How Lie Detectors Work
Instead of actually detecting lies, polygraph machines sense physiological variations, ostensibly brought on by guilt. The results are subject to interpretation, and therefore controversial. Join Josh...
1 Sep 201127min
Cryonics: Hi, Frozen Body!
In 1964 The Prospect of Immortality laid out a plan for placing humans in suspended animation. The first person was placed in cryonic suspension three years later. But how does it actually work? Learn...
30 Aug 201142min
How Schizophrenia Works
Up to 24 million people worldwide have schizophrenia. Despite the vast amounts of research, the disorder remains mysterious. In this episode, Josh and Chuck delve into the nature of schizophrenia, fro...
23 Aug 201142min
How to Land on a Government Watch List
The U.S. Government's Consolidated Terrorist Watch List keeps track of people who are known or suspected terrorists. But what how do people end up on it, and what happens if your name is similar to a ...
18 Aug 201132min
How Murphy's Law Works, the Redux
Years back, Josh recorded this show without Chuck, and the old version's omitted facts bugged him. In this new version, the pair delve into the people, science and rocket tests behind Murphy's Law. Jo...
16 Aug 201130min
Laughter: What's so funny about that?
The response to humor starts with electrical activity, potentially translating to physical responses that make up laughter. Science still can't pin down what makes one thing amusing and another not (w...
11 Aug 201142min
What's the future of the internet?
It's tough to predict the future. Instead, the future looks a lot like it does now: Faster data transfer rates, more social networking, ubiquitous mobile devices -- and possibly dumber people from usi...
9 Aug 201139min
Ethnobotany: How to Get Drugs from Plants
In 1820, most of the drugs listed in the American Pharmacopoeia were plant-based; by 1960, it was a mere 5 percent. Yet in the late 20th century this trend reversed. Why? Join Josh and Chuck as they g...
4 Aug 201138min
