Part-Time Genius

Hey PTG fans, Mangesh (aka Mango) has another show, Skyline Drive! On Sundays we’ll be sharing episodes from season 1 right here, so you can get excited for season 2, which drops in June. We’re up to episode 3, in which Mangesh and producer Mary travel back in time to the 1980s, to uncover the truth about Nancy Reagan’s obsession with astrology and how that changed the course of American history. Skyline Drive was selected as an Apple Podcasts Series Essential! Listen ad-free for a limited time. Subscribe to Skyline Drive wherever you get your podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did a beloved children’s author become an expert on a rare breed of sheep? Which rock star is also an astrophysicist? And what happens when a famous actor becomes a clown, literally? Today, Will and Mango are pulling back the curtain on celebrity side hustles! Download SAILY in your app store and use our code PTG at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For details go to https://saily.com/PTG. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Deirdre Boys via Unsplash. Thanks, Deirdre! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s National Superhero Day, so we’re celebrating the animals who deserve their own Marvel spin-offs. Move over, Wolverine and Iron Man, we only care about mole rats, alligators, and salamanders now. Featuring science communicator and YouTuber Emily Graslie! Download SAILY in your app store and use our code PTG at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For details go to https://saily.com/PTG. This episode originally aired on June 21, 2017. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Salamander photo by Iuliu Illes via Unsplash. Thanks, Iuliu! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mangesh meets Jean, a 74-year-old romantic who decides she's finally open to astrology as she works to rebuild her life. Meanwhile, NYC astrologer Janelle Belgrave joins the team to offer some much-needed counsel; we interview a midwestern therapist who secretly uses astrology to better understand her clients; and Mangesh and his family hold on to hope in the face of some alarming news. Hey PTG fans, Mangesh (aka Mango) has another show, Skyline Drive! On Sundays we’ll be sharing episodes from season 1 right here, so you can get excited for season 2, which drops in June. Skyline Drive was selected as an Apple Podcasts Series Essential! Listen ad-free for a limited time.Subscribe to Skyline Drive wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the Greek actor who destroyed his career by mispronouncing a single word, to the mysterious collapse of a high-tech Mayan city, to a very wonky pyramid, today we're discovering some of the strangest gaffes in ancient history. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/ptg Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! This episode originally aired on October 24, 2024. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo of the Bent Pyramid via Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gabe loves monster moves! And Will and Mango... tolerate them. But, it turns out, we all love facts about Godzilla. From how Godzilla changed paleontology, to the giant monster's (secret) signature move, to why flattened buildings aren't the worst part of a Godzilla attack, in this episode we tip our hats to the King of the Monsters. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/ptg Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! This episode originally aired on April 3, 2020. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Still of Godzilla (the monster) from Godzilla (the 1954 movie) via Wikimedia Commons.  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey PTG fans, Mangesh (aka Mango) has another show, Skyline Drive! On Sundays we’ll be sharing episodes from season 1 right here, so you can get excited for season 2, which drops in June. Skyline Drive was selected as an Apple Podcasts Series Essential! Listen ad-free for a limited time. Mangesh begins his journey into the weird, wonderful world of astrology with a little help from his mom, a science writer, a famous musician, and one very sneaky author! But when an ominous prediction suddenly comes true, his life turns upside down. Subscribe to Skyline Drive wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finally, an episode that scratches at all those answers you've been craving (in the most satisfying way)! Did an itching epidemic really halt the Revolutionary War? What happens when you scratch an itch and look in the mirror? And can tiny electrocutions really help your itchy skin?  EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/ptg Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! This episode originally aired on September 26, 2024. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Coline Haslé via Unsplash. Thanks, Coline! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you enjoy biking in Finland, eating a bagel with cream cheese in New York, or avoiding the sun in Italy, bad news: you may owe tax on that. The good news is, we’ve got nine of the world’s most unusual tax laws to distract you from the pain in your pocketbook. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/ptg Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash. Thanks, Kelly! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did an ailing Connecticut wife inspire the pay phone? Why did thousands of people flock to the Mojave Desert just to use one? And do people really talk for longer when they know someone else is waiting? Today Mango and Gabe answer the call of nostalgia by tracing the rise, fall, and possible resurgence of the public pay phone.  EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/ptg Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Robin Jonathan Deutsch via Unsplash. Thanks, Robin! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How long do whales live, and how do scientists figure out their age? What does it take to sustain a whale's enormous size? And why do whales have mustaches and belly buttons? Featuring Nick Pyenson, author of Spying on Whales and curator of marine mammal fossils for the Smithsonian. Buy Spying on Whales! This episode originally aired on September 12, 2018. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Chinh Le Duc via Unsplash. Thanks, Chinh! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will, Gabe and Mango take the focus off the nuclear button, and put it squarely on all the other buttons out there that are feeling a little neglected, from colonial button molds to Jimmy Carter’s panic button accident in a bathroom. This episode originally aired on January 4, 2018. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Olga Kovalski via Unsplash. Thanks, Olga! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What unique title do you earn if you climb Scotland’s tallest mountains? How is the Scots language being preserved? What’s the deep, dark secret behind bagpipes? And most important, do you support Will and Mango’s plan to register an official Part-Time Genius tartan with the Scottish government? (You absolutely should.) Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by K. Mitch Hodge via Unsplash. Thanks, K. Mitch! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Forget boring toast—the world has been making all sorts of avocado advances. Why aren't you using an avocado sock? Should you be investing in diet avocados from Spain? And why aren't you drinking your lattes out of avocado shells, like Australians do? Will and Mango dive deep into the tasty world of avocados to determine why they took so long to catch on, and what Baywatch Nights has to do with their popularity. (Spoiler: Very little.) This episode originally aired on April 27, 2018. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Estúdio Bloom via Unsplash.  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strap on your sword and grab your ocarina, because today we're celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda! Join Mango and Gabe as they uncover the secrets of Nintendo's landmark fantasy series, including the real-world inspirations and technical breakthroughs that helped bring the games to life. Plus: The inspiring story of a nonagenarian Zelda fan, and the reason why Link is so darn handsome. Follow Jon Cartwright on Bluesky and subscribe to his YouTube channel, Good Vibes Gaming! Follow Killer Carp on Instagram and subscribe to his YouTube channel! Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Ben Hamler via Unsplash. Thanks, Ben! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On his deathbed, Winston Churchill’s last words were: “I’m bored with it all.” What a missed opportunity! In this slightly morbid but highly entertaining episode, Will and Mango dig up more last words, from Marie Antoinette's polite remark en route to the guillotine to the businessman who used his final breath to win a game. Plus: the infamous word that helped create one of the world's most famous sneaker brands. This episode originally aired on March 22, 2018. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Portrait of Marie Antoinette via Wikimedia Commons.  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s an ear trumpet, and where can you find the world’s biggest collection of them? How did a frustrated young watchmaker transform the wheelchair forever? Why does a robotic arm make such a great dining companion? Today, Will and Mango discover some incredible inventions, past and present, that have made life a little easier for millions of people. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Ear trumpet diagram from the National Archives & Records Administration via Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Orleans is one of the most charming and unique cities in the United States… but 300 years ago, it would've been hard to see that potential. In this episode, Will and Mango dig into how French the French Quarter really is, why the local graveyards look like little villages, and whether the Peacemaker sandwich really can keep an angry couple together.  This episode originally aired on August 26, 2019. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo of the French Quarter by Rosie Kerr via Unsplash. Thanks, Rosie! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel identification has taken many forms over the years, from stone tablets to an exhausting process that involved posting your itinerary on a church door. But how did we arrive at the standardized booklets many of us carry today? How do different countries use art and technology to distinguish their passports? And what’s the best (and worst) passport in the world, according to experts? Plus: Why you can blame a German spy for your embarrassing passport photo. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Spencer Davis via Unsplash. Thanks, Spencer! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does Germany use five different bins for recycling? Can you trick people into being greener by putting wolves on packaging? And is recycling a good business to be in? Plus, why Totes McGoats is one of the worst phrases of all time... but also perhaps the best recycling mascot ever. Featuring Christopher Hassiotis from HowStuffWorks. This episode originally aired on January 24, 2018. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Pawel Czerwinski via Unsplash. Thanks, Pawel! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why did people start (and stop) dyeing pistachios red? How do thieves pull off high-stakes nut heists? What’s up with the coconut that looks like a butt? And why do so many members of the PTG team have beef with pine nuts? Today, we’re cracking the delicious mysteries of nuts (and, yes, things that aren’t technically nuts). Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Mae Mu via Unsplash. Thanks, Mae! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is our obsession with cleanliness keeping us from peak health? Also, can hookworm cure allergies? Will harvesting panda poop make you rich? Plus: Why Amish dust is superior to other dust (seriously!). Featuring Penny Sarchet. This episode originally aired on June 14, 2017. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Crystal Chabot via Unsplash. Thanks, Crystal! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is it so hard to stop oversleeping and eating candy? Why is it equally hard to start going to the gym and preparing healthy snacks? If you’ve been struggling with New Year’s resolutions, you’re not alone—turns out humans have wrestled with habits for centuries, like the guy who paid his servant to drag him out of bed in the morning. Will and Mango have the answers you need, with a little help from behavior change expert Dr. Katy Milkman.  Buy Katy Milkman’s book, How to Change, and subscribe to her newsletter, Milkman Delivers! Remember, Monday, March 2 is the official 2026 Part-Time Genius Habit Change Fresh Start Day! Mark your calendars and let us know what habit you’re trying to change. Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Timm Bursch via Unsplash. Thanks, Timm! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have ZERO intention of eating less food! But if you had to pare down your pantry to the bare minimum, what are the only foods you'd need to survive? Is an all-potato diet healthy? And did Steve Jobs' strange diet affect his business decisions? Plus, Will and Mango discuss the Woodstock for fruit lovers and find out why the elderberry might be the most overlooked berry. Featuring Spudfit.com's Andrew Taylor. This episode originally aired on November 1, 2017. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Lars Blankers via Unsplash. Thanks, Lars! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We honk at them in the street and shoo them away from our trash cans, but opossums are so much more than nocturnal nuisances. In today’s episode, Mango and Gabe get better acquainted with America’s only native marsupials, including the truth behind their famous talent for playing dead and their surprising connections to President Taft and Captain John Smith. Plus: A stirring ode to the opossum on Mango’s balcony and a tongue-in-cheek recipe for “planked possum.” Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by The New York Public Library via Unsplash. Thanks, NYPL!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango are on a mission to uncover chocolate's darkest secrets. What's the difference between cacao and cocoa? Why have Swiss scientists been working on a pink chocolate for so long, and what does it really taste like? Plus, why does chocolate melt so perfectly in our mouths? This episode originally aired on February 21, 2018. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Tetiana Bykovets via Unsplash. Thanks, Tetiana! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s be real: eating at Olive Garden isn’t the same as dining in Tuscany. But does that mean the food is inherently worse? Today Will and Mango explore the concept of culinary authenticity, including how it’s measured, who it benefits, and what it really means for one dish to be “more authentic” than another. Plus: The political calculus of wolfing down corn dogs, and the shocking origin of Outback Steakhouse (spoiler alert: it does not involve Australia!). Did you know that instant mashed potatoes are authentic Canadian cuisine? Check out this episode on Great Inventions from the Great White North to learn more! Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Maximilian Zahn via Unsplash. Thanks, Maximilian!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who's the Michael Phelps of the early winter games? Why did the 1924 British curling team just get their gold medals? And what are the greatest sports we wish were still in the Olympics (who's up for a round of Korfball)? Will and Mango dive into Olympic history and investigate how one little rule change affected how future sports were played. Featuring American ski archer Dave Bergart. This episode originally aired on January 17, 2018. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Todd Trapani via Unsplash. Thanks, Todd! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reading a book, going to the movies, listening to your favorite band… you call them hobbies, but acclaimed scientist Daisy Fancourt calls them public health strategies. She joins producer Mary to discuss her new book, Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives, and shares insights from her research—like the fact that engaging with the arts reduces the risk of depression, and listening to music before surgery results in faster healing. Daisy also explains why she’s hopeful in the face of widespread cuts to arts funding, and why you don’t have to be good at the arts to benefit from them.  Buy Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human ingenuity knows no limits! Today Will, Gabe, and Mango raid the United States Patent Office to find some of the weirdest, funniest, and most confusing inventions of all time.  This episode originally aired on April 7, 2020. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo of a gerbil (not in the gerbil transport vest) by Silje Roseneng via Unsplash. Thanks, Silje! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Will and Mango as they try to mediate the world’s weirdest arguments about borders, including the ongoing fight for an island of puffins and a centuries-old struggle to control a quarter mile of mountain. Plus: One man’s efforts to make his daughter an abandoned desert princess, and “the turducken of border disputes,” which involved a corner of India inside Bangladesh which was inside India but also inside Bangladesh. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Kyle Glenn via Unsplash. Thanks, Kyle! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are people getting plastic surgery on their fingerprints? Why was the Civil War such a golden era for procedures? And why is everyone suddenly obsessed with the length of their philtrums? Will and Mango take a brisk walk through the history of plastic surgery. This episode originally aired on January 25, 2019. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo of Civil War veterans by the American Press Association via the Library of Congress. Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teleportation is a major mode of travel in science fiction, but when will it become a reality? To find out, Mango and Gabe are grappling with the history and theoretical science behind one of humanity’s most anticipated technologies. Along the way, they explore the surprising connection between teleportation and ancient stage magic, and introduce you to the most romantic song about quantum entanglement that you’ve ever heard. (Probably.) Check out David Nagler’s website and his band, As For the Future! Listen to Mangesh’s conversation with Daniel Whiteson about aliens, physics, and alien physics! Learn more about Daniel’s work, books, and podcast at his website! Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Logan Gutierrez via Unsplash. Thanks, Logan! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the treasury joker who snuck his face on some cash, to Theodore Roosevelt’s drastic redesign for the penny, to the very best reason Harriet Tubman belongs on the $20, Will and Mango are diving into dollar bill facts Scrooge McDuck-style. This episode originally aired on January 31, 2019. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Giorgio Trovato via Unsplash. Thanks, Giorgio! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will and Mango are starting the new year strong by counting down their favorite cultural works that just entered the public domain. From cartoon queens and detective stories to Dutch abstract art and one of the most recorded songs in history, this year’s crop has something for everyone. Plus: How the Harlem Globetrotters got their theme song, and the origin of the Dagwood sandwich! Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the Canadian professor who found patterns in scratch-off lottery tickets, to the Michigan couple that turned a lottery flaw into their retirement savings plan, to the strange reason you should hold onto any lottery ticket that has Herbert Hoover's face on it, Will and Mango look into the long history of lotteries... and the geniuses who've managed to game them.  This episode originally aired on June 13, 2018. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Erik Mclean via Unsplash. Thanks, Erik! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While no one is going to malls (or so it seems), everyone seems to be talking about them: the CDC is writing up reports on mall walkers, people are growing beards to get into the mall Santa game, and writers are waxing nostalgic about them. But what exactly were malls intended to be? Why did the inventor of the mall try to distance himself from his greatest invention? And why are there never any escalators in the middle of them? Will and Mango dig in.   This episode originally aired on May 28, 2019. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo of Boston's Copley Place Mall by Ethan Hansen via Unsplash. Thanks, Ethan! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… an ad for cigarettes?! For the past 102 years, people have been using airplanes to turn exhaust into ads, political slogans, birthday greetings, and more. But where did this strangely brilliant idea come from? What kind of sorcery do pilots use to make it happen? And why is it at risk of becoming a lost art?  This episode originally aired on December 3, 2024. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Sebastian Davenport-Handley via Unsplash. Thanks, Sebastian! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the 44th annual Part-Time Genius Awards! We’re honoring the people—and creatures—behind the year’s best stories, including a fungus that plays keyboards, a rare snail looking for love, a very nerdy math holiday, an incredible invention for astronauts who enjoy baking, an experiment with Batman, and more. Grab your tuxedo and let’s send 2025 off in style. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. We’re on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social. Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you're an amateur bear enthusiast or prepping for a bear convention, these are the bear facts you'll need! Will and Mango explore a Canadian bear jail, learn why Pizzlies are taking over the world, and discover why Paddington Bear was once the pride of Africa. This episode originally aired on May 3, 2018. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Mark Basarab via Unsplash. Thanks, Mark! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Believe it or not, heavier bowls, a pair of headphones, and an electronic lollipop can trick your mind grapes into making tasty food even tastier. But how? And why?! Plus, the legend of the PB-and-mayo sandwich, and one very cute pepper to avoid. Featuring Bob Holmes. This episode originally aired on June 30, 2017. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo of tasty, tasty potato chips by Emiliano Vittoriosi via Unsplash. Thanks, Emiliano! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jane Austen worked at a 12-sided desk, was great at singing, and earned shockingly little money from her novels. Today’s her 250th birthday, so we’re celebrating with nine niche literary facts about the beloved author, from the way she helped soldiers in WWI to the reason why Kelly Clarkson couldn’t buy her ring. (Sorry, Kelly.) Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. We’re on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social. Drawing of Jane Austen by her sister Cassandra via Wikimedia Commons.  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the world's most secretive cinema to an internet for plants, to the perfect job for lazy people who also want to hide underground, Will, Gabe, and Mango go deep—very, very deep—in search of 9 weird things that lurk just below the surface. This episode originally aired on April 20, 2020. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo of the Paris Catacombs by Nico Knaack via Unsplash. Merci, Nico! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, so Will and Mango are uncovering some seriously surprising stories about author C.S. Lewis. Did you know he was famous for his terrible fashion… but also his financial generosity? Or that he almost converted to Hinduism for reasons that involve soup? And that he had a long, complicated frenemy-ship with J.R.R. Tolkien, which led to the two authors hating on a Disney movie together? Well, you will after this episode! Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. We’re on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social. Photo of Lewis by John S. Murray via Wikimedia Commons.  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did a 15-year-old really invent the snowmobile? What was the original use for a Kleenex? How come Eddie Bauer gets zero credit for his genius idea? And what's so special about Greenwood Champion Ear Protectors, anyway? Will and Mango spend a cold winter's day digging into some spectacular seasonal inventions. This episode originally aired on January 24, 2019. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Diana Polekhina via Unsplash. Thanks, Diana! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tis the season for commerce, and Gabe and Mary are standing by with answers to all the questions you didn’t know you had. Like: What was the Tickle Me Elmo of ancient Rome? Why was Black Friday almost called Big Friday? And what happened when FDR messed with Thanksgiving in order to give people more time to shop? (Chaos, that’s what happened.) Plus: Helpful suggestions for anyone struggling to find the perfect gift. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. We’re on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social. Photo of a Macy’s holiday window display via Wikimedia Commons.  Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Florida the birthplace of ostrich racing? Why do male Emperor penguins get an extra stomach flap? And why should you be extra wary of a loose cassowary? Today Mango and Gabe run through some of the world's biggest questions about the world’s biggest birds. This episode originally aired on July 20, 2018. Want an official, numbered, limited edition Part-Time Genius membership card? Of course you do. Get in touch and share a fun fact, your name, and your mailing address and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. (We may share your fact on an upcoming episode, but don’t worry, your contact info is private.)  Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Ostrich photo by Catherine Merlin via Unsplash. Thanks, Catherine! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Freston’s resume is real, but reads like fiction: he served cocktails in the Caribbean, created a fashion brand in India, co-founded MTV, became CEO of Viacom… and after he was unceremoniously fired, he helped launch a TV network in Afghanistan and became an advocate for global health initiatives. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s written an extraordinary memoir, Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu. So today Tom sits down with Mango to talk about some of those adventures, including the time he ended up in a sauna with David Bowie and Paul McCartney, how The Real World came to be, and why he believes TV can change the world. Buy Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu, or request it at your local bookstore or library! Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Give us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. We’re on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social. Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Want to know what the Chanel No. 5 of Ancient Egypt smelled like? Or how the interior of Queen Elizabeth's royal car smelled? Or maybe you'd like to experience the fragrance of extinct Hawaiian flowers? In this episode, Will and Mango get nosy about how scientists have been working hard to build a scent library of disappearing smells.  This episode originally aired on July 11, 2024. Want an official, numbered, limited edition Part-Time Genius membership card? Of course you do. Get in touch and share a fun fact, your name, and your mailing address and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. (We may share your fact on an upcoming episode, but don’t worry, your contact info is private.)  Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo of Cleopatra street mural in Barcelona by r2hox via Wikimedia Commons. Thanks, r2hox! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What a treat! It’s a fact-packed food science trivia game, created in collaboration with our good pals at Science Friday. Mango and SciFri’s Flora Lichtman put one lucky listener to the test with questions about peppers, panda diets, and more, with special prizes on the line.  Check out Science Friday, and subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow them on Instagram @scifri and Bluesky @scifri.bsky.social. Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Give us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. We’re on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social. Pepper photo by Hari Krishnan via Unsplash. Thanks, Hari! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.