Probably Science

Matt, Andy and returning guest Auggie Smith get together to give a brief update on Jesse's health (while being very rudely interrupted by a leafblower) and go through story corrections and thank-yous. If listeners want to send well-wishes Jesse's way, feel free to email probablyscience@gmail.com and/or tweet @jessecase.

Throwing Shade co-host and Gay of Thrones director/writer Erin Gibson (@gibblertron) joins the gang to talk about Arnie at Starbucks, working at Gap, oil men and Texas textbooks, a chocolate science scam, herpes-based skin cancer therapy, Jesse's high school crack day, dementor wasps and zombie cockroaches, charismatic megafauna and the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, Erin's parallel universe Morrissey theory, autism and MDMA, more shit transplants, Corrections Corner and Menu4Mars.

The hilarious Kira Soltanovich (@kiracomedy) returns to Probably Science to chat with the gang about naming her upcoming comedy special (and her upcoming daughter), Jesse's Smother Party and his big gay Irish following, hippie schools with cartoons and kissing teachers, a naked roommate appearance, Kira's fundraiser, Was That Science?, Corrections Corner: Wagga Wagga edition, getting attacked by a bug, how to say places, badly named bars, Alzheimer's and video games (and a debunking), jacking off to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, Jesse's health corner, magical doctors, washing dishes with a dishwasher or by hand, and Kira's allergy experiment.

Comedian Chris Crofton (@thecroftonshow) of The Chris Crofton Show and the column Advice King joins the festivities to talk about doing comedy in front of your parents, Andy and Jesse's next door neighbors moving out, the worst things to buy at the grocery store, greased watermelon pool games, the crazy creator of the Erector Set, getting rid of that white stuff on chocolate, more Sex At Dawn discussion, walrus poon, NASA's impossible EM space drive that may in fact be a reality, conspiracy theory talk, the reason why the same side of the moon always faces us, and the clouds of millions of baby spiders descending on Australia.

Dr. Christopher Ryan (@ChrisRyanPhD), author of the New York Times bestseller Sex At Dawn, joins Matt, Andy and comedian guests Caitlin Gill (@robotcaitlin) and Lisa Best (@lisabestcomedy) for a live installment of Probably Science recorded at the 2015 Bridgetown Comedy Festival (@bridgetown) in Portland, Oregon to talk about the prehistoric roots of modern sexuality, the devastating impact of agriculture on our species, why humans and bonobos are so horny and whether it's actually in our nature to be monogamous. Oh, and this was recorded on Mother's Day. With Andy's parents in the audience.

Comedian Rye Silverman (@ryesilverman) joins Jesse, Andy and eventually Matt to discuss the legendary Marty & Elayne, trans facts, the Riddick man, how to spot a ghost, Andy's Lasik surgery, Rye as ModCloth's first transgender model, the origins of life on earth, fracking and earthquakes, Yellowstone magma, Bitcoin vulnerablility, a shapeshifting frog, a catfish that looks like Greedo and Rye's new album Intimate Apparel.

Comedian Ryan Singer (@RySing) joins the proceedings this week to talk about Eskimos, heart-to-heart hugs, the origin of toasting, when to use questions to influence people, the return of brontosaurus, the head transplant volunteer and the fears about what could happen to him, deaf people sneezing silently, wiping memories and the need for reinforcement, Western Razor (use code "science" for $5 off), lip-synching and the death of comedy, the world's first battery rocket, a mesh that separates oil from water and Ryan's podcast Me & Paranormal You.

Comedian and Bone Zone podcast host Brendon Walsh (@brendonwalsh) joins the gang to talk about Better Than Ezra, things that track, most favored nation clauses, the ubiquity of problematic, the greatest voicemail Andy ever received, how to call in sick, Alzheimer's and Reagan, Brendon's Mike Tyson encounter, the problem with human cannibalism, cleaning your brain surgery tools, laser wound healing, Scientology vs. Christianity, drinking the Flavor Aid, toilet paper methods, Terminator 2-style 3D printing, Western Razor (use offer code "science" for $5 off) and Brendon's amazing pranks.

Professor of earth system science at UC Irvine and senior water scientist at NASA/JPL Jay Famiglietti (@JayFamiglietti) recently wrote an LA Times op-ed on the dire state of California's water supplies, catalyzing the nation and helping contribute to recent historic mandatory water restrictions from Governor Jerry Brown. Jay joins Matt, Jesse and Andy in an overly watered backyard to talk about California's drought, Jay's New York Times Quotation of the Day and his recent Real Time with Bill Maher appearance, using satellites to track water systems, forced acronyms in space programs, using surface water and reservoirs vs. dipping into groundwater reserves, agricultural vs. residential water consumption, why local rainfall doesn't help us get out of our water deficit, our antiquated water rights policies, peeing in the shower and the fact that Californians are going to have to get over their love of green grass from now on.

Mortician, author, blogger, YouTube personality and death advocate Caitlin Doughty (@TheGoodDeath) invites Matt, Jesse and Andy into her home to talk about all things death, including her book Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, The Order of the Good Death, death rituals around the world, the history of embalming in the US, what goes down in a crematory, why dead bodies aren't dangerous to be around, our society's disconnect with its dead, the Disneyland of Death and how to prepare yourself and your loved ones for that eternal dirt nap that's headed our way.