964 Roger Corman film “The Masque of the Red Death,” based on two different works from Edgar Allen Poe and starring the legendary Vincent Price, Hazel Court and Jane Asher.

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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 episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the humble goat and ponder why.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the salt dragon of Forgotten Realms…

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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 episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the humble goat and ponder why.

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...

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Strange presences walk the shore before the coming of the storm. Terrible forms move in its wake. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss a wide selection of ghosts and monsters connected to destructive weather patterns. (originally published 10/14/2021)

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In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe ride the chariot of pumpkins as they discuss 1983's "Halloween III: Season of the Witch." (originally published 10/15/2021)

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We tend to relegate zombies and the walking dead to the infernal realm of demons, necromancers and the emptied charnel houses of Hell. So it might surprise you to know that, in some traditions, reanimated human corpses are pius church-goers. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the holy undead. (originally published 10/21/2021)

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In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the horror of the Boxenwolf…

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We tend to relegate zombies and the walking dead to the infernal realm of demons, necromancers and the emptied charnel houses of Hell. So it might surprise you to know that, in some traditions, reanimated human corpses are pius church-goers. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the holy undead. (originally published 10/19/2021)

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We're on fall break this week, but please enjoy some seasonal offerings from last year...

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Robert and Joe dive into the rich history of TV horror and sci-fi anthology series to focus on STBYM topics they might not otherwise get to discuss on the show. In this classic episode, they’ll dive into episodes of The Hammer House of Horror and The Outer Limits. (Originally published 11/02/2021)

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In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe dive into a little cattle mutilation-sploitation cinema with Greydon Clark’s 1980 film “The Return” starring Jan-Michael Vincent, Cybill Shepherd and Martin Landau.

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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 episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe take a skeptical look at the cattle mutilation phenomenon of the 1970s.

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In this 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…

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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 episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the superstition, archaeology and science of elfshot.

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

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Smoking pools of dark reflection. Propagator of uncanny doubles. Gateway to inverse kingdom. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe venture into the world of mirrors, discussing their predecessors, their invention and way humans relate to the world on the other side. (originally published 8/17/2021)

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If this one doesn't scare you, you're already dead! Yes, in this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe venture into the cinematic mausoleum to discuss the dreamlike terror of 1979’s “Phantasm.”

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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 episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the superstition, archaeology and science of elfshot.

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Sustainable supply chains are good for the planet and good for business. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell takes on this topic with Tim Harford, host of Cautionary Tales, and guest Sheri Hinish, IBM’s Global Sustainability Services Leader and Offering Leader for Sustainable Supply Chain, known as the “supply-chain queen.” They discuss the supply-chain crisis and why transparent, responsible supply chains are imperative for our future.

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

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In this invention-themed episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the ancient origins of the gimbal, its connections to Chinese incense censers and its role in technological innovation.

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

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