The McDonald’s Theory — Stuff You Should Know: Trapped in a Meeting

In this week’s episode, Josh relates an unusual theory that connects warfare (or the lack thereof) with the presence of a certain fast food establishment. But does the theory hold up? Tune in to find out.

Also, yes, this is basically our entire editorial/podcasting staff. Our boss’s boss improv’d for two 20-minute segments for this series. And your humble narrator managed to not mess up any takes by laughing.

Stuff You Should Know — Don’t Be Dumb

Have you heard that you should drink eight glasses of water a day to stay healthy? Of course you have. But is it true? Tune in to this episode of Don’t Be Dumb from Stuff You Should Know to find out if this common claim holds water.

stufftoblowyourmind:

Space Music: Astronaut Chris Hadfield Covers Bowie

jtotheizzoe:

skeptv:

Parasitic Mind Control

Now this is strange, even scary: ants controlled by parasites, all because they ate the slime of a snail!

via National Geographic.

Ever get that not-so-sentient feeling? At least you aren’t an ant.

Pony Up the Data | Fw:Thinking

It takes 6.55 milliseconds to order stock trades between New York and Chicago via optic fiber — and that’s still too slow for high-power traders. Brokers are investing in microwave towers to shave microseconds off the transfer rates. And once we start exploring space, even communicating at light speed starts looking grim — it’s a 14-minute lag just around the corner to Mars. We’ve come a long way since the Pony Express, but is even the speed of light too slow for communication?

stuffmomnevertoldyou:

CRISTEN COOKS! Sort of.

missedinhistory:

A bunch of our colleagues are having a Google+ hangout next week! Come and play!

Hey, May 8th is TODAY. I know we’re crossing the social media streams by posting about this here. But between you and me, Tumblr, I like you best because you’re smart and funny and actually care about things. So I’d love to get some tumblrers representing truth, justice, and the Internet way in this hangout.

Podcasters from Stuff You Should Know, Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know, Stuff Mom Never Told You, Stuff to Blow Your Mind, and Fw:Thinking/TechStuff are going to be on hand, answering questions about HSW, life, the universe, and everything. Join us at 7pm EST, 4pm PST: http://bit.ly/hswhangout.

What makes a person? Part 1: Corporations

The controversial decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the Citizen’s United case introduced many people to the concept of ‘corporate personhood’ for the first time. Opponents of the ruling believe it opens the door for massive corruption, while supporters see the decision as a defense of the right to free speech. But what exactly is corporate personhood? Tune in to this Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know video to learn more.

Don’t Be Dumb: Goosebumps

In this episode, Josh explains why we humans get goosebumps, taking us through our nervous system’s response to certain stimuli and the purpose this might have served in our hairy, hairy evolutionary past.

Tune in for new episodes of Don’t Be Dumb every Thursday at Stuff You Should Know!

How Subways Work

Join Josh and Chuck’s animated alter-egos on a trip through the history of three of the world’s best-known subway systems: the London Underground, the Paris Metro, and the New York City subway. Find out how mass public transit is closely linked with the onset of the industrial revolution. Plus, what does horse manure have to do with all of this?

diasporicroots:

 Sidney Poitier speaks about Civil Rights

Sidney Poitier, is a major movie star of the 1960s, Poitier grew up in the Bahamas, then came to the U.S. to start his acting career.

In 1963, Poitier became the first black person to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field^. The significance of this achievement was later bolstered in 1967 when he starred in three well-received films—To Sir, with Love; In the Heat of the Night; and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner—making him the top box office star of that year. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Poitier among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time, ranking 22nd on the list of 25.

In 2002, 38 years after receiving the Best Actor Award, Poitier was chosen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to receive an Honorary Award, designated “To Sidney Poitier in recognition of his remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being.”Since 1997 he has been the Bahamian ambassador to Japan. On August 12, 2009, Sidney Poitier was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States of America’s highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama.

Stuff You Should Know: This Day in History

Throughout parts of Europe, April 30 is Walpurgis Night, a Halloween companion holiday of sorts. So where does the name come from, and how does one go about celebrating? Josh and Chuck have got you covered.

Plus, something is happening outside the window. Josh and Chuck struggle to catch a glimpse.

Tune in for new episodes of Stuff You Should Know: This Day in History every Tuesday!