Teach Me Something

The animal kingdom has a lot good smellers (the action of smelling) and a lot of good smellers (the noun of being smelly), so let's talk about both. Join us in the debate of which animals are the best at smelling and get into the controversy of how this is defined. Then, stick with with us to learn all about what animals have been coveted for their smells and which ones just have a pleasant popcorn smell.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wanted to know the difference between hair and fur? In this episode we examine what hair is, how it grows, and why it is where it is and then at the end we reveal the truth about fur.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eponyms are words that are derived from people's names and I bet you guys will be surprised by the last one we talk about in this episode (spoiler alert; its the word guy).Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us in this part 2 episode on viruses where we take a turn for the deadly. We examine which viruses have the highest fatality, which cause the most annual deaths, and which has the all time death total.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this part 1 episode on viruses, we jump into interesting and beneficial aspects of viruses. Join us to explore how viruses work, debate if they are alive, and learn about their application in fighting our foe bacteria.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Epigenetics is a relatively new and very exciting branch of biology that studies the chemical tags and conditions that control what genes in our DNA are turned on or off at different times. Join us in this episode to get a very brief overview of how epigenetics work and learn about some of the interesting findings on how one generation effects the next (and the next).Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you love coffee or potatoes? If so, you are lucky you don't live in Prussia or France in the 1700s as those items both were banned at one point. Join us in this episode as we explore many different things we enjoy today, ranging from purple clothes to dying, that have been banned throughout history.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Humans as a species love our alcohol, but humans aren't the only animal to consume ethanol. Ever wondered where alcohol comes from, what animals drink it naturally, or what species could drink us under the table? Well look no further than this episode where we explore animals that consume alcohol.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Teach Me Something we are once again joined by resident European history buff Warren as we discuss the amusing epithets of many European monarchs. We run the whole spectrum from the Impotent to the Babymaker to Battle-Seizer the Battle-Decliner to the Terrible, so come and learn how exactly these kings have earned their nicknames.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are millions of species of animals and only a handful of them have been domesticated. In this episode we dive into the definition and process of animal domestication, learn about the origins of many domesticated animals, and about some domesticated populations that have become feral.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know that some cancers are contagious? But they are extremely rare. In this episode you can learn which unfortunate animals get these cancers and which one is being driven to the point of extinction by this deadly disease.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are here to talk about cosmetics in the final episode of our history of hygiene series, including a whole lot of advice from Pliny the Elder. Learn about the history of skincare, haircare, perfume, and makeup, and how many of those things were likely to kill you.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we explore the various definitions of fruits and vegetables and ultimately come to the conclusion: its confusing. Let's just say, when it comes to botany, the existence of vegetables is questionable, but one thing is certain, coconuts are dangerous.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada is a large country with a lot of border. We discuss a few silly wars that have shaped those boarders plus throw in a bonus silly war that Australia fought against its great emu population.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's clear this up right off the bat, MSG is safe to eat and is delicious. Join us to learn about the discovery of MSG and umami and hear about the devastating consequences of bad science.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We travel to all corners of the world in this episode to explore and compare origin stories and mythology from a number of cultures. From primordial waters to wars between generations of gods there are a surprising number of similarities to be found.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Electricity and electrical charge plays a significant role in the animal kingdom. In general animals rely on electrical charge to make their nervous systems, muscles, and hearts function properly but there are a surprising number of animals that take electricity to another level. Some can sense electrical fields and some can use electricity as a weapon. Join us in this episode to find out more.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we are joined by special guest Hudson (8) as we explore one of his favorite topics, flags. We explore colours, common symbols, and the age of many country flags; and of course we will dive into the history of a few flags that had influence on the flags of other countries.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's talk toxins! Join us to learn about all the surprising and not-so-surprising animals that are poisonous, and find out how they are able to resist succumbing to the poisons themselves.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we continue our exploration of the plants crucial to alcohol production and focus in on Europe and Eurasia. We take on heavy hitters like barley and grapes, but also shine some light on supporting characters, like black currant, wormwood, and coriander.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Humans have been making and consuming alcohol for thousands of years and the production of booze is steeped in tradition. In this series we explore the plants that have been fermented or added to alcohol starting with the plants found in the Americas.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyone has heard of the Venus Flytrap but there are hundreds of other carnivorous plants and they are all quite fascinating. Join us in this episode as we discuss the various ways that plants find nutrients and energy and learn about a number of flesh eating plants that you have probably never knew existed.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ancient Egyptians may have been the first to document the medical "condition" of hysteria, but they were most certainly not the last. This catch-all diagnosis for any woman who didn't fit perfectly into the patriarchy's view of women lasted all the way through the Greeks, middle ages, and into the 20th century. In this episode we focus in on a few prominent/discredited figures who helped develop the field of psychoanalysis and helped define "hysteria".Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Yokai of Japanese folklore have become very popular and influential in pop culture all across the world. These spirits, monsters, demons, and extremely old animals have been an integral part of how the Japanese people have often explained spooky and supernatural phenomena for thousands of years. In this episode we discuss their origins and highlight a handful of these fascinating beings.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When is a butterfly a moth? Always! But not all moths are butterflies and that is because butterflies and skippers are specialized moths and all of them are part of the order Lepidoptera. In this episode we dive into the interesting and extremely diverse world of these winged insects.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

England and France have often found themselves in conflict with each other, the 100 Years' War is no exception. They were so committed to this specific conflict that not even civil wars, great plagues, nor 130 years could convince them to wrap it up.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And yes, we are going to talk about the "dire wolf" thing.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sleeping is trait shared by every member of the animal kingdom, but how sleep is done varies wildly from species to species. In this episode we will go all around the animal kingdom on a survey of what sleep looks like, how it works, and what impact it has for various animals. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Measles is an incredibly dangerous disease. Luckily, in the 1960s a vaccine was developed and measles was put on the path towards eradication. Unluckily, Andrew Wakefield entered the picture in the '90s. He has, without a doubt, done more damage to the health of the human race than one man should conceivably be able to do.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyone thinks Darwin the moment Evolution is mentioned and while he is the most predominant figure, there a rich history of thoughts, ideas, philosophers, and scientists who came before that paved the way for On the Origin of Species. This episode does include Darwin but focuses on the people and advancements that set the stage for his most famous contribution to science.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our 100th episode we have gone back 100 years to the Scopes trial of 1925. More commonly known as The Scopes Monkey Trial, this spectacle of the courtroom was less about determining guilt than it was about pitting evolution against fundamentalism.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crocodilians are cool! These amazing archosaurs are extremely well adapted to their environments, but you probably knew that. What you may not have known is how smart, loud, and caring they are (and their blood has super powers).Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last episode we dove head first into the history of industrial environmental disasters and cover what is arguably the biggest disaster of them all. The reason being the that the Bhopal chemical plant disaster deserves its own feature length discussion. Learn about the events leading up to the disaster, the incident itself, and the effects that are still being occurring 40 years later.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you didn't already know, releasing waste chemicals into the environment is generally pretty bad. Sometimes geography and weather team up to trap harmful chemicals in one place and sometimes all it takes is the significant release of toxins all at once to create an industrial induced environmental disaster. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You have heard of the Greek constellations, they are the driving force behind every horoscope, but have you heard each of their origin stories? Find out why the Greek gods decided to place various animals and people among the stars.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grosse Île is a small island in the St. Lawrence and was once Canada's primary port of entry for immigrants. It was used to quarantine new immigrants to Canada for years, but what happens when a famine across the ocean causes the facilities to become overrun? The answer isn't pretty...Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Living in harsh and extreme environments has been a challenge for humans (and our hominin ancestors). Luckily, a few populations have developed genetic adaptations that have allowed survival in the extreme cold, high elevation, and deep depths.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People have always liked making lists and what better lists are there than the most impressive and wonderful things to see. We explore the original Seven Wonders of the World as outlined by the ancient Greeks and then take on more modern interpretations.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode we dive back into the fungi kingdom and talk about human interaction with fungus. We cover everything from food to drugs to space technology.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is the animal kingdom, there is the plant kingdom, and then there is the fungi kingdom (one could say the Mushroom Kingdom for all you Mario fans out there). It's a tall task to attempt to cover an entire kingdom in just a few episodes but we are up to the task.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people have heard of Pink Floyd but far fewer have heard of Syd Barrett even though he was a founding member of the band and heavily influential in Pink Floyd's early success. Today's special guest, Warren, explains how both Syd's presence and absence from Pink Floyd played critical roles in the band's history.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The relatively new science of Zoopharmacognosy is all about the study of animals that self-medicate. This science covers a wide range of animals and an equally wide range of medicines from plants to insects to resin.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Magic and witchcraft is a universal theme among myths and legends. In this episode we explore Egyptian, Eastern European, Greek, and even Christian witches.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Minoan civilization maybe some thing that you associate with Greek mythology, but we assure you it was entirely real. The civilization was anyways, not the Minotaur.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ticks can be found all over the world and there are many different species, so no matter where you are there is the possibility of a tick bite. Whichever tick you decide to hang out with, it's probably in your best interest to not get bitten by a black-legged one! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A vast majority of inventors would be lucky to make a single world-altering invention. Thomas Midgley Jr. was lucky enough to do it twice. Unfortunately the inventions made him one of history's biggest one-man environmental disasters. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the definition of culture? That is a tough question to answer, but one thing is for certain, dolphins have it. From the way they play and hunt to the way they talk, we cover a number of examples of culture in orcas and bottlenose dolphins.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last episode we discussed the history of calendars and this episode we approach the history of time keeping on a smaller scale. Has an hour always been the same length of time? When did keeping track of the time day become important? What are the six candles for? And what is a pennyweight anyways? Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have made several attempts to track time and record the cycles of the moon and sun. Some systems were more accurate than others and some calendars don't even relate to celestial bodies, but all of them provide an interesting glimpse into the culture that used them at that time in history.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.