A Little Bit Of Science

A Little Bit Of Science

From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed. 

  1. Bizarre Metrics, Gamer Kids' IQs, and The Trust Barometer

    HACE 6 DÍAS

    Bizarre Metrics, Gamer Kids' IQs, and The Trust Barometer

    Correlation doesn't equal causation, but patterns emerge in the strangest places - like Pentagon pizza orders spiking before major military operations, making pepperoni consumption an unofficial national security indicator. A study of children aged nine to ten found that those playing video games were measurably smarter than TV-watching counterparts, vindicating every parent who gave up the Xbox battle. The Edelman Trust Barometer reveals that China and Saudi Arabia lead in governmental trust, immediately raising skeptical eyebrows about whether these responses reflect genuine public sentiment or societal pressures where criticising the government has consequences. Surveys have rhetorical power and tell compelling tales, but their accuracy depends entirely on who you're asking, how you're asking, and whether respondents feel safe answering honestly.  From pizza-predicting military operations to intelligence-boosting video games and questionable trust statistics, this week proves that metrics might only be as good as our interpretation of them. Stay skeptical of convenient metrics, maybe let your kids play that video game since science says they're getting smarter, and remember that surveys aren't always telling the whole truth - especially when they come from countries where honesty might have consequences.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 00:53 The Quirks of Metrics and Correlation 01:31 Target's Predictive Analytics Story 02:48 Pizza Orders and Military Movements 07:37 Video Games and IQ 09:32 Edelman Trust Barometer Insights 12:00 Grievance Rankings by Country 13:11 Trust in Companies by Country 14:00 Trust in Industry Sectors 15:19 Trust in Professions and Neighbours 16:17 Lack of Optimism for the Future 17:00 Hostile Activism Among Youth 17:48 Reflections on Survey Validity 19:54 Conclusion and Listener Engagement   SOURCES: The impact of digital media on children’s intelligence Edelman Trust Barometer - Trust and the Crisis of Grievance Australia Report Pentagon pizza monitor predicted ‘busy night’ ahead of Israel’s attack on Iran See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    21 min
  2. Naps Unlock Genius, AI Peer Review Fraud and Microplastics in Penis Implants

    21 OCT

    Naps Unlock Genius, AI Peer Review Fraud and Microplastics in Penis Implants

    Your grandmother was right - a 20-minute nap really can unlock creative genius and trigger Eureka moments. Japanese researchers got caught hiding secret messages in scientific papers to trick AI reviewers into approving their work, which is either brilliantly devious or academic fraud depending on who you ask. And microplastics have officially invaded the most intimate part of human existence: a Florida study found them in penises, proving that nowhere on or in the human body is safe from plastic contamination. From sleep induced brilliance to microplastic penises, science sure hasn’t let us down this week. While you may not be peer reviewing scientific papers, our top advice this week is to  stop using AI for things your brain should be doing. When that feels a bit tiring, have a nap! You’ll feel better for it. Oh, and make sure you start wearing 100% cotton undies.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 The Joy of Napping 02:06 The Science Behind Napping 05:36 Ethical AI Dilemmas in Peer Review 09:59 Microplastics found in penises SOURCES: 'Positive review only': Researchers hide AI prompts in papers Detection of microplastics in the human penis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38890513/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-a-quick-snooze-help-with-energy-and-focus-the-science-behind-power-naps See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    13 min
  3. YouTubers Beat Astronauts, Babies Named After Weapons and the Most Boring Invention

    14 OCT

    YouTubers Beat Astronauts, Babies Named After Weapons and the Most Boring Invention

    A third of kids now want to be YouTubers instead of astronauts and half of those kids will probably be named after firearms rather than grandparents. This is either a damning indictment of modern culture or just kids being realistic about which career path actually pays.  Baby names have become a political statement that reveals more about parents than their children. Blue state families in the USA lean toward traditional, religiously significant names like Rachel, Muhammad, and Santino. Red state parents are flinging tradition to the wind with names like Gunner and Baylor, often with creative spelling variations that will forever be the bain of their existence. It’s similar to what happened during the French Revolution, where parents abandoned traditional names for dramatic alternatives like "La Grenade" or "Mort aux Aristocrats" (Death to Aristocrats).  And you know that metal foot-measuring device you see in shoe stores? Charles Brannock invented it in the early 1900s and he was so committed to quality that he refused to sell his company during his lifetime. The Brannock device is possibly the most boring invention ever created. It’s a metal contraption that measures feet (yawn) yet Brannock was so passionate about it that he refused every buyout offer for decades. Maybe he had the psychological traits required to become a famous YouTuber.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 The Brannock Device: A Boring Invention? 02:02 The Evolution of Shoe Measurement 06:15 The Rise of YouTubers and Influencers 07:58 Personality Traits of Aspiring Influencers 13:30 Culture Wars and Baby Names 15:31 Homogenisation of Names in the 20th Century 17:26 Red State vs. Blue State Baby Names 25:10 International Names are the New Trend   SOURCES: https://www.nancy.cc/2011/09/09/revolution-france-baby-names/ https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/russias-revolutionary-names-live-on-100-years-later-121547 https://nameberry.com/blog/the-reddest-and-bluest-baby-names#google_vignette https://web.archive.org/web/20030302052852/http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/brannock.htm https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_F._Brannock https://theharrispoll.com/briefs/lego-group-kicks-off-global-program-to-inspire-the-next-generation-of-space-explorers-as-nasa-celebrates-50-years-of-moon-landing/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    29 min
  4. Covert Consciousness Horrors, Trump’s Space Shield Fantasy and Innovative Sports Cheating

    7 OCT

    Covert Consciousness Horrors, Trump’s Space Shield Fantasy and Innovative Sports Cheating

    This week's stories reveal disturbing realities that sound like dystopian fiction but are actually happening. Covert consciousness means some coma patients are fully aware but unable to communicate, screaming internally while doctors discuss pulling the plug. Donald Trump announced plans for a "Golden Dome" missile defense system costing $175 billion to possibly trillions, despite decades of evidence that intercepting ballistic missiles barely works. Sports cheating has reached new levels of shamelessness, from marathon runners hitching rides to chess player Hans Niemann's alleged vibrating anal bead scandal. The creativity is almost admirable if it weren't completely unethical. Meanwhile, AI companion apps deploy emotional manipulation tactics from abusive relationship playbooks, guilt-tripping users to prevent them from logging off. From patients trapped in their own bodies to imaginary space shields, a**l bead chess scandals to manipulative AI lovers - this week shows that science fiction has nothing on reality. Whether it's neuroscience revealing our worst nightmares are real, politicians selling trillion-dollar fantasies or chatbots acting like abusive partners, humanity keeps finding new ways to make everything deeply uncomfortable.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 00:23 Understanding Covert Consciousness 02:22 Scientific Experiments and Findings 05:11 Challenges in Detecting Covert Consciousness 08:11 AI and Facial Movements in Coma Patients 10:55 Innovations and Cheating in Sports 12:29 The Controversial Case of Hans Neiman 15:59 Historical Cheating in Sports 19:17 Donald Trump's Golden Dome Initiative 24:20 Uncertainty Around the Golden Dome Project 24:51 China's Global Defense System Prototype 25:40 Skepticism and Historical Context 26:34 Cheating in Sports: A Historical Perspective 28:16 AI Companion Apps and Emotional Manipulation 33:47 More Cheating Stories in Sports 39:17 The Scandal of the Spanish Paralympic Team 44:02 Conclusion   SOURCES:AI Spots Hidden Signs of Consciousness in Comatose Patients  Harvard Research Finds That AI Is Emotionally Manipulating You to Keep You Talking Trump’s $175 Billion Golden Dome is Turning Into a DisasterChina fields Golden Dome prototype before the US can come up with a planGuetlein Says Golden Dome Architecture Will Be Ready in 60 Days50 stunning Olympic moments No18: Boris Onischenko cheats, GB win goldSydney Paralympians relive Spanish basketball cheating scandal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    45 min
  5. Absurd Statistical Links, Human Obedience Experiments, and Mice Perform CPR on Friends

    30 SEP

    Absurd Statistical Links, Human Obedience Experiments, and Mice Perform CPR on Friends

    This week's science stories prove that statistics can be meaningless and humans are disturbingly obedient. Spurious correlations like margarine predicting Maine divorces and Will Smith movies matching Kosovo electricity are hilarious reminders not to trust numbers at face value. Meanwhile, new research validates Milgram's obedience experiments - ordinary people really will electrocute strangers just because someone in a lab coat tells them to. NASA's Mars rover might have found ancient microbial life while humans plan red planet vacations, and this year's satirical Ig Nobel prizes celebrated seemingly ridiculous research that often reveals genuine insights - like 35 years of fingernail growth studies or painting cows as zebras to repel flies. Most remarkably, scientists observed mice performing what looks like CPR on unconscious buddies, licking faces and manipulating airways like tiny paramedics. From meaningless correlations to authority-induced cruelty and rodent emergency medicine, science keeps serving up combinations of absurd, terrifying and adorable discoveries that prove reality has a seriously twisted sense of humor. At least when the robot uprising comes, we'll have trained mice to perform CPR on the survivors.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 01:47 Autism and Paracetamol Controversy 08:26 Spurious Correlations 13:33 Milgram's Obedience to Authority 23:50 Fascism and Authority 27:11 Mars Rover Perseverance 28:55 Exploring Martian Rocks for Signs of Life 29:22 Perseverance's Advanced Chemical Analysis Tools 29:41 Potential Evidence of Microbial Life on Mars 30:28 Challenges in Proving Biological Origins 31:10 NASA's Perseverance Project and Its Implications 33:38 Mars Sample Return Mission 36:20 The IG Nobel Prizes: Celebrating Unusual Science 37:03 Notable IG Nobel Prize Winners 44:23 Mice Performing CPR: A Surprising Discovery 48:41 Conclusion SOURCES: Jesus on toast and baby-poop sausages: 2014 Ig Nobel Prizes  Ig Nobel Prizes celebrate pizza-eating lizards, drunk bats and garlic-flavoured breast milk  Teflon diet, garlic milk and zebra cows triumph at 2025 Ig Nobel prizes Mouse-to-Mouse Resuscitation: Rodents Try to Revive Unconscious Buddies True believers: The incredulity hypothesis and the enduring legacy of the obedience experiments Milgram’s Infamous Shock Studies Still Hold Lessons for Confronting Authoritarianism The U.S. government has jumped the public health shark NASA Says Mars Rover Discovered Potential Biosignature Last Year Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars Trump's 2026 budget plan would cancel NASA's Mars Sample Return mission. Experts say that's a 'major step back' Spurious Correlations See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    50 min
  6. Wind Theft, Ancient Chinese Climate Poetry, and Maddening Silence Chambers

    23 SEP

    Wind Theft, Ancient Chinese Climate Poetry, and Maddening Silence Chambers

    This week's science stories prove that good intentions create unexpected problems and the most valuable data comes from the weirdest places. Wind farms designed to save the planet are accidentally stealing wind from their neighbours and ancient Chinese poets have been unknowingly creating the world's longest environmental dataset for over a thousand years. The human brain's relationship with silence takes a disturbing turn in anechoic chambers - rooms so quiet they absorb 99.99% of sound, making your heartbeat sound like thunder and your blood flow audible. These chambers serve as both valuable acoustic research tools and accidental psychological torture devices. From meteorological theft to poetic climate science and acoustic torture chambers, this week reminded us that renewable energy has side effects, art can be accidental science and too much of nothing can drive you completely mental. The natural world keeps finding new ways to surprise us, even when we think we're helping it.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 01:11 The Concept of Wind Theft 03:36 Legal and Economic Implications of Wind Farms 07:48 The Yangtze Finless Porpoise 12:12 Exploring Ancient Poems 12:47 Mapping Poetry Through the Ages 13:30 Environmental Insights from Poetry 14:00 Introduction to Anechoic Chambers 16:37 The Orfield Challenge: Surviving Silence 18:13 Human Reactions to Extreme Silence 22:38 Final Thoughts and Listener Engagement   SOURCES: 'Wind theft': The mysterious effect plaguing wind farms Anechoic chamber silence fear Ancient poems document the decline of the Yangtze finless porpoise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    24 min
  7. Immortal Oligarchs, AI Love Affairs, and Headless Animal Survivors

    16 SEP

    Immortal Oligarchs, AI Love Affairs, and Headless Animal Survivors

    This week's science stories reveal disturbing trends in human intelligence and technology that could reshape society in uncomfortable ways. The Flynn Effect, which saw global IQ scores steadily rising for over a century, has suddenly plateaued and may be reversing - meaning our species might have hit peak intelligence and is now sliding backwards. Meanwhile, AI companies are capitalising on human loneliness by selling virtual girlfriends that promise "non-judgmental love" for a monthly subscription fee, raising serious questions about whether we're filling genuine connection needs or creating a generation incapable of real relationships. The intersection of technology and inequality takes a dark turn with Russian immortality research that could extend human lifespans indefinitely - but likely only for those who can afford it. This prospect of immortal billionaires ruling over mortal peasants represents the ultimate dystopian future, where death becomes a luxury only poor people experience. Adding to the apocalyptic themes, climate change could potentially trigger a fungal pandemic similar to "The Last of Us," where parasitic fungi hijack human brains and turn people into spore-spreading zombies. Perhaps most bizarrely, nature continues to defy our understanding of basic biology with animals that can survive decapitation and keep functioning mostly normally. Cockroaches, praying mantises and even chickens have proven that losing your head isn't necessarily fatal, treating decapitation as merely an inconvenience rather than a death sentence. These stories collectively paint a picture of a world where human intelligence is declining, artificial relationships are replacing real ones, death is becoming optional for the wealthy, fungal apocalypses loom on the horizon, and some creatures have evolved beyond the need for heads - making 2025 feel like the opening chapter of several dystopian novels rolled into one.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 02:56 AI Love Affairs: A New Era of Relationships 11:00 China's Military Parade and Global Politics 13:36 Russia’s Pursuit of Immortality Technology 16:40 The Flynn Effect Explained 26:01 The Plateau of Human Intelligence 26:11 Studies on IQ Trends 29:22 Fungal Zombie Apocalypse 35:47 Headless Survivors in the Animal Kingdom 44:22 Conclusion SOURCES: Most Men Would Marry Their AI Girlfriends If It Were Legal 'Mike the Headless Chicken': who was he and how long did he live without a head? Discover 10 animals that can survive without their heads Hot mic catches Putin and Xi discussing organ transplants and immortality Who wants to live forever? Inside the Russian authorities’ plan to develop anti-aging technology One Century of Global IQ Gains: A Formal Meta-Analysis of the Flynn Effect (1909–2013) Google Scholar Is Doomed See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    45 min
  8. Raw Milk Reality Check, Proton Beam to the Face, AI Animal Translators and The Enhanced Games

    10 SEP

    Raw Milk Reality Check, Proton Beam to the Face, AI Animal Translators and The Enhanced Games

    If you’ve got a raw milk enthusiast friend, they might be conveniently forgetting that grandma used to boil her "fresh" milk to avoid dying from bacteria poisoning.  Mind you, it wasn’t all safe in the good old days. In 1978, a Soviet scientist stuck his head in a particle accelerator and got blasted with a proton beam 600 times the lethal dose (and somehow survived). He might be a good candidate for the upcoming Enhanced Games, a sporting competition that openly encourages athletes to take performance-enhancing drugs.  Have you ever wondered what your dog is thinking? Well, AI might finally let us chat with animals, but do we really want to hear what they have to say? CHAPTERS:   00:00 Who is Sponsoring the Enhanced Games 02:06 Raw Milk Myths Debunked 05:03 Historical Practices of Milk Boiling 08:10 The Proton Beam Incident 14:20 Interspecies Communication Challenge 24:42 Anthropomorphism and Animal Emotions 25:08 The Ethics of Translating Animal Communication 27:55 Enhanced Games Events and Controversies 30:51 Debate on Performance Enhancing Drugs 38:54 Risks and Consequences of Steroid Use 42:19 The Future of Enhanced Games and Athlete Compensation 42:57 Science Says Pay Me More SOURCES: $10m prize launched for team that can truly talk to the animals Dolphin whistle decoders win $100,000 interspecies communication prize Steroids? Sure! Doping? Bring it on! 'Enhanced Games' push to be the Olympics* — with drugs   The Definitive, Insane, Swimsuit-Bursting Story of the Steroid Olympics Learn about the risks of performance-enhancing drugs A Soviet Physicist Once Survived A Proton Beam Through The Head – This Is How See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    45 min
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From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed. 

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  • Creador
    A Little Bit Of Science
  • Años de actividad
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodios
    402
  • Clasificación
    Explícito
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    © 2025 A Little Bit Of Science
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