Today I Learned with Sam - Asia Edition

Have you ever tasted the bittersweet tang of tonic water? Did you like it? Do you know how tonic water is made and where its distinctive refreshing taste comes from? Well, today I learned the source of tonic and how it was almost lost to man. Long before modern medicine, before commercial labs and synthetic […]

Today I learned that the majority of drugs manufactured and consumed around the world come from a most unexpected source: a special little ring. I’m sure if you’re able to read this, you’ve probably popped a tablet or two of Panadol or Ibuprofen. Close your eyes, and imagine you’re holding a simple tablet—maybe a little […]

Do you get that feeling the world is still moving when you jump off the treadmill? Well today I learned there’s a term for that (of course there is) and it’s called the surprise surprise treadmill aftereffect. This effect is essentially something those nerdy guys call sensorimotor adaptation, where your brain adjusts movement based on […]

Today I learned that there are gibbons similar in appearance to the dusky leaf langurs we have here in Penang residing with the macaques in the hills west of Ipoh. I caught a glimpse of one of them on my hike up recently, but they were rather shy. See if you can distinguish their cries […]

Today I learned about a most unique creature, a massively long, black, oily worm that wriggled its way quietly across an entire country. And not a small country at that. This long black phantom is actually a pipeline called the East-West Crude Oil Pipeline, also know as the Petroline. I know, both extremely sexy names. […]

Today I learned a little more than a few facts. I learned a little more about what life is like inside a Malaysian Prison. Before we begin, a warning. This episode contains descriptions of violence, abuse, and harsh prison conditions. Some listeners may find it disturbing. The story you’re about to hear is based on […]

Today I learned about our cute little friend Walter Beetty. When most of us think about bees, we picture a small insect buzzing between flowers, collecting nectar, and occasionally chasing us away from a picnic table. Bees are usually seen as creatures driven purely by instinct, tiny biological machines following simple programming. But modern science […]

Welcome back to TIL with Sam! Today I learned more medical related stuff, but before I jump into that, I want to share more about the meaning of today’s episode number here in Asia. If you’re ever travelling in parts of south or east Asia, you may notice that houses and elevator buttons have a […]

Greetings guys! Today I learned that a human foetus develops taste buds from as early as 8 weeks old, and they apparently start becoming activated and mature around 24 weeks. The tongue’s taste buds, that is, not the baby; those take another 24 or so years. Add on another decade for me. In months, 24 […]

Welcome back to Today I Learned with Sam! I’ve been messing around with a steel tongue drum, and hopefully it doesn’t blast your eardrums. I was wondering if certain notes trigger Siri or other devices that are constantly listening in. Have you ever gotten that creeping suspicion your phone or friendly home assistant device is […]