Let Me Google That
By Let Me Google That
Let Me Google ThatDec 03, 2023
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.
Permanent Daylight Saving Time
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.
Deepwater Horizon
On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, sinking 2 days later. Over the next 87 days, millions of barrels of oil leaked into the ocean — the economic & environmental impact of which many are still reeling from today.
Is Internet Access a Human Right?
If you live in a country where access to the Internet is a part of your daily life, you might not have considered what it would mean to lose that access—or never have had it at all.
Mercury Retrograde
Is #MercuryRetrograde a thing or do we just want to believe it's a thing?
Naming Your Kentucky Derby Racehorse
Titanic Part II: The Tale of Dorothy Gibson
Titanic: Part I
This weekend marks the 111th anniversary of the #Titanic sinking. The disaster launched a thousand ships (if unanswered questions & conspiracy theories are ships) that still compel us over a century later.
What's the Most Popular Birthday?
Not mine lol
The Picture of Everything
An artist named Howard Hallis has spent the last decade painting a massive picture of literally everything.
Why Does Grapefruit Mess With Meds?
The interaction was discovered in a study where the juice was used to mask the taste of alcohol.
Sexy Moths
Put on some slow, sexy, saxophone riffs and leave your porch light on tonight to help Hot Single Poplar Hawk Moths in your area get it on. It's literally their reason for living. #TagUrMothPorn
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.
The Kentucky Meat Shower
So, meat pieces fell from the sky in Kentucky once.
Why Are Giraffes So Damn Long?
Everything you never knew you wanted to know about giraffes: the even-toed ungulates formerly known as CAMELEOPARDS.
Indelible Pencils
Who Invented Conversation Heart Candies?
We have a frustrated pharmacist to thank for the chalk-and-talk-tastic Valentine's Day candy.
The Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster
20 years ago, the Columbia space shuttle disaster resulted in the deaths of 7 human crew members, but there were survivors: small worms that had been involved in an onboard experiment somehow survived the impact & extreme heat.
The Doomsday Clock
This year the Doomsday Clock is the closest to midnight it's ever been. 1991 was the best year: we were ~7 minutes away.
What Is Wind Chill?
Y'know how your weather app gives you the temperature outside but then warns you that it'll *feel like* a much colder temp, thus upping your risk of FROSTBITE? We're debunking the ol' New England adage, "Don't fuck with the wind chill, fam."
"Cold Sunday"
On January 17th, 1982 hundreds of U.S. cities broke records for low temperatures — many of which still stand today. Near Tower, Minnesota, temps dropped to -52 °F (-47 °C).
Mrs. Röntgen's Skeleton Hand
In 1901, Wilhelm Röntgen became the first person to win the Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of X-rays. The famous image he captured was of his wife's hand. Upon seeing her skeletal fingers, she gasped: "I have seen my death."
2023 Predictions: Let’s Do Cannibalism!
What’s in store for 2023? The Antichrist, war, space disasters, and cannibalism!
Santa's Evil Twin
The Christmas devil! A yuletide bastard if there ever was on! It's KRAMPUS. Obviously, this episode is rated R.