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iHeartPodcasts and Kaleidoscope

Are you a knowledge junkie who loves when facts are stranger than fiction? Do you find yourself constantly tripping down Wikipedia rabbit holes (and delighting in the journey)? Have you ever been told you ask a lot of questions? If so, congrats! You’re one of us: a Part-Time Genius! Join Will, Mango, and the team as we scour the globe in search of obscure facts, offbeat locales, and hidden histories. Along the way, we’ll chat with experts, play some games, get in touch with our silly side, and celebrate the fine art of staying curious.

Part-Time Genius

We’re closing out this week of curiosity with our good pals Josh and Chuck (and super producer Jeri!) from Stuff You Should Know. It’s a wide-ranging, brain-tickling conversation that touches on everything from childhood obsessions to SYSK behind-the-scenes stories to the shocking truth about off-mic personas. Plus: Everyone tries to figure out which Muppet they are, for some reason.
 
What’s your favorite fact you learned this week? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Instagram (@parttimegenius) or Bluesky (parttimegenius.bsky.social). We’ll pick one comment at random to win a prize! For a bonus entry, make a post with your answer and tag us. Deadline is 11:59pm ET, Sunday Oct. 26.
 
Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.
 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being Curious for a Living with Josh & Chuck from Stuff You Should Know

Today Will and Mango explore the science of curiosity at different ages: how school can help (or hurt) kids’ curiosity, why middle age may make you less curious, and what we know about babies’ curiosity, even though they can’t fill out questionnaires. Plus: A conversation with a researcher who made a surprising discovery about elderly people, and expert tips for practicing curiosity, whether you’re 1 or 100.
 
Join our slow(er) curiosity exercise! Think of something you’re curious about—big or small—then don’t Google it. Instead, go for a walk or sit someplace quiet. Use a pen and paper to jot down any ideas that come to mind. Then head over to our Instagram (@parttimegenius) or Bluesky (parttimegenius.bsky.social) and tell us how it went. We’ll pick one comment at random to win a prize! For a bonus entry, take a photo or video of your walk/quiet place, upload it and tag us. Deadline is 11:59pm ET, Sunday Oct. 26.
 
 • Learn more about Jamie Jirout’s work at 
the UVA REAL lab • .
 • Learn more about Mary Whatley’s work at 
the Motivated Memory & Successful Aging Lab • .
 • Learn more about Celeste Kidd’s work at 
the Kidd Lab • .
 
 
 
Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.
 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are We Doomed to Lose Curiosity As We Age?

Today we’re taking a break from human curiosity and turning our attention to other animals. What makes hummingbirds explore different flowers? Are we to blame for rats’ curiosity? Are animals in the wild more or less curious than animals in captivity? And if you were a zebrafish, which would you find more interesting: a white shell or a purple cup?
 
Day 3 listener activity: Grab an assortment of objects and present them one at a time to the nearest animal (as long as it’s friendly) to see what it’s curious about. Then head over to our Instagram (@parttimegenius) or Bluesky (parttimegenius.bsky.social) and tell us how the experiment went. We’ll pick one comment at random to win a prize! For a bonus entry, take a photo or video of your animal, upload it and tag us. Deadline is 11:59pm ET, Sunday Oct. 26.
 
Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.
 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can Pets Be Curious? How About Wild Chimps?

Where did the saying “curiosity killed the cat” come from, and is it just a way for the rich and powerful to oppress everyone else? (Hint: yes.) Today on the show, Will and Mango take a look at curiosity’s checkered history: from the Middle Ages (when it was considered a threat to society) to the 17th century (when it became downright trendy) to today (when we can Google anything we want). 
 
Day 2 listener activity: Head over to our Instagram (@parttimegenius) or Bluesky (parttimegenius.bsky.social) and tell us which three objects you’d include in a cabinet of curiosities. We’ll pick one comment at random to win a prize! For a bonus entry, take a photo or video of your objects, upload it and tag us. Deadline is 11:59pm ET, Sunday Oct. 26.
 
 • Buy Barbara Benedict’s book, 
Curiosity: A Cultural History of Early Modern Inquiry • .
 
 
 
Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.
 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.
 
 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Curiosity Dangerous?

Every day this week, we’re exploring a different aspect of curiosity—you know, the thing that makes you listen to this show. We’re starting off by discovering what happens in our brains when we experience curiosity, why some things make us curious and others don’t, how a lack of novelty can lead to pretty strange behavior, and how all of this ties in to our willingness to buy oat milk. 
 
Take the Which Part-Time Genius Co-Host Are You? quiz! Leave a comment on our Instagram (@parttimegenius) or Bluesky (parttimegenius.bsky.social) and tell us your result. We’ll pick one comment at random to win a prize! For a bonus entry, make a post about your result and tag us. Deadline is 11:59pm ET, Sunday Oct. 26.
 
 • Learn more about Celeste Kidd’s work at 
the Kidd Lab • .
 • Subscribe to Jack Shepherd’s newsletter, 
On Words and Up Words • .
 
 
 
Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.
 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What Does Curiosity Really Do To Our Brains?

Want to know which billionaire speaks Esperanto fluently? Or what country almost adopted Esperanto as its national language? Or why Hitler and Stalin were both afraid of Dr. Esperanto (actually Doktoro Esperanto)? Join Will and Mango as they dive into the incredible world of constructed languages and also discover why William Shatner isn't just the greatest Esperanto actor of all time... but also probably the worst.
 
This episode originally aired on May 2, 2024.
 
Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.
 
Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!
 
Photo by Volodymyr Hyrshchenko via Unsplash. Thanks, Volodymyr!
 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Come Esperanto Never Took Off?!

Today Mango and producer Mary are talking trash! Discover how people used to deal with trash (hint: it involved thousands of feral pigs), and why garbology is an actual science that can teach us a lot about ourselves. Plus, we take a look at the most creative modern garbage disposal technologies, from underground tubes to robot sharks to giant anthropomorphic wheels, and dig up some incredible things that were found in the trash.
 
Meet Baltimore’s Trash Wheel family here!
 
Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Pittsburgh travel tips? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.
 
Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!
 
Photo of a garbage pile in the Himalayas by Sylwia Bartyzel via Unsplash. Thanks, Sylwia!
 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can Pneumatic Tubes and Robot Sharks Solve Our Garbage Crisis?

From plants that eat rats and frogs, to the strange reason bats curl up in pitcher plants, Will and Mango explore the eerie world of carnivorous plants. 
 
This episode originally aired on November 9, 2018.
 
Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.
 
Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!
 
Photo by Andi Superkern via Unsplash. Thanks, Andi!
 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why did Venus Flytraps Develop a Taste for Meat?

It’s the second episode of our two-part series about Tintin! Today Gabe and Mango look beyond the books to discuss Tintin adaptations, including Steven Spielberg’s hit movie (which was forever changed by a random encounter in a grocery store) and two long-lost stage plays co-authored by Hergé himself. We also unpack Hergé’s legacy: from questions about his actions during WWII to his depictions of other countries, and the importance of having conversations about flawed art.
 
Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.
 
Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!
 
Photo of a Tintin mural in Bruxelles by Johan Mouchet via Unsplash. Thanks, Johan!
 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mystery of the Missing Tintin Plays

We all know which day Garfield hates. But what’s the best day to avoid a bank robbery? And when can you get the freshest sushi? And why are there seven days in a week, anyway? Will and Mango dive into your calendars, and emerge with some pretty surprising answers. Featuring author Melissa Heckscher.
 
This episode originally aired on August 25, 2017.
 
Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.
 
Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!
 
Photo by Bich Tran via Pexels. Thanks, Bich!
 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the Best Day of the Week?

From ancient Chinese lie detection methods involving a mouthful of rice, to the clever ways toddlers, apes and drongo birds stretch the truth, to the surprisingly honest way that Charles Ponzi got his start in business, Will and Mango have a whole lot to say about lying (honestly!).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to Spot a Lying Liar!

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