Wonder Cupboard

What's that burning smell? The BBQ or your shoulders? Elena and Ian delve into the history, and often dubious science, of sunbathing and find scouts, hats, and granola along the way. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on Apple Podcasts too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

Is it me or is it hot in here? Elena and Ian try to keep their cool as they find out how A/C came to be, and the surprising ways it's changed our world. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on Apple Podcasts too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

Ice, Ice, Baby. Not just lyrics from one of history's great musicians, but also the topic of this episode. Elena and Ian take a cold, hard look at how chilling changed the world. Cool story, bro. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

Not THAT virus. Well, yes, that one too, but not specifically. All of them, actually. Elena and Ian take a look at life and times of these vivacious virions by asking what it means to be alive at all… If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

Imagine a perfect rhino. Done it? Great. Keep it in mind while Elena and Ian are joined by the Level Up Human podcast's Simon Watt, to discuss what we're really doing when we look for beauty in nature. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

Phwoar, that equation, huh? Look at the numbers on that! No scientist has ever said this, hopefully, so why are there so-called 'beautiful' theories? Elena and Ian peruse this polynomial pageant, joined by theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder, author of 'Lost In Math' and science blog Backreaction. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

'Tis the season… for science and reason! Well, that's what the Victorians thought at least. Elena and Ian take a look at how science and Christmas became fashionable pals in the 19th Century. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

Vaccines are great, but not everyone agrees. Elena and Ian take a jab at finding out why and when we began our preoccupation with inoculation. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? A veritable landslide of such questions await you in this episode, which Elena and Ian wish to clarify is surprisingly, and almost entirely, Matrix-free™. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

When did scientists start wearing white coats? Why do doctors wear them too? And are they strictly necessary in toothpaste commercials? Elena and Ian don their most fashionable lab jackets to look at the life and times of science's iconic wardrobe. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

Mamie and Kenneth Clark's work in psychology was instrumental in the fight to ban racial segregation in US schools. For Valentine's Day, Elena and Ian tell the story of one of their favourite scientific couples. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

What are they though? And where do they come from? Did someone invent them? Elena and Ian attempt to answer countless such questions in an episode critics are already rating Pi out of Planck. If you liked this episode, subscribing/following means you'll get the next one automatically. We'd love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes too. And if you want to get in touch with us, you can do that at wondercupboard.com.

Elena and Ian find out how one man and his impressive finger sparked the genesis of hypnosis and psychotherapy. Some waterfowl were harmed in the making of this episode.

Elena and Ian look at the languages science speaks… and the difficulties of writing them down. Guest starring: Galileo, Newton and the Fairy Pitta. This episode was recorded in celebration of peer review week: the planet's premier 7-day festival of intra-field regulation.

And Round Earth. And Hollow Earth. And Treasure Chest Earth. Elena and Ian attempt to work out who thought the earth was shaped like what, and when. It's not as simple as you'd think. | Music credit: Tony Klarich / tonyklarich.com

Plants, eh? Phoar. Elena and Ian find out why botany became scandalously sexy for a whole century. Features two rude words and some extremely questionable poetry.

Elena and Ian take a look at why science works, before getting embroiled in a boxing/wrestling match between realists and instrumentalists. Typical.

Elena and Ian don their gowns, before rebelliously taking them off again, in order to discuss the life and times of Galileo Galilei: scientist, lover, and all-round renaissance man (literally).