Part-Time Genius

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Latest Episodes:

9 Mustache Facts to Kick Off Movember! Nov 07, 2025

Show notes

From the super strange reason Burt Reynolds grew a mustache to why you need to invest in a mustache spoon, Will and Mango chat all things facial topiaries with their good pals Yves and Alex.

Special thanks to @doodlynoted on Instagram, whose amazing sketchnotes of this episode made us want to listen to it again!

This episode originally aired on November 2, 2017.

Want an official, numbered, limited edition Part-Time Genius membership card? Of course you do. Get in touch and share a fun fact, your name, and your mailing address and we’ll send you one for free. Email higeniuses@gmail.com, DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925. (We may share your fact on an upcoming episode, but don’t worry, your contact info is private.)

Photo by Alan Hardman via Unsplash. Thanks, Alan!

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Exploring Alien Science with Daniel Whiteson! Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

What if aliens came to earth… and helped us unlock the mysteries of the universe? That’s the premise of our pal Daniel Whiteson’s new book, Do Aliens Speak Physics?, and today on the show he tells us how thinking through this wacky scenario can tell us a lot about ourselves, our science, and the boundaries of knowledge. Plus: Why sci-fi is just as important as sci-non-fi.

Buy Do Aliens Speak Physics or request it at your local bookstore or library!
Check out Daniel’s podcast, Daniel & Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe!
Learn more about Daniel’s research and other work!

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PTG Recommends: Origin Stories! Nov 01, 2025

Show notes

On today's Rec Center, Mango introduces listeners to his pal Matthew Shaer's brand new podcast Origin Stories. If you're someone who misses the Longform podcast, loves to learn about the craft of writing, or just want to hear more from your favorite author and filmmaker, Origin Stories is probably what you've been looking for. On today's episode, Matthew interviews the bestselling author Stephanie Foo about her memoir "What My Bones Know." If you want to hear about why morning pages don't work for everybody, how to approach a rewrite, and why it's ok to include more fart jokes than your editor might want, give it a listen.

For more Origin Stories, including Stephanie's episode, be sure to click here. Or find it wherever you get your podcasts.

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9 Spooky, Ooky Facts About Charles Addams Oct 31, 2025

Show notes

We all know the famous family—but what about the man behind them, lurking in the shadows? Mango and Gabe decided to celebrate Halloween by unearthing some weird, delightful, and weirdly delightful stories about cartoonist Charles Addams, from his childhood love of creeping around vacant houses to the unexpected way his TV show made tech history.

Photo of Addams by Irving Penn, via Wikimedia Commons.

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9 Halloween Facts to Stuff in Your Pillowcases! Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

In Iowa, you can't just show up on your neighbor's doorstep with a costume... kids have to work for the treats! Grab your pillowcase, bucket, or plastic pumpkin-shaped pail and join Will, Mango, and Gabe for a very sweet-and-spooky episode to get yourself excited for Halloween

This episode originally aired on October 26, 2017.

Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.

Photo by Beth Teutschmann via Unsplash. Thanks, Beth!

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Being Curious for a Living with Josh & Chuck from Stuff You Should Know Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

We’re closing out this week of curiosity with our good pals Josh and Chuck (and super producer Jeri!) from Stuff You Should Know. It’s a wide-ranging, brain-tickling conversation that touches on everything from childhood obsessions to SYSK behind-the-scenes stories to the shocking truth about off-mic personas. Plus: Everyone tries to figure out which Muppet they are, for some reason.

What’s your favorite fact you learned this week? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Instagram (@parttimegenius) or Bluesky (parttimegenius.bsky.social). We’ll pick one comment at random to win a prize! For a bonus entry, make a post with your answer and tag us. Deadline is 11:59pm ET, Sunday Oct. 26.

Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.

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Are We Doomed to Lose Curiosity As We Age? Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

Today Will and Mango explore the science of curiosity at different ages: how school can help (or hurt) kids’ curiosity, why middle age may make you less curious, and what we know about babies’ curiosity, even though they can’t fill out questionnaires. Plus: A conversation with a researcher who made a surprising discovery about elderly people, and expert tips for practicing curiosity, whether you’re 1 or 100.

Join our slow(er) curiosity exercise! Think of something you’re curious about—big or small—then don’t Google it. Instead, go for a walk or sit someplace quiet. Use a pen and paper to jot down any ideas that come to mind. Then head over to our Instagram (@parttimegenius) or Bluesky (parttimegenius.bsky.social) and tell us how it went. We’ll pick one comment at random to win a prize! For a bonus entry, take a photo or video of your walk/quiet place, upload it and tag us. Deadline is 11:59pm ET, Sunday Oct. 26.

Learn more about Jamie Jirout’s work at the UVA REAL lab.
Learn more about Mary Whatley’s work at the Motivated Memory & Successful Aging Lab.
Learn more about Celeste Kidd’s work at the Kidd Lab.

Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can Pets Be Curious? How About Wild Chimps? Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

Today we’re taking a break from human curiosity and turning our attention to other animals. What makes hummingbirds explore different flowers? Are we to blame for rats’ curiosity? Are animals in the wild more or less curious than animals in captivity? And if you were a zebrafish, which would you find more interesting: a white shell or a purple cup?

Day 3 listener activity: Grab an assortment of objects and present them one at a time to the nearest animal (as long as it’s friendly) to see what it’s curious about. Then head over to our Instagram (@parttimegenius) or Bluesky (parttimegenius.bsky.social) and tell us how the experiment went. We’ll pick one comment at random to win a prize! For a bonus entry, take a photo or video of your animal, upload it and tag us. Deadline is 11:59pm ET, Sunday Oct. 26.

Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.

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Is Curiosity Dangerous? Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

Where did the saying “curiosity killed the cat” come from, and is it just a way for the rich and powerful to oppress everyone else? (Hint: yes.) Today on the show, Will and Mango take a look at curiosity’s checkered history: from the Middle Ages (when it was considered a threat to society) to the 17th century (when it became downright trendy) to today (when we can Google anything we want).

Day 2 listener activity: Head over to our Instagram (@parttimegenius) or Bluesky (parttimegenius.bsky.social) and tell us which three objects you’d include in a cabinet of curiosities. We’ll pick one comment at random to win a prize! For a bonus entry, take a photo or video of your objects, upload it and tag us. Deadline is 11:59pm ET, Sunday Oct. 26.

Buy Barbara Benedict’s book, Curiosity: A Cultural History of Early Modern Inquiry.

Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What Does Curiosity Really Do To Our Brains? Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

Every day this week, we’re exploring a different aspect of curiosity—you know, the thing that makes you listen to this show. We’re starting off by discovering what happens in our brains when we experience curiosity, why some things make us curious and others don’t, how a lack of novelty can lead to pretty strange behavior, and how all of this ties in to our willingness to buy oat milk.

Take the Which Part-Time Genius Co-Host Are You? quiz! Leave a comment on our Instagram (@parttimegenius) or Bluesky (parttimegenius.bsky.social) and tell us your result. We’ll pick one comment at random to win a prize! For a bonus entry, make a post about your result and tag us. Deadline is 11:59pm ET, Sunday Oct. 26.

Learn more about Celeste Kidd’s work at the Kidd Lab.
Subscribe to Jack Shepherd’s newsletter, On Words and Up Words.

Got a question you’d like us to answer? A rabbit hole you think we should explore? Email higeniuses@gmail.com or leave us a message at (302) 405-5925.

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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