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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 27, 2019 • 50min
Invention: Toilets, Part 1
Have you subscribed to Robert and Joe's other podcast INVENTION yet? If not, here's a taste of what they're up to in part 1 of their look at toilet technology, from the oldest latrine pit to the modern flushing commode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 25, 2019 • 45min
The Sacred Mountain, Part 2
Why do sacred mountains exist in so many cultures and myths? To what extent could high altitude conditions contribute to the way our mind processes these breathtaking environments? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe explore the wonder and science of sacred mountains. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 23, 2019 • 47min
The Sacred Mountain, Part 1
Why do sacred mountains exist in so many cultures and myths? To what extent could high altitude conditions contribute to the way our mind processes these breathtaking environments? In this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter, Robert and Joe explore the wonder and science of sacred mountains. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 20, 2019 • 59min
From the Vault: Humanity's THC Odyssey
Humans have known about cannabis for thousands of years, crafting hemp textiles and consuming its psychoactive THC. In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert Lamb and Christian Sager examine the cannabis plant, its travels through human populations and its famed sensory and psychological effects. (Originally published May 3, 2016) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 18, 2019 • 54min
The Imp of the Perverse
In 1845, Edgar Allan Poe wrote a tale about a man overcome by the compulsion to confess to the heinous crime he sought to keep secret. The conundrum pops up in other Poe tales as well, but the so called “Imp of the Perverse” also invades the human mind with alarming regularity. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe attempt to understand just why, considering Freud, neuroscience, Ironic Process Theory and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 16, 2019 • 1h 1min
The Pressure
Atmospheric pressure. Water pressure. Geologic pressure. What exactly IS pressure and how do humans interact with it? Join Robert and Joe for a look at examples on and within planet Earth -- as well as beyond. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 13, 2019 • 1h 31min
From the Vault: Bicameralism, Part 2
In 1976, psychologist Julian Jaynes presented the world with a stunning new take on the history of human consciousness. His book “The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind” hypothesized that ancient humans heard hallucinated voices in place of conscious thought, and presented archaeological, literary, historical and religious evidence to support this highly controversial view. Join Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick as they dissect bicameralism and discuss the evidence, the criticisms and more in this two-parter. (originally published Sep 28, 2017)Related Content: Bicameralism, Part 1: The Voice of God (podcast)Bonus Episode: R. Scott Bakker on Consciousness & Consult (podcast)Where is my mind? (podcast)What Mind Control Feels Like(podcast)Outside Content:The Julian Jaynes Society'The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind' by Julian Jaynes Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
14 snips
Apr 11, 2019 • 52min
Against Narrative: Are stories bad for us? Part 2
They debate whether storytelling can mislead and cloud understanding in complex societies. They contrast narrative thinking with scientific evidence and memory distortions. They explore how self-narratives shape behavior and how stories persuade in law, business, and propaganda. They examine neural entrainment, oxytocin’s role in social salience, and practical ways to resist story-driven bias.
10 snips
Apr 9, 2019 • 46min
Against Narrative: Are stories bad for us? Part 1
A debate about whether storytelling does more harm than good. They probe how narratives reshape facts, promote satisfying but misleading arcs, and enable persuasive falsehoods. Philosophical critiques question the need for a unified self-story. The conversation weighs storytelling’s power to both empower voices and fuel dangerous ideologies.
Apr 6, 2019 • 1h 16min
From the Vault: Bicameralism, Part 1
In 1976, psychologist Julian Jaynes presented the world with a stunning new take on the history of human consciousness. His book “The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind” hypothesized that ancient humans heard hallucinated voices in place of conscious thought, and presented archaeological, literary, historical and religious evidence to support this highly controversial view. Join Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick as they dissect bicameralism and discuss the evidence, the criticisms and more in this two-parter. (originally published Sep 26, 2017) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
