1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to Part Time Genius, the production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: I guess what, Mango? What's that? Well, so I've been 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: looking into underground bunkers this week and that this was 4 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: just on a whim. It was not because of any 5 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: real world events. You know. I just get curious about stuff. 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: And it turns out that living underground is actually a 7 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: ton of work. So what do you mean by that? Exactly? 8 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: All right, Well, just just think about it. So first 9 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: you've got to excavate and build the foundation for this place. 10 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: Then you've got to add electrical wiring and plumbing, a 11 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: septic system, air filtration, backup generators, like doomsday preppers put 12 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: a lot of work into this sort of thing, you know. Honestly, 13 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm too lazy to really prep for 14 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: more than like a day or two. And I remember 15 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: looking up emergency prep foods once. This is before Sandy happened, 16 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: and uh, instead of finding anything practical, like, I went 17 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,279 Speaker 1: into this rabbit hole trying to find the funniest one, 18 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: and my favorite was something called P B and J 19 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: and it can you know, I think when people hear 20 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: that that their instinct is to try to claim that 21 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: that sounds gross I want to admit it, it actually 22 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: sounds like maybe that could be good. I'd probably I'm 23 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: just hungry right now, but I would probably try it. 24 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 1: I know, Like I thought it would be this dehydrated 25 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: like PB and J that you heat up and it 26 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: magically seems fresh again. But instead it was this tin 27 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: can with this old hotdog roll stuffed inside and two 28 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: packets of peanut butter and jelly. They just smear on yourself, 29 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: so it was obviously so unappetizing. When I found out 30 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: what it was, I tried to order a few to 31 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: give out a Christmas. You said, you smear it on 32 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: yourself like you do the Okay, I would say, this 33 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: is just got got really weird. But I feel like 34 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: you and I clearly aren't cut out for prepping, which 35 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: is why I found, you know, the service for people 36 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: like us. It's called Vivos, and they've spent the last 37 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: decade setting up dozens of these subterranean shelters all of 38 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: the world. And here's the thing. Most of these shelters 39 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: aren't privately owned, so instead they're actually part of a 40 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: membership program where customers pay annual dues and exchange for 41 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: a guaranteed spot in the closest vivos bunker and so 42 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: that way, like if disaster strikes, members can take shelter 43 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: at a moment's notice. I like it. So it's like 44 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: a we work for doomsday. I think that's their tagline exactly. 45 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: And their website lists out a bunch of scenarios this 46 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: co living space might be great for. So here here's 47 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:32,920 Speaker 1: some of them, for a magnetic pole shift, a super volcano, 48 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: or even a social meltdown, which sounds like they're advertising 49 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: to like a very specific clientele, right, like if you're 50 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: living with Kanye West and needs some space from a 51 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: social media amountdowns, this is perfect for you. But it 52 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 1: really does sound expensive to me. Yeah, it is definitely pricey. 53 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: So a spot in an eighty person bunker will set 54 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: you back about thirty five thousand dollars and that's actually 55 00:02:57,639 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 1: way more than I would have even guessed on this. 56 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: But with the threat of super volcanoes, maybe this is 57 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: a good investment. I don't know, but all my research 58 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: made me wonder what other mysteries are hiding under our feet, 59 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 1: from hidden cities to weird creatures. There's this whole secret 60 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: world to explore down there. So strap on your head 61 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: lamp and let's dig in their podcast. Listeners, Welcome to 62 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson and as always I'm 63 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: joined by my good friend mangesh Hot Ticketer and on 64 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: the other side of his computer screen waving a pick 65 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: acts like he is ready for a gold rush. That's 66 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: our friend and producer Loell. I'm not sure if I'm 67 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: following this one exactly, but he's He's really waving it aggressively. 68 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: I do love how even in a quarantine, Lowell comes 69 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: through with the problems. It's so good. But you know, 70 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: I do have a little housekeeping to start this off. 71 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: Since we started off the show again, we've gotten really 72 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: really nice notes of people have been leaving reviews that 73 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: are super kind and writing to our Instagram and Facebook, 74 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:18,679 Speaker 1: and honestly it's really heartwarming. It makes me so happy. 75 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,559 Speaker 1: So thank you so much for listening. I I also 76 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: have an apology. I mentioned this previously, but one of 77 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,919 Speaker 1: our readers, Charles wrote in this great correction about the 78 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: comic book character the Red Bee, and so I sent 79 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: him some honey in these cute little like bare bombs, 80 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 1: thinking it's on topic, and then it turns out he's 81 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: a beekeeper and the last thing he needs is honey. Yeah, 82 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 1: so I miscalculated on that front. I'm sorry, Charles. I 83 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 1: like the idea that he's just gonna work his way 84 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: into every episode. We're just gonna take turns thanking him 85 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: and then apologizing and then thanking him. So yeah, a 86 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: good way to go. But I'd say the bigger thing 87 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: is that last week we announced the very first ever 88 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:02,119 Speaker 1: part time Genius Grant, and this is huge news because 89 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: we've never done this on the show before. We're gonna 90 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: give out six dollars to the person who sends us 91 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,039 Speaker 1: the best ridiculous invention they come up with. Um, We've 92 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 1: had a handful of suggestions, but I can't stress how 93 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 1: prestigious this is. It's truly an honor. So send us 94 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: your inventions via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, wherever. Just tags in 95 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 1: it and we'll look for it, and then next week 96 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: we'll announce who's won the big money. It's a big one. 97 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: I had actually forgotten that we committed to that six dollars, 98 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: so I need to need to focus this week. So 99 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 1: just so we're clear, parents aren't the only ones with 100 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: ridiculous invention ideas. Kids are welcome to UM. You know, 101 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: winning a part time Genius grant is going to look 102 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: so great on your college applications. Get your parents permission 103 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: to submit these, but we'd love to hear from you, 104 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: so send in your ideas. But all right, enough of that, 105 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: it is time to get back to today's idea. This 106 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: week we're talking about great things hidden underground, and we 107 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 1: are of course joined by our favorite researcher, pal Gabe Lousier. Gabe, 108 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 1: what do you have for us? All right? So when 109 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: I think of weird things underground, one of the first 110 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: that comes to mind our cicadas. I actually have some 111 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,039 Speaker 1: fond memories of these guys from when I was a 112 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,679 Speaker 1: kid in southern Maryland. Which it's kind of strange because 113 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 1: cicadas are, you know, gross monster bugs, which is not 114 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: all that endearing. But the sound they make is so distinct. 115 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 1: It's this ominous kind of drone. It almost sounds like 116 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: something sizzling. I feel like you have to do the 117 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: sound game, so okay, put me on the spot. I 118 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 1: don't know, it's like they do much better. That's how 119 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:44,720 Speaker 1: stuff sizzles about. Oh don't anyway, Cicadas, you know, they 120 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 1: were basically the soundtrack of my summer's growing up. But 121 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 1: there was one summer in particular, and this is where 122 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 1: my fact comes in where the cicada noise got cranked 123 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,479 Speaker 1: up to eleven. And this was in the summer of 124 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 1: ninety nine, which is the year that the brood five 125 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:03,039 Speaker 1: cicada das came to town. And I know brood five, 126 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: it like makes them sound pretty tough, like these are 127 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: like like you're gang of cicadas or something. But basically 128 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: they're a species of cicadas known as periodical cicadas, and basically, 129 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: instead of emerging every summer to lay their eggs, these 130 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: ones only come to the surface once every seventeen years. 131 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:24,679 Speaker 1: So whenever that rolls around, the regions where these guys 132 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: live are flooded with swarms of cicadas. And they caused 133 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: this enormous racket for a month and a half and 134 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: during that time they lay some eggs, malt, some exoskeletons, 135 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: and then they all die and they're offspring burrowback underground 136 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: for them next seventeen years. I mean, that is an 137 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: amazing life cycle when you think about it, but but 138 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: it's also kind of confusing, like why stay underground for 139 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: seventeen years instead of just one. Yeah. Well, the short 140 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: answer is, we don't really know. Like scientists think, maybe 141 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: it's because it puts their life cycle out of sync 142 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: with predators, so you know, it gives them a heer 143 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: chance of survival. But that's just a guess. All we 144 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: know is that every seventeen years it gets really really 145 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: loud in the summer, and millions of these bugs all 146 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: come ountain party. That sounds terrible, but I like that 147 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: you started with animals because I also wanted to talk 148 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: about one, and that's the star nosed mole. If you 149 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: haven't seen one of these pictures, like a regular mold, 150 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: but instead of the usual snout, they have this like 151 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 1: weird pink star shaped dependency on the front. And when 152 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: I used to see this in like children's dictionaries, I 153 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: I always thought it was a mistake. It kind of 154 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: looked like almost like when a cigar explodes in an 155 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: old cartoon. Yeah, it actually kind of looks like somebody 156 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: forgot to add a head to it. Instead, they just 157 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: like glued a squid to its face as a prank. 158 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 1: Like it's pretty disgusting but also kind of cool looking. Yeah, 159 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: I mean, you kind of understand why they want to 160 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: stay underground, and that star knows is actually really functional. 161 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: It contains a hundred thousand nerve fibers which help it 162 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: sense it's pray, And just for reference, that's five times 163 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: more touch sensors than we have in our entire hand. 164 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: And they're all crammed into this nose that's smaller than 165 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 1: like the tip of your pinky, So the mole makes 166 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: good use of them. It's basically blind, and it hunts 167 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: by bobbing that star up and down as it plows 168 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 1: through soil, so it's touching twelve different places all at once. 169 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: And the tactic is so effective that the star nosed 170 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: mole actually holds the record as the world's fastest eater. 171 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 1: It can actually find and devour an insect in a 172 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: quarter of a second. That's pretty cool, all right. Well, 173 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: since you two have given underground wildlife, it's due I 174 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: feel like I should talk about the plant version of 175 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: the Internet. So instead of using wires and satellites to communicate, 176 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:45,559 Speaker 1: plants use fungal threads called my celia, and it's pretty 177 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: crucial to their survival. So take the phantom orchid for example. 178 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: These plants actually lack chlorophyll, which means they can't create 179 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: their own energy through you know, photosynthesis, which we all 180 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: remember from our elementary school years like other plants use. 181 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: So to get around this hang up, the orchid engages 182 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: in a strange three way partnership and involves an underground 183 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: fungus and a nearby tree species. Now it sounds a 184 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,559 Speaker 1: little kinkier than it actually has. Trust me on this one, 185 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: but the roots of both the orchid and the tree 186 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: are connected to the mycelia beneath the soil, and it's 187 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: through this middleman that the tree is able to transfer 188 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: carbon to the orchid, which is of course what it needs. 189 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: That's pretty incredible, but it also sounds a little too altruistic. 190 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,479 Speaker 1: What's in it for the trees to share its resources? 191 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: I mean share might not be the right word in 192 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: this case, and it's probably more accurate to say the 193 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: plant is is stealing the tree's carbon. But but it's 194 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: still pretty cool, fair enough. I I think you said 195 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: plants actually communicate through this net as well. Yeah, this 196 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 1: is this is pretty interesting. So a good example is 197 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: there's this bean plant that sends out a chemical signal 198 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: whenever it's under attacked by a fits, and when this happens, 199 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: other bean plants in the area will pick up the 200 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: distress signal through the mycelia net, and even though they 201 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: aren't under attack themselves, they'll actually activate their anti a 202 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: fit defenses. This is so cool. So the question is 203 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 1: are the bean plants intentionally sending signals to warn their 204 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 1: neighbors or are the neighboring plants just sort of like 205 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: eavesdropping to see if there are a fits in the area. 206 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: And technically the jury is still out on this, but 207 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: I do like the idea of plants having each other's 208 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 1: backs me too. Alright, Well, moving on from something potentially 209 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: sweet to something decidedly not sweet, let me tell you 210 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: a little about fat birds. I hate that you picked 211 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: fat birds as the topic. The time has come though, 212 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: because I thought at least a few of our listeners 213 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: out there would get a kick out of this, and 214 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,439 Speaker 1: maybe will too, we'll see. But fat birds are pretty 215 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: much what they sound like. It's an iceberg, but made 216 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: out of fat instead of ice. And another difference is 217 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 1: that fat birds don't form in the open ocean. They 218 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:01,960 Speaker 1: form underground, primarily in the pipe and sewers of cities, 219 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: and that's because fat birds aren't made from just any fat. 220 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: They're made from the fats and oils that we wash 221 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: down our drains each day, So we're talking about everything 222 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: from cooking oil to hair grease to body wash. All 223 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: of that gunk eventually collects in the pipes beneath our 224 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: streets and it solidifies into a massive chunk of debris 225 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:27,199 Speaker 1: a k a. A fat bird and berg. That would 226 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 1: be you know, gross enough on its own, but the 227 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 1: reality is even worse because everything we flushed down the 228 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 1: toilet is also fair game for the fat birds. It's 229 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: just such a great word. I just feel like we 230 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: should all chant fat berg fat you were saying fat bird, 231 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 1: I think, sorry, I love those anyway, that's right, because 232 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,560 Speaker 1: unfortunately it means a lot of bathroom trash that we 233 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: have no business flushing in the first place, like dental floss, 234 00:12:56,280 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: wet lips, and prophylactics. All of that results in a 235 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,560 Speaker 1: big tangle that's really tough to deal with. And if 236 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: these fat bergs are left unchecked, they can actually grow 237 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: so large that one can clog an entire sewer pipe, 238 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 1: slowing water flow, causing widespread backups of sewage. It's not 239 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 1: pretty and when it gets to that point, there aren't 240 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: a lot of ways to deal with this, Like you 241 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: either blast it with a power washer or you chip 242 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 1: away at it with a pick axe. Yeah you hear that, 243 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: loll it is your time to shine with that pickaxe. 244 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: So I am curious, even though I'm grossed off with this, 245 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: how big can these get? Like I'm almost afraid to ask, Yeah, 246 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: they can get like disturbingly big. The largest one to 247 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: date was found beneath London back in and it was 248 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: over eight hundred and twenty feet long and weighed more 249 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: than a hundred and thirty tons. It's hard to wrap 250 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: your head around just how massive that is, but for reference, 251 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: that's nearly three times the height of the Statue of 252 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: Liberty and a little over half the weight, so way 253 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 1: way too big for a sewer. And and keep in 254 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 1: mind like New York City spends roughly five million per 255 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 1: year combating fat burgs, so even the smaller ones are 256 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 1: a huge problem. Now, I do feel like we should 257 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 1: clarify because I know, I know, we've been laughing a 258 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: little bit about the name fat burg, but I feel 259 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 1: like we should go on record and say that the 260 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: PTG family here we are firmly in the anti fat 261 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: Burgs camp on like some of those other podcasts out there, 262 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: But listeners, please do your part and don't feed the 263 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: fat Burgs. All right, we'll be back with more after 264 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: a break. Welcome back to Part Time Genius. We're talking 265 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: about all the strange stuff that you could but probably 266 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 1: won't find underground. And I think, Mango, I think you're 267 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,359 Speaker 1: up next. What do you have? We've talked about living underground, 268 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: so let's talk about working under round. And there's a 269 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: weird new opportunity in Sweden where it doesn't even matter 270 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: what you're doing down there. There's this job available. It's 271 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 1: a new position. The only requirement is for the employee 272 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: to clock in at the Coursewagan train station, which is 273 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: currently under I guess it's under construction beneath Gothenburg, Sweden. 274 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: And really that's it. According to the job description quote, 275 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: the position holds no duties or responsibilities besides the fact 276 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: that the work should be carried out at Corswagin. Whatever 277 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: the employee chooses to do constitutes the work. Seriously, like 278 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: that sounds amazing. There's got to be a catch though, right, 279 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: there's actually no catch. It's a legit job offer. It's 280 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:42,119 Speaker 1: complete with a competitive starting salary uh anual wage, increases, 281 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: paid vacation even at pension. And the best part is 282 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: you get to enjoy the job for the rest of 283 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: your life if you want it. The people behind the 284 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: project call it eternal employment. You might be wondering who's 285 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: behind the project. It's the work of these artists, Simon 286 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: Golden and Jacob Seneby. They partnered with the Swedish Transit 287 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 1: Authority and they raised about sixty dollars for the project. 288 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: So the idea is to grow that initial sum through 289 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: investments and use it to pay one employee for as 290 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: long as they choose to work there. And if they 291 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 1: ever want to retire or you know, just not hang 292 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: out underground this train station all day, then they can 293 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: simply leave and and a new employee will be chosen 294 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 1: to take their place. It's a super strange idea, but 295 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: if it sounds like the job for you, then there's 296 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: good news because anyone in the world is free to apply. 297 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: The only hitches that you have to wait a few years. 298 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: The applications won't be accepted until, which is a few 299 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: months before the station is set to open. I guess 300 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: that gives people plenty of time to to get that 301 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 1: resume ready. But all right, well, if people are going 302 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: to live underground and work underground, you are definitely going 303 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: to need a way to relax underground, something that we 304 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 1: don't often think about when we're thinking about constructing these 305 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: sorts of things. But if you're looking for inspiration, you 306 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: could always take a page from a group of French 307 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: cinophiles and host your own underground movie theater. So to 308 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 1: give you some context, they are about two hundred miles 309 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: of stone tunnels beneath the Moparness neighborhood in Paris. Those 310 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: tunnels are a product of the city's ancient stone quarries, 311 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: and they also serve as the final resting place for 312 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 1: more than six million Parisians. That's basically because their catacombs, 313 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 1: and even though they're not open to the public, people 314 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: have been frequenting these things. Now, back in two thousand four, 315 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:26,400 Speaker 1: the French police discovered a four hundred square foot cavern. 316 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: Now this is about sixty ft underground um and it 317 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: had been turned into this amphitheater, complete with a full 318 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: size movie screen, projection equipment and a wide selection of films. 319 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 1: There were even twenty or so seats carved directly into 320 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: the stone itself. How cool is that? Is? Super cool. 321 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:47,440 Speaker 1: It's like a secret movie club. It's like, yeah, literal 322 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: underground cinema. That's right, That's right. I mean, do you know, 323 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 1: I'm really curious, like, do you know what kind of 324 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:55,160 Speaker 1: stuff they were watching down there? I couldn't find any 325 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: exact titles, but the reports I saw were that there 326 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: were a bunch of like fifties noir movies and some 327 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 1: recent thrillers. And the police did say that none of 328 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: the films were obscene or banned or anything like that, 329 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: but that's not to say there wasn't anything nefarious going on. 330 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 1: According to this article in Gizmoto, the police also found 331 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 1: quote three thousand square feet of subterranean galleries, strong with lights, 332 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: wired for phones, and live with pirated electricity. The officers 333 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: uncovered a bar, a lounge, a workshop, and a dining 334 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: corner complete with its own couscousmaker. I feel like illegal 335 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,879 Speaker 1: couscous is the tastiest you know it is, you know 336 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: it is? That was my favorite part actually, But the 337 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:42,120 Speaker 1: creepiest part is that when the police came back three 338 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:46,399 Speaker 1: days later, all the phone and electricity lines had been cut, 339 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: and there was a note on the floor that just said, 340 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 1: don't try to find us. I mean, isn't that spooky? 341 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: But that's where I thought the story would have ended. 342 00:18:56,520 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 1: But apparently, years later someone claimed credit for the Secrets Cinema. 343 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 1: The perpetrators turned out to be a group of urban 344 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 1: explorers who started mapping this underground network for fun, and 345 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,400 Speaker 1: they liked it so much that once they were done 346 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: with the maps, they started looking for new ways to 347 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 1: spend time down there, so they built themselves a movie theater. 348 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: I mean, you gotta stay busy, you know, And that's true. 349 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: Actually I have another fact here, another movie fact. Mind's 350 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 1: a little different though. It turns out the salt mines 351 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:29,640 Speaker 1: in Kansas are full of old movie reels. Why is that? Yeah, 352 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 1: I mean, it's mostly because it's it's such a stable 353 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:35,199 Speaker 1: environment down there. But like for storing the films, the 354 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: temperature stays right around forty five degrees and humidity it's 355 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,360 Speaker 1: pretty much perfect. And and obviously, you know, weather isn't 356 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: a factor down there either, because some of these facilities 357 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: are more than six feet below ground. And that's important 358 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: because a warmer temperatures, celluloid film will actually start to rot. Uh. 359 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: They call it vinegar syndrome, and it's because the decaying 360 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:03,360 Speaker 1: film gives off a really strong vinegar smell apparently. So 361 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: is it just old celluloyd movies that's in these vaults 362 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 1: or do they store new films there too? Yeah, it's 363 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: a mix of both. Nowadays, there are tons of the 364 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,919 Speaker 1: early celluloid classics like The Wizard of Oz Gone with 365 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 1: the Wind. Most of the Looney Tunes from the forties 366 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:23,480 Speaker 1: and fifties are down there too, which is pretty cool. Um. 367 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,640 Speaker 1: Later though movies shot on film are also They're like 368 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,199 Speaker 1: the original Star Wars is down there. But it's not 369 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: just films either. Studios also used the salt mines uh 370 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:38,120 Speaker 1: to store props and memorabilia. Like George Clooney's bat suit 371 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 1: is a Batman costume. It's down there. I'd actually forgotten 372 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: that he played Batman. Yeah, I think the studio probably 373 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: wants to forget that too. But and and I'm pretty 374 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: sure that's why the suit is hidden down there. But 375 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 1: all right, well, my uh, my last fact of the 376 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:55,360 Speaker 1: day here. I thought i'd keep it simple and tell 377 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: you a little about the deepest hole that has ever 378 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: been dug. It's called the Super Deep Borehole, and it 379 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,719 Speaker 1: was drilled into the surface of the Coola Peninsula in 380 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:09,439 Speaker 1: Russia during the nineteen seventies and eighties. So after twenty 381 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:13,120 Speaker 1: years of drilling, the whole reached its maximum depth, which 382 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:17,120 Speaker 1: is forty thousand, two hundred and thirty feet or roughly 383 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 1: seven and a half miles underground. And that sounds insanely deep, 384 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: but refresh my memory. How close to the center of 385 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 1: the Earth is that it's it's nowhere close to the 386 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,399 Speaker 1: center there there, but it's still pretty cool. So the 387 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 1: earthcore is almost four thousand miles below us, so seven 388 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: and a half miles is barely half the distance to 389 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: the Earth's mantle. But that's the deepest we've ever managed 390 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: to get in terms of true vertical depth. So that's 391 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: the deepest hole drilled by machine. But if you're looking 392 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: for the deepest hole ever dug by hand, that honor 393 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 1: goes to the Wooding Dean Well near Brighton in the 394 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 1: United Kingdom. It's one thousand, two hundred and eighty five 395 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:01,360 Speaker 1: ft deep, so almost exactly as deep as the Empire 396 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,880 Speaker 1: State Building is tall. Because this well was dug over 397 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: a four year period during the mid eighteen hundreds, and 398 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: it was a long way down just to get some water. 399 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:14,919 Speaker 1: You know, I really like all the New York references. 400 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: The fat Berg was as big as like three statues Liberties, 401 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:21,400 Speaker 1: the Empire State Building here. But you know, I think 402 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna call this one and give it to Will 403 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: because I really like that plant Internet fact. I think 404 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: that one kind of gem away gave you cool with that, 405 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 1: oh totally. Plus the Underground movie Theater will take Yeah, 406 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: I'll take it. I appreciate. I feel like I'm I 407 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 1: think I'm two for two now and it feels pretty good. 408 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be honest with you guys. All right, Well 409 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: that will do it for today's Part Time Genius from Mango, 410 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,159 Speaker 1: Gabe Luell and myself. Thank you so much for listening. 411 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,639 Speaker 1: Stay inside and send those bad invention ideas for that 412 00:22:48,720 --> 00:23:05,920 Speaker 1: whopping six dollars. We'll be back soon. M Part Time 413 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:08,360 Speaker 1: Genius is a production of I Heart Radio. For more 414 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 1: podcasts for my heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, 415 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 416 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:16,359 Speaker 1: H