Lateral with Tom Scott 103: Polo pitch invaders
Sep 27, 2024
Join Ólafur Waage, Evan Edinger, and Hannah Witton as they tackle whimsical questions and quirky stories. They humorously dive into the bizarre world of animal polo and the logistics behind it, particularly elephant polo's hilarious challenges. The trio also discuss the hidden gems of King Gizzard’s album 'Nonagon Infinity', comparing its audio experience across formats. With playful exchanges about altered road signs in Australia and the town's quirky renaming of Mole Hill, expect plenty of laughter and charm in this engaging dialogue.
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How Dentists Check Your Bite
- Articulation paper is used to check a patient's bite by leaving colored pigment marks where teeth contact each other.
- Tom Scott explains dentists use Y-shaped pigment-coated paper that patients bite to identify high spots after fillings so the dentist can adjust the occlusion.
Elephant Polo Needs Dung Collectors
- Elephant polo in Nepal required pitch assistants to clear dung during matches so the ball could roll without getting stuck.
- Ólafur explains each team used four elephants with a mahout steering while players hit the ball, and assistants removed elephant dung between plays.
An Album Built To Loop Infinitely
- King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard's Nonagon Infinity is designed to loop seamlessly so the end of the last track flows into the first.
- Tom Scott notes the CD (and streaming) can demonstrate continuous, seamless looping without manual intervention, unlike vinyl.