PODCAST · arts
Barely Researched Facts
by ArtNowThus
Barely Researched Facts is a facts-based show (barely) brought to you by ArtNowThus; an arts, events and content company. Born out of the infamous lockdown of 2020, the show is a trip down dissection lane – of words. Every episode, the hosts Ragini and Shar choose one word and deep dive into it. Every interesting fact we can find, we research – somewhat casually – and bring to you, pairing it with some good humour and casual chat between two friends.
Episodes
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BRF Season II RECAP
It’s time for the great recap episode! We’ve done so much this year that we’ve been proud of. We've celebrated days special to us and the world; we had guests on; we discussed everything under the sun – and the moon ! From the fascinating to the bizarre, from cults to dictatorships, from the...
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BRF 34: Holiday - Seasons Beatings, Indian days of Rest and Rearranging Calendars
Getting you right into the holiday spirit, this episode we’ve chosen the word “Holidays”. Ragini jumps right into that holiday spirit with the legend of Krampus, a horned beastly figure from central and eastern Alpine folklore - scaring the poop out of misbehaving kids everywhere since time...
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BRF 33: Number - The Fibonnaci Numbers, Pythagorean Cults, and a "Prime" Conspiracy
This episode, we’ve chosen the word “Number”. Somehow, we’re back on the topic of cults - wait to find out how we’ve managed this. All we'll say is it has something to do with a right triangle, some misattributed discoveries (if you guessed Tesla, you’re wrong) and vegetarians who weren’t really...
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BRF 32: Chill - The Etymology of Chill, Piloerection and Stoners Frustrating Anaesthetists Everywhere!
This episode, we’ve chosen the word “Chill”. If there’s anything that we or indeed everyone in the world needs right now, it’s a chill pill. And we’ll give you a precise recipe for one - straight from the most medically reliable century in human history - the 1800s! While you’re digesting that...
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BRF Special Episode: 'Hunger' an audio drama
We continue our audio drama special episodes with our second short story. 'Hunger' is also a short story written by Shar and narrated by Vidyuth Gargi, an actor and writer from Mumbai. Today's story is... interesting. Struggling to say more without revealing too much, so that's all we'll say. But...
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BRF Special Episode: 'Homecoming' an audio drama
Today's episode is an experiment - we're celebrating World Audio Drama Day, with our own little tribute through storytelling. 'Homecoming' is a short story written by Shar and narrated by Yuki Ellias, a theatre director and actor from Mumbai. We don't want to ruin the story by telling you too…
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BRF 31: Sun - Sun’s Out - Shields and Bums Out!
Welcome to the seventh episode! This time we’re going the opposite direction to our fifth episode “Moon”. We discuss the importance, or lack thereof of perineum sunning - which is the scientific term for sun’s out, bums out folks! We also talk about that time North Korea landed the first man on…
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BRF 30: Ferment - Fermented birds, 'High' Meat and God-level punning
Part of our collaboration with the amazing Kobo Fermentary, Ragini and Shar kick things off by discussing some very interesting fermented foods and Ragini makes the best pun of her life! Barely Researched Facts is a facts-based show (barely) brought to you by ArtNowThus, a content and events...
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BRF 29: Moon - Werewolves on the Moon, Cults and Bare Bums!
The moon’s gravitational pull is at its strongest during the New Moon and Full Moon. Today is a new moon - so you’ve guessed it - the simple creatures at Barely Researched Facts have chosen Moon as the word for today’s episode! In this episode we discuss the scientific implications of plonking a...
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BRF 28: Revolution - Scientific, planetary, political and everything in between
Our word this episode is an Independence Day special. We’re going with revolution - expect all things revolutionary and all things revolving. 15th August is the Indian Independence Day. Which got us thinking - why isn’t the Indian independence movement referred to as a revolution? There’s a…
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BRF 27: Prank - Rick rolling, Pythagoras and Saddam Hussein!
This episode had us punning on the fly, talking about a poltergeist from our (and your) collective childhoods, morbid humour in a dictatorship, our favourite redhead Rick Astley along with activist of vegetarianism and little known mathematician Pythagorus and his prank cup! Barely Researched…
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BRF 26: Telegram - Big Eared Telepathic Aliens and the last telegram ever sent!
It's the anniversary of the last telegram sent, so we did an entire episode on telegrams. We talk about the last telegram ever sent (obvio), communicating telepathically and telegraphically with big-eared Martians, and why in the world the unstoppable telegram had stops in it. Answers to all your...
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BRF 25: Power - Gun toting shrimps, Powerpuff Girls and more!
Welcome back to Season 2 - and we're starting things off with this power packed episode! We talk about a gun toting shrimp (not making it up), a broken circle and a vertical stroke, the tapestry of 80s, 90s pop culture that is the Powerpuff Girls and how Iceland heats …. literally everything!
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BRF Season Finale
One full year since we started BRF! And as we step away for a bit to take some time to reflect and renew, we leave you with the final word for this season - 'Season' (bit on the nose, this one). What's a silly season? Hint: it's not the period in the following months without the weekly BRF fix in...
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BRF24: "Speed"
Speeding towards the new year, this episode sets the tone by starting off with a great segment on speed limits! There's some pretty cute history on this one. Making things racy - Shar has a little girl crush we explore this episode. Yes, we went there! Also, if you think men today aren't manly...
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BRF Shorts On Us! 14 - "Confetti"
It's the end of the year and it's our favourite time and we're jumping right on to that festive wagon with our last short of the year - Confetti! Turns out human beings have always liked chucking stuff at each other - so we take you through all the not so pleasant, ever so gruesome tales about…
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BRF23: "Roof"
For something that's meant to facilitate dryness, this word turned out to be anything but! We start off with one of the most famous roofs in the world - the iconic domed roofs of the Taj Mahal. Architecture aside, we managed to uncover a juicy little archeological conspiracy theory - fun! Moving...
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BRF Shorts On Us! 13 "Okay"
Hopefully, it's lucky number 13 for us and this episode isn't just "okay". We cover the origins and the sauciness of the word OK, or is it Okay? Find out in the episode! BRF Shorts On Us are mini episodes much more home grown in production than our full length episodes, and therefore slightly...
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BRF22: "Mummy"
In this episode we discuss all things Mummy - the scary ones and the scarier ones :D Ever heard about mummy unwrapping parties btw? Quite the banger back in early 20th century with the European genteel. And yes, it is exactly what it sounds like. In this very cheery episode, we discuss the most...
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BRF Shorts On Us! 12 "Bling"
Our episode on 'Bling' talks about all things bling - rappers, Nizams and burglars! Obviously. Listen to the episode for a fascinating bunch of topics! BRF Shorts On Us are mini episodes much more home grown in production than our full length episodes, and therefore slightly varying in quality....
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BRF21: "Angel"
What would happen if human beings could really fly? Can they ever really fly? Also, how did we ever come to think of angels as humans with wings? Is it an angel or is it an alien? So many questions and one episode to answer them all! We also cover a fun segment on drunk angels - it happens, and…
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BRF Shorts On Us! 11 "Traffic Signal"
Our episode on 'Signal' left us with a lot of to want for. So we decided to do this little short on the 'Traffic Signal'! It's really a fascinating history - they've been around longer than we thought btw (think traffic signals for horses - cute!). Also, dyk traffic signals in Japan are (an...
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BRF20: "Pop"
It's our 20th episode! And to celebrate this milestone, we have an equally celebratory word - Pop! Can't go an episode on Pop without talking about pop culture. We take you through a surprising study that details out the evolution of pop music - turns out it's not actually getting unbearable as…
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BRF Shorts On Us! 10 "Cake"
We've all heard of trial by combat, and in this episode we tell you about the fascinating legal role played by the humble cake back in the day - introducing trial by cake! (we didn't make this up). Also, taking you through an extremely important day of international political significance -...
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BRF19: "Whisper"
This episode is anything but quiet - in fact, it's quite a riot! Ragini and Shar talk about whispering in every form - from whispering to ghosts to whispering to the Gods! Humans are strange, aren't they? Barely Researched Facts is a facts-based show (barely) brought to you by ArtNowThus, a...
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BRF Shorts on Us! 09: "Charkhas and Chick Flicks"
On Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we also celebrate another auspicious day - Mean Girls Day! This episode smooshes two very interesting, very different topics together making a super-quirky short! Enjoy! BRF Shorts On Us are mini episodes much more home grown in…
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BRF Shorts on Us! 08: "The Origin Of Geek"
What do Geeks have in common with carnivals? The answer is a fascinating insight into the origins of this seemingly innocuous, commonplace word. Listen on! BRF Shorts On Us are mini episodes much more home grown in production than our full length episodes, and therefore slightly varying in…
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BRF18: "Signal"
Take a trip down many lanes of great historical significance all the way into outer space with this banger of an episode! There's a lot in here about ancient systems of signaling in times of war and peace - super fascinating! And to keep things contemporary we also take you through the history of...
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BRF Shorts On Us! 07 "Dude"
The origin of dude, the coolest dude, all things dude! From religions to leather boots, this short will make you have a long think about what dude actually means to YOU. To us? - Fermented Quail Eggs. Listen to find out more! BRF Shorts On Us are mini episodes much more home grown in production...
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BRF17: "Beard"
Today is World Beard Day! And we celebrated by putting together this episode! Listen in to find out all the wonderful traditions you can now begin annually to celebrate the togetherness of person and beard. As always we have lots of history - stories we never really imagined we'd be talking…
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BRF Shorts On Us! 06 "Idioms"
What does an 'Indian Summer' actually mean? Where does the phrase 'Raining Cats And Dogs' come from? Hint: while you might not encounter cats pouring out of the sky, there are some wonderful other creatures you could. Not recommended. And the surprising origins of the phrase 'Buttering Someone…
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BRF16: "Fire"
This episode is on Fire! (pun :D) What happens when the God of Fire gets indigestion? What happens to fire in space? Can the human body spontaneously combust on its own? Does pyrokinesis exist? Also, is that the correct term for it? And how do dragons breathe fire? We answer all these and other...
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BRF Shorts on Us! 05: "Whisk(e)y"
Welcome to another episode of BRF Shorts on Us! From women in whiskey-making to recommendations in the world of whisk(e)y to lexicography, this episode is a short but has it all! There's also a surprise announcement at the end that you're not going to want to miss. BRF Shorts On Us are...
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BRF15: "Fairytale"
History, Politics, Medicine, Astronomy, Psychology - this episode really took us places! Find out where it all began, the amazing journey of the Indian fairytales book the Panchatantra across the world, the dark historical story that inspired a much told tale and some expert psychological and...
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BRF Shorts On Us! 04 "Pastafarianism"
What is this strange word you ask - listen to the episode to find out! Find out about our holiest saviour, the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the devoutness of his followers. Ramen to that! BRF Shorts On Us are mini episodes much more home grown in production than our full length episodes, and...
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BRF14: "Pasta"
From the expected - like where the word 'Pasta' comes from and the history of this fascinating dish - to the absolutely unexpected, this episode covers so much ground. Take a listen to explore the creep-tastic internet world of Creepypasta, pasta wars, punny pasta religions and the latest in…
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BRF Shorts On Us! 03 "Birthday"
Happy Birthday to Ragini! We decided to do a fun little short on birthdays right from the history of these special days to birthday traditions around the world. And Shar spills the beans on some stories about Ragini - all of which gave birth to this amazing podcast! So more than one birth day…
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BRF13: "Cake"
Our first ever guest episode and this one's a tasty one! Find out about the history of cake, and a charming little story of how a little town in southern India grew to become a global hotspot for Christmas cakes. There are stories about conjoined twins, examination practices at Oxford and…
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BRF Shorts On Us! 02 "Fairytale"
June 26th is celebrated as Rat Catcher's Day in the town of Hamelin in Germany. This episode we take you through the disturbingly true stories that inspired some of our much beloved fairytales - including the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin that inspires the celebrations today! There's also a...
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BRF12: "Palm"
Our word for this episode: Palm! From experts who predicted their own death to Ragini's newly acquired palm-reading skills, to Los Angeles and its infamous arboreal mascot, this episode is short but packs a punch! Barely Researched Facts is a facts-based show (barely) brought to you by…
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BRF Shorts On Us! 01 - "Pride"
Our first ever BRF Shorts On Us! Mini episodes where we pick words, phrases, idioms and tease them out for you. This episode features the word 'Pride'. We take you through the evolution of this very topical word - it's had a fascinating journey! And of course, there's a fair bit on Pride in its...
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BRF11: "Dream"
Our word for this episode: Dream! In this episode, dreams were a royal road indeed - to super interesting facts! Our chosen word for this episode took us from the supernatural to the surreal! Barely Researched Facts is a facts-based show (barely) brought to you by ArtNowThus, a Mumbai-based...
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BRF10: "Octopus"
We chose a listener-submitted word to dissect this episode and boy, did it deliver! Thank you to Akshai for suggesting “Octopus”. We have to admit – at first, it didn’t seem very promising but that’ll just teach us to trust in our listeners from now on, because it was quite the opposite in the…
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BRF09: "Riddle"
Riddle us this dear listeners... In this episode we answer why that statement leaves you feeling like you're the champion of the world or in a broken pile of anxiety on the floor. To put things in perspective, especially if you're one of the latter - we also take you down the history of riddling,...
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BRF08: "Mirror"
Our word for this episode: Mirror! In this episode, we take listeners through the history of the mirror and ponder the magpie-like nature of humans in their obsession for shiny things. We journey from the sands of the Egyptian civilization to a janitorial closet in an American club - what a ride!...
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BRF07: "Memory"
Our word for this episode: Memory! This one's going to be a hard one to forget. And if you do, we'll tell you exactly why that happened in this episode. From setting world records to some crazy stories about some crazy memories - newly self appointed Drs. Shar and Ragini take you through some...
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BRF06: "Geek"
Our word for this episode: Geek. Bite the head off a chicken and get ready for a "galloper" of an episode! Since our word for the episode is "Geek", it's obvious we bring up carnivals, right? Right! We go through a range of emotions with this one. From talking about early American carnivals to…
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BRF05: "Ash"
Our word for this episode: Ash! Disclaimer: the content in this episode may not be suitable for everyone. Volcanic erections, hacks to keep your pets flea-free and your chickens parasit free and more! This episode, we talk about all things ash - some predicatable and some unpredictable. We did…
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BRF04: "Echo"
Our word for this episode: Echo! From mythology to ancient civilizations to astronomy, this episode takes us on a comprehensive journey through time - as much as you can in twenty eight minutes anyway! Does a duck's quack echo? Can a human echolocate? Do we play the card game bridge? Is the Big...
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BRF03: "Mask"
This episode features an abrupt great segue into talking about the plague, the miasma and germ theories in science, rotting organic matter (Yay!), mask wearing in the western medical world in the 1900s and a fifteen minute long death scene! Intrigued yet? Well how about a guest appearance by one…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Barely Researched Facts is a facts-based show (barely) brought to you by ArtNowThus; an arts, events and content company. Born out of the infamous lockdown of 2020, the show is a trip down dissection lane – of words. Every episode, the hosts Ragini and Shar choose one word and deep dive into it. Every interesting fact we can find, we research – somewhat casually – and bring to you, pairing it with some good humour and casual chat between two friends.
HOSTED BY
ArtNowThus
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Barely Researched Facts have?
Barely Researched Facts currently has 52 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Barely Researched Facts about?
Barely Researched Facts is a facts-based show (barely) brought to you by ArtNowThus; an arts, events and content company. Born out of the infamous lockdown of 2020, the show is a trip down dissection lane – of words. Every episode, the hosts Ragini and Shar choose one word and deep dive into it....
How often does Barely Researched Facts release new episodes?
Barely Researched Facts has 52 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Barely Researched Facts?
You can listen to Barely Researched Facts on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Barely Researched Facts?
Barely Researched Facts is created and hosted by ArtNowThus.
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