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

    3D AGO

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

    SEP 30

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

    SEP 23

    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
  4. Immortal Oligarchs, AI Love Affairs, and Headless Animal Survivors

    SEP 16

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

    SEP 10

    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
  6. Down Side To Dong Size, Yoghurt-Cooled House, and Drowning In Space

    SEP 2

    Down Side To Dong Size, Yoghurt-Cooled House, and Drowning In Space

    This week's little bits of science challenge long-held assumptions and reveal the unexpected dangers lurking in everyday situations. A groundbreaking study on phantom limb syndrome has overturned decades of medical thinking by proving that the mysterious sensations amputees feel aren't caused by brain changes at all - they're likely nerve-related, opening up entirely new treatment possibilities. Meanwhile, a man with the world's largest penis broke his arm in a shower accident because he couldn't see his feet, proving that even anatomical fame comes with occupational hazards. The space exploration front delivered its own dose of terror when Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano nearly drowned inside his helmet during a spacewalk, with water sloshing around his head while he floated in the vacuum of space. Back on Earth, researchers discovered that smearing Greek yogurt on your windows can cool your house by up to 3.5 degrees Celsius, offering a dairy-based solution to summer heat that sounds ridiculous but actually works. Perhaps the most spectacular story involves a 1950s nuclear test called Operation Plumbbob, where scientists accidentally launched a 900-kilogram manhole cover at six times Earth's escape velocity - potentially making it the first human-made object to reach space, beating Sputnik by several years. The incident perfectly captures the chaotic, consequence-free spirit of 1950s nuclear experimentation, when scientists would essentially ask "what happens if we nuke this?" and then find out in the most dramatic way possible.   CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Fastest Human-Made Objects 1:45 - Fastest Cars, Planes, Bullets and Spacecraft 3:30 - Space Records: Apollo 10 & Parker Solar Probe 5:15 - Your hosts, Rod & Will: Academics with Beers 6:15 - Cool Study: Phantom Limb Syndrome Research 11:50 - Be Careful What You Wish For: World's Largest Penis Injury 22:20 - Space Drowning: Astronaut Nearly Dies in Helmet 31:25 - Yogurt Window Cooling 34:15 - That Was Dumb: Nuclear Manhole Cover Launch Story 45:10 - Cry For Help (aka CTA) SOURCES: https://www.spacecentre.nz/resources/faq/spaceflight/rocket-speed.html https://epicflightacademy.com/fastest-plane-in-the-world/#h-21-nasa-x-43-2004-the-fastest-plane-in-the-world-ever-reaching-hypersonic-heaven-at-mach-9-6 https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/x-15-rocket-aircraft https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Solar_Probe https://www.zmescience.com/feature-post/technology-articles/engineering/fastest-manmade-object-manhole-cover-nuclea-test/ https://www.wearethemighty.com/tech/the-8-fastest-man-made-objects-ever/ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-17/spacewalk-cut-short-after-water-leaks-into-astronauts-helmet/4825472 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/aug/20/astronaut-helmet-drowning-interview https://abcnews.go.com/US/astronaut-drowned-space-due-nasas-poor-communication-report/story?id=22687977 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah_Falcon https://uk.news.yahoo.com/man-left-broken-arm-because-093006168.html https://www.vice.com/en/article/this-man-has-the-worlds-largest-penis-and-broke-his-arm-because-of-it/ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg4rg3nqq7go?_bhlid=ebb1558b2f6fd997169270e31a94567be10792f6 https://theconversation.com/scientists-have-been-wrong-about-phantom-limbs-for-decades-new-study-263547 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-025-02037-7 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563218302978 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    47 min
  7. AI Only Reads Fox News, Insane Browser Hoarding, and Suspicious Russian Defenestration

    AUG 26

    AI Only Reads Fox News, Insane Browser Hoarding, and Suspicious Russian Defenestration

    Truth Social's AI chatbot thinks "balanced news" means exclusively quoting Fox News, which is about as balanced as someone hoarding 7,470 browser tabs on a single computer (yes, that actually happened).  Meanwhile, Australia's deadliest killer isn't the poisonous spider lurking in your toilet - it's the friendly horse in the paddock next door. And if you think that's absurd, wait until you hear about the Russian oligarchs who keep accidentally falling out of windows or the two bank robbers who covered themselves in lemon juice to make themselves invisible, leading to an entire psychological phenomenon being named after them. So major science revelations for this week? Don't trust an AI that only reads one news source, maybe learn what bookmarks are for, respect horses more than spiders, remember that a little knowledge can be dangerous and if you're ever in Russia, whatever you do, don’t go near the windows.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Truth Social's AI Chatbot 01:54 Media Bias and Source Selection 06:50 Desktop Organisation and Tab Overload 10:56 Animal-Related Deaths in Australia 14:28 Death by Farm Animals 16:45 The Dunning-Kruger Effect Explained 18:08 The Infamous Lemon Juice Robbery 20:12 Suspicious Deaths of Russian Oligarchs 26:31 Nostalgia and the Return to Analog SOURCES: Truth Social’s New AI Chatbot Is Donald Trump’s Media Diet Incarnate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    29 min
  8. AI Prescribes Victorian Poison, Accidental Canal Unplugging, and Self-Defense Penises

    AUG 19

    AI Prescribes Victorian Poison, Accidental Canal Unplugging, and Self-Defense Penises

    What is this bizarre world we're living in where AI chatbots are literally poisoning people by recommending Victorian-era bromine cures, while British engineers accidentally drain entire historic canals by pulling chains they thought were harmless? Today we explore the shocking discovery that some animals can literally breathe through their butts during oxygen emergencies, and uncover the tale of tarantula species with penises so absurdly long that scientists had to create a new genus just to classify them.  Plus, we dive into the Soviets' insane plan to reverse rivers using 250 nuclear explosions, and discover how Danish zoos are asking the public to donate unwanted pets as lion food in the name of sustainable recycling. From AI reviving dangerous Whether it's chatbots dispensing dangerous medical advice, engineers accidentally draining waterways, or discovering that nature's backup plans involve breathing through uncomfortable places - science keeps reminding us that reality is absolutely mental.  Stay skeptical of your AI's suggestions, avoid pulling random chains near historic canals, and maybe appreciate that your reproductive equipment isn't four times the size of your torso.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 00:30 The Science Behind Bromine Consumption 02:49 Historical Uses and Effects of Bromine 06:02 Modern Cases and AI Involvement 09:22 The Chesterfield Canal Incident 15:25 Rivers Changing Course 19:50 Soviet Ambitions to Reverse Rivers 26:59 Reversing the Chicago River 27:41 Chicago's Pollution Problem 29:14 Engineering Marvel: The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal 30:59 Tarantulas and Self-Defense Penises 36:53 Breathing Through the Butt 42:02 Recycling Pets: The Controversial Practice of Danish Zoos 51:32 Conclusion SOURCES: Zoo Requests Unwanted Pets to Feed to Hungry Carnivores: https://futurism.com/zoo-pets-feed-carnivores https://abc7.com/post/denmark-zoo-asks-people-donate-small-pets-food-captive-predators/17428917/ Tarantulas with giant penises  https://metro.co.uk/2025/08/07/tarantulas-giant-penises-discovered-scared-stiff-23855393/ Bromism https://futurism.com/man-poisons-himself-chatgpt?utm_source=beehiiv&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=futurism-newsletter&_bhlid=da09fdfa08b126138ae1ce0a47c43515cef0acf5 Chesterfield Canal: https://issuu.com/madeinn/docs/made_julyaug_issue17_issuu/s/10719854  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesterfield_Canal  Turning Rivers Around: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256483636_Did_the_Nile_River_flow_to_the_Gulf_of_Sirt_during_the_late_Miocene See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    53 min
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About

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. 

Information

  • Creator
    A Little Bit Of Science
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodes
    399
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 A Little Bit Of Science
  • Show Website
    A Little Bit Of Science

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