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.
951
Wed. 12/2 – Competitive Tetris Champions & Chri...
The Classic Tetris World Championship final is this Sunday, streaming live online, and if you were also surprised there is a Classic Tetris World Championship, then have I got a documentary recommendation for you. Archaeologists have discovered tens...
14 min
952
Tue. 12/01 - China's Chang'e 5 Lands on the Moon
Scientists have used AI to make a massive breakthrough in protein folding that could cause huge ripples in drug treatments and understanding the human body. China has landed a robotic spacecraft on the moon and is bringing back souvenirs. Leave some...
16 min
953
Mon. 11/30 - The Utah Monolith Has VANISHED
An update on the mysterious monolith in Utah. The plant-based seafood companies vying to become the fishy equivalent of Beyond Meat. And some tips for socializing outside during the cold winter months. Sponsors: BetterHelp, Get 10% off your first...
13 min
954
Wed. 11/25 - Did Devo & Green Day Predict 2020?
The Thanksgiving Day prank at NASA that ensured Thanksgiving Day pranks never happened again. How artificial intelligence could finally end the spread of tuberculosis. The new EP from a new wave band that is definitely not just Green Day in masks. And...
15 min
955
Tue. 11/24 - An Unexplained Monolith in the Uta...
The saga of the infamous pig couch on Craigslist. A strange metal monolith has appeared without explanation in a deserted red rock cove in Utah. What does Yellowstone National Park have to do with the COVID-19 test kits? And a new device that will let...
15 min
956
Mon. 11/23 - Oxford's Vaccine & "Word" of the Year
Mars may still be volcanically active, which could mean positive things for the potential of life on the planet. More good vaccine news, this time from Oxford and AstraZeneca. And speaking of Oxford, the dictionary took a weird turn for their Word of...
14 min
957
Feed Drop - Jacked: Rise of the New Jack
Hosted by Taraji P. Henson, Wondery (Dr. Death, Dirty John, The Shrink Next Door) and Universal Music Group present Jacked: Rise of the New Jack Sound. The story begins with a keyboard player in the heart of Harlem: Teddy Riley. Teddy’s entire world...
5 min
958
Fri. 11/20 - Did Ben Franklin Want to Replace t...
Did Ben Franklin really think the turkey should replace the eagle as America’s national bird? Analyzing the microbiome of Leonardo DaVinci’s drawings. And scientists who have figured out a way to rewind cellular aging in humans. Sponsors: Fitbod,...
14 min
959
Thu. 11/19 - Paleomixology & the Baskin-Robbins...
Advice for enjoying the holidays even if you’re spending them alone this year. AI researchers have made a sarcasm detector. And a look at the burgeoning field of paleomixology. Sponsors: Fundrise, Get your first 90 days of advisory fees waived at ...
16 min
960
11/18 - Real Talk on Thanksgiving Celebrations ...
Some real talk about celebrating Thanksgiving this year. How artificial intelligence is being used to recreate smells from history. And Bunny the Talking Dog, the latest viral star on Tiktok. Sponsors: Fitbod, Get one month free at Fundrise, Get...
18 min
961
Tue. 11/17 - The Little-Known History of Transg...
A look at trans figures in history in honor of Transgender Awareness Week. New stretchable sensor gloves that could change the game for robots, physical therapy, and VR. Liquid Death, the over-the-top canned water company, has released their second...
17 min
962
Mon. 11/16 - The Moderna Vaccine: What You Need...
A second potential COVID-19 vaccine is showing incredible efficacy and bringing us a modest dash of hope. The future of sustainable air conditioning. The French media outlet that accidentally published obituaries for nearly a hundred public figures...
15 min
963
Fri. 11/13 - How Did Friday the 13th Become Unl...
Why do we associate Friday the 13th with being unlucky? The weird and creative solutions some offices are coming up with for virtual holiday parties this year. And don’t miss the next, and first official, SpaceX astronaut flight launch tomorrow....
16 min
964
Thu. 11/12 - How Many Holes Does a Straw Have?
A simple question with a very, very complicated answer: how many holes does a straw have? Why the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine could be significant beyond COVID-19. And yet another botched art restoration in Spain. Sponsor: Gabi Insurance, Links: ...
17 min
965
Wed. 11/11 - Why People Are Mad About Mary Woll...
A deep dive into why a statue of an eighteenth century feminist writer has caused such a stir in England. A new YouTube show to watch, made by Hungarian scientists, called The Genius Dog Challenge. And Collins Dictionary’s word of the year. Sponsor:...
14 min
966
Tue. 11/10 - Make Better Habits By Being Bad At...
Australian scientists have discovered two new mammals. The trick to sticking to new habits that requires letting yourself be bad at things. A new perfume that smells like books. And a calming, hand-drawn web-based game to help you chill out. Sponsor: ...
13 min
967
Mon. 11/09 - What To Know About the Pfizer Vaccine
Pfizer has good news about a potential COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s what you need to know. Meet the man who went viral over the weekend for interrupting a French newscaster. And high fashion scratch-and-sniff t-shirts; plus a brief history of the...
18 min
968
Fri. 11/06 - The Most Extreme, Hellish Planet Y...
Scientists have discovered more information about an absolutely hellish, inhospitable planet. And it’s not the one you think. Colorado passed a first-ever of its kind ballot measure to reintroduce a species of animal to its state. An intriguing if...
14 min
969
Thu. 11/05 - Why Nebraska Splits Its Electoral ...
Remember, remember the fifth of November. Here are some thoughts on the complicated legacy of the Gunpowder Plot. Why Nebraska’s electoral votes are so weird, and the man responsible for keeping them weird. And, inspired by the Korean practice of...
14 min
970
Wed. 11/04 - Brian Eno & the Atomization of Soc...
Brian Eno’s thoughts on social media and the role of the artist in these trying times, as well as a related new finding that smartphones may actually be helping to pop people’s filter bubbles when it comes to news consumption. A new archaeological...
14 min
971
Tue. 11/3 - The Atheist Ban
It’s Election Day in the US. I’ve got some good and some weird tips for staying calm amidst the election storm. An AI that can tell if you have COVID-19 just by listening to your cough. And a deep dive on one type of U.S. citizen who can’t run...
16 min
972
Mon. 11/02 - Debunking & Distracting From Elect...
Heading into the U.S. general election tomorrow, a refresher on why polls can be unreliable and how to read them responsibly. An opportunity to own the vintage spyware gadgets of your dreams. It’s 2020: platypuses glow in the dark now. And a new...
15 min
973
Fri. 10/30 - Is the Pandemic Causing Prohibitio...
Why you’re seeing more young Black students working the polls this year. How the pandemic might parallel Prohibition's effect on the American brewing industry. NASA followed up a viral tweet with a literal link to their Soundcloud, and it’s...
14 min
974
Thu. 10/29 - Haunted Bathrooms & Lab-Grown Brains
Can lab-grown brains become conscious? And should we let them? Burger King’s latest creepy stunt to try to rile up McDonald’s. And why do we say trick-or-treat, and what is Mischief Night anyways? Sponsors: The Jordan Harbinger Show, ...
14 min
975
Wed. 10/28 - 2020's Best Game Is a Cursed Real ...
A look back at one hundred years ago when women ruled a notorious wild west town. Some thoughts on the effects of technology on our ability to remember our thoughts in the long-term. And the internet is calling it the best game of 2020, but it’s...
17 min