Episodes
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Episode 117 - 6 Degrees of Coolness (it doesn’t get much cooler than 6 degrees) - 1/4/26
Episode 117 is one of our favorite types: a delightful grab bag of random topics! There's a section all about trends: fashion trends in the chimp community, wellness trends among orca, trends in human coolness over the years; a section about food (talking mushrooms and bitter honey); why deaf...
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Episode 116 - The non-Christmas Christmas episode - 12/22/25
Welcome to Six Degrees of Rumination's "Non-Christmas Christmas episode!" It's co-host Reno's revenge on co-host Nina and producer Mike, for all the Christmas specials they made him record over the years. This episode is short and sweet, but spans over thousands of years of history as Reno takes…
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Episode 115 - Producer Mike holds us hostage! Send help!!!! - 09/21/25
In a series of unfortunate events, somehow our diabolical producer, Mike, has taken us hostage and forced us to read articles of his choosing. In this episode we were forced to discuss why Yoga sucks, how your gluten allergy is bullsh*t, and why Vegans are murderers. Send help...Please....we…
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Episode 114 - We'd give our eyeteeth for a good title - with guest Nicole Armour - 6/3/25
Welcome to episode 114 with guest Nicole Armour. So we did not come up with a creative title for this episode - we'd give our eyeteeth for one! Perhaps it was difficult because the articles this episode really run the gamut. Join us for a science grab bag of surgical advancements (and surgical...
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Episode 113 - “Spiritual shit on your event horizon - with guest Nicole Armour” - 4/25/25
Enjoy Episode 113 with special guest Nicole Armour! We get into one of our favorite topics: the inner workings of the mind. Find out how to improve your mood, explore your own brand of spirituality, and prevent brain rot. Oh and also, do dogs actually watch TV when they're hanging out with us?...
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Episode 112 - " “Back to the Basement, Producer Mike!” - 12/23/24
Welcome to our last episode of 2024! Episode 112, "Back to the Basement, Producer Mike!" is, be warned, one of our longest episodes. So settle in, hopefully as you're starting a long drive to friends or family for the holidays, and prepare to be entertained with an all out throw down on...
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Episode 111 - “Animus Prime - who let Mike out of the basement?” - 12/16/24
Welcome to episode 111, after about a year's hiatus! "Animus Prime - who let Mike out of the basement?" is filled with wacky animal stories, as our episodes are prone to do. Albatrosses, dragons, and military dolphins are just some of the friends we encounter in our second to last episode of…
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Episode 110 - “Br-AI-n: Listen to episode 109 First” - 1/3/24
Welcome to Episode 110 and a whole new year! But wait, before you forget about 2023 completely, we ask that if you have not yet listened to Episode 109 (air date 12/20/23), go back and do so before enjoying Episode 110. There are lessons to be learned before you delve further into the holy terror...
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Episode 109 - “Shadow Work on the Way to Mars (Producer Mike was Right)” - 12/20/23
Producer Mike LOSES HIS MIND and treats us to his best rant ever. Enjoy Episode 109 during your holiday travels or when you want to escape familial joy for a bit and indulge in some sarcasm. We cover hibernation, 3D printing (food and otherwise), caffeine intake, and of course - artificial...
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Episode 108 - All Creatures Great and Small and Awkwardly Terrifying - 12/1/23
It's Episode 108! We're glad to be back after such a long time away. What better way to say hello to you all again than with weird animal articles? Some of our favorites! Hear about reanimated pigs, what snakes have that some humans also have, and how monkeys have made wolves do their bidding.…
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Episode 107 - Brainalysis - 11/15/23
Welcome to Episode 107, a delightful romp about the psychology of being human. We're glad to be back after a long and sort of accidental hiatus. Join us for this semi-focused discussion on all things psychology, like analyzing stress through typing patterns and the particular strategies of…
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Episode 106 - Big Questions, Little Answers
Episode 106 - Big Questions, Little Answers In this episode, we explore the macro "why"s: why are we here, what entity or unseen force made this universe we live in, why are there so many mysteries surrounding our earth and the space around it? These "why"s don't always have concrete answers, but...
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Episode 105 - Life and Living in Space - 7/18/22
Episode 105 - Life and Living in Space Ever wondered about the day to day ins and outs of living in space? How does the altered environment affect your bodily functions, daily routine, and mental state? You might be surprised by some of the answers... Collaboration with aliens Precursor to life…
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episode 104 - Welcome to 2022 - 1/13/22
It's official - society has reached that terrifying point where technology knows more about you than your own family. Hooray! Welcome to a world of brain implants, AI turning your thoughts into texts, legislation for sexbots, and, of course - a toilet that recognizes you by your...well, we don't...
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Episode103 - Mammals! - 12/28/21
It's the mammals episode! From humans lucid dreaming to camel beauty contests, in this episode you'll hear everything you wanted to know about mammals - and maybe a bit more. Mammals dream before birth How to Lucid Dream Analyzing the construction of spiderwebs Octopuses classified as sentient...
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Episode 102 - A Day in the Life of a Human - 9/3/21
Welcome to episode 102! We'll take you on a journey through the day in the life of a human, from (before!) birth, birth defects, all those years of punching the clock, health problems, revitalizing marriages...and, finally, to the inevitable end. Magnetic testes...
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Episode 101 - BRRRAAAAAINS!! - 8/13/21
Get your brain fix here! Episode 101 is all about brains: their altered properties after death, the feats they can achieve when paired up with a little technology….or how they take to EXTRA BODY PARTS! Oh, and there’s a little Elon Musk in here. Brain cell activity spikes after death...
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Episode 100 - GLYCYRRHIZIC - 4/9/21
We made it to episode 100! And so did you. This episode is jam packed with crazy stories from our best friend, science - everything from what happens when you’re allergic to the cold to how our unique brain signatures could help coma patients. Oh, and also cannibalism. Enjoy! Allergic to cold air...
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Episode 99 - Komodo Jesus and his Crab Menagerie - 4/4/21
Welcome to episode 99 - almost 100! Like several of our previous episodes, we wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to the beauty and chaos of the animal kingdom - so here is another all-animal episode, featuring some classics like elephants and some of the more exotic variety: platypuses…
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Episode 98 - Pain is f*cking inevitable
This episode is all about PAIN! Well, kind of. Sprinkled within it is news about Stonehenge, another advancement in alternative energy, and public opinion on AI. BUT ALSO: Did you know swearing isn't only fun, but helps overcome adversity? It's a painful truth for anyone who ever told you not to...
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Episode 97 - Some of its Parts - 7/16/20
We're back! And we're so close to episode 100 we can taste it...it's almost as good as hallucinogenic honey. Don't know what that is? You're about to find out about it, along with how scientists grow organs in space, a caterpillar that saves its old heads, and the backstory of a surprising hand...
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Episode 96 - Drugs! - 4/27/20
Six Degrees discusses an eclectic collection of drug developments! Included is micro dosing in the form of nasal spray, what caffeine cravings really are, and how ultrasound waves may help treat patients with psychiatric disorders. Psilocybin nasal spray LSD overdose Caffeine cravings explained…
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Episode 95 - Post Apocalyptic - 4/11/20
Enjoy Six Degrees' take on the post apocalyptic world with Episode 95! We've got touchable holograms, resurrected permafrost worms, and the promise of faster travel to Mars -- hmm, the dystopian life doesn't seem so bad after all. First touchable hologram AI discovers antibiotic that kills drug...
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Episode 94 - Tech Giveth and Tech Taketh Away - 03/26/2020
Technology! It’s great, it’s awe-inspiring; how do we live without it? Well, some things might be able to live better if it wasn’t around. On the other hand, it does do wonderful things for some aspects of life. Maybe all we can do is embrace it when it’s good to us and make sure we don’t rely on...
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Episode 93 - Human 2.0 - 03/11/2020
We've done several episodes about humans improving life with technology, sometimes to the point of bordering on a bionic existence! Here are four articles that will have you marveling at humans' constant hunger to evolve, adapt, and ask, "why?" Or they'll have you singing the Terminator theme....
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Episode 92 -Us vs. them, lasers, and the Oxford comma - 02/16/2020
Episode 92 is all about the silly things humans do—except the Oxford comma. That’s serious, important, and irreplaceable. Grant for Hookers for Jesus...
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Episode 91 - Thank You 2019 - 12/31/19
Six Degrees rings in the New Year just as you’d expect – with a wide selection of science articles ranging from zany to outright f*cked up! We discuss everything from the age you discover the meaning of life to what elderly female whales do when their reproductive years are at an end. Oh, there's...
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Episode 90 - Six Degrees of Yule-mination - 12/21/19
Celebrate this holiday Six Degrees of Rumination style! Episode 90 is full of Christmas cheer - and a little Christmas caution. Sure, the holidays are awesome and most people love them, but if you're one of those individuals who worries more about the waste Christmas generates than how much joy...
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Episode 89 - Octwapolis - 10/17/19
We're almost at Episode 90! We really wanted to get there, so we thought we'd make Episode 89 short. Except for the part where producer Mike talks about Terminator for twenty minutes... After that, Reno explains that plants are renewable and therefore should be eaten by robots, and everyone tries...
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Episode 88 - WWPMD? 09/26/19
The world is a strange place, as we’ve learned on this podcast again and again. Enjoy this collection of the weird, the hilarious, and the terrible. Life’s just a bowl of cherries...or, sometimes, a bucket of heads. Thoughts and prayers...
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Episode 87 - Animals are assholes too…even if they don’t have one - 4/20/19
Last episode we brought you tales of humanity...now we bring you tails of animals. Oh yes we did! Animals are just as crazy as humans, if not more. Although, since we're the ones studying them, can we really say the evidence isn't biased by the observer? Cats know their names even if they pretend...
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Episode 86 - Oh, the humanities! - 4/13/19
Six Degrees presents you with episode 86 - tales of humanity. Oh, how crazy we are. A cop can't pull you over for flipping them off Phasing out gas powered leaf blowers in DC A material that cancels sound Herbalist is jailed for replacing insulin treatments with lavender oil This woman can smell...
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Episode 85 - The Animal episode - 3/24/19
Have you ever wondered why animals act or look the way they do? What about those really rare strange type of animals you never knew existed—and now that you know, you’re terrified!? Well, Six Degrees covers them all in episode 85, from discussing squirrels of unexpected colors to why zebras have...
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Episode 84 - 1984 - 3/17/19
It's 1984! Yes, that's right, you are about to experience the Six Degrees episode bearing that name, BUT ALSO, looking at scientific trends these days, we are apparently living in the horrifying society from the prophetic dystopian novel! Join hosts Reno and Nina (who are both experts on 1984…
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Episode 83 Wrapping up the year with random shit 12/20/18
Enjoy our last episode of the year! Six Degrees wraps up the year with random articles that are somehow crazier and more fantastical than all the articles of 2018 combined. China makes plans to launch a second moon, nanorobots are now capable of drilling drugs directly into your eyes, and...
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Episode 82 - Jingle Joy Bells Rockin’ Christmas Snowman Nightmare for host Reno Gorman
Much to Reno’s dismay, it’s the Holiday Season! Take a listen as Host Reno Gorman lists all the reasons why he doesn’t like Christmas while Host Nina Boyd and their Producer Mike tell him he’s wrong. Merry Christmas everyone!!...
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Episode 81 10/01/18
In episode 81 (the second installment of a two part episode) Six Degrees covers the "nurture" side of "nature vs. nurture." This installment is the darker of the two--well, except for the cannibalism in the first installment!--and includes such gems as a vending machine dispensing crack pipes,...
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Episode 80 - 10/01/18 - A Positive Nature
Six Degrees had so many good articles this time around, we decided to record TWO episodes at once! This first of the two has a more positive bent, and is the "nature" side of "nature vs. nurture" if you will (and Reno will). Learn why elephants get cancer less often than other mammals, how…
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Episode 79 - 7/21/18 - With special guest Chris Gorman and a shout out to Jason Ryerson
Six Degrees welcomes Reno's brother on their 79th episode! Chris is like Reno but with less Reno and more Chris. This episode is a collection of articles demonstrating how amazing - and how terrifying - science is getting: reattaching legs backwards, growing brains with Neanderthal DNA, getting...
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Episode 78 - 05/28/18 - Producer Mike's Longest Episode
Join Six Degrees for producer Mike's longest episode, in which he is so angry his co-hosts started late that he cuts them off even before their first segue... The world doesn't disappoint in its strangeness; this episode's articles range from trying to prove small talk can actually be interesting...
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Episode 77 - 03/26/18 - Bionic Eyeball Incisions, Circumcision Decisions, and a Cocaine Bear
Episode 77 is full of bears, bees, (no birds though), legal and illegal drugs, and what's next for human improvement on a bionic level. Also discussed is the case of a dead man who couldn't prove he was alive in a court of law. Oh, and heaps and heaps of jokes about cocaine....
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Episode 76 - 03/05/18 “Black slime mummy zombie butt breathing BARBRA STREISAND”
Six Degrees maintains our streak of doing an episode once every time we all meet up with microphones! This one is all about those odd cases in science, from animals' unusual coping mechanisms to how a change in climate turns mummies into creatures from the black lagoon. Discussed also are deer…
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Episode 75 12/18/17 - Macaque! (with guest Sean Keehan)
For their 75th episode, Six Degrees is joined by guest Sean Keehan, and celebrates with a plethora of topics, including the alarming number of body parts in the Pacific Ocean, a gene that almost eliminates pain, what LSD does to dolphins (and humans living with dolphins), plus one very special...
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Episode 74 11/27/17 - A Beluga of a Bidet for an 11 pound scrotum
Six Degrees discusses surgery to shrink a penis, why toilet paper is destroying parts of the planet, and what 65 cats are capable of when given the proper training. *They do hit a serious note for one article* Well, for a few seconds, anyway......
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Episode 73 10/31/17 - Halloween-ish
It’s a scary...ish episode just in time for Halloween! With topics ranging from sweating blood to robot offspring, Six Degrees covers just what makes us humans cringe, gasp, and scream! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5008295/Woman-21-sweats-BLOOD-face-palms-hands.html?ITO=applenews...
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Epi 72 - 10/16/17 - Old St. Dick and the Crunchy Jim Crow Sex Bots
Six Degrees returns with a plethora of articles, from what dolphins could do with opposable thumbs to what some people do with their placentas. Also discussed are the inclusion of hover bikes into policing and how hackers could be plotting your demise through your seemingly innocent sex bot.…
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Episode 70 02/26/17 - Eighteen armed Canadian Bacon Baby - with guest Cody Tudor
Six Degrees welcomes guest Cody Tudor, and quickly degenerates into a frank and appetizing discussion about cannibalism. Other topics included are human pig chimeras, gene editing, the health benefits of dragon's blood (...Komodo Dragons...), and the latest venture from Elon Musk....
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episode 69 12/21/16 - Human Talk Words: with special guest Amanda Kelly Van Winkle
Special guest Amanda Kelly Van Winkle miraculously returns for a second episode! We must not have scared her off too much. Six Degrees covers the mechanics of speech in monkeys, giraffes becoming an endangered species, and the mysteries of antimatter. Reno loses his ability to speak coherently…
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Episode 68 11/30/16 - With special guest Amanda Kelly Van Winkle
Six Degrees takes on another guest, Amanda Kelly Van Winkle! After she is properly intiated by producer Mike, she jumps in the discussion of cryogenics, two brothers who are paralyzed during the day, and talking sex robots with warm genitals. Also, Nina and Reno have a heated debate on why AI...