SciShow Tangents

Would it really be a conversation about plagues if noted plague-hater and tuberculosis-fighter John Green wasn't a part of it? In this episode John makes his Tangents debut at last, and we dig deep into whether we could fight an old, fat beaver and win, among other things.SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciShow Tangents, and see all the cool perks you’ll get in return, like bonus episodes and a monthly newsletter! A big thank you to Patreon subscriber Garth Riley for helping to make the show possible!And go to https://store.dftba.com/collections/scishow-tangents to buy some great Tangents merch!Follow us on Twitter @SciShowTangents, where we’ll tweet out topics for upcoming episodes and you can ask the science couch questions! While you're at it, check out the Tangents crew on Twitter: Ceri: @ceriley Sam: @im_sam_schultz Hank: @hankgreen[Truth or Fail Express]Hunter-gatherer from 5000 years ago infected with plaguehttps://www.livescience.com/5000-year-old-man-had-plague.htmlhttps://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/oldest-strain-of-black-death-bacteria-found-in-5000-year-old-human-remains#Less-deadly-and-less-contagiousIsaac Newton plague cure https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sir-isaac-newtons-plague-prescription-toad-vomit-lozenges-180975039/https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/isaac-newton-plagueSewer pipes in Hanoi let plague-bearing rats breedhttps://feralatlas.supdigital.org/poster/colonial-sewers-led-to-more-ratshttps://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/hanoi-rat-massacre-1902[The Scientific Definition]Four thieves vinegarhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7485289/https://nutritionalgeography.faculty.ucdavis.edu/clove/https://www.si.edu/es/object/die-mondsuchtigen:nmah_994026The Vicary method / The live chicken treatmenthttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1472106/https://muse.jhu.edu/article/665487https://libguides.umn.edu/healthmisinformationZenexton https://www.jstor.org/stable/44444207https://archive.org/details/b30341681/page/n7/mode/2up[Ask the Science Couch]HIV resistance through genetic mutation and selective pressure (possibly from plagues)https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1377146/https://jmg.bmj.com/content/42/3/205https://www.nature.com/news/2005/050307/full/news050307-15.htmlhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050325234239.htmhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC299980/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16880184/ Plague doctors probably didn’t look like birds (until later / after theater) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paul_F%C3%BCrst,_Der_Doctor_Schnabel_von_Rom_(Holl%C3%A4nder_version).pnghttps://deathscent.com/2020/05/15/the-redolent-plague-doctor/https://www.livescience.com/plague-doctors.html[Butt One More Thing]Using pastes made with human feces to treat bubonic plaguehttps://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2021/04/medieval-pandemic-cures-that-were-medieval/https://hosted.lib.uiowa.edu/histmed/plague/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

They debate what counts as an invention versus a discovery and unpack patent criteria like novelty and non-obviousness. A lively quiz explores whether famous innovations were accidental or intentional. Strange historical inventions get spotlighted, from pacemaker mistakes and the first snow globe to bat bombs, pigeon vests, and chicken eyeglasses. The show also surveys ahead-of-their-time technologies and quirky prototypes.

Jo Firestone, comedian, podcaster, and co-creator of party games Punderdome and Fruits, drops in to celebrate the joy and mischief of play. Short, lively conversations cover what counts as a game, gamified science studies, weird game tech like hydrogel Pong and a Game Boy sonar, Foldit protein puzzles, and playful origins of classics like Candy Land and Jenga.

They unpack what randomness actually means and how probability and statistics differ. They compare true physical randomness to pseudorandom number generators. Several probability puzzles get explored, including the lost boarding pass, the 37% stopping rule, and the Sleeping Beauty paradox. Trivia about a 120-sided die and the Slammer worm’s random scanning add surprising real-world twists.

Dr Hanan Balki, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and WHO regional director, talks operational hurdles, displaced populations, and cold-chain logistics for finishing polio eradication. Professor Dora Varga, a medical historian, gives historical context on vaccine development, March of Dimes fundraising, and Cold War trials. Multiple short conversations explore diplomacy, community engagement, and why eradication remains complex.

One year passes, another is just around the bend, so let's look back on the top 6 Tangents episodes of 2024!! From intriguing topics to spooky mystery guests, this compilation truly summarizes a wild, wonderful year for Tangents. We hope you enjoy reminiscing with us, and we look forward to all that's ahead! Original episodes: 6. Feathers - airdate March 19, 20245. Glue - airdate May 14, 20244. Cheese - airdate February 6, 2024 3. Garbage - airdate March 5, 2024 2. Roller Coasters - airdate September 17, 2024 1. Caves - airdate October 1, 2024 Sources for each episode can be found in the descriptions of the original episodes on your preferred podcasting platform.SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciShow Tangents, and see all the cool perks you’ll get in return, like bonus episodes and a monthly newsletter! A big thank you to Patreon subscriber Garth Riley for helping to make the show possible!And go to https://store.dftba.com/collections/scishow-tangents to buy some great Tangents merch!Follow us on Twitter @SciShowTangents, where we’ll tweet out topics for upcoming episodes and you can ask the science couch questions! While you're at it, check out the Tangents crew on Twitter: Ceri: @ceriley Sam: @im_sam_schultz Hank: @hankgreen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join science communicator and podcaster Trace Dominguez as he explores the mysterious realm of dreams. Discover the science behind dream recall and why we often forget them, along with the fascinating origins of words like 'dream' and 'nightmare.' Trace delves into the captivating world of dream incubation techniques, revealing ancient practices to influence dreams. Plus, engage in a fun game about dream-related terms and learn how AI is being used to reconstruct our dreams from brain data – a truly mind-bending episode!

Explore the fascinating world of camouflage, from its military origins to the creative ways animals hide. Discover the quirky history of dazzle painting on ships and the surprising use of Mountbatten pink. Learn about Yehudi lights that help aircraft blend in with the sky. The hosts delve into unique examples like the Pygmy seahorse's color variations and spiders that use fake decoys for protection. Enjoy trivia and unexpected science facts, revealing how nature and human ingenuity converge in the art of disguise.

Discover the fascinating world of stomachs across various animals! Learn how ostriches carry rocks to aid digestion and how tadpoles use silt for buoyancy. Explore the unique adaptations of crabs and crayfish that store calcium in their stomachs. Uncover the surprising fact that some mammals, like monotremes, lack stomachs altogether. Plus, get a glimpse into the odd ways creatures communicate using their stomachs, like ghost crabs. Dive into this quirky exploration of digestion and biology!

Join Tom Lum, a science communicator and video essayist, for a thrilling dive into the world of nocturnal animals! Discover the fascinating definitions of nocturnal behaviors and why some creatures thrive in the dark. Laugh along as the hosts discuss the unique antics of floating frogs, kangaroo boxing, and kiwi poop patrols. Tom shares insights on vampire bat social behaviors that mirror fictional vampires. Plus, learn about tarsiers and their incredible ability to rotate their heads! A delightful blend of science and humor awaits!