Secretly Incredibly Fascinating
Alex Schmidt
A weekly podcast about the history, science, lore and surprises that make everyday things secretly incredibly fascinating. Hosted by comedy writer, emoji creator, and ‘Jeopardy!‘ champion Alex Schmidt. Join Alex & his co-host Katie Goldin for a joyful deep dive into seeing the world a whole new way! (For research sources, bonus episodes, and how you can support the podcast, visit sifpod.fun.)
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 23, 2026 • 59min
family leave week: "Creature Feature: Think Outside The Butt"
Please enjoy this treat from Alex and Katie! It's a past episode of Katie's animal science podcast, featuring Alex as the guest and butts as the topic.
Hear all the episodes of Creature Feature here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creature-feature/id1409480698
Mar 16, 2026 • 1h 9min
family leave week: "The Inspectors Inspectors" Episode 1
Please enjoy this treat from Alex and Katie! It's the first episode of "The Inspectors Inspectors", never before released to the general public. (To hear all six episodes -- and counting! -- please visit https://maximumfun.org/join/ )
Mar 9, 2026 • 56min
Human Teeth
Alex Schmidt and special guest Andrew Ti explore why human teeth are secretly incredibly fascinating.
Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode.
Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5
Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show.
Mar 2, 2026 • 1h 13min
Jim Thorpe
Alex Schmidt and special guest Joey Clift explore why Jim Thorpe is secretly incredibly fascinating.
Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode.
Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5
Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show.
Feb 27, 2026 • 42sec
baby news!
Katie had her baby! And they're all doing well. <3
See you Monday for a new Alex-and-guests SIF. And thanks!
Feb 23, 2026 • 1h 11min
The Color Yellow
Tom Reimann, writer and performer known for sharp humor. David Bell, comedian and podcaster with witty cultural takes. They riff on why yellow feels the way it does. They debate tennis ball color, trace yellow through comics and branding, and unpack ancient pigments, printer forensics, and why school buses and taxis turned yellow.
Feb 16, 2026 • 57min
Doughnuts
Tom Lum, digital creator and podcast host known for 'Let's Learn Everything' and 'Our Findings Show', joins to geek out about doughnuts. They trace fried-dough origins, explain why the hole exists, and connect shapes to math and cooking. Conversations cover mechanization, cultural quirks like Tim Hortons and police tropes, wartime roots of National Donut Day, and surprising marketing stories.
Feb 9, 2026 • 1h 9min
Garlic
Alex Schmidt and special guest Ellen Weatherford explore why garlic is secretly incredibly fascinating.Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode.Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show.
13 snips
Feb 2, 2026 • 1h 7min
The Number 13
Alex Schmidt and special guest Robert Brockway explore why the number 13 is secretly incredibly fascinating.Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode.Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show.
Jan 26, 2026 • 1h 6min
Crossing Your Fingers
Alex Schmidt and Katie Goldin explore why "fingers crossed" is secretly incredibly fascinating.Visit http://sifpod.fun/ for research sources and for this week's bonus episode.Come hang out with us on the SIF Discord: https://discord.gg/wbR96nsGg5Visit http://sifpod.store/ to get shirts and posters celebrating the show.
