It’s day 3 of our week-long countdown, 25 People Who Changed the World… for Better, for Worse, and for Sillier! Today we head to Japan to find out how vending machines got so advanced, dive into the meme-worthy true story of a shady ancient ingot merchant, and gives props to the guy who kept your house from smelling like a sewer. Plus: How one man accidentally created the sprawling criminal enterprise we now know as spam.
Visit John Levine’s website to learn more about his books, and check out his work with the RISE Infosec Foundation.
Listen to The Builders with Walter Isaacson, available now wherever you get podcasts.
Subscribe to Mango’s newsletter!

Did you hear? PTG is ending on Dec. 29. If you want to tell us a fun fact for the road, let us know what the show meant to you, or just say goodbye, call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

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

It&rsquo;s day 3 of our week-long countdown, 25 People Who Changed the World&hellip; for Better, for Worse, and for Sillier! Today we head to Japan to find out how vending machines got so advanced, dive into the meme-worthy true story of a shady ancient ingot merchant, and gives props to the guy who kept your house from smelling like a sewer. Plus: How one man accidentally created the sprawling criminal enterprise we now know as spam.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Visit John Levine&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.johnlevine.com/">website</a> to learn more about his books, and check out his work with the <a href="https://riseinfosec.org/">RISE Infosec Foundation</a>.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Listen to<a href="https://www.kaleidoscope.nyc/builders"> The Builders with Walter Isaacson</a>, available now wherever you get podcasts.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Subscribe to Mango&rsquo;s<a href="https://kaleidoscopemedia.substack.com/"> newsletter</a>!</li>
</ul>
Did you hear? PTG is ending on Dec. 29. If you want to tell us a fun fact for the road, let us know what the show meant to you, or just say goodbye, call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email <a href="mailto:higeniuses@gmail.com">higeniuses@gmail.com</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

Who Sent the First Spam Email? (And Why?)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e1b58924-0ae8-44a5-b4ff-b4f900d88f5b/transcript