Mary Roach Discusses "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law"

FromStuff To Blow Your Mind

Start listening View podcast show

Mary Roach Discusses "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law"

FromStuff To Blow Your Mind

ratings:

Length:

52 minutes

Released:

Sep 14, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe welcome acclaimed science writer Mary Roach back to the show to discuss her new book "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law."
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Released:

Sep 14, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Deep in the back of your mind, you’ve always had the feeling that there’s something strange about reality. There is. Join Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick as they examine neurological quandaries, cosmic mysteries, evolutionary marvels and our transhuman future.

Skip carousel

Junkies of the Animal Kingdom: Human beings aren't the only organisms with a predilection for mind-altering substances. In fact, the natural world is filled with bingers and boozers. Listen in and learn more about junkie animals. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
42 min listen
Dinner in Space!: Let's say you're an astronaut: Each day you wake up, conduct research and make adjustments to your orbit. Eventually you grab some chow -- but what kind of food do you eat, and why? Join Robert and Allison as they explore the science behind space food. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
16 min listen
Book Sniffers and You: You can learn a lot from a book's smell. For example, the books of heavy smokers tend to smell of smoke. When you smell a book, you're encountering more than 200 individual components combining to produce an olfactory fingerprint. Tune in to learn more. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
12 min listen
Mining the Moon: Since helium-3 can be used to power the fusion reactors of the future, it may be one of the world's most important fuel sources. It's rare on Earth, but experts believe the moon may have an abundant supply. Tune in and learn more about moon mining. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
13 min listen
How Fighting Asteroids Works: Asteroid impacts are inevitable. As they hurtle toward Earth, experts race against the clock to build an effective asteroid deterrent. Will they succeed in time? Learn more about asteroid fighters -- and their plans to save the world -- in this episode. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
18 min listen
Noise Pollution: Pipe Down, People!: Like any other form of pollution, loud noises can seriously affect your health over time -- and that's just the beginning. As Robert and Allison break down the science behind noise, they also explain how noise pollution affects the natural world. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
29 min listen
The Kardashev Scale: When Nicolai Kardashev began searching the universe for intelligent life, he built an energy-based scale to measure the progress of any given civilization. Tune in to discover how this scale works -- and why humanity's place on the scale may surprise you. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
21 min listen
Do I live next to a Grow House?: When drug dealers want to grow marijuana without getting caught, they often set up a "grow house." These buildings look like any other building, and they often fool bystanders. Tune in and learn how to tell if your neighbors are running a grow house. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
18 min listen
Weighing the Human Soul: In the early 1900s, Duncan Macdougall set out to prove the existence of the soul. By placing consumption patients on a scale as they died, he tried to find a difference between the weight of a person before and after death. Learn more in this podcast. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
14 min listen
The Quest for Cyberimmortality: Is it possible that human evolution is on the verge of transcending its organic roots? And, if it is possible, how could it actually occur? Join Robert and Julie as they explore the mind-blowing concept of cyberimmortality. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
33 min listen
How well do you know the T. Rex?: The Tyrannosaurus rex is one of history's most well-known, feared and misunderstood dinosaurs. Children often learn that this dinosaur was a ferocious predator ... but this might not be the whole story. Listen in and learn more in this podcast. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
16 min listen
Are we better off in the dark?: Most city dwellers are familiar with contaminated water and smoggy air -- but have you heard of light pollution? Listen in as Allison and Robert explore the effects of light pollution -- and whether humans are better off in the dark. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
18 min listen
Running with Parasites: Are you a fan of running outside without shoes? Many people enjoy walking barefoot, especially in warmer weather. Yet there's a dark side to the joy of a shoe-free life: parasites. Listen in and learn more about parasites in this episode. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
16 min listen
Regenerate This!: According to Richard J. Goss, "If there were no regeneration, there could be no life. If everything regenerated, then there could be no death." But how does this process work? Join Robert and Allison as they explore the science behind regeneration. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
15 min listen
In Search of Offshore Oil: In an economy driven by fossil fuels, oil exploration is big business -- but how do scientists actually find oil? In this podcast, Allison and Robert break down the techniques and technologies used to find offshore oil. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
23 min listen
Toilets in Space: Every astronaut knows that life in space requires numerous adjustments -- after all, things just aren't the same without gravity. So how exactly does a toilet work in space? Learn more about the science behind space's supertoilets in this podcast. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
22 min listen
The Great Space Elevator: It's no secret that space shuttles need a vast amount of fuel to escape the pull of gravity -- but are space elevators a better alternative? In this episode, Robert and Allison explore the merits of literally building an elevator from Earth into space. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
24 min listen
Stendhal Syndrome: Kicked in the Brain by Art: Imagine a work of art so beautiful that it causes heart palpitations and hallucinations. This Stuff to Blow Your Mind episode dives into the surreal world of Stendhal syndrome. What's the science behind this psychosomatic illness? Tune in to find out. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
31 min listen
Evolution in Action: Charles Darwin's revolutionary study of evolution isn't even two hundred years old yet. In terms of evolutionary processes, this is a miniscule amount of time. Yet is is possible to observe evolution within our lifetimes? Tune in and find out. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
18 min listen
Probing Questions About Alien Abduction: Why are so many people convinced that they were abducted by aliens? In this episode, Julie and Robert explore the history of alleged abductions, along with the scientific explanations for the experiences of the witnesses. Tune in to learn more. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
36 min listen
Has science explained life after death?: Humans have believed in the soul for millennia, and the evolution of science hasn't stopped the search for ghosts and the soul. In fact, modern scientists still search for proof of life after death. Tune in to learn more about the latest research. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
33 min listen
Evolutionary Hangover: Evolutionary Hangover: Vestigial traits are common in animals across the globe, but why? In this episode, Julie and Robert take a look at the genetic leftovers that lost their usefulness during evolution. Tune in to learn more about evolution, atavism and by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
33 min listen
(Kick)Astrobiology: Astrobiology is a lot more than sitting around wondering what aliens look like -- instead, this discipline draws on multiple fields to study the basic building blocks of life in space or on other worlds. Join Robert and Julie as they explore astrobiology. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
19 min listen
Growing a Green Roof: Are you stuck in the city, sweltering under the summer heat and missing the trees and grass of the natural world? Then why not transform the nearest rooftop into a garden or a park? Tune in and learn more about green roofs in this podcast. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
25 min listen
Musical Hallucinations Gone Wild: Have you ever had a musical hallucination? Not a song stuck in your head - but a genuine hallucination, real enough to completely fool your senses? Join Robert and Julie as they explore the causes of musical hallucinations. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
16 min listen
Why Your Brain Likes Conspiracy: The human brain strives to organize and classify sensory information. But what happens when new information conflicts with pre-existing data? Tune in as Julie and guest host Ben explore the fascinating phenomenon known as cognitive dissonance. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
33 min listen
Drilling for Offshore Oil: Last week, Robert and Allison broke down the science behind oil exploration. In the second segment of this series, the hosts explore the process of drilling for oil once a potential well is found. Tune in to learn more about drilling for oil. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
23 min listen
Ladies' Night on Planet Earth: James Brown said that "it's a man's world," but he may have changed his tune if he'd seen the recent studies on gender and evolution. In this podcast, Julie and Robert ask what makes a person male or female -- and why the days of males may be numbered. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
32 min listen
Brood 13: Emergence of the Cicadas: It might sound like the title of a horror movie, but make no mistake: Brood 13 is real. In this episode, Robert and Julie explore the bizarre life of the periodical cicada, insects that emerge from the ground every 13 or 17 years. Tune in to learn more. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
23 min listen
Fathers of the Wild: The Good, Bad and the Ugly: What makes a dog a lousy father and a wolf a stellar patriarch? Join Robert and Julie as they anthropomorphize the animal kingdom in an effort to find out why some species are more like Cliff Huxtable while some are more like Darth Vader. by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
34 min listen

More Episodes from Stuff To Blow Your Mind

Skip carousel

The Very Dust, Part 5 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
38 min listen
Animalia Stupendium: The Common Kingfisher by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
7 min listen
The Very Dust, Part 4: Mythology in Dust by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
40 min listen
Listener Mail: The Ripe Program by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
26 min listen
From the Vault: Before You Could Remember, Part 3 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
52 min listen
Weirdhouse Cinema: On the Silver Globe by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
90 min listen
The Very Dust, Part 3 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
47 min listen
The Monstrefact: The Flight of Dragons by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
4 min listen
The Very Dust, Part 2 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
41 min listen
Listener Mail: Ephemerol by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
34 min listen
From the Vault: Before You Could Remember, Part 2 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
45 min listen
Weirdhouse Cinema: Dragonslayer by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
88 min listen
The Very Dust, Part 1 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
42 min listen
Smart Talks with IBM: The Power of Collaboration: How IBM Teams Up with Microsoft by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
13 min listen
In the Name of Osiris by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
46 min listen
Listener Mail: Vale's Lonely Walk by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
28 min listen
From the Vault: Before You Could Remember, Part 1 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
49 min listen
Weirdhouse Cinema: Wolf Devil Woman by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
82 min listen
The Cult of Osiris, Part 2 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
46 min listen
The Monstrefact: Marvel’s Man-Thing by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
6 min listen
The Cult of Osiris, Part 1 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
40 min listen
Listener Mail: Realm of Refraction by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
27 min listen
$Listener Mail: Realm of Refraction$
From the Vault: The Minimal Group Paradigm by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
42 min listen
Weirdhouse Cinema: Dr. Phibes Rises Again by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
81 min listen
Authenticity, Part 3 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
64 min listen
Smart Talks with IBM: AI in Healthcare: How Generative AI Is Expanding Fertility Treatment by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
35 min listen
Asgardians: Odin, with George O'Connor by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
50 min listen
Listener Mail: Trip the Light by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
27 min listen
From the Vault: Washing of the Waters, Part 4 by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
40 min listen
Weirdhouse Cinema: Dead Mountaineer's Hotel by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
86 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

'How Far The Light Reaches' dives into the deep sea for lessons on community and care by NPR's Book of the Day
25 min listen
Detroitology (DETROIT) with Aaron Foley: Why an episode on Detroit?! It’s got a great story. Standalone, this episode is a fascinating look at a metropolis that swelled and thrived during the auto boom, then declined, and is navigating a rocky rebirth of sorts. Aaron Foley was Detroit’s first official City Storyteller and wrote the book “How to Live In Detroit Without Being a Jackass.” I’ve wanted to have him on Ologies for five years, and we finally sat down to talk about MoTown, car culture, square pizza, $1000 houses, gentrification, urban infrastructure, underground salt mines, amusement park slides, Diana Ross, emerging rappers, and the city’s abandonment issues. Stay tuned for the March 21 Domicology episode on how buildings and neighborhoods decay, and what people – and science – can to do about it. Also, if you’re looking for a book to read, I’m loving Aaron’s debut novel, “Boys Come First,” which he describes as “very Black, very gay, and very Detroit.” by Ologies with Alie Ward
60 min listen
Michael Finkel Catches an Art Thief by The Book Case
40 min listen
Domicology (ABANDONED BUILDINGS, RECYCLED HOUSES & GHOST TOWNS) with Rex LaMore: What’s inside that boarded up house? Should you explore an abandoned mall? A vacant factory? And how much of an old house ends up in a landfill? The founder of Domicology, Dr. Rex LaMore of Michigan State University’s Center for Community and Economic Development, is an expert on these things and answers any possible question you might have, from ghost towns to hidden house notes, arson, recycling wood, stealing metal and how to leave a better housing situation for future generations. Also: whale poltergeists. by Ologies with Alie Ward
85 min listen
Fireproof Mycelial Wallpaper with Tien Huynh by Mushroom Revival Podcast
60 min listen
Samantha Irby: Quietly Hostile by The Women Of Ill Repute
42 min listen
18 TINY DEATHS-Bruce Goldfarb: The story of a woman whose ambition and accomplishments far exceeded the expectations of her time, 18 Tiny Deaths follows the transformation of a young, wealthy socialite into the mother of modern forensics... Frances Glessner Lee, born a socialite... by True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers
69 min listen
Ep 216 - How To Become a Book Dragon - Getting Books for Cheap: Brea and Mallory talk about finding books for cheap. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com! by Reading Glasses
41 min listen
David Sedaris’s Diaries: The essayist talks about his book “Theft by Finding,” a selection of diary entries spanning 25 years that helped him find and shape his voice as a writer. by The Book Review
19 min listen
The Lost City of the Monkey God: Hidden in the jungles of Honduras, the Lost City of the Monkey God was a legendary settlement. Some people claim it’s a make-believe city invented by gold-hungry conquistadors. Others believe it’s a real city that somehow disappeared. by GONE
44 min listen
Author Interview: Michael Finkel on "The Art Thief" by ArtCurious Podcast
37 min listen
Elizabeth Miki Brina | Speak, Okinawa by Good Life Project
50 min listen
Zosia Mamet, MY FIRST POPSICLE: An Anthology of Food and Feelings by Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books
26 min listen
"On Our Best Behavior" With Elise Loehnen by The Terrible Reading Club
45 min listen
Two books examine how we listen to music and why it resonates with us by NPR's Book of the Day
20 min listen
Murder, Mutiny, and the Mists of Time: A Conversation with David Grann by Murder Sheet
63 min listen
Samantha Irby, WOW, NO THANK YOU: Samantha Irby's humor is exactly what everyone needs right now. She and Zibby talked about rituals, lip balm, bribing children, and what it's like to share your inner monologue with the world. by Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books
34 min listen
Jackie, Before Marrying Jack: Elisabeth Egan talks about Louis Bayard’s “Jackie & Me,” and Matthew Schneier discusses Paula Byrne’s biography of Barbara Pym. by The Book Review
48 min listen
Selma Blair on MEAN BABY: “But then when I read that Raymond Carver said he didn't have the ability to write, you know, a full novel. He was a sprinter and I thought, Oh, maybe I could do it. Is there any such thing as a half a paragraph short story, because that... by Poured Over
39 min listen
Lucy Cooke, "Bitch: On the Female of the Species" (Basic Books, 2022): An interview with Lucy Cooke by New Books in Science, Technology, and Society
49 min listen
Maeve Higgins by But That's Another Story
22 min listen
267 // The Violence Project w/ Dr. Jillian Peterson: Tim Pilleri and Lance Reenstierna speak with author and forensic psychologist Dr. Jillian Peterson about her work on the Violence Project. by Crawlspace - True Crime & Mysteries
55 min listen
Short Stuff: Sulfanilamide Disaster: In the 1920s, before the era of consumer protection, a poison entered the medicine supply and killed more than 100 people before the pubic health disaster could be stopped. by Stuff You Should Know
14 min listen
Emilia Hart has a vast knowledge of crows. by Virtual Book Tour
30 min listen
Michael Pollan: This Is Your Mind on Plants: When you start your day with a cup of tea or coffee you are ingesting a consciousness-altering drug, which you are quite likely to be addicted to. That drug of course is caffeine, the stimulant used by 90 per cent of people on earth, and it is one of t... by Intelligence Squared
57 min listen
Episode 1: Grover by Wild Thing
28 min listen
Ed Yong on the wondrous world of animal senses: In the first of our new series, the award-winning science journalist joins us to discuss his book An Immense World. by Nature Podcast
29 min listen
Infectious Fungi - Dr. Neil Gow by Mushroom Revival Podcast
56 min listen
Steven Rowley, THE GUNCLE: Steven Rowley joined Zibby for an IG Live Happy Hour to talk about his new book, The Guncle. The two caught up on what has happened since Steven was last on the podcast, namely two book releases, an engagement, and, of course, a global pandemi... by Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books
27 min listen
Cat Bohannon, author of EVE: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Evolution by Alyssa Milano: Sorry Not Sorry
45 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

Mary Roach Discusses "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law"

Mary Roach Discusses "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law"

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Stuff To Blow Your Mind

Related podcast episodes