How did goldfish come to dominate our fish bowls and pet stores? We dive into the history of America’s favorite finned pet. Plus, the fanciest goldfish money can buy, and the best pet in a vocal performance. Guests: Katherine "Kasey" Grier, the pet historian; Dave Mandley, goldfish freak. Thanks to caller Liana, pet owners Kerry Ann, Stephanie ...…
If you dug up the graves of our founding fathers, what would you find? Tri-corner hats and puffy shirts? A grave expert fills us in on what remains. Plus, a terrifying sea creature that lurks in the waters off northern Australia. Guests: Nicholas Bellantoni, former Connecticut State Archaeologist and author; jellyfish expert Lisa-ann Gershwin. ...…
When did “the wave” become a staple of stadium crowds? ELT talks to the professional cheerleader who first got fans out of their seats. Plus, the egg-laying mammal that is not a marsupial. We give monotremes their due. Guests: professional cheerleader “Krazy” George Henderson; weird-Australian-mammal expert Robin Beck. Thanks also to callers Le ...…
Tucked into your car’s dashboard is a tiny arrow that points to the side of the car with the gas tank cap. Who came up with it? ELT tracks down the inventor of this tiny, brilliant car hack. Plus, do you really need to warm up your car? Guests: Automobile aficionado Jason Torchinsky of Jalopnik; gas tank-indicator arrow inventor Jim Moylan. Tha ...…
How did they make the dinosaur roars in the Jurassic Park movies? Flora talks with the sound engineers behind the bellows. Plus, ELT goes deep into the Mesozoic to find out what what dinosaurs looked (and tasted) like. Guests: Al Nelson and Pete Horner of Skywalker Sound; dinosaur expert Thomas R. Holtz Jr.; paleontologista Jingmai O’Connor Tha ...…
When did someone first see a cheese curd and think, “Yeah, I’m going to eat that"? ELT traces the delicious and X-rated history of cheese. Plus, a professional processed cheese maker on how to make the most of the dairy aisle. Guests: cheese biochemist and historian Paul Kindstedt; processed cheese expert Lloyd Metzger; and cicada killer wasp b ...…
Who put the tension in reality TV? ELT tracks down the source of the nail biting-sound you can’t unhear. Plus, cicada killer wasps — a backyard horror story, turned intervention. Guests: sonic puppetmaster Rick Livingstone; cicada killer wasp expert Chuck Holliday. Thanks to callers Caitlin and Stephanie. Have a question that needs answering? C ...…
DJ Casper tells us the origin story of the Cha Cha Slide. Plus, The Nod’s Brittany Luse is astonished by the unreleased Cha Cha Slide Pt. 1. Guests: The Nod’s host, Brittany Luse; Willie Perry Jr. (aka DJ Casper aka Mr. C the Slide Man); former gym rat David Wilson; radio personality and actress La Donna “Tittle in The Middle” Tittle; and BBC R ...…
ELT goes down under, to expose one of the most impressive butts in the animal kingdom. Plus, the multi-layered origin story of the Bloomin' Onion. Guests: Science Vs. host, Wendy Zukerman; Wombat specialists, Alyce Swinbourne and Julie Old; ELT producer and fried appetizer fanatic, Phoebe Flanigan; Outback Steakhouse co-founder Tim Gannon; chef ...…
Is it possible to interpret what dogs are saying when they bark? We have the tools to help you do some ruff decoding. Plus, listeners share their real-life, unconventional Lassie stories. Guests: Dog bark researchers Péter Pongrácz and Kathryn Lord; behavioral scientist Susan Friedman. Thanks to dog callers Jacob, Alan, Katie R., Katie K., and ...…
Plus, koala fingerprints, lobster pee and other hot facts. There are mysterious symbols inside your tee-shirt -- do you know what they mean? ELT reveals the secrets of The DaLaundry Code. Plus, lobsters pee from their faces, and other cocktail party fodder from our fact buddy exchange. Guests: Symbol whisperer John Langdon; Pascale Florant of G ...…
Does that person sitting next to you on the airplane REALLY work in IT? Plus, a tribute to the bedazzled sausage of the desert southwest, and more fun with pirates. Guests: ex-CIA operative Robert Baer, gila meister Dan Beck, and lady pirate expert Laura Sook Duncombe. Special thanks to callers “anonymous” and Eric — and to all of the listeners ...…
Some birds can fashion tools and create tiny works of art, so why do we always underestimate their bird brains? In this panel discussion, recorded at the 2018 Aspen Ideas Festival, Flora talks with writer Jennifer Ackerman and crow expert Alex Taylor about the genius of birds. Guests: writer Jennifer Ackerman and New Caledonian crow expert Alex ...…
ELT goes into the mind of a crow to find out if scarecrows work. Plus, a look at how clowns protect their clown IP with fact buddy Prashanth Venkat Guests: Julie "Lovely Buttons" Varholdt; crow expert Kevin McGowan. Thanks to Bruce Johnson (aka "Charlie the Juggling Clown") and Alan Zerobnick (aka “Zerbo the Clown” and “The Shoemaker to the Clo ...…
Pirate historian Laura Sook Duncombe tells us about the golden age of pirates. Plus, a tunnel follow up with Dr. Mole: where do the emergency exits in underwater tunnels go? Thanks to lady pirate expert Laura Sook Duncombe and tunnel afficionado Gary Brierley, aka Dr. Mole. Thank also to callers Captain Yarb and Kirsten. To find a list of our s ...…
Plus, learn how to lie like a dad. Guests: Fake parenting expert Adam Mansbach; belly whisperer Tamara Duker Freuman; bird-watcher extraordinaire Amar Ayyash. Special thanks to Nicolas, Marisa, and everyone who called in with their Old Dad's Tales. To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.media/OurAdvertisers…
Is there more to your taste buds than you thought? ELT tackles a fat question. Plus, a #yesflamingo campaign update. Guests: Richard Mattes, taste czar; Sarah Laskow, reporter for Atlas Obscura. Special thanks to caller Samantha. *Correction: The Vegas Golden Knights mascot is not, in fact, a golden knight. It is Chance the gila monster. Our ap ...…
Is your roommate trying to kill you? Learn how to spot the telltale signs of a psychopath. Guests: Jon Ronson, author of The Psychopath Test; cat psychologist Eva Waiblinger. Special thanks to caller Megan. *No animals were harmed in the making of this episode. To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.media/OurA ...…
Plus, a look at lottery history, and your strangest raffle winnings. Guests: Jonathan Cohen, lottery historian; John Koza, co-founder of Scientific Games Callers: John Henry, D., Lisa, Megan. Hear your favorite Gimlet shows LIVE at Gimletfest this June 16-17 in Brooklyn. Buy tickets at gimletfest.com. To find a list of our sponsors and show-rel ...…
A kid caller pops the question: How does popcorn pop? Plus, the uncomfortable truth about baby corn.
Plus, how to pee in zero-G. To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.media/OurAdvertisers.
How they get that tunnel under there. Plus, a centuries-old scientific debate: why ice is slippery. Guests: Dr. Gary Brierley (aka Dr. Mole), tunnel engineer, Dr. Miquel Salmeron, physicist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Special thanks to callers Nikki and Erin. Check out the Terrifying Tunnel Video referenced in today's show.…
Plus, dog clothes: where did they come from? To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.fm/sponsors
Listener Mack asked about the unfamous people who fill empty seats at the Oscars. To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.fm/sponsors
Why do we get goosebumps from music and other emotional experiences? Plus, the strangest things to give ELT listeners goosebumps. To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.fm/sponsors
No, really - how old is he? To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.fm/sponsors
Flora finds out what would happen if she stepped into the vacuum of outer space. Then, an (Earth) vacuum paradox to end all paradoxes: which came first, the vacuum or the carpet? To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.fm/sponsors
First, Flora uncovers a feud about butterflies. Then, a question from the Help Line about aircraft patrol. To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.fm/sponsors.
Flora and fact buddy Prashanth talk about spiders, which leads to a cargo short investigation. Listen to Gimlet's newest show, Uncivil, wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts | Overcast | Pocketcasts | Stitcher
We're hard at work on Season 2 of ELT. In the meantime, we thought you'd enjoy this brand new Gimlet podcast called The Pitch. On it, real entrepreneurs pitch to real investors for real money. It's high stakes and nerve-racking and really fun. We're sharing episode 2, iMirror, on which a startup founder pitches his plan to disrupt the hotel ind ...…
Get to know your most intimate animal companions. They already know a lot about you. Listen to Gimlet's newest show, The Pitch, on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen! Our Sponsors Casper – Get $50 towards any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/elt and using promo code “ELT” | Synchrony Financial | WordPress – go to wordpress.com/ELT to ...…
Rummaging through the nation's attic to find out what the government stores and why. Our Sponsors Postmates - The app that can deliver anything from anywhere. Get $100 in Postmates delivery credit by downloading the app and using promo code ELT. New customers only. Ziprecruiter – Post jobs for free by visiting ziprecruiter.com/elt…
A weird night in Dallas leads us to ask: what kinds of emergency systems are all around us? Our Sponsors eBay - Listen to their podcast, Open for Business wherever you get your podcasts Everyday Bravery by Prudential - Listen wherever you get your podcasts Hello Fresh - Get $30 off your first week of deliveries visit hellofresh.com and enter pr ...…
What does it take to eradicate a disease from the planet? Plus, the horrifying hunting habits of weasels. Our Sponsors Casper – Get $50 towards any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/elt and using promo code “ELT” WordPress – go to wordpress.com/ELT to get 15% off a new website Realtor.com – Realtor.com has more MLS listed homes for sale ...…
How rules can keep us from descending into chaos. Our Sponsors Ebay - Listen to their podcast, Open for Business wherever you get your podcasts Everyday Bravery by Prudential - Listen wherever you get your podcasts Ziprecruiter - Post jobs for free by visiting ziprecruiter.com/elt
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