

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

Jan 9, 2024 • 51min
Give ‘Em Shell: The Glorious Hermit Crab, Part 2
This podcast explores the taxonomy, adaptability, and evolution of hermit crabs, discussing their unique adaptations and intense competition for shells. It also delves into the hermit to king hypothesis and its social implications, as well as vacancy chains in hermit crabs and their parallels with human economies. The hosts also touch on challenges of interpreting visual information and provide a preview of a future hermit crab episode.

Jan 8, 2024 • 29min
Listener Mail: Union of the Snake
The hosts discuss the backlog of messages and remind listeners to rate, review, and check subscriptions. They explore connections between vampire myths and counting. They highlight the value of used books and introduce a new podcast. The hosts talk about a confusing Santa Claus movie and swapping actors in films. They discuss a remarkable film and express gratitude towards their audio producer and sponsors.

Jan 6, 2024 • 39min
From the Vault: Horror Vacui, Part 3
Exploring the history and significance of the vacuum in different cultures, including ancient Greek philosophers. The influence of Aristotle's denial of empty space and the conflict with religious reasoning. Galileo's investigation into the concept of horror vacui and his contributions to theoretical physics. Discovering atmospheric pressure and its influence on fluid dynamics. The mind-blowing experience of boiling potatoes on Mount Everest and its impact on our perception of the world.

Jan 5, 2024 • 1h 14min
Weirdhouse Cinema: A Bucket of Blood
Guest Dick Miller discusses the 1959 horror comedy 'A Bucket of Blood.' They explore the film's lampooning of beatnik culture and art scenes, as well as the character of Walter Paisley played by Miller. The discussion also touches on the 'save the cat' moment in screenwriting and the escalation of crimes and artistic creations in the film. They delve into the fear and insecurities of artists and the sacrifices they make in the creative process.

Jan 5, 2024 • 49min
Give ‘Em Shell: The Glorious Hermit Crab, Part 1
Delve into the fascinating world of hermit crabs, their scavenging habits, and their unique physical features. Explore different species of hermit crabs, including land-dwelling coconut crabs. Learn about the importance of shells for hermit crabs, their shell preferences, and the intense competition for shells. Speculate about hermit crabs in post-apocalyptic scenarios and upcoming hermit crab research. Also, discover other interesting podcasts from iHeartRadio and a sponsor called Bakers.

Jan 3, 2024 • 3min
The Monstrefact: Marvel’s Swarm
Explore the origin and abilities of Swarm, a unique supervillain from Marvel Comics with bee-like abilities. Discover the connection between Swarm's powers and the behavior of real bees.

Jan 2, 2024 • 42min
From the Vault: Horror Vacui, Part 2
The hosts discuss horror vacui as it relates to philosophy, physics, and the arts. They explore its manifestations in various disciplines, the significance of decorative objects, the role of location in Tibetan monasteries, and the use of illustrations and maps. They also touch on GPS mapping devices and encounters with pop-up ads.

Dec 30, 2023 • 39min
From the Vault: Horror Vacui, Part 1
In this classic episode, the hosts explore horror vacui in philosophy, art, and physics. They discuss the aversion to emptiness, the association of chaos with bad things, and analyze examples of artists who embrace horror vacui. The chapter also touches upon excess in art and design, visual designs for movie posters, patterns and meaning in emptiness, and briefly mentions horror vacui in cartography and map making.

Dec 29, 2023 • 1h 44min
Weirdhouse Cinema: Gate II
Gate II: Return of the Nightmare, character analysis, Pamela Adler's filmography, visual effects and score, dark ritual and family struggles, 90s geek power trip, supernatural events unfold, wish fulfillment and dark magic, comparing Gate II to Gremlins, final showdown and transformation, remaking Gate franchise as a kids movie

Dec 28, 2023 • 58min
The Dawn of a Mindful Universe, with Marcelo Gleiser
Marcelo Gleiser, Templeton Award-winning author and theoretical physicist, discusses his book 'The Dawn of a Mindful Universe: A Manifesto for Humanity's Future'. Topics include the disconnect between reality and perception of climate change, the Copernican revolution's impact on Earth's significance, stars' role in creating elements, biocentrism and the sacredness of the planet, secular spirituality, consciousness, and the power of manifesto for change.


