Elevators seem pretty mundane, until you realize a certain king used them to hide his mistresses, a certain politician used them to exaggerate the height of his buildings, and all of America refused to ride them until a certain marketing genius (the one and only P. T. Barnum!) designed a stunt to get everyone on board. 

Photo via Sung Jin Cho on Unsplash. Thanks, Jin!

Next time you're on an elevator staring at your phone, follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius! 
Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

Elevators seem pretty mundane, until you realize a certain king used them to hide his mistresses, a certain politician used them to exaggerate the height of his buildings, and all of America refused to ride them until a certain marketing genius (the one and only P. T. Barnum!) designed a stunt to get everyone on board.&nbsp;
Photo via Sung Jin Cho on Unsplash. Thanks, Jin!
Next time you're on an elevator staring at your phone, follow us on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a>! Learn more about your ad choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com/">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

Are you a knowledge junkie who loves when facts are stranger than fiction? Do you find yourself constantly tripping down Wikipedia rabbit holes (and delighting in the journey)? Have you ever been told you ask a lot of questions? If so, congrats! You’re one of us: a Part-Time Genius! Join Will, Mango, and the team as we scour the globe in search of obscure facts, offbeat locales, and hidden histories. Along the way, we’ll chat with experts, play some games, get in touch with our silly side, and celebrate the fine art of staying curious.

Are you a knowledge junkie who loves when facts are stranger than fiction? Do you find yourself constantly tripping down Wikipedia rabbit holes (and delighting in the journey)? Have you ever been told you ask a lot of questions? If so, congrats! You&rsquo;re one of us: a Part-Time Genius! Join Will, Mango, and the team as we scour the globe in search of obscure facts, offbeat locales, and hidden histories. Along the way, we&rsquo;ll chat with experts, play some games, get in touch with our silly side, and celebrate the fine art of staying curious.

Part-Time Genius

Elevators seem pretty mundane, until you realize a certain king used them to hide his mistresses; a certain politician used them to exaggerate the height of his buildings, and all of America refused to ride them until a certain marketing genius (the one and only P. T. Barnum!) designed a stunt to get everyone on board.

PTG Classic: How Did P. T. Barnum Trick the World Into Riding Elevators? 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2e5fbe46-b9be-4dbc-96ae-b2ba00005ce9/transcript

How did an ailing Connecticut wife inspire the pay phone? Why did thousands of people flock to the Mojave Desert just to use one? And do people really talk for longer when they know someone else is waiting? Today Mango and Gabe answer the call of nostalgia by tracing the rise, fall, and possible resurgence of the public pay phone. 

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/ptg Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

Photo by Robin Jonathan Deutsch via Unsplash. Thanks, Robin!

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

How did an ailing Connecticut wife inspire the pay phone? Why did thousands of people flock to the Mojave Desert just to use one? And do people really talk for longer when they know someone else is waiting? Today Mango and Gabe answer the call of nostalgia by tracing the rise, fall, and possible resurgence of the public pay phone.&nbsp;
EXCLUSIVE&nbsp;NordVPN Deal ➼<a href="https://nordvpn.com/ptg"> https://nordvpn.com/ptg</a> Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!
Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:higeniuses@gmail.com">higeniuses@gmail.com</a>.
Follow us on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a> and Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/parttimegenius.bsky.social">@parttimegenius.bsky.social</a>!
Photo by Robin Jonathan Deutsch via Unsplash. Thanks, Robin!
Learn more about your ad choices at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

Are Pay Phones Making a Comeback?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f0796022-9a4b-4097-ab9e-b42801521127/transcript

How long do whales live, and how do scientists figure out their age? What does it take to sustain a whale's enormous size? And why do whales have mustaches and belly buttons? Featuring Nick Pyenson, author of Spying on Whales and curator of marine mammal fossils for the Smithsonian.
Buy Spying on Whales!

This episode originally aired on September 12, 2018.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

Photo by Chinh Le Duc via Unsplash. Thanks, Chinh!

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

How long do whales live, and how do scientists figure out their age? What does it take to sustain a whale's enormous size? And why do whales have mustaches and belly buttons? Featuring Nick Pyenson, author of&nbsp;Spying on Whales and curator of marine mammal fossils for the Smithsonian.
<ul>
<li>Buy <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/spying-on-whales-the-past-present-and-future-of-earth-s-most-awesome-creatures-nick-pyenson/a2bcf761f6127227?ean=9780735224582&amp;next=t">Spying on Whales</a>!</li>
</ul>
This episode originally aired on September 12, 2018.
Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.
Follow us on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a> and Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/parttimegenius.bsky.social">@parttimegenius.bsky.social</a>!
Photo by Chinh Le Duc via Unsplash. Thanks, Chinh!
Learn more about your ad choices at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

Will and Mango pester their pal Nick with all their whale questions: Why are whales so large? How do they sustain those massive bodies?

Why Are Whales So Big? with Nick Pyenson!

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7e324a97-de19-48db-adb5-b40400eecb94/transcript

Will, Gabe and Mango take the focus off the nuclear button, and put it squarely on all the other buttons out there that are feeling a little neglected, from colonial button molds to Jimmy Carter’s panic button accident in a bathroom.

This episode originally aired on January 4, 2018.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social!

Photo by Olga Kovalski via Unsplash. Thanks, Olga!

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

Will, Gabe and Mango take the focus off the nuclear button, and put it squarely on all the other buttons out there that are feeling a little neglected, from colonial button molds to Jimmy Carter&rsquo;s panic button accident in a bathroom.
This episode originally aired on January 4, 2018.
Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.
Follow us on Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/parttimegenius/">@parttimegenius</a> and Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/parttimegenius.bsky.social">@parttimegenius.bsky.social</a>!
Photo by Olga Kovalski via Unsplash. Thanks, Olga!
Learn more about your ad choices at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>.

Will, Gabe and Mango take the focus off the nuclear button, and put it squarely on all the other buttons out there that are feeling a little neglected.

9 Facts About Buttons That Aren't Nuclear

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a5cadad8-114d-4a4f-a03e-b3fa0107ae71/transcript

PTG Classic: How Did P. T. Barnum Trick the World Into Riding Elevators?

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