The FBI’s search for Bigfoot shows that even serious agencies can get swept up in a good mystery. Their investigation ended with a misidentified animal instead of a legendary creature, but the files are still a treasure for anyone fascinated by conspiracies and the unknown. Sometimes, the search is more interesting than the answer.

Meanwhile, scientists in Queensland have been busy breaking down the secrets of your favourite brew. By analysing the proteins in dozens of beers, they found that craft brews really do stand apart from the mass-produced stuff. If your IPA tastes special, it is not just in your head. Science backs you up.

On a darker note, the world of fame is not all it is cracked up to be. Research shows that musicians in the spotlight face far greater risks than the rest of us, with fame itself becoming the real danger. The pressure and constant scrutiny can take a heavy toll. Sometimes, chasing the dream comes with a price nobody wants to pay.





CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction

01:13 The FBI's Bigfoot Files

01:46 Exploring the Freedom of Information Vault

03:37 The FBI's Investigation into Bigfoot

07:08 Mass Spectrometry and Beer Proteins

10:12 Craft Beer vs. Mass-Produced Beer

13:01 The Dream of Being a Rockstar

13:58 The Risks of Fame in the Music Industry

18:09 Concluding Thoughts and Listener Engagement

 

SOURCES:

The FBI Released Bigfoot’s Official File

Beer snobs, rejoice: Craft beer really is different

The price of fame? Mortality risk among famous singers

The FBI&rsquo;s search for Bigfoot shows that even serious agencies can get swept up in a good mystery. Their investigation ended with a misidentified animal instead of a legendary creature, but the files are still a treasure for anyone fascinated by conspiracies and the unknown. Sometimes, the search is more interesting than the answer.
Meanwhile, scientists in Queensland have been busy breaking down the secrets of your favourite brew. By analysing the proteins in dozens of beers, they found that craft brews really do stand apart from the mass-produced stuff. If your IPA tastes special, it is not just in your head. Science backs you up.
On a darker note, the world of fame is not all it is cracked up to be. Research shows that musicians in the spotlight face far greater risks than the rest of us, with fame itself becoming the real danger. The pressure and constant scrutiny can take a heavy toll. Sometimes, chasing the dream comes with a price nobody wants to pay.
 
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
01:13 The FBI's Bigfoot Files
01:46 Exploring the Freedom of Information Vault
03:37 The FBI's Investigation into Bigfoot
07:08 Mass Spectrometry and Beer Proteins
10:12 Craft Beer vs. Mass-Produced Beer
13:01 The Dream of Being a Rockstar
13:58 The Risks of Fame in the Music Industry
18:09 Concluding Thoughts and Listener Engagement
&nbsp;
SOURCES:
<a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a69529680/fbi-bigfoot-file-released/">The FBI Released Bigfoot&rsquo;s Official File</a>
<a href="https://www.futurity.org/craft-beer-mass-spectrometry-taste-2609242/">Beer snobs, rejoice: Craft beer really is different</a>
<a href="http://google.com/url?sa=D&amp;q=https://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2025/11/30/jech-2025-224589%3Fref%3D404media.co&amp;ust=1765595400000000&amp;usg=AOvVaw22PrCjy70Zharf8btxk3ED&amp;hl=en">The price of fame? Mortality risk among famous singers</a>

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

FBI Hunts Bigfoot, Craft Beer's Hidden Science and Fame Kills Rockstars

AI is giving people a confidence boost they might not deserve, especially among those who consider themselves tech-savvy. Studies show that using AI for problem-solving leads many to overestimate their own abilities, with higher AI literacy actually making users more likely to trust the machine and question themselves less. The smarter we think we are with technology, the more likely we are to fall for its digital flattery.

Meanwhile, ancient Australia was home to predators that make today’s wildlife look tame. Fossil evidence suggests that five-metre crocodiles once hunted by dropping out of trees onto unsuspecting prey. This twist on the classic crocodile encounter adds a new layer of terror to Australia’s already legendary roster of dangerous animals. Forget snakes in the grass. Sometimes the real threat was lurking above.

On the cultural front, Gen Z is challenging old standards and rewriting the rules on everything from ironing to mental health. Some in this generation long for a less digital era, question the value of traditional skills, and proudly reject the notion that neat clothes equal good character. They also claim credit for baggy jeans and even admit to being the most annoying generation to work with.

From digital delusions to tree-dwelling crocs and Gen Z’s new priorities, the only thing we can count on is that the world refuses to stay boring.

 

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction 

00:48 AI and the Dunning-Kruger Effect

02:11 AI Literacy and Overconfidence

02:51 AI's Impact on Self-Assessment

06:59 Australian Wildlife and Myths

07:35 Legend of the Drop Croc

08:57 Generational Differences

10:10 Gen Z's Perspective

11:03 Skills and Inventions

12:52 Annoying Generations at Work

13:40 Conclusion and Call to Action

 

SOURCES:

AI Is Causing a Grim New Twist on the Dunning-Kruger Effect

Generation Conflicted: How Do Gen Zers Compare Themselves to Past Generations?

Evidence of ancient tree-climbing 'drop crocs' found in Australia

Australia’s oldest crocodylian eggshell: insights into the reproductive paleoecology of mekosuchines

AI is giving people a confidence boost they might not deserve, especially among those who consider themselves tech-savvy. Studies show that using AI for problem-solving leads many to overestimate their own abilities, with higher AI literacy actually making users more likely to trust the machine and question themselves less. The smarter we think we are with technology, the more likely we are to fall for its digital flattery.
Meanwhile, ancient Australia was home to predators that make today&rsquo;s wildlife look tame. Fossil evidence suggests that five-metre crocodiles once hunted by dropping out of trees onto unsuspecting prey. This twist on the classic crocodile encounter adds a new layer of terror to Australia&rsquo;s already legendary roster of dangerous animals. Forget snakes in the grass. Sometimes the real threat was lurking above.
On the cultural front, Gen Z is challenging old standards and rewriting the rules on everything from ironing to mental health. Some in this generation long for a less digital era, question the value of traditional skills, and proudly reject the notion that neat clothes equal good character. They also claim credit for baggy jeans and even admit to being the most annoying generation to work with.
From digital delusions to tree-dwelling crocs and Gen Z&rsquo;s new priorities, the only thing we can count on is that the world refuses to stay boring.
&nbsp;
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction&nbsp;
00:48 AI and the Dunning-Kruger Effect
02:11 AI Literacy and Overconfidence
02:51 AI's Impact on Self-Assessment
06:59 Australian Wildlife and Myths
07:35 Legend of the Drop Croc
08:57 Generational Differences
10:10 Gen Z's Perspective
11:03 Skills and Inventions
12:52 Annoying Generations at Work
13:40 Conclusion and Call to Action
&nbsp;
SOURCES:
<a href="https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-dunning-kruger-effect">AI Is Causing a Grim New Twist on the Dunning-Kruger Effect</a>
<a href="https://edubirdie.com/blog/gen-z-vs-past-generations">Generation Conflicted: How Do Gen Zers Compare Themselves to Past Generations?</a>
<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2lpyrnjleeo">Evidence of ancient tree-climbing 'drop crocs' found in Australia</a>
<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2025.2560010">Australia&rsquo;s oldest crocodylian eggshell: insights into the reproductive paleoecology of mekosuchines</a>

AI Inflates the Ego, Ancient Drop Crocs and Gen Z Survey Findings

It’s pretty natural for humans to gravitate towards the most attractive person in the room. But do animals do it too? At Stockholm University, researchers decided to see if chickens could spot a hottie. They trained these birds to peck at faces on a screen and found that chickens prefer the same facial features that humans rate as attractive. Apparently, hotness isn’t just a matter of human opinion. Even a chicken can pick out a looker. Does that make us RSPCA approved?

Accidentally Breaking a Video Game World Record

In 2007, Billy Baker started writing a book about jugglers. At the time,  there was a controversial movement to turn the performance art of juggling into a competitive sport but this story isn’t about juggling. It’s about video games. During his research, Baker’s curiosity led him from online juggling forums down the rabbit hole of video games where he learned the world record of Tetris stood at 327 lines. Here’s the twist…his own wife easily scored up to 500 or 600 lines on her old Game Boy at home. She was just casually breaking a video game world record without even knowing.

Jackalopes: When Myth Meets Mutation

You’ve heard of the jackalope, right? That legendary rabbit with antelope horns. Turns out, they might just be real. Back in 1933, virologist Richard Shope discovered a virus that causes rabbits to grow cancerous horn-like growths all over their face. Suddenly, the jackalope isn’t just a campfire story. What if the tales we’ve written off to be myths were actually sightings of cancerous rabbits? 

 

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Theories of Physical Attractiveness

02:29 Chickens and Human Hotness

06:27 Juggling and Competitive Sports

07:46 Speedrunning Super Mario Brothers

10:37 Cryptozoology and Mythical Creatures

11:47 The Jackalope: America's Mythical Creature

12:15 Historical References to Horned Rabbits

14:38 The Shope Papilloma Virus Discovery

17:08 Modern Day Jackalope Sightings

 

SOURCES:

'Bizarro World’: That's what my wife and I entered when we drove up to an arcade in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, where she would attempt to break an official world record in the classic video game Tetris.

Ghirlanda S, Jansson L, Enquist M. Chickens prefer beautiful humans. Hum Nat. 2002 Sep;13(3):383-9. doi: 10.1007/s12110-002-1021-6. PMID: 26192929.

INFECTIOUS PAPILLOMATOSIS OF RABBITS

It&rsquo;s pretty natural for humans to gravitate towards the most attractive person in the room. But do animals do it too? At Stockholm University, researchers decided to see if chickens could spot a hottie. They trained these birds to peck at faces on a screen and found that chickens prefer the same facial features that humans rate as attractive. Apparently, hotness isn&rsquo;t just a matter of human opinion. Even a chicken can pick out a looker. Does that make us RSPCA approved?
Accidentally Breaking a Video Game World Record
In 2007, Billy Baker started writing a book about jugglers. At the time,  there was a controversial movement to turn the performance art of juggling into a competitive sport but this story isn&rsquo;t about juggling. It&rsquo;s about video games. During his research, Baker&rsquo;s curiosity led him from online juggling forums down the rabbit hole of video games where he learned the world record of Tetris stood at 327 lines. Here&rsquo;s the twist&hellip;his own wife easily scored up to 500 or 600 lines on her old Game Boy at home. She was just casually breaking a video game world record without even knowing.
Jackalopes: When Myth Meets Mutation
You&rsquo;ve heard of the jackalope, right? That legendary rabbit with antelope horns. Turns out, they might just be real. Back in 1933, virologist Richard Shope discovered a virus that causes rabbits to grow cancerous horn-like growths all over their face. Suddenly, the jackalope isn&rsquo;t just a campfire story. What if the tales we&rsquo;ve written off to be myths were actually sightings of cancerous rabbits?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Theories of Physical Attractiveness
02:29 Chickens and Human Hotness
06:27 Juggling and Competitive Sports
07:46 Speedrunning Super Mario Brothers
10:37 Cryptozoology and Mythical Creatures
11:47 The Jackalope: America's Mythical Creature
12:15 Historical References to Horned Rabbits
14:38 The Shope Papilloma Virus Discovery
17:08 Modern Day Jackalope Sightings
&nbsp;
SOURCES:
<a href="https://archive.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2007/08/19/bizarro_world/">'Bizarro World&rsquo;: That's what my wife and I entered when we drove up to an arcade in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, where she would attempt to break an official world record in the classic video game Tetris.</a>
<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26192929/">Ghirlanda S, Jansson L, Enquist M. Chickens prefer beautiful humans. Hum Nat. 2002 Sep;13(3):383-9. doi: 10.1007/s12110-002-1021-6. PMID: 26192929.</a>
<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2132321/">INFECTIOUS PAPILLOMATOSIS OF RABBITS</a>

Chickens Choose the Hot Girls, Accidental Video Game WR and Are Jackalopes Real?

A ventriloquist once ruled the radio waves, captivating millions with stage tricks that made no visual sense but somehow worked perfectly through a speaker. The world’s love for a good illusion runs deep, stretching from ancient oracles channeling voices through their bellies to audiences mesmerised by dummies with invisible lips. Humans have always been drawn to spectacle, even when it requires a leap of imagination.

The world of competitive chestnut-smashing, known in England as Conkers, has moved far beyond childhood nostalgia. Now it is a battleground for grown-up pride, world championships and the occasional controversy. When the stakes are glory and bragging rights, even a simple game can become the centre of suspicion and scandal.

Even stone skimming is not immune to drama. The World Stone Skimming Championships recently faced its own rule-bending episode, with contestants trying to perfect their throws in shady ways that organisers had to address. Whether it’s radio dummies, nut-bashing or stone skipping, humans will always find a way to turn even the silliest competition into a drama.

 

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction 

02:27 The Curious Case of Radio Ventriloquism

05:18 King of Conkers Controversy 

08:53 Stone Skimming Championships and Cheating Scandals

12:18 Conclusion and Listener Engagement





SOURCES:

Cheating scandal rocks world stone skimming championships

‘King Conker’ cleared of cheating at World Conker Championships

The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show

A ventriloquist once ruled the radio waves, captivating millions with stage tricks that made no visual sense but somehow worked perfectly through a speaker. The world&rsquo;s love for a good illusion runs deep, stretching from ancient oracles channeling voices through their bellies to audiences mesmerised by dummies with invisible lips. Humans have always been drawn to spectacle, even when it requires a leap of imagination.
The world of competitive chestnut-smashing, known in England as Conkers, has moved far beyond childhood nostalgia. Now it is a battleground for grown-up pride, world championships and the occasional controversy. When the stakes are glory and bragging rights, even a simple game can become the centre of suspicion and scandal.
Even stone skimming is not immune to drama. The World Stone Skimming Championships recently faced its own rule-bending episode, with contestants trying to perfect their throws in shady ways that organisers had to address. Whether it&rsquo;s radio dummies, nut-bashing or stone skipping, humans will always find a way to turn even the silliest competition into a drama.
&nbsp;
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction&nbsp;
02:27 The Curious Case of Radio Ventriloquism
05:18 King of Conkers Controversy&nbsp;
08:53 Stone Skimming Championships and Cheating Scandals
12:18 Conclusion and Listener Engagement
 
SOURCES:
<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp982r99rrmo?_bhlid=efc76fa617769db8a0a1f2c4fa78dd9c2b68485a">Cheating scandal rocks world stone skimming championships</a>
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/oct/20/king-conker-cleared-of-cheating-at-world-conker-championships">&lsquo;King Conker&rsquo; cleared of cheating at World Conker Championships</a>
<a href="https://www.museum.tv/portfolio-2/the-edgar-bergen-and-charlie-mccarthy-show">The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show</a>

FBI Hunts Bigfoot, Craft Beer's Hidden Science and Fame Kills Rockstars

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