Lateral with Tom Scott

Jarvis Johnson, YouTuber and comedic podcaster; Jordan Adika, YouTuber and co-host; Rowan Ellis, video essayist on sociology. They crack jokes and tackle lateral puzzles about mangled magazines and magicians, improvised hairdryer poles used against IEDs, frozen veg tricking thermostats, and why Chilean strawberries bore no fruit. Fast, funny, and full of oddball puzzles.

Iszi Lawrence, a writer and podcaster known for her historical children’s books, Abby Cox, a historian exploring corsets and social history, and Matt Gray, a YouTuber delving into technology and history, join the discussion. They delve into the quirky tale of John Paul I's unique name, explore the Parsi tradition of adding sugar to milk for assimilation, and uncover why Link Wray's hit 'Rumble' faced bans due to its perceived glamorization of violence. Plus, they navigate the fascinating use of nautical directions in text adventures!

Join Ella Hubber, Caroline Roper, and Tom Lum from the Let's Learn Everything podcast as they dive into quirky questions and amazing facts. Discover the concept of a 'brown ace' in disc golf, and learn about the amusing uses of rubber ducks in debugging. They discuss how tourists mislabel locations in Iceland and the quirky use of a Nintendo Mii in a police investigation. Lastly, find out why identical items appear three apart on hooks and how Danish hikers use beer cases to count storm distance. It's a wild ride of knowledge and humor!

In this entertaining discussion, returning guests Annie Rauwerda, a quirky Wikipedia editor, and Charlotte Yeung, a PhD student and beauty pageant finalist, are joined by first-time panel guest Alexis Dahl, a science communicator. They delve into some eyebrow-raising topics, like the peculiar reason behind the iPhone alarm ending at 4:39 AM. Annie shares the hilarity of a test pilot wearing a gorilla mask for a prank, while Alexis explains the art of using rectangular compression bandages for bite injuries. A wild mix of facts and humor ensues!

Hannah Crosbie, a wine writer for The Guardian, joins craft creators Evan and Katelyn Heling, known for their resin projects on YouTube. They tackle quirky questions, like the potential of live chickens warming nuclear components in the Blue Peacock project. Hannah shares insights on a million-dollar fish promotion in Australia, while Caitlin explains the importance of yarn twists for crafters. The trio also discusses creative film techniques and the clever use of a stud earring for ejecting phone SIM trays while traveling!

Michelle Wong is a science communicator behind Lab Muffin Beauty Science, delving into the science of skincare. Dani Siller and Bill Sunderland co-create Escape This Podcast, bringing in their expertise on audio escape rooms. They explore the fascinating history of the 1270 papal election, where a roof was removed to prompt a decision. The panel also discusses an AI that mistakenly flagged images with rulers as cancerous. Plus, they decode Dima Yaranovsky's art installation about unread terms—mixing humor with insights on beauty and gaming!

In this lively discussion, Ria Lina, a stand-up comedian with a PhD in virology, offers hilariously offbeat insights into selfless speeding and the peculiarities of promotional curries. Comedian Alasdair Beckett-King shares his wit by diving into sausage-nunchuck controversies, while Iszi Lawrence, a historical children's author, uncovers the amusing story behind the restoration of Brontë diacritics. Together, they create a delightful tapestry of humor, history, and quirky inquiries live from the Clapham Grand!

Join Caroline Roper, a witty podcaster, and Ella Hubber and Tom Lum, both co-hosts of Let's Learn Everything, as they dive into quirky questions. They unravel the clever loophole that allowed banned light bulbs to be sold as heaters, and discuss why silly string was shipped for military use. Discover the passionate origin of 'cut sleeve' and learn about the March spike in vasectomies coinciding with NCAA madness. Plus, explore a pencil that preserves prime numbers and the amusing mix-up at Louisville's famous bat.

Jack Chambers and Manu Henriot, food history enthusiasts from the Lunchbox Envy podcast, join Tom Scott for a delightful discussion. They explore quirky topics like how nightly fireworks affected mango harvests at World Expo 88. Manu dives into a fun workplace ritual where forgetting to lock your computer results in buying donuts for colleagues. The group also shares amusing stories about a pizza shop's unexpected role in tech and a clever sign flip by Greggs to ensure festive selfies are picture-perfect.

Join Jay Foreman, a witty YouTuber and geography enthusiast, along with Mark Cooper-Jones, his collaborator in mapping humor, and physicist Mithuna Yoganathan, who dives into quantum mechanics. They explore fascinating topics like P.T. Barnum’s grand elephant parade, the quirks of retronyms, and the story behind the unplayable record of 'Gangsters.' Laugh along as they untangle the confusion of cool cash scratch cards and explain why East African motorcycle taxis are called boda bodas.