171 episodes

At Popular Science, we report and write dozens of science and tech stories every week. And while a lot of the fun facts we stumble across make it into our articles, there are lots of other weird facts that we just keep around the office. So we figured, why not share those with you? Welcome to The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.

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The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week Popular Science

    • Science
    • 4.6 • 2.1K Ratings

At Popular Science, we report and write dozens of science and tech stories every week. And while a lot of the fun facts we stumble across make it into our articles, there are lots of other weird facts that we just keep around the office. So we figured, why not share those with you? Welcome to The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.

For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com  
We wanna make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4 
Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/us/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy

    Stargazing Poop Bugs, Ancient Beer Ladies, Secret Internet Slang

    Stargazing Poop Bugs, Ancient Beer Ladies, Secret Internet Slang

    Christie Taylor joins the show to talk about dung beetles who love to stargaze. Plus, Laura explains how early beer brewers were women, and Rachel gets into weird internet language on TikTok and beyond.
    The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
    Click here to learn more about all of our stories! 
    Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman 
    Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman
    Link to Jess' Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn
    --
    Follow our team on Twitter
    Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman
    Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
    Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci
    Theme music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ
    Thanks to our Sponsors!

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    This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at https://BetterHelp.com/WEIRDEST


    Head to https://FACTORMEALS.com/weirdest50 and use code weirdest50 to get 50% off.


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    • 1 hr 14 min
    Bird Milk, Space Lube, Hermit Crab Housing Crisis

    Bird Milk, Space Lube, Hermit Crab Housing Crisis

    Liz Clayton Fuller rejoins the show to talk all things bird milk (yum!), and Amanda Reed spins the tale of the rocket scientist who invented a world renowned lubricant. Finally, Rachel explains the intricacies of the hermit crab housing market.
    The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
    Click here to learn more about all of our stories! 
    Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman 
    Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman
    Link to Jess' Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn
    --
    Follow our team on Twitter
    Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman
    Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
    Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci
    Theme music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ

    Thanks to our Sponsors!
    Check out https://FACTORMEALS.com/weirdest50 and use code weirdest50 to get 50% off. 
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 54 min
    Government Cheese, Mitochondria NOT Powerhousing, Dawn of the Cockroach

    Government Cheese, Mitochondria NOT Powerhousing, Dawn of the Cockroach

    This time, Laura Baisas explains the dawn of the cockroach in New York, Rachel discusses a situation when the mitochondria is NOT the powerhouse of the cell (not ideal), and Claire Maldarelli divulges all about the legendary government cheese.
    The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
    Click here to learn more about all of our stories! 
    Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman 
    Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman
    Link to Jess' Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn
    --
    Follow our team on Twitter
    Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman
    Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
    Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci
    Theme music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ

    Thanks to our Sponsors!

    Get 20% OFF @honeylove by going to https://honeylove.com/WEIRDEST! #honeylovepod

    Right now get 50% off a ONE-TIME PAYMENT FOR A LIFETIME Babbel subscription at https://Babbel.com/WEIRDEST



    This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at https://BetterHelp.com/WEIRDEST



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    • 1 hr
    Nature's Weirdest Sleepers, Iron Maiden Myths, Parking Psychology

    Nature's Weirdest Sleepers, Iron Maiden Myths, Parking Psychology

    Welcome to Season 8! Producer Jess Boddy joins the show to talk about the mythical iron maiden (as inspired by Resident Evil 4), Rachel talks about nature's weirdest sleepers, and Amanda explains the fascinating rabbit hole that is American parking psychology.
    The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
    Click here to learn more about all of our stories! 
    Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman 
    Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman
    Link to Jess' Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn
    --
    Follow our team on Twitter
    Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman
    Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
    Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci
    Theme music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ

    Thanks to our Sponsors!

    Get 20% OFF @honeylove by going to https://honeylove.com/WEIRDEST! #honeylovepod

    For a limited time deal our listeners get 55% off your Babbel subscription at https://Babbel.com/WEIRDEST



    This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at https://BetterHelp.com/WEIRDEST



    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 1 hr 7 min
    LIVE SHOW: Trees are Fake, Fortune-Telling Cheese, Sunscreen Secrets, Magical Misogyny

    LIVE SHOW: Trees are Fake, Fortune-Telling Cheese, Sunscreen Secrets, Magical Misogyny

    In our live show from August of 2023, Rachel talks about magicians' tricks and their hidden misogyny, Sara explains how trees aren't real (and why we are all crabs), Claire details the history of sunscreen, and Jess dives into telling fortunes using cheese. 
    The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
    Click here to learn more about all of our stories! 
    Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman 
    Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman
    Link to Jess' Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn
    --
    Follow our team on Twitter
    Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman
    Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
    Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci
    Theme music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 1 hr 12 min
    Eating The Rich, Menopausal Chimps, Darwin's Taxidermy Teacher

    Eating The Rich, Menopausal Chimps, Darwin's Taxidermy Teacher

    Divya Anantharaman joins the show to talk about the history of taxidermy dating back to Charles Darwin! Plus, Rachel talks menopausal chimps, and Sara Kiley explains how one Dutch town once literally ate the rich.
    The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our Facebook group or tweet at us!
    Click here to learn more about all of our stories! 
    Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman 
    Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman
    Link to Jess' Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn
    --
    Follow our team on Twitter
    Rachel Feltman: www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman
    Produced by Jess Boddy: www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy
    Popular Science: www.twitter.com/PopSci
    Theme music by Billy Cadden: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ
    Thanks to our sponsors! 

    Here's a special, (limited time) deal for our listeners to get you started RIGHT NOW, Get 55% off at https://Babbel.com/WEIRDEST


    Get 15% off OneSkin with the code WEIRDEST at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod


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    • 1 hr

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
2.1K Ratings

2.1K Ratings

Cold Blooded Lord ,

Guest suggestion

Could you have Pixlriffs from “The Spawn Chunks” podcast?

Theresa_Watson ,

Favorite podcast!

I’m new to the podcast world, I guess it was pure curiosity of what the podcast world was like to get me to finally open the app. I’m so happy I did. I’m a nerd for weird, interesting and unusual facts. Also, anything that involves science/ astronomy. This is the first and only podcast I have ever listened to. I currently binge about 3-4 or so episodes a day since I first listened to it a week ago. Thank you for creating this! (Edit: I’m just now listening to a July 2019 episode of uranium dinnerware and am reporting that Boscov’s is still alive and well. There is one in my hometown of Wilkes Barre, PA just a few miles south of Scranton, PA.)

doingstuff ,

Like sorry, like can’t stand all the likes

Like I tried this like app. And like the facts were like interesting, but like hearing the like word every 5 seconds was so annoying, I like had to turn it like off. Listen and count your likes.

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