Pull the Lever: Paradoxes & Thought Experiments

Pull the Lever: Paradoxes & Thought Experiments

Details Daniel and McKyler are joined by guest co-host, Miles! McKyler takes the guys through the ringer of paradoxes and thought experiments--including the birthday paradox, the Monte Hall problem, the Trolley Problem, and the Fermi Paradox. Daniel rips a pack! Links * Brian Cox Explains The Fermi Paradox [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbNPBcUgDTs&t=667s] * Astrophysicists Discuss the Fermi Paradox [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxmZ0n0r5D8&t=374s] * Absurd Trolley Problems [https://neal.fun/absurd-trolley-problems/] 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] ---

Crawling 250 Miles for Payback: The Hugh Glass Story

Details Daniel and Mckyler dive into the wild, almost unbelievable true story behind The Revenant, tracing Hugh Glass’s journey from reluctant pirate to legendary mountain man on a brutal quest for payback. In this episode, Daniel walks Mckyler through Glass’s rumored capture by Jean Lafitte’s pirates, his years living with the Pawnee, and the infamous 1823 grizzly mauling that left him crawling more than 200–250 miles toward Fort Kiowa with a shattered leg and exposed wounds. Along the way, they unpack what’s fact, what’s frontier myth, and how Glass’s thirst for revenge turned into one of history’s most hardcore stories of survival and unexpected forgiveness. Links * You guys know how Daniel is... Patrons Thank you to all our patrons for your support! Discord Join our Discord channel: https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK [https://discord.gg/FYg6T5q7xK] ---

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] ---