6: Genetic Chimeras, Judas Goats, and Toys

What happens to life inside exclusion zones like Chernobyl? Is it good? Bad? Or something much more interesting? And what happens when you try to codify every single character from human language? Well, it definitely leads to some fascinating linguistic rabbit holes!Images we tal ...  Show more

Due to some house woes, we're recasting Ella's excellent appearance on That's Absurd, Please Elaborate, where they actually solve a meme and invent Pee Day. Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinlearn 

Join us today as we talk about the history and stories behind mythological creatures, and find out that they have real-life animal counterparts who are just as magical. With special guest Alex Shifman.FOOTNOTES:1. Bombardier Beetles2. Warsaw Basilisk3. Basilisk lizard running on ...  Show more

Santa or Krampus? Gifts or a stocking full of coal? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Julie look at negative and positive reinforcement and a new study that looks at the genetics behind each.

From ancient stories of shapeshifters to works of fiction like "The Island of Dr. Moreau", humanity has always been fascinating with the line between people and non-human animals -- but modern technology may finally allow us to create real-life chimeras. In fact, it already has. ...  Show more

A Russian program to breed human/chimpanzee hybrids? Prisoners injected with animal testes? These grotesque tales shed light on the line between humans and chimpanzees. In this episode, Robert and Julie discuss humanity's attempts to create a humanzee.