Part-Time Genius

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Latest Episodes:

Is Duct Tape Safe for Ducks? Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

It’s day 1 of our new week-long countdown, 25 People Who Changed the World… for Better, for Worse, and for Sillier. Today we unpack the confusing lingo behind duct tape, meet a young woman who put innovation in paper bags, and engage with a mysterious organization dedicated to collecting and cataloguing bread clips. Plus: David Nagler is back with a Dolly Parton-inspired ode to internet phone calls.

Visit HORG.com to learn more than you thought possible about occlupanids.
Check out David Nagler’s website and his band, As For the Future.
Listen to The Builders with Walter Isaacson, available now wherever you get podcasts.
Subscribe to Mango’s newsletter!

Did you hear? PTG is ending on Dec. 29. If you want to tell us a fun fact for the road, let us know what the show meant to you, or just say goodbye, call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

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What Are the Weirdest, Most Dangerous Plants in the World? Nov 06, 2026

Show notes

If you’re looking for the bad boys of plant life, look no further! Will and Mango discover squirting cucumbers, dynamite trees, and orchids that have ruined more than one wasp's marriage. Plus, we’ll tackle the origins of the guerrilla gardening movement, learn the surprising truth about some common edible plants, and chat with Trevor Jones, head gardener of The Poison Garden.

This episode originally aired on August 23, 2017.

Photo of some not-so-innocent rhubarb by Rob Wicks via Unsplash. Thanks, Rob!

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9 Heroes Who Averted Disaster Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

From the lone guard who prevented deadly riots at the Berlin Wall, to a stubborn scientist who singlehandedly fended off a medical catastrophe, to an unusually resourceful group of flight attendants faced with a kitchen crisis, Gabe and Mary bring you nine incredible stories of disasters that didn’t happen. (But almost did.) Plus: Get in the rice cooker mindset!

In a hilariously appropriate-for-this-episode coincidence, James Blunt’s new album is called Airplane Mode.
Read more about Karen Arcos’s work on memory and blindness.

Nuclear test photo by the U.S. Department of Energy via Wikimedia Commons.

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A Message from Mango Oct 30, 2026

Show notes

Hey there, podcast listeners. Please check out this brief message from Mango with an important announcement about the future of Part-Time Genius. We really appreciate it (and you).

Leave us a message! Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are Narwhals Real? (Yes, and We'll Tell You About Them) Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

Will and Mango dive deep on the unicorn of the sea, aka the narwhal! Find out how to tell a real narwhal tusk from a fake, why one university chose these majestic beasts as their mascot, and why everyone's on the lookout for a baby narluga (that's the hot new beluga/narwhal hybrid).

This episode originally aired on August 29, 2024.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Fanciful (and not very scientific) illustration of a "sea unicorn" by Conrad Gessner, ca. 1558, via Wikimedia Commons.

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Why Do We Call 911 in an Emergency? Oct 23, 2026

Show notes

From the strange reason people used to call funeral home directors after an accident, to the incredible train robbery that was stopped using a makeshift phone, to the heartbreaking ways that emergency operators learn to cope on the job, this week we're dialing into the surprising story of emergency hotlines.

This episode originally aired on May 16, 2024.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our (non-emergency) hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

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Introducing: The Builders with Walter Isaacson Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

From Walter Isaacson, best-selling author and biographer of the era’s most ingenious minds, The Builders is a series of groundbreaking interviews with the architects of tomorrow. From Elon Musk to Fei-Fei Li, Alex Karp to Dario and Daniela Amodei, the series features candid and essential conversations about ambition, power, AI – and asks the question: whose imagination do we want to live in? Listen to The Builders every Tuesday.

Listen here or on the iHeartRadio.

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Are You Eating Sushi All Wrong? ft. Trevor Corson Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

It's time to get real about raw fish! Will and Mango have their chopsticks ready and way too many questions on hand: Is bluefin really a delicacy? How do sushi chefs apply their soy sauce? And how California is the California roll? From the dish's Chinese origins to why Japanese foodies are intrigued by American rolls, today we're going all in on sushi. Featuring The Story of Sushi author Trevor Corson.

Buy The Story of Sushi or look for it in your local library!

This episode originally aired on December 6, 2017.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Photo by Tamas Pap via Unsplash. Thanks, Tamas!

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are We Living Through a Rudeness Epidemic? ft. Danny Wallace Oct 16, 2026

Show notes

How rude! After author Danny Wallace got the world's worst customer service (and possibly the world's worst hot dog), he decided to search for the root causes of rudeness. Danny joins Will and Mango to talk about snarky celebrity judges, why surgeons are in dire need of a rudeness vaccine (it's for our own safety!), and how one politician effectively fought rudeness... with mimes!

This episode originally aired on February 23, 2018.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Photo by Walid Hamadeh via Unsplash. Thanks, Walid!

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do Healing Crystals Really Work? Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

Spoiler: No. But crystals are still pretty magical! Producer Mary visits the American Museum of Natural History’s Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals to find out how crystals are formed, what makes them so colorful, and why you should never leave your collection in a department store window. Meanwhile, Mango’s got plenty of research about ancient crystal beliefs and the modern healing crystal movement—plus, the surprisingly dark side of crystal sourcing.

Learn more about the Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals and their incredible collections!
Visit Rockhounding.org.
Get a DIY education in minerals at Mindat.org.

Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com.

Photo by Franco Antonio Giovanella via Unsplash. Thanks, Franco!

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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