Stuff To Blow Your Mind

iHeartPodcasts

Deep in the back of your mind, you’ve always had the feeling that there’s something strange about reality. There is. Join Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick as they examine neurological quandaries, cosmic mysteries, evolutionary marvels and our transhuman future. read less

Our Editor's Take

The Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast is for curious people who believe things aren't exactly as they seem. It discusses movies, monsters, science, history, technology, and artifacts with discerning research. The research focuses on the unusual features of each topic. Creator Robert Lamb is the host and started the podcast in 2010. He had other cohosts until Joe McCormick joined him in 2015. This podcast doesn't try to be popular, but it is, thanks to an unapologetic willingness to get nerdy.

McCormick and Lamb are both writers, which gives their podcast credibility. They're not sharing urban legends. The Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast references published experiments, studies, and journals. They talk about cryptids, video games, and techno-religions. Somehow, they even make tumbleweeds fascinating.

Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast episodes vary in length. The "Artifact" and "Monstrefact" episodes are under five minutes. These explore interesting artifacts and monsters. One such artifact is the piñata. Listeners learn how Chinese statues and Spanish missionaries influenced these candy-filled decorations. A "Monstrefact" episode discusses clurichauns, which are creatures of Irish folklore like leprechauns. But these creatures don't adorn cereal boxes. Listeners hear why they hide in wine cellars and what they do to those who enter.

"Weirdhouse Cinema" episodes examine weird movies like 1981's Clash of the Titans. Listeners who loved Maggie Smith on Downton Abbey may find her role in this film intriguing. They'll also learn which actress received top billing but only spoke one line.

Animal lovers won't want to miss this podcast, either. Stuff to Blow Your Mind discusses shrike birds who make shish kebabs with crickets. It studies raccoons who rinse their food when they're near water but will also eat trash. Listeners hear why raccoons in one study rinsed shrimp, but not worms, before eating them.

Anyone who likes asking "why, how, when, where, who, or what" may find Stuff to Blow Your Mind mesmerizing. They can even email hosts their questions. New episodes air almost daily, so there's no shortage of points to ponder.

read less

ScienceScience

Start Here

From the Vault: Thar She Blows, Part 1

From the Vault: Thar She Blows, Part 1

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the science of whale spout, as well as various misconceptions about just how watery, caustic or explosive these plumes really are. (Originally published 04/25/2023)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episodes

From the Vault: Thar She Blows, Part 1

From the Vault: Thar She Blows, Part 1

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the science of whale spout, as well as various misconceptions about just how watery, caustic or explosive these plumes really are. (Originally published 04/25/2023)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weirdhouse Cinema: Highlander II, Part 1

Weirdhouse Cinema: Highlander II, Part 1

In this special two-part episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the original theatrical cut of Russell Mulcahy’s “Highlander II: The Quickening,” starring Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Michael Ironside. Long live the Zeist cut! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Very Dust, Part 5

The Very Dust, Part 5

What exactly constitutes dust? What creatures thrive on it? How does it factor into our planet’s atmosphere? In this series of episodes from Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the world of dust, from the scientific facts to the magical and the mythical. (Part 5 of 5)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Animalia Stupendium: The Common Kingfisher

Animalia Stupendium: The Common Kingfisher

Bored with dragons, the wizard Argomandanies turns his arcane attention to the fantastic fauna of the natural world. Welcome to Animalia Stupendium, a chronicle of Earth’s amazing biodiversity with all the enthusiasm of a fantasy monster book. In this episode, the wizard will consider the subtle wonders of the common kingfisher…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Very Dust, Part 4: Mythology in Dust

The Very Dust, Part 4: Mythology in Dust

What exactly constitutes dust? What creatures thrive on it? How does it factor into our planet’s atmosphere? In this series of episodes from Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the world of dust, from the scientific facts to the magical and the mythical. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listener Mail: The Ripe Program

Listener Mail: The Ripe Program

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.

From the Vault: Before You Could Remember, Part 3

From the Vault: Before You Could Remember, Part 3

Our personal memories only extend back so far in life, and before that, there is a void. Why don’t we remember our early childhood and what does it say about human memory, childhood development and cultural ideas about infants? Robert and Joe explore in this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind… (originally published 04/18/2023)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weirdhouse Cinema: On the Silver Globe

Weirdhouse Cinema: On the Silver Globe

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1988 Polish science fiction film “On the Silver Globe,” directed by Andrzej Żuławski.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Very Dust, Part 3

The Very Dust, Part 3

What exactly constitutes dust? What creatures thrive on it? How does it factor into our planet’s atmosphere? In this series of episodes from Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the world of dust, from the scientific facts to the magical and the mythical. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Monstrefact: The Flight of Dragons

The Monstrefact: The Flight of Dragons

In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses a curious proposed method of dragon flight proposed by author Peter Dickinson in the 1979 book “The Flight of Dragons.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Very Dust, Part 2

The Very Dust, Part 2

What exactly constitutes dust? What creatures thrive on it? How does it factor into our planet’s atmosphere? In this series of episodes from Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the world of dust, from the scientific facts to the magical and the mythical. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listener Mail: Ephemerol

Listener Mail: Ephemerol

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.

From the Vault: Before You Could Remember, Part 2

From the Vault: Before You Could Remember, Part 2

Our personal memories only extend back so far in life, and before that, there is a void. Why don’t we remember our early childhood and what does it say about human memory, childhood development and cultural ideas about infants? Robert and Joe explore in this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind… (originally published 04/06/2023)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weirdhouse Cinema: Dragonslayer

Weirdhouse Cinema: Dragonslayer

On the heels of Monday’s solar eclipse, Rob and Joe devote this week’s Weirdhouse Cinema episode to 1981’s “Dragonslayer.” The film features a total solar eclipse, in addition to one of cinema’s most memorable dragons. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Very Dust, Part 1

The Very Dust, Part 1

What exactly constitutes dust? What creatures thrive on it? How does it factor into our planet’s atmosphere? In this series of episodes from Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the world of dust, from the scientific facts to the magical and the mythical. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smart Talks with IBM: The Power of Collaboration: How IBM Teams Up with Microsoft

Smart Talks with IBM: The Power of Collaboration: How IBM Teams Up with Microsoft

Entire industries are being reshaped around the new capabilities of generative AI. In this special bonus episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Tim Harford leads a conversation between two leaders in the field. Srinivasan Venkatarajan is the Director of Global Partner Business at Microsoft, focusing on Azure Data & AI and Azure OpenAI. And Chris McGuire is the General Manager of the Global Microsoft Partnership for IBM. They discuss the efforts by IBM and Microsoft in the generative AI space, how this relationship has been providing value to clients, and why collaboration is necessary for technological progress. Visit us at: ibm.com/smarttalks Learn more about IBM Consulting for Microsoft This is a paid advertisement from IBM.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the Name of Osiris

In the Name of Osiris

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe follow up their two-part series on the Egyptian god Osiris with a look at various scientific topics named after him, including NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, the Osiris genus of bees and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listener Mail: Vale's Lonely Walk

Listener Mail: Vale's Lonely Walk

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.

From the Vault: Before You Could Remember, Part 1

From the Vault: Before You Could Remember, Part 1

Our personal memories only extend back so far in life, and before that, there is a void. Why don’t we remember our early childhood and what does it say about human memory, childhood development and cultural ideas about infants? Robert and Joe explore in this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind… (originally published 04/04/2023)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weirdhouse Cinema: Wolf Devil Woman

Weirdhouse Cinema: Wolf Devil Woman

In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1982 Taiwanese fantasy wuxia film Wolf Devil Woman, starring and directed by the amazing Pearl Chang! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.