Cool Stuff Ride Home
Covering the most interesting and coolest stories that you may have missed around the world in about 15 minutes a day. Cool Stuff Ride Home looks at science, progress, life-hacks, memes, exciting art, and hope. This is the antidote to depressing headlines. Smart stuff in podcast form. Cool news, as a service.
Hosted by Reggie Risseeuw and Marques Pfaff.
726
Wed. 09/29 - When Humans Die On Mars, What Will...
What will happen to the bodies of people who die on Mars? Plus, AI has indicated that a famous painting at the National Gallery might be a phoney. And festival-goers at Glastonbury are endangering rare eels with their drug-addled refusal to use public...
17 min
727
Tue. 09/28 - Are Climate Companies Reliving the...
Could removing methane from the atmosphere be a viable strategy for slowing global warming? And are all of these disparate new ideas and strategies to solve the climate crisis going to lead to real solutions? Plus, pulling back the curtain on the...
16 min
728
Mon. 09/27 - 900 Year Old Cosmic Mystery: Offic...
How 19th century New Yorkers took advantage of a loophole in the strict drinking laws and ended up creating the world’s worst sandwich. Plus, a supernova that’s been missing since the twelfth century has been found! And how a young woman on Tiktok...
16 min
729
Fri. 09/24 - Ancient Teens Shake Up History of ...
Ancient footprints discovered in New Mexico are shaking up what we thought we knew about when humans first arrived in the Americas. Plus, how much plastic do we unknowingly ingest each year? The answer is probably more than you’re comfortable with,...
20 min
730
Thu. 09/23 - Birds Are Real (and Got Louder Dur...
The dark side of the history of epidemiology. Plus, a study that proves, yes actually, birds were louder and more numerous during lockdown. And two women in their hundreds who have lived incredible lives and refuse to quit doing what they love....
17 min
731
Wed. 09/22 - The Wonders of Fall, and the Cosmos
Sharing some reflections, some poetry, and a bit of a historical context on what it is that makes fall strike such a strong chord with so many of us, in honor of this first day of fall. And a look at NASA’s upcoming Lucy mission to Jupiter’s...
17 min
732
Tue. 09/21 - Making 26,000 People Out of 20: Te...
How Ted Lasso filled a whole stadium for a crowd scene during the pandemic, and how advances, especially in AI, are beginning to change filmmaking. Plus, a Colorado man has won a yearlong treasure hunt for golden tickets, making him the new owner of a...
16 min
733
Mon. 09/20 - Poison Ivy Vaccines & A Mosh Pit H...
The history and science of mosh pits. Exciting developments in the treatment of poison ivy reactions, including a possible vaccine. And how to catch tonight’s Harvest Moon, and why we call it that. Sponsors: Novo, Raycon, Get 15% off at Links: ...
15 min
734
Fri. 09/17 - Night-Lunch and the Origin of Food...
The history and future of food trucks, and a look at the old tradition of “night lunch.” The visually-striking lanternfly that eastern US states are begging people to kill. And why you may not be getting that book you ordered anytime soon....
15 min
735
Thu. 09/16 - Jane Austen's Advice for Social Me...
How the social lives of the characters from Jane Austen’s novels are analogous to our digital ones today, and what we can learn from them about being over-stimulated. Plus, a study illustrating how we could build bases on Mars out of astronaut...
18 min
736
Wed. 09/15 - Civilian? Amateur? Private? Whatev...
SpaceX’s Inspiration4 all-civilian crew is blasting off tonight in Cape Canaveral. Here’s everything you need to know about the historic launch. Plus, the Māori Party in New Zealand has introduced a petition to rename the country its Māori...
16 min
737
Tue. 09/14 - Steve Wozniak's New Space Company
How gas stations actually make money, and their prospects for the future. Steve Wozniak says Don’t Mess With Space. And, a timeless question for the ages: how many s’mores could you make from the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters?...
17 min
738
Mon. 09/13 - De-Extinct Woolly Mammoths & Potty...
Could woolly mammoths help slow the effects of the climate emergency? It’s not just a theoretical question. One entrepreneur is betting on it, and working to bring woolly mammoths back from extinction to prove it. Lorde has re-released part of her...
15 min
739
Fri. 09/10 - The Mystery of Blue Moon Ice Cream
What exactly is blue moon-flavored ice cream and where did it come from? Plus, NASA is planning to purposefully hit an asteroid with a spacecraft, more on why and when. And this year’s Ig Nobel Prize winners have been announced! Links: (Atlas...
16 min
740
Thu. 09/09 - Roof Panels That Cool Your Home, N...
Forget air conditioners, give me radiative cooling panels on my roof! That’s what I hope I’ll be saying a few years from now. Plus, a new species of giant carnivorous dinosaur with shark-like teeth has been identified. And Moderna has announced...
15 min
741
Wed. 09/08 - What Happens When You Get Struck B...
What it’s actually like getting struck by lightning, and the community of survivors helping each other cope. Plus, another team of scientists say they have achieved a crucial and record-breaking milestone in the quest for clean fusion power. And an...
19 min
742
Tue. 09/07 - Mars Rocks, A Billionaire's Utopia...
The Mars Perseverance Rover has secured its first rock sample, with big promise for insights to come. A billionaire is working on plans to build a new sustainable city “for the people” somewhere in America. And you may have heard of Little Free...
17 min
743
Fri. 09/03 - The Billion Year Gap In the Grand ...
What if a room could charge all of your devices just by them being in there? Like no wires, no charging pads, just being in the room. Some engineers have made that a reality. Plus, new insights into the billion years of time that are missing from the...
16 min
744
Thu. 09/02 - What Is Grimace & Why Are Hyperlin...
Why are hyperlinks blue? You ever think about that before? Plus, a look at the tech behind the wheelchairs and prostheses used by Paralympians. And what the heck is Grimace, the big purple McDonald’s mascot? A manager at a Canadian McDonald’s...
17 min
745
Wed. 09/01 - Flying EVs, Bedroom Pop, & Murder ...
Would you take a flying rideshare taxi? NASA is betting on it. Plus, murder hornets are back and badder than ever. And the growing genre of “bedroom pop,” which isn’t what it maybe sounds like. Sponsor: Raycon, Get 15% off at Links: (The...
18 min
746
Tue. 08/31 - Could We Delete Our Memories One Day?
The climate crisis is causing some animals to shrink, and that’s definitely not a good thing. Experts weigh in on the possibility of humans ever being able to edit or delete their own memories. And Netflix cheat codes to help you shake off the...
16 min
747
Mon. 08/30 - Electric Cars Almost Became the No...
Electric cars were being made as far back at the late 19th century, with entire fleets of electric cabs roaming the streets of several major cities. So what happened? Why didn’t they become the go-to vehicle from the beginning? Plus, the history of...
15 min
748
Fri. 08/27 - The History of the ICEE, The Coole...
The history of and science behind the ICEE. Plus, Glenfiddich is now powering their delivering trucks with spent whisky. And some tips on cleaning your earbuds because, c’mon, how long has it been since you’ve actually done that? Sponsors: ...
15 min
749
Thu. 08/26 - What If All Food Was Square?
The 7,200 year old skeleton of a teenage girl is shaking up what we thought we knew about ancient human migration. The creative solution an Oregon hospital has come up with to support its overworked staff, and what we can do to help lessen their load....
15 min
750
Wed. 08/25 - Comirnaty? How Pfizer's Vaccine Go...
The Paralympic Games kicked off in Tokyo last night. Here’s what you need to know and a brief history of the games. Plus, how did the Pfizer vaccine end up with the brand name Comirnaty, and what were some of the other contenders? Sponsor: Upstart,...
17 min