Educate a Mate

Ryan & Richard

Welcome to Educate a Mate Educate a Mate is the podcast where one mate researches something fascinating and then attempts to explain it to the other. History, science, mysteries, animals and whatever rabbit hole we've fallen into this week. Come for the facts. Stay for two idiots getting distracted. Views and opinions shared by hosts or guests are for discussion and educational purposes and do not replace professional advice where applicable. Listener discretion is advised. Thanks for tuning in to Educate a Mate — learn something, share something, educate a mate. Contact - educateamatepodcast@gmail.com -

  1. 4d ago

    Britain Goes Offline: Could You Survive 5 Days?

    Could You Survive 5 Days? Britain Without Power, Water or Wi-Fi What happens when the lights go out… and don't come back on? In this episode of Educate a Mate, we're looking at what it would actually take to survive five days of major disruption in the UK — without disappearing into the woods wearing camouflage and calling yourself "The Warden." We're talking realistic emergency preparedness: how much food and water you'd need, keeping warm without power, cooking, lighting, communications, first aid, useful equipment and what happens when the mobile network and internet stop working. We also look at why emergency preparedness is being taken seriously in the UK, from extreme weather and flooding to cyber attacks, infrastructure failures and the potential consequences of international conflict. And, naturally, we ask the important questions: How long before everyone panic-buys toilet roll? Can you actually survive on tins for five days? And how many people have stockpiled emergency food without remembering to buy a f*****g tin opener? Listener Notice: This episode may contain strong language, swearing and informal expressions used for humour, authenticity or emphasis and may not be suitable for all audiences. Views and opinions are shared for discussion and educational purposes and should not replace official emergency guidance. Thanks for listening to Educate a Mate. Learn something. Share something. Educate a mate. Contact: educateamatepodcast@gmail.com

    Britain Goes Offline: Could You Survive 5 Days?
  2. Sep 6

    Didgeridoo You Know?

    Didgeridoo You Know? — Exploring Aboriginal Australian Cultures Australia's story didn't begin with Captain Cook. Not even close. For tens of thousands of years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have developed incredibly diverse cultures, languages, traditions and ways of understanding the natural world. In this episode of Educate a Mate, we explore some of the fascinating history and traditions of Aboriginal Australian cultures — from storytelling, art and music to connections with Country, kinship, traditional knowledge and the cultural significance of the didgeridoo. We also look at the impact of European colonisation, the treatment of Indigenous Australians, the Stolen Generations and how Aboriginal cultures and communities continue to survive, adapt and thrive today. How old are Australia's Indigenous cultures? What is the significance of Dreaming traditions? Why is Country about far more than simply owning land? And yes... what's actually going on with the didgeridoo? Turns out, there's an enormous amount we weren't taught in school. 🎧 Follow/subscribe to Educate a Mate for more deep dives into history, science, cultures, mysteries and the wonderfully weird corners of human knowledge. Listener Notice: This episode may contain strong language, swearing and informal expressions used for humour, emphasis and natural conversation. It also discusses colonisation, discrimination and historical mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. Views and opinions shared by hosts or guests are for discussion and educational purposes. Learn something. Share something. Educate a mate. 📧 Contact: educateamatepodcast@gmail.com

    Didgeridoo You Know?
  3. Aug 31

    Engine 101: Because Apparently Cars Need Engines

    Full Throttle — Engines 101 You put fuel in. You turn the key. There are some explosions. And somehow... the car moves. But what is actually happening under the bonnet? In this episode of Educate a Mate, we're going back to basics with Engines 101 — breaking down how an internal combustion engine works without requiring an engineering degree to understand it. We get into pistons, cylinders, crankshafts, valves, spark plugs, fuel, air and combustion, and follow the journey from a tiny controlled explosion inside an engine to your wheels actually turning. We'll tackle the four-stroke cycle, the differences between petrol and diesel engines, why engines need cooling and lubrication, and some of the clever engineering that stops the whole thing from immediately turning itself into expensive scrap metal. What actually is horsepower? Why do engines have different numbers of cylinders? What's a turbo actually doing? And why does setting fire to dinosaur juice make your car go forward? Whether you're into cars or couldn't identify a crankshaft if someone slapped you with one, this is your introduction to the noisy lump of metal hiding under the bonnet. 🎧 Follow/subscribe to Educate a Mate for more deep dives into science, history, technology, psychology and all the other stuff you've probably wondered about but never bothered Googling. Listener Notice: This episode may contain strong language, swearing and informal expressions used for humour, emphasis and natural conversation. Views and opinions shared by hosts or guests are for discussion and educational purposes and do not replace professional or mechanical advice where applicable. Learn something. Share something. Educate a mate. 📧 Contact: educateamatepodcast@gmail.com

    Engine 101: Because Apparently Cars Need Engines
  4. Aug 24

    The House Always Wins

    The House Always Wins — Gambling Someone has to win the jackpot. So... why not you? Because unfortunately, mathematics has entered the chat. In this episode of Educate a Mate, we're diving into the strange, fascinating and sometimes destructive world of gambling — from casinos and slot machines to lotteries, sports betting and the psychology that keeps us coming back for just one more go. We explore probability, odds and the house edge, looking at how gambling companies make money even when they're handing out enormous wins. But the maths is only half the story. We'll also get inside the brain to explore dopamine, risk, reward, near misses, the gambler's fallacy and variable reinforcement — including some of the clever psychological tricks that can make gambling incredibly difficult to walk away from. Why do near misses make us want to try again? Are some casino games genuinely better bets than others? Why do humans see patterns in completely random events? And if somebody wins millions on the lottery... where did that money actually come from? From ancient gambling to billion-pound betting companies, this is the science, psychology and mathematics behind humanity's long-running obsession with risking something for the chance of getting more. Spoiler: there's a reason they call it the house edge. 🎧 Follow/subscribe to Educate a Mate for more deep dives into psychology, science, history and the wonderfully weird ways humans behave. Listener Notice: This episode contains discussion of gambling and gambling-related harm and may contain strong language, swearing and informal expressions used for humour, emphasis and natural conversation. Views and opinions shared by hosts or guests are for discussion and educational purposes and do not replace professional advice. If gambling is causing problems for you or someone you know, consider seeking support from an appropriate gambling-support service. Learn something. Share something. Educate a mate. 📧 Contact: educateamatepodcast@gmail.com

    The House Always Wins
  5. Aug 17

    Your Parents Lied to You

    Your Parents Lied to You — Myths Whilst Growing Up Don't sit too close to the TV — you'll get square eyes. Don't swallow chewing gum — it'll stay in your stomach for seven years. And for God's sake, don't turn that light on in the car because apparently Dad will immediately be arrested. We all grew up being told things that sounded completely reasonable when we were six... and considerably less convincing once we became adults. In this episode of Educate a Mate, we're investigating the myths, warnings and outright lies our parents told us growing up — and finding out whether there was ever any truth behind them. Does cracking your knuckles really cause arthritis? Do you actually need to wait after eating before swimming? Will swallowed chewing gum haunt your digestive system for seven years? Does shaving make hair grow back thicker? And seriously... what was everyone's problem with the light inside the car? Along the way, we'll look at where some of these myths came from, the science behind them and why completely untrue ideas can survive for generations. Some were misunderstandings. Some contained a tiny grain of truth. And some were clearly invented because our parents wanted five minutes of peace. 🎧 Follow/subscribe to Educate a Mate for more deep dives into science, history, psychology, bizarre facts and the questions you didn't realise you needed answering. Listener Notice: This episode may contain strong language, swearing and informal expressions used for humour, emphasis and natural conversation. Views and opinions shared by hosts or guests are for discussion and educational purposes and do not replace professional advice where applicable. Learn something. Share something. Educate a mate. 📧 Contact: educateamatepodcast@gmail.com

    Your Parents Lied to You

About

Welcome to Educate a Mate Educate a Mate is the podcast where one mate researches something fascinating and then attempts to explain it to the other. History, science, mysteries, animals and whatever rabbit hole we've fallen into this week. Come for the facts. Stay for two idiots getting distracted. Views and opinions shared by hosts or guests are for discussion and educational purposes and do not replace professional advice where applicable. Listener discretion is advised. Thanks for tuning in to Educate a Mate — learn something, share something, educate a mate. Contact - educateamatepodcast@gmail.com -