In New Zealand there is now a river (the Whanganui) that's a person - that means technically it can sue and be sued, even though it's only water! But it's also a lot more than that... We had a beer with Julia Talbot-Jones to find out more!

From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed. 

From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed.

Bizarre science history from academics with beers

A Little Bit Of Science

In New Zealand there is now a river (the Whanganu…

Co-parenting a river! We have a beer with river-person-whisperer Julia Talbot-Jones

This week’s episode is a reminder that science can make you feel tiny and powerful in the same breath. One minute we’re scanning the sky for signs of alien engineering, the next we’re looking at something that behaves like a star and a black hole at the same time, and then we’re back on Earth asking the least fun question of all: should we be building machines that can decide who lives and who dies?

First up, alien mega structures. We talk Dyson spheres, the idea that an advanced civilisation could wrap its star in solar collectors and turn a sun into a power station. You wouldn’t see the structure directly, but you might detect the heat it gives off, which is why Project Hephaistos is hunting for strange heat signatures that could hint at something artificial.

Then there’s the “black hole star”, which sounds made up but is very much being taken seriously. James Webb observations point to an object pumping out a ridiculous amount of energy, far beyond what normal nuclear fusion should allow. The leading idea is that it’s some kind of hybrid, where a black hole is involved in powering the light, which is not how we usually think of black holes behaving.

And finally, we land back on Earth with autonomous drones, where the vibe shifts from curiosity to ethics. These systems are moving beyond remote control and into selecting and engaging targets without direct human input, which raises the big question: if a machine makes the call, who’s responsible when it goes wrong? 

 

CHAPTER MARKERS:

00:00 Intro

00:42 Dyson Spheres Explained

02:08 Project Hephaistos Hunt

05:09 Apollo 11 Quarantine Story

07:16 Space Biosecurity Risks

09:30 Moon Stopover Containment Plan

11:01 We Already Contaminated Mars

11:47 Biosecurity Costs and Stakes

15:28 Black Hole Star Idea

18:25 AI Drones and War Crimes

20:48 Autonomous Targeting Fears





SOURCES:

https://esawebb.org/

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2607.09460

https://www.sciencealert.com/thermodynamics

https://www.astro.uu.se/~ez/hephaistos/hephaistos.html

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-026-02428-5?ref=404media.co

https://www.sciencealert.com/oldest-known-maya-monument-could-be-a-map-of-the-universe

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-famous-golden-palace-in-spain-is-turning-purple-and-now-we-know-why

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ara.2023.100486

https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511760822.013

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959774317000774

https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/russia-fully-ai-controlled-drones-kill-ukrainians

This week&rsquo;s episode is a reminder that science can make you feel tiny and powerful in the same breath. One minute we&rsquo;re scanning the sky for signs of alien engineering, the next we&rsquo;re looking at something that behaves like a star and a black hole at the same time, and then we&rsquo;re back on Earth asking the least fun question of all: should we be building machines that can decide who lives and who dies?
First up, alien mega structures. We talk Dyson spheres, the idea that an advanced civilisation could wrap its star in solar collectors and turn a sun into a power station. You wouldn&rsquo;t see the structure directly, but you might detect the heat it gives off, which is why Project Hephaistos is hunting for strange heat signatures that could hint at something artificial.
Then there&rsquo;s the &ldquo;black hole star&rdquo;, which sounds made up but is very much being taken seriously. James Webb observations point to an object pumping out a ridiculous amount of energy, far beyond what normal nuclear fusion should allow. The leading idea is that it&rsquo;s some kind of hybrid, where a black hole is involved in powering the light, which is not how we usually think of black holes behaving.
And finally, we land back on Earth with autonomous drones, where the vibe shifts from curiosity to ethics. These systems are moving beyond remote control and into selecting and engaging targets without direct human input, which raises the big question: if a machine makes the call, who&rsquo;s responsible when it goes wrong?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
CHAPTER MARKERS:
00:00 Intro
00:42 Dyson Spheres Explained
02:08 Project Hephaistos Hunt
05:09 Apollo 11 Quarantine Story
07:16 Space Biosecurity Risks
09:30 Moon Stopover Containment Plan
11:01 We Already Contaminated Mars
11:47 Biosecurity Costs and Stakes
15:28 Black Hole Star Idea
18:25 AI Drones and War Crimes
20:48 Autonomous Targeting Fears
 
SOURCES:
<a href="https://esawebb.org/">https://esawebb.org/</a>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2607.09460">https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2607.09460</a>
<a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/thermodynamics">https://www.sciencealert.com/thermodynamics</a>
<a href="https://www.astro.uu.se/~ez/hephaistos/hephaistos.html">https://www.astro.uu.se/~ez/hephaistos/hephaistos.html</a>
<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-026-02428-5?ref=404media.co">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-026-02428-5?ref=404media.co</a>
<a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/oldest-known-maya-monument-could-be-a-map-of-the-universe">https://www.sciencealert.com/oldest-known-maya-monument-could-be-a-map-of-the-universe</a>
<a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/a-famous-golden-palace-in-spain-is-turning-purple-and-now-we-know-why">https://www.sciencealert.com/a-famous-golden-palace-in-spain-is-turning-purple-and-now-we-know-why</a>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ara.2023.100486">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ara.2023.100486</a>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511760822.013">https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511760822.013</a>
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959774317000774">https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959774317000774</a>
<a href="https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/russia-fully-ai-controlled-drones-kill-ukrainians">https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/russia-fully-ai-controlled-drones-kill-ukrainians</a>

Alien Mega Structures, Black Hole Stars and Autonomous Drones

This week’s episode is a reminder that humans will try to make money from anything, and nature will always be stranger than we expect. We jump from dinosaur bones as luxury investments, to an AI school that claims it can speed up learning, to a snake with a tail that looks like a spider, and then to crime patterns that change with the seasons.

First up: dinosaur fossils. Dinosaur skeletons are being bought and sold like high-end art, with buyers ranging from celebrities to finance types who want something rare for their collection. 

Then we head to Iran for the spider-tailed viper, a snake that uses its tail like bait. The tail looks like a spider, so birds get curious and come closer, and the snake strikes. It’s clever, unsettling, and a good reminder that behaviour can be just as important as bones when it comes to evolution.

We also look at Alpha School, which says AI can help kids finish core learning in a couple of hours, then spend the rest of the day on skills and personal interests. It sounds exciting, but we keep one eyebrow raised, because, well, it’s called “Alpha School”. 

We finish with seasonal crime, where burglary peaks in winter in the UK but summer in North America, and bike theft spikes in summer because that’s when bikes are everywhere and easiest to steal.

 

CHAPTER MARKERS:

00:00 Intro

01:48 Record Fossil Auction Prices

05:36 Who Buys and Public Access

08:54 Is It a Good Investment

10:20 Spider Tailed Viper 

16:31 Alpha School and Two Hour Learning

19:48 Social Media Grading

20:37 Unpaid Grit Assignments

21:46 Heart Rate Test

25:57 Crime Seasonality Explained

32:35 Biggest Seasonal Crime

 

SOURCES:

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2027-89047-001?doi=1

https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.70308

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43762-023-00094-x

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-much-should-a-dinosaur-cost/

https://www.sciencealert.com/extremely-rare-rapunzel-syndrome-can-cause-a-hairball-so-large-it-requires-surgery

https://www.swinburne.edu.au/news/2016/10/what-is-rapunzel-syndrome-and-why-do-some-people-eat-hair/

https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-alpha-school-education-heart-monitor

https://alpha.school/the-program/#love

https://buildcognitiveresonance.substack.com/p/special-report-my-so-called-alpha

This week&rsquo;s episode is a reminder that humans will try to make money from anything, and nature will always be stranger than we expect. We jump from dinosaur bones as luxury investments, to an AI school that claims it can speed up learning, to a snake with a tail that looks like a spider, and then to crime patterns that change with the seasons.
First up: dinosaur fossils. Dinosaur skeletons are being bought and sold like high-end art, with buyers ranging from celebrities to finance types who want something rare for their collection.&nbsp;
Then we head to Iran for the spider-tailed viper, a snake that uses its tail like bait. The tail looks like a spider, so birds get curious and come closer, and the snake strikes. It&rsquo;s clever, unsettling, and a good reminder that behaviour can be just as important as bones when it comes to evolution.
We also look at Alpha School, which says AI can help kids finish core learning in a couple of hours, then spend the rest of the day on skills and personal interests. It sounds exciting, but we keep one eyebrow raised, because, well, it&rsquo;s called &ldquo;Alpha School&rdquo;.&nbsp;
We finish with seasonal crime, where burglary peaks in winter in the UK but summer in North America, and bike theft spikes in summer because that&rsquo;s when bikes are everywhere and easiest to steal.
&nbsp;
CHAPTER MARKERS:
00:00 Intro
01:48 Record Fossil Auction Prices
05:36 Who Buys and Public Access
08:54 Is It a Good Investment
10:20 Spider Tailed Viper&nbsp;
16:31 Alpha School and Two Hour Learning
19:48 Social Media Grading
20:37 Unpaid Grit Assignments
21:46 Heart Rate Test
25:57 Crime Seasonality Explained
32:35 Biggest Seasonal Crime
&nbsp;
SOURCES:
<a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2027-89047-001?doi=1">https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2027-89047-001?doi=1</a>
<a href="https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.70308">https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.70308</a>
<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43762-023-00094-x">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43762-023-00094-x</a>
<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-much-should-a-dinosaur-cost/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-much-should-a-dinosaur-cost/</a>
<a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/extremely-rare-rapunzel-syndrome-can-cause-a-hairball-so-large-it-requires-surgery">https://www.sciencealert.com/extremely-rare-rapunzel-syndrome-can-cause-a-hairball-so-large-it-requires-surgery</a>
<a href="https://www.swinburne.edu.au/news/2016/10/what-is-rapunzel-syndrome-and-why-do-some-people-eat-hair/">https://www.swinburne.edu.au/news/2016/10/what-is-rapunzel-syndrome-and-why-do-some-people-eat-hair/</a>
<a href="https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-alpha-school-education-heart-monitor">https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-alpha-school-education-heart-monitor</a>
<a href="https://alpha.school/the-program/#love">https://alpha.school/the-program/#love</a>
<a href="https://buildcognitiveresonance.substack.com/p/special-report-my-so-called-alpha">https://buildcognitiveresonance.substack.com/p/special-report-my-so-called-alpha</a>

Dinosaur Bone Moguls, Spider-tailed Vipers and Seasonal Crimes

This week’s episode is what happens when science stops asking “should we?” and gets very focused on “could we?”. Cockroaches are being upgraded into tiny rescue workers, a Silicon Valley crew pitching brain tech you might one day take through your nose, and the Ig Nobels are back to remind everyone that the line between genius and ridiculous is thin.

First up, cyborg cockroaches. Engineers in Seoul are developing “Paraborgs”, insects fitted with cameras and tiny syringe systems designed to crawl through disaster zones and reach people trapped under rubble. The research claims a 95% success rate for close-range injections, which is impressive, even if it does mean trusting a cockroach to stay on task.

Then we swing into the future with Ray Kurzweil and a startup working on brain-computer interfaces without surgery, using nanobots instead of implants. The part you’ll remember is the proposed delivery method: you might one day “snort” the nanobots like a nasal spray, and they’d travel up to help create a connection between your brain and your devices. It’s early days, but the message is clear: tech wants to move in closer.

To round it out, we hit the Ig Nobels for silly science with real curiosity, from cockroach milk as an energy-dense food source to a splash-reducing urinal redesign, then  a quick detour into a wholesome data point: Dolly Parton’s bipartisan popularity in the US. 

So that’s the week: bugs with medical kits, brain bots via the nose, science that makes you laugh before it makes you think, and Dolly reminding us that being likeable is still a rare superpower.

 

CHAPTER MARKERS:

00:00 Intro

01:43 Roaches With Cameras

03:19 Paraborgs Explained

04:47 Remote Syringe Injections

08:00 The Ig Nobels

18:03 Bucket Bong Rabbit Hole

21:17 King Zog Chain Smoking

25:37 Joint Year Metric

26:55 Dolly Parton Popularity Data

32:03 Kurzweil Brain Interface

37:00 Snortable Nanobot BCI

 

SOURCES:


https://improbable.com/2026/09/03/the-2026-ig-nobel-prize-winners-are-announced/


https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9872797/


https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12516480/


https://bsky.app/profile/eschares.bsky.social/post/3mueyi6xb322h


https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11419-023-00666-w


https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10622464/


https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/27/cockroaches-used-search-rescue-earthquakes-science-technology-australia


https://news.uq.edu.au/2026-08-paramedic-cockroaches-cyborg-care-when-rescuers-cant-reach


https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/russia-fully-ai-controlled-drones-kill-ukrainians


https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/mark-zuckerberg-anti-dolly-parton


https://apple.news/AlfcS_7EHRb2WOOl6kZgrug


https://apple.news/AKEsFCvmfSWWAAt1iqE88wg

This week&rsquo;s episode is what happens when science stops asking &ldquo;should we?&rdquo; and gets very focused on &ldquo;could we?&rdquo;. Cockroaches are being upgraded into tiny rescue workers, a Silicon Valley crew pitching brain tech you might one day take through your nose, and the Ig Nobels are back to remind everyone that the line between genius and ridiculous is thin.
First up, cyborg cockroaches. Engineers in Seoul are developing &ldquo;Paraborgs&rdquo;, insects fitted with cameras and tiny syringe systems designed to crawl through disaster zones and reach people trapped under rubble. The research claims a 95% success rate for close-range injections, which is impressive, even if it does mean trusting a cockroach to stay on task.
Then we swing into the future with Ray Kurzweil and a startup working on brain-computer interfaces without surgery, using nanobots instead of implants. The part you&rsquo;ll remember is the proposed delivery method: you might one day &ldquo;snort&rdquo; the nanobots like a nasal spray, and they&rsquo;d travel up to help create a connection between your brain and your devices. It&rsquo;s early days, but the message is clear: tech wants to move in closer.
To round it out, we hit the Ig Nobels for silly science with real curiosity, from cockroach milk as an energy-dense food source to a splash-reducing urinal redesign, then&nbsp; a quick detour into a wholesome data point: Dolly Parton&rsquo;s bipartisan popularity in the US.&nbsp;
So that&rsquo;s the week: bugs with medical kits, brain bots via the nose, science that makes you laugh before it makes you think, and Dolly reminding us that being likeable is still a rare superpower.
&nbsp;
CHAPTER MARKERS:
00:00 Intro
01:43 Roaches With Cameras
03:19 Paraborgs Explained
04:47 Remote Syringe Injections
08:00 The Ig Nobels
18:03 Bucket Bong Rabbit Hole
21:17 King Zog Chain Smoking
25:37 Joint Year Metric
26:55 Dolly Parton Popularity Data
32:03 Kurzweil Brain Interface
37:00 Snortable Nanobot BCI
&nbsp;
SOURCES:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://improbable.com/2026/09/03/the-2026-ig-nobel-prize-winners-are-announced/">https://improbable.com/2026/09/03/the-2026-ig-nobel-prize-winners-are-announced/</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9872797/">https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9872797/</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12516480/">https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12516480/</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/eschares.bsky.social/post/3mueyi6xb322h">https://bsky.app/profile/eschares.bsky.social/post/3mueyi6xb322h</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11419-023-00666-w">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11419-023-00666-w</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10622464/">https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10622464/</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/27/cockroaches-used-search-rescue-earthquakes-science-technology-australia">https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/27/cockroaches-used-search-rescue-earthquakes-science-technology-australia</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://news.uq.edu.au/2026-08-paramedic-cockroaches-cyborg-care-when-rescuers-cant-reach">https://news.uq.edu.au/2026-08-paramedic-cockroaches-cyborg-care-when-rescuers-cant-reach</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/russia-fully-ai-controlled-drones-kill-ukrainians">https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/russia-fully-ai-controlled-drones-kill-ukrainians</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/mark-zuckerberg-anti-dolly-parton">https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/mark-zuckerberg-anti-dolly-parton</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://apple.news/AlfcS_7EHRb2WOOl6kZgrug">https://apple.news/AlfcS_7EHRb2WOOl6kZgrug</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://apple.news/AKEsFCvmfSWWAAt1iqE88wg">https://apple.news/AKEsFCvmfSWWAAt1iqE88wg</a>
</li>
</ul>

Co-parenting a river! We have a beer with river-person-whisperer Julia Talbot-Jones

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