Learn It from a Layman

We discuss the basics of cloning. What is the story behind the dire wolf? Is what Colossal Biosciences created actually a dire wolf? What are other ways to do de-extinction? Why would humanity want to bring back certain animals? What are the concerns? Are there still biological and technical roadblocks to creating a human clone? Will there eventually be an extinct animal petting zoo?

We discuss the basics of metabolism. What is metabolism? What factors contribute to metabolism? How much does age contribute to metabolism? What can you do to increase your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)? What foods increase your metabolism? How does sleep affect metabolism? Should you get a standing desk?

We discuss the basics of fraud. What are some different types of fraud? How do you help minimize identity theft risk? What is phishing and how do you recognize it? What is a Ponzi scheme and why is it getting easier to perpetrate? What internet technologies can you use to investigate companies and investments? What kind of security and fraud issues can there be with phone apps? What is a fly-by-night company and how do you avoid charity fraud? How do you recover from credit card fraud?

We discuss the basics of quantum computing. How are quantum computers different than classical computers? Why aren't quantum computers publicly available? What applications do quantum computers have? What effect might quantum computing have on cryptocurrency? And cryptography in general? Is quantum computing useful for AI and how is James Bond involved?

We discuss the evolution of aviation. Where did aviation start? What steps were necessary before the Wright brothers could build the Wright Flyer? Who was Billy Mitchell and why was he court-martialed?  What happened in aviation during World War I? When was the first jet built? What affects did WWII have on aviation? What is the Concord and why was it discontinued? When did space travel spin off from aviation? What is the future of supersonic commercial travel? How long have drones been around and what is the future of drones in aviation?

We discuss the basics of literary devices. What is a literary device and how do you use it? What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor? Is Tim an eagle? What are the 3 types of irony? What are iambic pentameter, meter, and free verse? Why is onomatopoeia the coolest literary device? Why is hyperbole the absolute worst? Why use literary devices at all?

We discuss the basics of left-handedness. Why are some people left-handed? How many people are left-handed? How many ambidextrous? Are left-handed people more common in certain countries? Are males or females more often left-handed? Are left-handed people right-brained? Are left-handed people more artistic? Can you switch you handedness? What daily microaggressions do left-handed people have to deal with?

We discuss the basics of the Australian Outback. How big is Australia compared to the US? Where did dingoes come from and how long is the Dingo fence? What ground dwelling parrot lives in the outback and are they insomniacs? What are Brumbies? What is a Thylacine and do they still exist? Where did kangaroos come from? What is the topography of Australia?

We are joined by Sam Andersen and Katie Christensen to discuss the basics of Human Resources (HR). What are the core responsibilities of HR? Why isn't HR like pizza? How do HR professionals feel when they have layoff an employee, and why shouldn't you do it like Better.com? What does Nick Bloom's research show about remote work and what's HR's role in figuring out how companies should implement remote policies? How do flexible work policies help working mothers and fathers? How do you stand out in an interview with an HR rep? How is AI used in HR?

Joel Christensen joins us to discuss the basics of Electric Vehicles (EVs). What are the pros and cons of EVs? Where are EVs being adopted? What is the technology behind EV batteries and are they bad for the environment? Are charging stations being built at the same rate that EVs are being sold? What rate are EVs being sold? Are plug-in hybrids a sensible alternative? Where are EVs feasible and where are they not? Is there an actual reason the Cybertruck so ugly? 

We're back from vacation to discuss the Olympics, and a bit about CrowdStrike. What happened when the computers all went down, and how? When did the Olympics start? What is the IOC and what does it do? How are Olympic venues chosen? How are Olympic sports chosen? How much better/faster/stronger are Olympians than your hosts?

We opine on the 10 worst creatures (species, not including individual human mass murderers of the past). What is a lamprey and is it the inspiration for the sandworm in Dune? Why are bats so ugly? What is an assassin bug? How many people do mosquitoes kill every year? Are crocodiles actually dinosaurs? What are Tsetse flies and how do they kill? Where and what variety of snake and spider are the worst and why? Listen to the definitive list.

We discuss how to become a teacher, and why to become a teacher. Why is Tim a teacher? How far can altruism take you? Is there a shortage of teachers? How do we increase the quality of teachers? What certification do you need to be a teacher? Do you need a college degree? How are teachers given specific class assignments? Who were your favorite teachers in school and what does that have to do which subject they taught? What are teachers unions for? How can teachers increase their pay? Does Tim know how to retire? What's the best thing you can do as a teacher to make it through the difficult times?

We discuss the basics of making money. How should you structurally think about making money? What are the principles of improving your financial situation? Who is Steve Ballmer and what does he teach us about making money? Why are all Ivy League grads rich? What does success mean for you financially?

Dr. Erika Handly joins the podcast to discuss the basics of biotech. Is the 'tech' in 'biotech' using technology to understand biology, or using technology to fix biology? What are the types of problems that biotech is being used to understand and solve? What is CRISPR in layman's terms? How predictable are the outcomes of editing DNA? Can biotech help solve global climate change and famine? Are implantable microchips inevitable? What are some of the biggest advancements in biotech for cancer? Can technology reverse aging?

We discuss the basics of vocabulary. What is a word? What is a lemma? What is morphology? How many words do most people have in their vocabulary? How many words are there in the English language? Does cursing mean you're not as intelligent? What is lexical density? How do you increase your vocabulary, and does a larger vocabulary mean you're more intelligent?

We discuss the basics of rocket science. What is the difference between a rocket and a jet? What is the rocket equation? What is delta-v? Was Wall-e actually saying delta-v? What is rocket fuel? What is rapid unscheduled disassembly? What is a specific impulse? What are stages of a rocket for? Why does it look like rockets aren't going straight up? Why are rockets clamped to the launch pad?

MD-PhD Seth Vogel joins us to discuss the basics of anesthesia. What happens in the brain when you put someone under? What are the drugs that you use and how do they work differently? How often does general anesthesia cause incontinence, or is that a thing? Are there drugs that can wake you up from general anesthesia? How common are medical issues resulting directly from general anesthesia? How difficult are epidurals for the anesthesiologists? Why are people loopy when they're waking up? In the police academy, you have to be tased before you can have a taser. Is anesthesiologist training similar?

We're joined by doctor of physical therapy Natalie Vogel as we discuss the basics of physical therapy. Can physical therapy help people avoid surgery? Does each injury/disease require a different therapy plan, or are there just go-to therapies depending on body part? Should physical therapy be viewed as a life-habit, or a medication to be taken for a specific amount of time? What are common issues that physical therapy is best at treating?

Dr. Jonny discusses the basics of dementia. What happens in your brain when you have dementia? Are there different kinds of dementia, affecting different parts of the brain? What's the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's? How young does dementia start? Does dementia affect life expectancy? Can dementia be reversed?

We discuss the basics of digital illustration with freelance illustrator Jarom Vogel.  What's the difference between digital illustration and graphic design? How technical does digital illustration get, i.e. do you need to code, or just draw? What hardware and software do you use to do digital illustration? What forums are there to sell and distribute your illustrations? What are recent advancements in digital illustration? Have you used AI in any digital illustration or is it a threat to the industry? How do you stand out as a digital illustrator?

We discuss the basics of demographics. What is a demographic? What are the most common demographic characteristics? What is the world population and how quickly has it grown? What is the most densely populated city and country? What is the world wide fertility rate? What is the biggest world religion and which countries are the most and least religious? What is the median household income in the US and why is it so high? 

We talk about facts for the New Year. How many days does it take to make or break a habit? Is it better to lift weights first or do cardio first? How did Winston Churchill's career get started? What was the battle of Middle Creek and what did Abraham Lincoln say about Kentucky? What is intellectual humility and is it acquirable? Does the brain use different mechanisms for numbers?

We discuss the basics of grades. How well do grades reflect intelligence? Are grades predictive of future performance? What is grade inflation and is it harmful? How do you raise your grades according to a teacher? How can you identify bad teachers?

We discuss the basics of sleep. What is sleep and why do we do it? What happens when you're asleep? What are the different stages of sleep? How does sleep affect physical and mental performance? Are naps bad for you? How does caffeine affect you? Do some people need more sleep than others? Can you sleep with your eyes open? Why do loud noises wake you up and are reddit doctors the best source of information? Do we sleep more or less than other animals? How much sleep do you need?

We discuss the basics of chemistry. What is the periodic table? What is a molecule and why do atoms bond? What is radioactivity? What is an isotope and an ion? What are some common chemical reactions that the layman sees daily?

We discuss the basics of fluid mechanics. What is a Newtonian fluid? Can fluids be compressed? How do hydraulics work? What are fluid statics vs fluid dynamics? What is Pascal's Law? What are some of the formulas used in fluid mechanics? Can a fluid be squishy? What are the Navier–Stokes equations? How do you design a submarine and a jet engine? What is laminar flow vs turbulent flow?

We discuss the basics of insurance. What is liability insurance? What are bodily injury and property damage limits in auto insurance? What are coverages A-F in home owners insurance? Did Tim have children out-of-network and is he currently on the lamb? What is a health share plan? What is an insurance actuary? What is the difference between a PPO and an HMO? What is term life vs whole life vs universal life? Can Geico save you 15% or more? How can you manage your insurance costs and lower your rates?

We discuss the basics of creole languages. What does the word creole mean? How do languages change and how are creoles formed? What is a pidgin language? What are common characteristics of creole languages? What is the largest creole language? How many creole languages are there? Why does it matter?

We're joined by artist and entrepreneur Michelle Christensen to discuss art and business. What is the process of going from artist to entrepreneur? Is there a difference between an artist and a designer? How does the creative process for an artist differ from an entrepreneur? How do you market your business? Do you work with a team to design your products? What are sustainably sourced clothes and how is that different than fast-fashion? How do you decide that you need a brick and mortar store? What do aspiring artists, designers, and entrepreneurs need to do?

Can the naked mole rat help us live longer? Can you survive off the water from metabolism? How many Swedish pirate enthusiasts are there? How are air traffic controllers doing in the United States? What is the speed of fluid that is in contact with a pipe? Which language is most closely related to Finnish? Where did the word Arizona come from? How much of the earth can be seen from a satellite at one moment in time? Does Tim believe the earth is flat?

We're joined by distinguished guest Brent Christensen to discuss the basics of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Why is ICAO one of the most important organizations you've never heard of? What is America's role in the ICAO? Does ICAO work with preflight safety? What kind of powers does ICAO have? What was ICAO's role in Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? Does ICAO work directly with businesses or just national governments? What current issues is ICAO working on? How long until civil aviation is carbon neutral? Did Brent get to meet his predecessor Captain Chesley "Sully Sullenberger, or his currently-nominated successor Charlie Crist?

We're joined by resident physicist and newly minted dentist Peter Vogel DDS to discuss the basics of teeth. What are the different layers of a tooth? What is fluoride and is it helpful or harmful? Is there a right way to brush your teeth? How does sugary food or soda affect the chemistry of your mouth? Are there certain toothbrushes or toothpastes that are better? Why shouldn't you brush your teeth right after eating? How does oral health affect diabetes and cardiovascular health? What happened to the tooth regeneration drug that was in the news a while back?

We're joined by Ian Christensen MD and discuss the basics of eyes. What is an ophthalmologist vs an optometrist? Are ophthalmologists just eye dentists? What tools do ophthalmologists use? What is the process of Lasik? What are other laser eye surgeries? Why is wearing your contacts while you sleep bad? Is rubbing your eyes bad for them? What are floaters and flashers? Do we really see things upside down? What is blindness and are there any effective treatments for blindness? What can the layman do to protect their eyes?

We discuss the basics of guns. Where were guns invented and when? What are the various parts of a firearm? What made shooting accurately possible? What does caliber, gauge, and millimeter measure in a gun? What is a flintlock firearm? Are laser guns ever going to be a reality? How did guns work on airplanes with propellers?

We discuss the basics of building a podcast. How many downloads can you expect? What is the "top 5%" of podcasts in terms of new-episode downloads? How do you build a sustainable podcast? What is the timeline to build an audience? Can a layman produce a successful podcast? Who did Learn It from a Layman's music? Should Tim start a merch store?

We discuss the basics of organs. What is an organ? What is the duodenum? What does your liver do and how many livers do you actually have? How long does food stay in your stomach? Have you ever had the biggest bowel movement in the world? How do the heart and lungs work together? What do your kidneys do?

We are joined by attorney Mick McGirr in discussing the basics of law. What is a trust? What are the different types of law? What is statutory law? Are an attorney and a lawyer the same thing? What is "the bar"? What does a layman need to know about law and lawyers?

What are the basic considerations when making a budget? What is mandatory spending vs discretionary spending? How fast does your internet need to be? How much data do you use on your phone? Why did Tim chose to be a teacher? Should anyone eat pickled okra? When should you choose a higher interest rate over paying PMI?

We discuss the basics of mechanical engineering with first-time guest Curtis Rands. What kinds of problems do mechanical engineers solve? What is tolerance in engineering and how do you measure it? What are static vs dynamic forces? Is there a layman explanation for the d'Alembert principle? Can you establish a speed limit for a specific component given potential forces? How much does weather affect an engineering project? What are the 3 M's of mechanical engineering? How does new technology affect mechanical engineers' work? Did Tim really find his way back out of the AI?

We discuss the basics of robotics. What is a robot? What are the 5 elements of a robot? Is a moving walkway a robot, and should the ground always transport Matt? What sensors do robots need? What is control logic and how does it apply to artificial intelligence? Has Tim become part of the singularity?

David Traina, owner and CEO of Traina, a San-Diego based branding agency, joins us to discuss the basics of branding. What is the most important element of branding? How do you measure branding ROI (return on investment)? Can Dave help our podcast brand, or at least the logo? What are some branding success stories and branding fails? When should a company start considering their brand strategy? What educational background do you need to work in branding?

We discuss the basics of banking. Why do banks fail? What are the primary roles of banks, and what are their vulnerabilities? What is fiat money? What are bonds and securities? Why does Cameron keep his money under his mattress? What is the history of bank regulation in the United States and why is this a tricky issue? What is the FDIC and what is the Fed? How can the laymen protect their money? Is Cameron's dog robbing him and internet shopping?

We discuss the basics of diets. What is the best diet? What are the things you need to consider before starting a diet? Is going vegan or vegetarian a good choice and what are the benefits of those diets? What is the difference between a health diet and a weight loss diet? What impact does only eating cocktail weenies have on your health? Is scurvy a real concern? How can the layman make small but meaningful changes in diet? 

We discuss ten questions in physics. Do gaps form in light? Can you accidentally create a blackhole? Can two atoms touch each other? What does touching mean? What is Wi-Fi? Why does time only go one way? Are there other dimensions? How many dimensions is Cameron OK with?

We bring our World War II podcast series to a close. Was what happened in Europe a fait accompli after Normandy? Was FDR naïve in his approach to Stalin? What happened in Dresden and why? How many casualties were there in WWII and how can a layman put that in perspective?

We discuss the basics of American government. What is a democratic republic? What is the difference between the federal and the state governments? What is gerrymandering? Is Tim running for office? What are the roles of the judicial, executive, and legislative branches? What is the difference between a recall and an impeachment? 

We talk trivia. What is the most volcanic moon? Why is Tim talking about sperm whale anatomy and organs? What is the smallest mammal? How fast can a heart beat? What land animal can drink salt water? What are the most spoken languages in the world?

For our 100th episode, we go back to our roots, with a twist. We discuss the 10 best ways to die in nature. Are there actual homeopathic pirates? Can you be clicked to death? Has anyone ever died by meteor strike? Can a tortoise kill you? How do pythons kill their prey? Was jungle book based on a true story? Come celebrate our milestone with us!

We discuss the basics of programming languages. What familiar experiences can a layman relate to programming? Why do we need programming languages? What is ambiguity in human language and can there be any in a computer language? What is a compiled language vs a script language? Why aren't all apps available on all phones? Do computers use "little zaps"? Why are there so many different programming languages? What are the top programming languages? Can Carl speak French?

We discuss attention. What does paying attention mean? What's happening in the brain when you pay attention to something? Do humans really have a shorter attention span than a goldfish? Did Tim actually fall asleep while talking to his class? Can caffeine help with attention? What does cognitive modeling tell us about attention? Can we improve our attention span and ability to focus?