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.

Tech News
Science
Society & Culture
1001
Wed. 07/29 - How To Peek Inside Someone Else’s ...
The world’s largest nuclear fusion project has begun assembly in France, getting us one step closer to a possible future of unlimited, clean energy. Lockdown caused the world to be the quietest it’s ever been on record. What’s the benefit...
17 min
1002
Tue. 07/28 - Your Lost Laundry May End Up On In...
Can trained dogs sniff out positive COVID-19 infections? It’s 2020 and people are apparently still finding legit buried treasure. This week NASA is sending a 600,000 year old martian rock back to where it came from. And the coolest new Instagram...
14 min
1003
Mon. 07/27 - The Year Without a Summer
How people kept cool, or like, stayed alive during heat waves before air conditioning, as well as the year the world skipped summer. How Animal Crossing helped return a lost Nintendo Switch to its owner. A promising handheld robotic mobility aid for...
15 min
1004
Fri. 07/24 - How AOL Inspired a Hamilton Song
The hottest new app that’s sending people on mysterious adventures. A heartwarming act of charity from Washington’s newly named team. Lin-Manuel Miranda dishes on some pretty mind-blowing inspirations for some of his biggest songs. And a kitchen...
15 min
1005
Thu. 07/23 - Are Apple Store Closures the New W...
A deep dive into America’s most dangerous water park. How to watch Apple’s decisions to predict upcoming COVID-19 hotspots. And the high school girls from Afghanistan who built their own low-cost, open-source ventilator. Sponsors: OurCrowd, ...
14 min
1006
Wed. 07/22 - A New, Reusable N95 Mask?
A promising N95 respirator replacement designed by a team from MIT. Tips for staying productive during this unprecedented time. Our first ever direct look at a multi-planet system orbiting a sun-like star. And the small Italian village that just...
14 min
1007
Tue. 07/21 - Would You Wear a T-Shirt Made From...
Throwing cold water on the panic around COVID-19’s alleged short-lived immunity. The latest wellness trend: hugging cows. T-shirts that are made out of milk. And are you guilty of revenge bedtime procrastination? Sponsors: OurCrowd, Beachbody on...
13 min
1008
Mon. 07/20 - Coming Soon: KFC's 3D Bioprinted C...
Scientists accidentally created a new fish. Whoops. Iceland is broadcasting the world’s screams from their fjords. KFC is working with Russia to 3D bioprint chicken nuggets. And some Zoom tips and tricks to make your conference calls a little less...
13 min
1009
Fri. 07/17 - Unicode's Rejected Emojis
It’s World Emoji Day today so... what does that mean? A new discovery of “campfires” on the sun. Where to score some good deals for National Ice Cream Day this weekend. And an arcade in New Hampshire that did a solid for one of the favorite...
16 min
1010
Thu. 07/16 - Bottled Moon Scent & Dinosaurs Up ...
How to get your hands on a bottle of moon-scented perfume. The maximum number of hot dogs a human can eat in ten minutes, according to science. An upcoming auction that will enable someone to turn their house into Jurassic Park. And why Captain...
14 min
1011
Wed. 07/15 - The True Origin of Cookie Dough Ic...
How to see five planets in the sky at the same time. The scoop on chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. And a new device that will basically act as noise-canceling headphones for your entire house. Sponsor: FitBod, Get one month free at Links: ...
13 min
1012
Tue. 07/14 - What Ants Can Teach Us About Epide...
What it takes to be an ice cream scientist. How to trick your brain to remember almost anything. What ants can teach us about handling epidemics. And the wine moms who just want to bring a little joy to their communities. Sponsors: FitBod, Get one...
17 min
1013
Mon. 07/13 - Is This Podcast Cake?
Why is everyone talking about cake? How to watch the brightest comet in a few decades. Are we looking at a future without tooth fillings? Look through someone’s window on the other side of the world without leaving your house. And, a gift to us from...
13 min
1014
Fri. 07/10 - Groceries Delivered Via Puppy
Tomorrow is Bowdler’s Day! What the heck does that mean? A round-up of all the best apps and extensions for virtually watching movies together with your friends. The real meaning of “dog days of summer.” A labrador making home deliveries in...
15 min
1015
Thu. 07/09 - Does A Mask Make You More Attractive?
New research shows that native South Americans may have helped populate Polynesia 800 years ago. Why are men less likely to wear masks, does wearing a mask make you more attractive, and can we use that reasoning to persuade more people to wear them?...
17 min
1016
Wed. 07/08 - No Change For America (literally, ...
A plutonium mishap in New Mexico. The popular YouTube musician bringing awareness to indigenous languages. What’s up with the coin shortage in the US? And Spotify’s new personalized workout playlists. Sponsor: Beachbody on Demand, Text...
15 min
1017
Tue. 07/07 - The Selfless Inventor of the N95 M...
The story of the man who invented the N95 mask. Birds in Canada have changed their tune in an unprecedented way that has stumped scientists. How to become a citizen scientist. The sixteenth century “reading machine” recreated by engineering...
18 min
1018
Mon. 07/06 - Is America Running Out of Fireworks?
Scientists have discovered insects that have retained their shine after 99 million years. How to properly read an election poll, plus a little on Kanye West’s presidential campaign. After perhaps the most explosive Fourth of July in decades here in...
13 min
1019
Thu. 07/02 - The Exploding Whale Memorial Park ...
The full story behind America’s national anthem. The other American holiday kicking off this weekend that you may not have heard of. The legendary exploding whale of Oregon gets its own memorial park. And NASA’s 4K ten-year time lapse of the sun....
15 min
1020
Wed. 07/01 - The Beer Garden Run By Nuns
Physicists give us the lowdown on human teleportation. Some tips for taking actually impressive photos of fireworks this weekend. The nuns moonlighting as bartenders in Milwaukee. What works and what doesn’t for keeping mosquitos away. And the...
17 min
1021
Tue. 06/30 - Coming Soon: 3D-Printed Plant-Base...
A massive star has vanished. Or collapsed into a black hole. We’re not really sure. The story behind the new 3D-printed plant-based meats. Tips on how to finish your side project. And why Dairy Queen isn’t allowed to say they sell “ice cream”...
16 min
1022
Mon. 06/29 - Virtually Relive Your Daily Commute
A barber who’s invented a new, safe way to give people haircuts. The son who embarked on an eighty-five day solo trip across the Atlantic ocean to get to his dad’s 90th birthday after the coronavirus canceled all flights. An experiment in...
13 min
1023
Fri. 06/26 - When Going to a Polling Site is Ag...
The church created to circumvent a loophole in Tennessee's elections. VR is getting smell-o-vision, but smelling things is not actually the point. How to prevent your glasses from fogging up while wearing a mask. And a website that aims to combine the...
14 min
1024
Thu. 06/25 - NASA Wants YOU To Design a Moon To...
Tips for collaborating with coworkers and other ways to maximize working from home. NASA wants your help designing a toilet for their next trip to the moon. How unwanted pests in some store-bought broccoli turned into a wholesome Twitter saga. And a...
14 min
1025
Wed. 06/24 - Mental Health Tips for Reopening P...
A smart sponge that may be the key to cleaning up oil spills. How to mentally prepare as your town reopens. DIY instructions for making your own beehive bed. And the blossoming audience members that attended Monday night’s performance at the...
11 min