Doing Learning

PEEPS Showdown

Now with video! Available on Spotify and YouTube. Details Daniel and McKyler take on everyone's favorite sugary marshmellow chick-shaped snack! Patrons Thank you to all our patrons for your support! * Liz D. * Seth T. * Irvin H. * DaDog * Miles T. * Kirk K. Discord Join our Discord channel: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK⁠⁠ [https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK] ---

Placebos: Fake It 'Til Your Brain Makes It

Details Ever wonder why sugar pills can kill pain, or why reading a side effect list actually causes those symptoms? In this mind-bending episode, McKyler takes Daniel on a deep dive into the placebo and nocebo effects—where belief literally rewires your brain’s chemistry. From Benjamin Franklin debunking “animal magnetism” in 1784 to modern patients improving on pills they know are fake, we explore the wild history and cutting-edge neuroscience behind medicine’s most mysterious phenomena. Links * Open label placebo: can honestly prescribed placebos work? [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6889847/] * Neurobiological Mechanisms of the Placebo Effect [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6725834/] * Placebo effects on human μ-opioid activity during pain [https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0702413104] * Genetics and the Placebo Effect: the Placebome [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4573548/] * Expectation and Dopamine Release: Mechanism of the Placebo Effect in Parkinson's Disease [https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1060937] * Harnessing the power of placebos [https://youtu.be/WcQnSW1wpGA] * The Story of the Placebo Effect [https://youtu.be/z_U6H6GmqSc] Patrons Thank you to all our patrons for your support! * Liz D. * Seth T. * Irvin H. * DaDog * Miles T. * Kirk K. Discord Join our Discord channel: ⁠https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK⁠ [https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK] ---

The Ant Syndicate: From Solitary Wasps to Global Superpowers

Details Daniel and McKyler take cover. Ants are in a world war! We explore the fascinating evolution of ants, tracing their epic journey from ancient solitary wasps to the ultimate rulers of continent-spanning mega-colonies. We uncover the shocking realities of microscopic warfare, zombie mind-control fungi, and ruthless slaver ants that dominate the insect kingdom. Discover the secrets behind their brilliant ecological partnerships, from farming underground fungi to fiercely guarding aphids. Links * Wasps get a bad rap [https://www.honeybeehaven.org/wasps-get-a-bad-rap/] * ‘Monstrously Big Ant’ Fossil Found in Wyoming [https://www.livescience.com/14008-giant-ant-fossil.html] * The Evolution of Ants - Myrm’s Ant Nest [https://www.antnest.co.uk/the-evolution-of-ants/] * The Billion Ant Mega Colony and the Biggest War on Earth [https://youtu.be/cqECNYmM23A] * The Horror of the Slaver Ant [https://youtu.be/Qsbe1pD8ocE] * These Ants Use Their Babies As Glue Guns [https://youtu.be/B3QTAgHlwEg] * How did ants evolve? A quick and easy exploration of ant evolution [https://youtu.be/CAo0dqOHnmU] * Ants Documentary [https://youtu.be/MLDyMufhkds] Patrons Thank you to all our patrons for your support! * Liz D. * Seth T. * Irvin H. * DaDog * Miles T. * Kirk K. Discord Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK [https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK] ---

From Consul to Corpse: Julius Caesar and the Ides of March

Details McKyler walks Daniel through the wild rise and brutal fall of Julius Caesar, from debt-ridden rich kid to “dictator for life.” Along the way they unpack why regular Romans adored Caesar for his epic Gallic victories, debt relief, and free grain, while senators saw him as a crown‑hungry tyrant dismantling the Republic. The duo dives into Decimus vs. Marcus Brutus, the real story of “Et tu, Brute?”, the first forensic autopsy in history, and how the Ides of March accidentally launched the Roman Empire. Perfect for fans of ancient Rome, political intrigue, and anyone who’s ever wondered how one stabbing changed the world. Links * Assassination of Julius Caesar – Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Julius_Caesar] * Julius Caesar – Britannica Biography [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Julius-Caesar-Roman-ruler] * 10 Facts About Julius Caesar’s Rise to Power – History Hit [https://www.historyhit.com/facts-about-julius-caesars-rise-to-power/] * The Ides of March: The Assassination of Julius Caesar Explained – History Hit [https://www.historyhit.com/the-ides-of-march-the-assassination-of-julius-caesar-explained/] * The Ides of March: The Assassination of Julius Caesar Explored – History Tools [https://www.historytools.org/stories/the-ides-of-march-the-assassination-of-julius-caesar-explained] * Constitutional Reforms of Julius Caesar – Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_reforms_of_Julius_Caesar] * How Decimus Brutus Led Julius Caesar to His Doom – History Hit [https://www.historyhit.com/how-decimus-brutus-led-julius-caesar-to-his-doom/] * Caesar: A Colossus and the Fall of the Roman Republic [https://youtu.be/Sj2UksH_nSI?si=qF2gD-8n6_u_2L7m] * The Assassination of Julius Caesar: The Ides of March Explained [https://youtu.be/gsK4nX0tCGQ?si=86P-QfRQDIqlUCHk] * Why Did Julius Caesar Cross the Rubicon? [https://youtu.be/2-PYwEsTll0?si=0umZvHcZFBGnhxqO] * Julius Caesar’s Rise, Rule, and Assassination [https://youtu.be/9XBxMk_plhA?si=MYhT1RUhb4Bv1yQa] Patrons Thank you to all our patrons for your support! * Liz D. * Seth T. * Irvin H. * DaDog * Miles T. * Kirk K. Discord Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK [https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK] ---

Los Banditos - Porfirio Díaz and the Seeds of the Mexican Revolution

Detalles Daniel takes McKyler back to late-1800s Mexico—the era of Porfirio Díaz, the powerful leader whose long rule shaped a nation. We dig into the hacendados and vast haciendas, the deep social divides, and the oppression that sparked a revolution. From Díaz’s rise from humble roots to the legendary figures of Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa (and even General Pershing’s wild chase), we explore how it all connects. Enlaces * Porfirio Diaz: Mexico's Gentleman Dictator [https://youtu.be/BW4Vx1PrB0A] * Porfirio Diaz: From Mexican Liberalism to Revolution, 1876-1911 [https://youtu.be/-vssOQOCcH4] * Pancho Villa: Robin Hood or Ruthless Terrorist? [https://youtu.be/I5K3A0x8zHU] * Emiliano Zapata: Mexico's Greatest Revolutionary [https://youtu.be/p6yntbVfmNE] * Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata: Allies in the Mexican Revolution [https://youtu.be/jRwNsGnvQFM] * Pancho Villa: Heroe o villano? [https://youtu.be/7CYGBAfMPRY] * Heroe del pueblo o villano psicopata? Biografia de Pancho Villa [https://youtu.be/7jVL6zPjlN8] * The Mexican Revolution 1910-1920 (Documentary) [https://youtu.be/GuGTDYouUU8] * Wanted: Dead or Alive: Pancho Villa and the American Invasion of Mexico | Historical Documentary [https://youtu.be/zpHwcrClYZQ] Patrocinadores Thank you to all our patrons for your support! * Liz D. * Seth T. * Irvin H. * DaDog * Miles T. * Kirk K. Discord Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK [https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK] ---