SciShow Tangents

This podcast delves into the darkness of the ocean and space, with a fun quiz on the winter solstice. They also discuss the myth of carrots improving night vision, unique burial choices, and the history of fecal sludge management.

Topics explored in this lively episode include quantum computers, thermoacoustics, molecular chemistry, and the influence of refrigeration on the environment. The hosts also discuss using sound waves for cooling and the formation of 'freezer taste' in frozen food.

The podcast explores the concept of 'quiet' and its scientific definition, along with the role of sound and quiet in animal behavior. It also discusses how rockets are made quiet during launches, the concept of quiet in geology, and the quietest time during the pandemic.

The podcast delves into the fascinating history of oil, debunking the common misconception that it comes from dinosaurs. They discuss the origins and uses of oil, including its presence in food oils. The hosts also explore the impact of dry weather on olive oil production, the increase in olive oil prices, and a recent incident of olive oil theft in Spain. They touch on the environmental disaster in Times Beach caused by dioxin contamination and challenge the oversimplification of labeling certain oils or fats as 'bad'.

Guest Julian Huguet, along with the hosts, discusses the exciting world of telescopes. They touch on topics such as studying changes in the Earth's crust, unexpected uses of telescopes, and transporting the James Williams face telescope. They also explore adaptive optics and artificial stars.

The hosts discuss batteries and their various uses, including experiments using snails as living batteries and creating batteries using crab shells. They also talk about national parks, battery age, and the concept of edible batteries. Additionally, they explore different types of batteries and innovative energy storage methods, as well as microbial batteries that extract energy from sewage waste.

Alexis Nikole Nelson, an expert in finding slimy, sticky, gross stuff that you can eat, joins the podcast for Trick or Treat Month. The hosts explore the fascinating world of slime, including slimy plants and animals. They also discuss using hagfish slime, corn roots, and okra slime for jewelry. Other topics include sneaky subscriptions, national parks, and slimy behaviors in organisms like glowing mucus and biofilms.

Guest Dan Schreiber, podcaster, author, and mad genius, talks about the weirdest, creepiest, most otherworldly theories ever devised. Topics include eccentric scientists, the friendship paradox, the Infinite Monkey Theorem, theory of mind, and the origins of 'anal retentive'.

Siobhan Thompson, Dimension 20's guide into the cursed catacombs of knowledge, leads the hosts in exploring the concept of tombs, discussing Copernicus' remains, speculating on a particle's identity, uncovering tomb hoaxes and fake artifacts, and exploring nature's adaptations after the Chernobyl disaster.

Topics discussed include teen names based on soda flavors, the history of tax tokens and fake beard tokens, shark behavior at cleaning stations, ancient hygiene practices, toxic shock syndrome and super absorbent tampons, and hygienic behavior in mandrels to avoid parasite-related illness.