NO SUCH THING
NO SUCH THING
Join Manny, Noah, and Devan — three best friends and journalists — as they settle dumb arguments by actually doing the research. Each week, they start with a debate or discussion. Why don’t men ask follow up questions? Should schools ban phones? Is dating an AI chatbot cheating? Then, they go out into the world, talk to experts, conduct experiments, and find the answer. NO SUCH THING is an expl…Social links:
Follow the podcast:
Does micromanaging actually work?
This week’s topic came from a listener who asked if micromanaging is a more productive work-style than a more “free range” approach. We talk about our own work experiences, and answer a few other miscellaneous work questions about performance improvement plans (“PIPs”), handling an incompetent boss…
1:02:59
Is recycling a complete scam? (PART 2)
Growing up, we were told to always recycle plastic to save the planet. But does recycling actually do anything? In this special two-part investigation, we explore the history of recycling, the rise of “disposable” plastics, and find out how effective recycling actually is. In part one (with the h…
34:12
Is recycling a complete scam? (PART 1)
Growing up, we were told to always recycle plastic to save the planet. But does recycling actually do anything? In this special two-part investigation, we explore the history of recycling, the rise of “disposable” plastics, and find out how effective recycling actually is. In part one (with the h…
42:47
Kids can’t read anymore. Does it matter? (with author Jason Reynolds)
Are we in the midst of a reading crisis? News outlets are constantly reporting on the death of reading. School test scores by measures like the “Nation’s Report Card” say math and literacy levels are down to their lowest rates since the early 1990s. Schools aren’t even assigning full books in class…
59:20
Eggs in the fridge, expired meds, loud sneezes, and more (Mailbag)
On today's episode of NO SUCH THING, Manny, Noah, and Devan, jump into the mailbag. Should you keep your eggs in the fridge? Why do some people sneeze so loudly? Where did we get the 24 hour day from? Why and how does medicine expire? And what's the traditional jelly in a PB&J: grape or strawberry?…
43:59
TINY CAMERAS!?! We found out what those customer satisfaction buttons actually do
This week we’re answering a question from a listener named Emma: What do those smiley-face customer-satisfaction buttons you see in airport bathrooms actually do? We track down the Finland-based company behind them, HappyOrNot, and uncover a hidden world of analytics, cameras, and AI. Our guest…
35:29
Should athletes be allowed to bet on themselves?
Manny wrote a book and you can check it out here! It's called Colored People Time: A Case for (Casual) Rebellion, and it's a collection of essays about the ways that time wraps itself around our most personal moments. If you're around NYC, the boys will be discussing the book in a live event on Mar…
48:54
Was Benjamin Franklin a fraud?
We know Benjamin Franklin as a founding father, crucial in the establishment of the United States, discoverer of electricity, kooky writer of almanacs, and inventor of much, much more. But is it possible that good old Benny is actually a complete scammer? We investigate a conspiracy theory that Mr.…
1:00:51
Are dentists scamming us? We investigate
On today’s episode, we tackle a question we’ve all wondered: Are dentists scamming us? We dive into the dark history of dentistry, find out why dental insurance sucks, hear from someone who uncovered a dentist drilling teeth for profit, and talk to a startup founder who’s looking to upend the whole…
57:51
Why are there so many twin films?
On this week's episode, the boys chat with Chris and Lizzie, the hosts of the What Went Wrong podcast about why Hollywood produces so many "twin films," movies that have very similar concepts and that release within a year of each other. They also debate whether A Bug's Life or ANTZ is the better m…
46:44