Podcast Insights: Podcasts deliver valuable insights on mental health, culture, and creative artistry, encouraging engagement with important societal issues and the beauty of innovative expression.
Podcasts are exploring diverse themes, from mental health and social issues to creative expression and education. They offer a platform for personal stories and discussions addressing stigma around sexuality, culture, and even children's education. Additionally, innovative artists like Tyler Thrasher are merging nature with art, using techniques like crystal growth to create captivating works that highlight the beauty of science and creativity. Weekly episodes provide insights that encourage listeners to engage with important topics and inspiring narratives.
Science and Beauty: Engaging in scientific experiments can lead to surprising and beautiful outcomes, sparking creativity and sharing excitement for science with others through art and exploration.
Experimenting with chemistry can lead to unexpected and beautiful results, as shown through the creation of crystallized cicada shells and opals. The joy of surprise in scientific exploration inspires creativity and passion, making it easier to share knowledge and engage others with science. Crafting plushies based on thought experiments merges art and science, making complex concepts more accessible. The recent book, "The Universe in 100 Colors," encapsulates this mission, showcasing vibrant colors derived from scientific principles like those found in opals, encouraging readers to appreciate the intricacies of the natural world through visual wonder. By sharing these experiences and the beauty of science, the author hopes to ignite similar feelings of awe in others, celebrating the fascinating interplay of nature, art, and scientific discovery.
Color and Connection: A book on colors is being created, showcasing beautiful photography and discussing the science behind them, while a podcast aims to promote unity and positivity in society through understanding and dialogue.
A collaboration between a photographer and a color scientist is in the works to create a vibrant book exploring 100 captivating colors. The book will incorporate stunning macro photography showcasing unique materials like butterfly wings, glass, and lichen. By closely examining these vibrant elements, they aim to inspire readers' appreciation for colors in a scientific and artistic manner. Alongside, a podcast hosted by Dr. Laurie Santos focuses on fostering unity amid division, emphasizing positivity in human nature. Both projects highlight a desire to bridge gaps—whether through beautiful colors or understanding differing perspectives in society. This collaboration brings together creativity, science, and the human experience, illustrating the importance of exploring themes that resonate emotionally and intellectually with people.
Colorful Perceptions: Colors are categorized in fascinating ways, influencing our perceptions of food's appeal. 'Unappetizing blue' sparking myths contrasts with how candies, although not natural, are accepted. Some colors, like Mummy Brown, remind us of disturbing histories. Understanding colors reveals much about culture and our reactions to them.
A discussion about a colorful book reveals how colors are classified in interesting ways, including categories like human-made and naturally occurring hues. The conversation highlights some surprising colors, like 'unappetizing blue,' which is linked to myths in the food industry. Although blue foods are usually avoided, candies defy this trend. People distinguish between natural and synthetic colors, acknowledging how our perceptions affect what we find appetizing. Mummy Brown is a shocking example of history's darker use of colors, illustrating how some popular shades can have disturbing origins. This conversation combines science and personal experiences, showcasing how colors can evoke strong reactions and telling stories about societal norms and fears around food. Readers are invited to explore and appreciate the complexity of colors beyond their aesthetic value.
Art and Ethics: Mummy Brown highlights the exploitation of mummies, including enslaved people, for art. Modern pigments like ultra white can impact climate but come with environmental concerns, stressing the need for ethical awareness in art and industry.
Mummy Brown, a paint pigment made from ground mummies, highlights a troubling history of cultural exploitation, where even mummified enslaved individuals were used to create art. As mummies became scarce, artists turned to other sources, revealing a tragic disregard for human dignity. The pigment industry demonstrates a balance between creativity and ethical responsibility. Similarly, modern innovations like ultra white paint can potentially help address climate issues, but the environmental impact of obtaining raw materials complicates this benefit. Finding a middle ground is essential to ensure that the pursuit of color does not lead to greater harm, both culturally and environmentally. This ongoing tug of war calls for awareness of the implications behind the materials used for artistic expression, emphasizing the importance of respecting both history and ecology.
Exploration of Color: Podcasts broaden understanding of sports and current events, while discussions on color highlight its complex and varied nature, encouraging deeper appreciation and awareness.
Various podcasts, including 'Waking Jake', 'Jimmy's Three Things', and 'Morning Run', offer unique perspectives on sports and current events, enhancing listeners' knowledge. Simultaneously, discussions on color reveal its complex nature, urging us to appreciate and understand colors beyond superficial applications. Emphasizing that color exists in many forms and contexts in our world, listeners and readers are encouraged to explore and deepen their understanding of color and its significance in our lives, from vibrant visuals in nature to deeper scientific concepts. This blend of entertainment and education reflects the richness of human perception and engagement with both media and the world around us, showcasing how learning can be both informative and enjoyable.
Color Complexity: Colors are complex and fascinating, as shown in Tyler Thrasher's book. 'The Universe in 100 Colors' makes the science and beauty of colors accessible, encouraging readers to appreciate their significance in our lives.
Colors are not only beautiful but also incredibly complex, revealing the inner workings of the universe. Tyler Thrasher’s book, 'The Universe in 100 Colors,' aims to educate readers about these fascinating hues in science and nature. Through engaging content, he makes the topic approachable for everyone. Social media and an informative website provide access to his work, along with updates about events. Tyler's enthusiasm for sharing knowledge about color encourages readers to appreciate the miracle of colors surrounding us. This book is not just for science enthusiasts; it's for anyone curious about the world. Tyler hopes that after reading, people will be amazed by how intricate and fun the subject of color can be, leading them to gain a deeper understanding of the universe we live in.
The Universe in 100 Colors, with Tyler Thrasher
Recent Episodes from Stuff To Blow Your Mind
Trains of Terror, Part 1
In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore a host of scary, train-related topics, from the Victorian “railway madness” panic to ghost trains and more.
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Weirdhouse Cinema Rewind: Dracula A.D. 1972
In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the late-franchise Hammer horror film “Dracula A.D. 1972,” in which Chrisopher Lee’s vampiric prince of darkness rises from the ashes a century later in groovy London. Are hippies and the descendents of Doctor Van Helsing up to the challenge? Find out… (originally published 10/27/2023)
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From the Vault: The Mind of Douglas Adams, with Kevin Jon Davies
In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert chats with Kevin Jon Davies about his new book “The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams,” detailing the mind of the author who gave us “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.” (originally published 08/31/2023)
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Weirdhouse Cinema: Absurd
In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe kick off the Halloween season with the notorious low-budget 1981 Italian slasher film “Absurd,” directed by Joe D’Amato and starring George Eastman.
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Listener Mail: Here Comes Halloween
Once more, it's time for a dose of Stuff to Blow Your Mind and Weirdhouse Cinema listener mail...
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Smart Talks with IBM: The power of Granite in business
As the scale of artificial intelligence continues to evolve, open technology like many of IBM’s Granite models are helping enhance transparency in AI and improve efficiency across businesses. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Jacob Goldstein sat down with Maryam Ashoori, the Director of Product Management and Head of Product for IBM’s watsonx.ai, where she spearheads the product strategy and delivery of IBM’s watsonx Foundation Models. Together, they explored the shift from large general-purpose AI models to smaller, customizable models tailored to specific needs.
This is a paid advertisement from IBM. The conversations on this podcast don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.
Visit us at https://ibm.com/smarttalks
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The Universe in 100 Colors, with Tyler Thrasher
In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert chats with artist and author Tyler Thrasher about the new book “The Universe in 100 Colors: Weird and wondrous Colors From Science and Nature.”
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Weirdhouse Cinema Rewind: Time After Time
In this classic episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss 1979’s “Time After Time,” in which Jack the Ripper steals H.G. Wells’ time machine and travels to modern San Francisco. (originally published 09/17/2021)
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From the Vault: Dendera Lights and Ancient Egyptian Pseudohistory
In recent vault episodes of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discussed low-resolution images that have provoked paranormal and fringe explanations, despite convincing and even conclusive expert analysis. In this episode, they continue this line of inquiry through a discussion of Ancient Egyptian pseudohistories and fringe ideas regarding modern technology in ancient inscriptions. (originally published 08/17/2023)
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Weirdhouse Cinema: It Conquered the World
In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe learn almost too late that man is a feeling creature... and because of it, the greatest in the universe. Tune in as they discuss Roger Corman’s 1956 sci-fi horror thriller “It Conquered the World” starring Peter Graves, Beverly Garland and Lee Van Cleef.
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