The Weirdest Thing I Learned This WeekScience

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week


The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

Thank Your Local Horse, OG Canners, Busting Bird Gender Norms

Wed, 27 Aug 2025
Nathan H. Lents joins the show to discuss why some birds are extra loud in bed, along with his new book: The Sexual Evolution: How 500 Million Years of Sex, Gender and Mating Shape Modern Relationships. Plus, Sara Kiley explains how horses are used to create snake anti-venom, and Rachel talks about how Napoleon played a part in instigating the art of canning food.

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tweet at us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to learn more about all of our stories! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Go check out Mary Roach's new book, ⁠Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy!⁠ ⁠https://maryroach.net/replaceable.html⁠

Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Link to Jess' Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

--

Follow our team on Twitter

Rachel Feltman: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Produced by Jess Boddy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Popular Science: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/PopSci⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Theme music by Billy Cadden: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Medical Butt Chugging, Ancient Ice Cream Pyramids, "The Thing" but Midwestern

Wed, 13 Aug 2025
Mary Roach RETURNS to Weirdest Thing to share her new book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy! From this phenomenal new read, she discusses a section on breathing through your butt, a thing not only turtles can do, but also apparently humans. Plus, Rachel talks about the ancient (and DEADLY) origins of ice cream, and Lauren explains a strange, dark goop found on a research boat propeller in one of the great lakes. (Yes, we know it sounds like the premise of a new John Carpenter flick.)

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tweet at us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to learn more about all of our stories! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Go check out Mary Roach's new book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy! https://maryroach.net/replaceable.html

Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Link to Jess' Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

--

Follow our team on Twitter

Rachel Feltman: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Produced by Jess Boddy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Popular Science: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/PopSci⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Theme music by Billy Cadden: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



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Bette Midler and the Salamander, How Marathon Swimmers Pee, D+D is Good for Your Brain

Wed, 30 Jul 2025
The wonderful Ryan Mandelbaum is BACK to discuss their latest animalian interest: salamanders in New York City! Laura also explains how peeing while swimming a marathon is shockingly complicated, and Rachel gets into why Dungeons and Dragons is therapeutic for your noggin.

Go check out Ryan's newsletter!
https://ryanmandelbirder.substack.com/

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tweet at us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to learn more about all of our stories! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Link to Jess' Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

--

Follow our team on Twitter

Rachel Feltman: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Produced by Jess Boddy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Popular Science: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/PopSci⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Theme music by Billy Cadden: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



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The Bone Collector, Threads of God, Cloacal Chamber

Wed, 16 Jul 2025
Scientific illustrator and Twitch streamer Liz Clayton Fuller (ipaintbirbs) joins the show once more to talk all things cloaca -- and why some birds lack them. Plus, Jess hops behind the mic to talk about the world's rarest pasta, and Rachel dives into carnivorous caterpillars that sound like WWE wrestlers.

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tweet at us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to learn more about all of our stories! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Link to Jess' Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

--

Follow our team on Twitter

Rachel Feltman: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Produced by Jess Boddy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Popular Science: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/PopSci⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Theme music by Billy Cadden: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A New Green, THIS IS MY EVEREST, Chickens Influencing Cats

Wed, 02 Jul 2025
Actor and creator of the Brat Apple Dance, Kelley Heyer, joins the show! The squad talks about a BRAND NEW green color, cheating at climbing Mt. Everest, and a sneaky trick to make cats less allergenic.

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tweet at us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to learn more about all of our stories! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Link to Jess' Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

--

Follow our team on Twitter

Rachel Feltman: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Produced by Jess Boddy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Popular Science: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/PopSci⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Theme music by Billy Cadden: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ⁠⁠⁠⁠


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Go to ⁠https://Quince.com/weirdest⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 -day returns.
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