This week Todd is joined by Dave Baehler from the NotNerd podcast to plow through the giant pile of news accumulated since our last show. Join us as we dive into AI police robots, RIP Alpenrose Dairy and artificial coloring, Minnesota Republicans introduce vaccine bill written by a hypnotist, Measles Watch 2025, great news for those who love salmonella in their chicken, a deep dive into why conservatives distrust science (even when science agrees with them), a Texas Furry ban, and a happy Hetero Awesome Fest to you and yourn.
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1:17:10
Aum Shinrikyo - The Japanese Doomsday Cult
Aum Shinrikyo was an active doomsday cult in Japan throughout the 1990s, and were responsible for the Sarin gas attacks on the Japanese subway, and threatened attacks around the world -- including Disneyland, which is where our story intersects with one Dr. RIP VHS. FInd out all about them on this week's show. In the news segment: "Illegal Ideas," Mein Kampf in and Maya Angelou is out at Navy libraries, the "truth decay" of congress, both a womb transplant and sperm transplant (unrelated to each other), AI upends fingerprinting, the moon is drifting away, the "Dire Wolf" situation, and more. Enjoy!
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59:22
The Ingenuity of Ingenuity
Many of us know about the Mars Opportunity rover currently on Mars, but some may not know about a self-piloting helicopter called Ingenuity that traveled with Opportunity. Designed for 5 flights, it ended up making over 70, collecting all sort of data as well as a proof of concept that a drone helicopter can fly in Mars's atmosphere. Hear Ingenuity's story this week! In our news segment: Wienerschnitzel eyeing Portland, YouTube is almost bigger than Disney, more book bans from people wanting "freedom," the saga of the I5 Uncle Sam Billboard (iykyk), a computer that runs on human neurons, hallucinogenic barbarians, and more! Enjoy this Opportunity.
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54:57
The Cult of Pythagoras
Most of us know his theorum: a2 + b2 = c2. But few of us knew Pythagoras was the leader of his own cult/religion that lasted centuries -- and BOY did they hate fava beans. Find out more on this week's show. In our news segment: Oregon Children's Theater fails, the measles thrive, the Smithsonian's "Improper Ideology," the founder of Pirate's Booty attempt a coup of his city, sonic weapons, "spare" human bodies, and you'll never guess what happened to the Senator who thought "Trump Derangement Syndrome" should be a thing (you'll probably guess). Enjoy!
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1:09:06
The Power (Consumption) of A.I.
As tech companies keep convincing us A.I. is the way of the future, we stop to take a look at what that means for the power consumption necessary to produce results nobody really cares about and wants to avoid anyway. Dust off those nuclear power plants, because A.I. is here to stay regardless of whether we want it. In the news, we discuss federal cuts to protecting our dams, Amazon Echo won't let you record locally, scientists turn light into a solid, bananas that never brown, the Amazon forest gets plowed for climate change, and a dog shoots his owner. Enjoy!
New Zealand