Tag: earth

• The Weight of it All

  How much do all the wild mammals that roam the Earth weigh? Which wild mammal accounts for the most cumulative weight? Does any of this matter? Jeff and Anthony look at a remarkable project attempting to quantify the weight of biomass on Earth to see how measuring something seemingly unmeasurable can actually make the human impact on the planet clearer. [more]

  March 10, 2023Episodes

• Crisis at Earth’s Core!

  Mainstream news has picked up on a report that the molten core of the Earth has stopped spinning, and, in fact, might reverse direction. This has led to wild speculation and dire predictions. Anthony and Jeff dig a bit deeper themselves, and get to the core of the matter - the poor job of reporting the actual science of this discovery. [more]

  February 3, 2023Episodes

• How Many People Have Ever Lived?

  It is a simple question that requires some pretty complicated investigation. Calculating the number of people who have ever lived since the dawn of humanity is part science and part art. Jeff and Anthony dig in to the fascinating process by which scientists have come up with a pretty definitive answer. Are you able to guess it? [more]

  January 27, 2023Episodes

• Kid Free and A Sun on Earth

  Does choosing to have children affect your happiness? For years, the accepted wisdom was that people with kids tend to report more happiness than those who remain childless. But now a new study delves deeper into the question. As two sides of that coin themselves, Anthony and Jeff have opinions. Then, a big new step toward fusion-based power has been taken. A bold, 35 country partnership crosses a new milestone in building the sun on earth, and Jeff and Anthony break down just how impressive it is. [more]

  June 25, 2021Episodes

• Magnet Eyes

  Birds can sense Earth’s magnetic field, and this uncanny ability may help them fly home from unfamiliar places or navigate migrations that span tens of thousands of kilometers. Scientists have now pinpointed a possible protein behind this “sixth sense.” Jeff and Anthony consider the bird prankz possibilities. [more]

  April 18, 2018Episodes