1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,519 Speaker 1: You're listening to Part Time Genius, the production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 2: Guess what, Mango? 4 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: What's that? 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 2: Will? I know you're curious, but I want to see 6 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 2: if you can guess. Do you know why I'm wearing 7 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 2: a tux today? Is it because it's Monday night in Alabama? 8 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 2: That is right? You know I love doing that. But 9 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 2: actually there's an extra special reason, and that's because it's 10 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 2: the forty third annual Part Time Genius Awards. Mango, that 11 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 2: is right? 12 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: How could I forget? But remind the listeners? What are 13 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: the Part Time Genius Awards again? 14 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 2: Well, seeing as this is the forty third time that 15 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 2: we're doing this, I'm surprised anyone is asking at this point. 16 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: But the Part Time Genius Awards are our look back 17 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 2: at some of the greatest things to happen last year 18 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 2: and honoring them with our very prestigious prize, starting with 19 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 2: the twoenty twenty four Old Factory Award aka the Golden 20 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 2: Nose Award. 21 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: Mag I am on the edge of my seat here, 22 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 1: So who is getting the Golden Nose this year? 23 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 2: Well, this year, the twenty twenty four Golden Nose goes 24 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 2: to drum Roll please Professor wyn Who at the University 25 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 2: of New South Wales and Sydney for developing a smartphone 26 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 2: sensor called Vibe Milk. Now, Vibe Milk uses your phone 27 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 2: to send vibrations against the milk bottle or carton, and 28 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 2: then it reads and analyzes the freshness. That way, I 29 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 2: can tell you if your milk has gone bad. And 30 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 2: so instead of having to smell your milk or make 31 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 2: everyone in the room smell the milk to see if 32 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:43,479 Speaker 2: it's spoiled, you can just use your phone and save 33 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 2: everyone the trouble. How revolutionary is this manga? 34 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: I already love this because my wife Lizzie does this 35 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: all the time. She like she smells something awful. She's like, no, 36 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: you have to smell this, yeh. 37 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 2: You smell. 38 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: I hate that you just smelling yourself. 39 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. I'm playing the role of in my family. I 40 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: make everyone smell and I'm relentless. I won't stop until 41 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: they do smell it. But Vibe milk actually works. So, 42 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: as Professor Who put it, quote, you can smell or 43 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: taste of milk is off, but that requires opening the 44 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 2: package and doing so exposes it to bacteria and that 45 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 2: accelerates spoilage. So Vibe Milk is non invasive, which means 46 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 2: you can test the freshness of the milk without breaking 47 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: the seal. That is really cool, and the ideas that 48 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 2: you can use it at home or even at the 49 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 2: grocery store before you buy the product now. Currently, Vibe 50 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 2: Milk is a ninety eight point four percent accuracy rate 51 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 2: for detecting spoiled milk, and the high tech methods should 52 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 2: help us reduce dairy waste in a pretty big way. Actually, 53 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 2: But that's just the first of a whole bunch of 54 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 2: very important awords we're giving out today, So let's dive in. 55 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 2: Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson, and as 56 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 2: always I'm here with my good friend mangesh Hot Ticketer 57 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 2: and sitting behind that glass holding a conductor's baton and 58 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 2: queuing up a whole bunch of orchestra music to play 59 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 2: us out if we start taking too long, that's our 60 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 2: good Palin producer Dylan Fagan, So mego. I'm glad we're 61 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 2: finally doing this award show. 62 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: I know I always get jealous of other places that 63 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: give out awards around this top of the year. 64 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 2: Like who are you? Who you think about the Nobels, 65 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 2: the MacArthur Foundation, who else. 66 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean them too. But I also love the 67 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: weirder awards, like the Ignobles, the Bulward Lytton Award, which 68 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: gives out an award for the worst first sentence in 69 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: a novel. But my absolute favorite is the Bookseller Prize 70 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: for Oddest Title of the Year. And every year, honestly, 71 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: every year I went to see which title wins. Actually, 72 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna pull up the Wikipedia page and read 73 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: out a few of my favorites. And these are all 74 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: real books, by the way. So in twenty ten, managing 75 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: a dental practice the Genghis Khanway. One. In twenty twelve 76 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 1: it was a goblin proofing one's chicken coop, which is 77 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 1: a chestnut obviously. Some other winners include how to Avoid 78 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: Huge Ships, bomb Proof your Horse, and one of my 79 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,559 Speaker 1: personal favorites, the dirt Hole and its variations. They are 80 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: all that great. 81 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:32,359 Speaker 2: That sounds gross. 82 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, anyway, I am really hoping that we can slip 83 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: in some of that, like energy and joy and silliness 84 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: into some of these really great innovations we're honoring for 85 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: this year's awards. 86 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 2: You know mego, you did forget one, and this was 87 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 2: back in our mental floss days. And I'm not sure 88 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 2: if they were just scared of us being, you know, 89 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 2: litigious or something, which is funny to me thinking about 90 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 2: anybody being scared of us. But I don't know if 91 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 2: you remember that book. It was called Dental Floss for 92 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: the Mind. It was like talking all the way around 93 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 2: the idea of the pun mental floss. But you remember 94 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 2: this book, of course I did. I thought it was 95 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 2: hilarious that we had a couple friends send it to us, 96 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 2: just because I still have it on my bookshelf here. 97 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 2: But anyway, I am all into the silliness and all 98 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 2: the great innovations and everything that we're talking about today. 99 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 2: So where do you want to start? 100 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: How about we start with this year's Aerodynamics Prize, which 101 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 1: we are also dubbing the When Hippopotamus's Fly Award, and 102 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 1: this goes out to John Hutchinson from the UK's Royal 103 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: Veterinary College. And this year Hutchinson realized that when a 104 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: hippo is running at full tilt, the hippo is actually 105 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: airborne for fifteen percent of that time. Oh wow, Now 106 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: this is important research because hippos are apparently very hard 107 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 1: creatures to study because one, they are mostly lulling about 108 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: in the water during the day most days. But also 109 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:57,279 Speaker 1: you do not want to run into a hippo at 110 00:05:57,400 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: night when they tend to go on land, and that's 111 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: because they are incredibly skittish creatures. A full grown male 112 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: can weigh up to nearly ten thousand pounds and they 113 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 1: will run you over. Also, they have terrifying teeth. 114 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 2: They do have terrifying teeth, which everyone in our generation 115 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 2: would know from playing Hungry Hungry Hippos, which also happens 116 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 2: to be the game that probably made my heart race 117 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 2: more than any game out there. But anyway, it's funny 118 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 2: because the animals are so goofy looking that I just 119 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 2: assumed they were kind of gentle and sweet. You know, 120 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 2: you'd look at them and you'd think so. 121 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. I actually thought hippos were sweet too, mostly because 122 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: I have this old story in my head from Victorian 123 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: times about Obayes the hippo. I'm sure we've mentioned this 124 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: on the show before, but back in the eighteen hundreds, 125 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: they brought this hippo from Africa to London and it 126 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: was like the first time a hippo had been in 127 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: Europe since ancient Rome and actually the first time one 128 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: had been in England since prehistoric times, and it was 129 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: like an immediate sensation, so people cued up for hours 130 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: at the London Zoo just to get a glimpse of 131 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: the creature. It actually made about twenty eight million pounds 132 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: in today's currency because like people were just waiting to 133 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: see it, and there was like a real hippo mania. 134 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: Now Obsha been trained to do some basic dance moves 135 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 1: like a promenade and a pivot and some other things, 136 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: and there was a poka composed for him. The hippo 137 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: was so famous that Charles Dickens was jealous of it. 138 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 2: Like anywayzing all. 139 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: Of that made me think hippos were sweet, but in 140 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: fact hippos actually killed over five hundred people a year, 141 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: which makes them the deadliest land mammal, more dangerous than 142 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: grizzly bears or big cats. Isn't that insane? 143 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's pra It sort of reminds me of the 144 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 2: Eddie Izzard bit where he's like, you kill enough people 145 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 2: and it almost starts to be impressives. 146 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: But back to hippos taking flight, because hippo behavior makes 147 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: it hard to monitor them. Hippos haven't been studied that much, 148 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: but Hutchinson and his team realized that they could actually 149 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: visit the animals and watch their movements at a local 150 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: resort in North Yorkshire. It's called Flamingo Land, and then 151 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: his team did all this painstaking frame by frame analysis 152 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: of watching hippos run, and as Hutchinson told The Guardian quote, 153 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: it is mind numbing. It's one of the things in 154 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: my work that I hate the most. It is really boring, agonizing. 155 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 2: Wow. 156 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: But what he learned is that while hippo's only trot, 157 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: which means like their diagonal pairs of legs are moving 158 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 1: and touching the ground at the same time. 159 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 2: That kind of feels like, what is this like the 160 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 2: sport race walking like they've always got a foot on 161 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 2: the ground or something. 162 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's what everyone thought, except they would be disqualified 163 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: because when they're moving at top speeds, the trot turns 164 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 1: into flight as the hippos go airborne for zero point 165 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: three second bursts. And that said, from what I can tell, 166 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 1: the hippos are only like a few inches off the ground, 167 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: so it's not like you're going to see an air 168 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: bud style movie about hippos anytime soon, but it was 169 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: still pretty wonderful. 170 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, well that is fantastic art. 171 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:54,959 Speaker 1: Well. 172 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 2: For our third award, we are diving into the category 173 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 2: of medicine. Now, there were a ton of exciting and 174 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 2: important discoveries in medicine this year, including there's just a 175 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 2: few that we took note of, the first pig kidney transplant, 176 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 2: where a genetically modified pig kidney was put into a 177 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 2: living human. You had a new tiny catheter that removes 178 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 2: blood clots from the brain, which is incredible for stroke patients. 179 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 2: And of course there's a new category of weight loss 180 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 2: drugs that will help things like prevent diabetes and heart 181 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 2: attacks along with just helping people get slim. So lots 182 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 2: of things to choose from. But for this year's first 183 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 2: ever twenty twenty four Medicine Award aka the No Pain, 184 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 2: No Gain Award, we're giving it to Live in a Shank, 185 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 2: Tom and Fedai and Christian Bush. So I'm probably getting 186 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 2: those names wrong, but the spirit is there for their 187 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 2: advances in placebos science. Now we aren't the only ones 188 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 2: to recognize the trio. They also won the Ignoble Prize 189 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 2: earlier this year, which you mentioned, but placebos are a 190 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 2: fascinating thing. So the fact that you can give someone 191 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 2: pills or saline injections and somehow trick their brain and 192 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 2: body into acting like they've receive real medicine has always 193 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 2: been fascinating to me. And I didn't realize this, but 194 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 2: the American Medical Association actually considers it ethical to use 195 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 2: placebos to enhance healing. Huh. And that's partially because placebos 196 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 2: have been shown to be effective in pain management and 197 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 2: signaling to the body that medicine is on the way. 198 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:27,439 Speaker 2: But the reason we're giving this trio of Swiss, German 199 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 2: and Belgian scientists the award this year is because they 200 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,680 Speaker 2: showed that they can actually make placebos more effective by 201 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 2: having the placebo cause side effects. 202 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: That is so weird. So how did they figure this out? 203 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 2: Well, this reporting comes from New Scientists, the magazine to 204 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 2: Know You and I are both fans of. But in 205 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 2: the study, the trio got seventy seven volunteers to test 206 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 2: a nasal spray that they claimed contain the painkiller fentanyl. Now, 207 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 2: first they had people use the nasal spray. Then they 208 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 2: applied a hot object to this subject's skin and ask 209 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 2: them to raise the pain but there was actually no 210 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 2: fentanyl in the study. The scientists used two different placebos 211 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 2: for the nasal spray. One had capsation in it, the 212 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 2: spicy compound found in chili peppers, and one didn't. So 213 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 2: the capsation spray triggered a little burning sensation when people 214 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 2: sniffed it, which made them think that it was the 215 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,439 Speaker 2: side effect of fentanyl. Anyway, people who took the capsation 216 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 2: placebo felt less pain in the trials, hence the conclusion 217 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 2: that placebos are more effective when they cause side effects. 218 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 2: But what's funny is that this new knowledge might actually 219 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 2: be used on real drugs, because if you had a 220 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:40,080 Speaker 2: very slight side effect to establish drugs, you can actually 221 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 2: increase the treatment expectations in people's minds and up the effectiveness. 222 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,319 Speaker 2: I just thought this was so interesting. That is wild. 223 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: That's really crazy that you'd add a side effect to 224 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: a real drug. Yeah, yeah, wow, that's amazing. So we're 225 00:11:54,800 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: on to Award number four, which is twenty twenty four's 226 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: Best Villain aka the Mister Clean Award. Now, to be clear, 227 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: we are not in the habit on the show rewarding 228 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: criminal behavior, but thirty six year old Damon Voinilovich made 229 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 1: a name for himself this year when he broke into 230 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 1: a house in Wales. He broke in, he did a 231 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 1: bunch of laundry, cleaning and chores, and then drank some 232 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: wine and left. And according to a BBC article, Voilovitch 233 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: actually tigied and swept the place. Did the laundry and 234 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 1: hung it out to dry, mopped the floors, placed groceries 235 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 1: in the fridge, refilled the bird feeders, emptied the recycling bin, 236 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,319 Speaker 1: put gardening tools away in the shed, whatter the plants, 237 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: put new toothbrush heads on the toothbrushes, and cooked a 238 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 1: meal for the homeowner, which he set out next to 239 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: a bottle of wine, a glass and a bottle opener 240 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: with a note for them to enjoy it. During this 241 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: breaking and entering, he also helped himself to some wine 242 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 1: and food, which I guess feels fair now. Apparently, two 243 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: weeks later he was caught in someone's hot tub after 244 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: he showered in their outdoor shower and washed up, and 245 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: he was about to head inside. After all this, jacuzziing 246 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: to start his tidying process. Unfortunately, part of the reason 247 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 1: he's been doing this is because he was unhoused and 248 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:15,079 Speaker 1: out of work. But of course that's not a reason 249 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 1: to break into a stranger's house and start cleaning it 250 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: for them. So the people who saw him call the cops, 251 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: and he's actually currently serving twenty two months in jail. 252 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: But we are hoping that once he's out, all the 253 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: good press and maybe even this very important award will 254 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: help him find some quick work. 255 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. I bet he's feeling a whole lot better after 256 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 2: winning this award. But I would happily give someone a 257 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 2: good bottle of wine if they did all my laundry 258 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 2: and came and then mopped our floors for us. 259 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: Oh my god, I'd give them two bottles of wine. 260 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: But that's my limit. So what award should we give 261 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 1: out next? 262 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 2: All right, well, I feel like it's time to go 263 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 2: to the financial side of things, So how about we 264 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 2: give out the twenty twenty four Economics Award aka for 265 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 2: the Birds Award, And this goes to the owner of 266 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 2: Cheesy Toast Shack in Saint Andrew's, Scotland, where they've come 267 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 2: up with a novel financial product called Seagull Insurance. Basically, 268 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 2: the Cheesy Toast Shack is swarming with goals and they're 269 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 2: very aggressive and very good at swooping down and nabbing food. 270 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: So I was actually at the beach last summer in 271 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: Maine and I was walking out with a bunch of 272 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: food from the stall for my family, like you know, 273 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: carrying burgers and fries and whatever, and this seagull swooped 274 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: down and just sold some fries for me, and I 275 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: was both horrified and also so impressed, Like it moves 276 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: quickly and it snatched it so precisely. I was almost like, 277 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: well done. You know, it's really amazing. 278 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, it really is. And you're right, I agree, terrifying 279 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:46,840 Speaker 2: when that happens, but you obviously know what it's like 280 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 2: to lose food to a seagull. But apparently whenever it 281 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 2: happened at the cheesy toast shack, the mom and pop 282 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 2: business felt bad for the victims, so they'd give them 283 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 2: free replacement food. And it starts to add up. You 284 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 2: can imagine if it's happening all the time. So they 285 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 2: tried a bunch of things to keep the goals away. 286 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 2: They played the bird calls of predator birds like hawks, 287 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 2: and they did this over like the loud speaker there, 288 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 2: and they tried flying kite shaped like the predator birds 289 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 2: to scare the seagulls away. None of it worked, and 290 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 2: so finally they came up with this novel solution of 291 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 2: offering seagull insurance for an extra pound on top of 292 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 2: the six seventy five for a cheese toast meal or 293 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 2: is boring one put it peace of mind for a 294 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 2: piece of sandwich. 295 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 1: I like the well, congratulations to the cheesytoast shack. It 296 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: is well deserved. Okay, So next up we have the 297 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four Pieace Prize aka the Tough as Snails Award, 298 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: which goes to entomologist doctor Valerie Corone from France for 299 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: her efforts to improve human snail relations. Now I actually 300 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: had no idea about this, but in Australia, invasive species 301 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 1: of Mediterranean snails are a really destructive force that should 302 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: cost the grain and cereal industries about one hundred and 303 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: seventy million dollars in damages per year. 304 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 2: Oh a lot of money. So what are the snails 305 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 2: actually doing? 306 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: Well? They definitely eat the crops, but they also leave 307 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: mucus on plants, which contaminates them and deters other animals 308 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: from eating them, which actually throws off the ecosystem. But 309 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: the biggest problem comes to the fact that the snails 310 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: climb up these tall crops right about the same time 311 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 1: they're supposed to be harvested, and then the snails go 312 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: into a hibernation. So all of these snail shells end 313 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: up getting into the harvesting machinery, which gems up the 314 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: machinery and it just throws everything off. 315 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 2: The only thing I'm confused about here is remind me, 316 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 2: why are we giving out a peace prize here? 317 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. So, doctor Coron, along with the help of a 318 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 1: few other labs, figured out how to deter the snails. 319 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,360 Speaker 1: And the first thing is that everyone thought snails were 320 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: color blind, and they are, but it turns out that 321 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: they're actually really attracted to the color red for some reason, 322 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: which means that farmers can put red steaks or fake 323 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: red stalks into the ground and lure the snails away 324 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: from their prize crops and then collect all these pests. Also, 325 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: Coron and the team discovered that snails are held by garlic. 326 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: Maybe because it feels like foreshadowing to end up, Cooke 327 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: does es cargo, But between some garlic seasoning and painting 328 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: the farm red, the two discoveries actually should help farmers 329 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,360 Speaker 1: out and make for better snail human relations. 330 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 2: Okay, you brought it around. I like that snail human 331 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 2: relations the Peace Prize, all right, Well, the next award 332 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 2: also involves food, but in a very different way. And 333 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 2: I know we really don't like to get political on 334 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 2: this show, but this next award is for international law. 335 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 2: Now it goes to Superior Judge Craig Bobet of Allen County, Indiana. 336 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 2: But I've got to say this is probably the most 337 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 2: controversial judgment to come out of Indiana since eighteen ninety seven, 338 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 2: when the so called Indiana Pie Bill proposed to change 339 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:45,400 Speaker 2: the value of pie in the state from three point 340 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 2: one four five, nine, two six to a simpler three point. 341 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: Two, which obviously doesn't work for math, or engineering or 342 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: anything else. So what is this new controversial judgment from Indiana? 343 00:17:58,320 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 2: All right, now, I hope you're sitting down for that. 344 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:08,360 Speaker 2: But it's that tacos and burritos should be considered sandwiches. Sandwiches, man. 345 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: No. I mean, I know that there's so much controversy 346 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:14,679 Speaker 1: over whether a hot dog is a sandwich, but I 347 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: have never heard anyone debate whether a taco is a sandwich. No, first, well, 348 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: do you think it's a sandwich? I'm not sure where 349 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: I stand on this. 350 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 2: No, I mean my feelings are that that that tacos 351 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 2: are just kind of their own thing. We have a 352 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 2: hard time just acknowledging that sometimes things are their own thing. 353 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:34,159 Speaker 2: You know, that's my philosophy and life. I'm gonna get 354 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 2: a t shirt. Sometimes things are their own thing. I 355 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 2: like the tacos are not. They're just not a sandwich. 356 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 2: And I don't even have a great defense for it 357 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 2: other than just saying that they're tacos. 358 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 3: How about you, Yeah, they seem like tacos to me too. Yeah, 359 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 3: they're tacos. Are tacos, So tacos lad tacos. That's always 360 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,199 Speaker 3: what I say. And and honestly, you know, I get it. 361 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 3: I'm not the judge here, and that's the very brave 362 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:01,880 Speaker 3: man and legal scholar, the honorable Craig Bobay. 363 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 2: Now you might be wondering why it is that Judge 364 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 2: Bobe had to rule on this important issue, and this 365 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:10,120 Speaker 2: story goes back to a Fort Wayne strip mall where 366 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 2: a local joint called the Famous Taco opened up there. Now, 367 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 2: the Famous Taco had the blessings of the developer, but 368 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:19,880 Speaker 2: apparently there was an agreement with the local condo association 369 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 2: that only made to order sandwich restaurants could open in 370 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 2: the Strip Mall, so you could put a subway there, 371 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 2: but fast food places like McDonald's, RB's, and Wendy's weren't 372 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 2: allowed to set up shop. So for Famous Taco to 373 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,639 Speaker 2: continue serving food there, the Planning Commission insisted that there 374 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 2: would need to be an amendment to the Strip Mall's 375 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 2: prior agreement with the condo association. But Judge Bobe stepped 376 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,640 Speaker 2: up and he declared the taco and the burrito are 377 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 2: Mexican style sandwiches, paiding the way forward for other sandwich 378 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:54,679 Speaker 2: esque food shops to open up, including places that serve euros, 379 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:58,879 Speaker 2: bond me or even Kati role. So actually, I kind 380 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 2: of get it, and I got to give it to 381 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:01,439 Speaker 2: them for the creativity on this. 382 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: I love that in Indiana now you can legally say 383 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: I want a sandwich for lunch and someone will respond 384 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,439 Speaker 1: what kind of sandwich? And you be perfectly within your 385 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: ris to say a taco sandwich. 386 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 2: Talk it is. Yeah, that's a good point. That's a 387 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 2: good point, all right. So what's the next award I'm 388 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 2: hoping it's not quite as controversial as that. 389 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: I think it's time to do the twenty twenty four 390 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:25,719 Speaker 1: Botany Award. But before we get to that, let's take 391 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 1: a quick break. 392 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 2: Welcome back to Part Time Genius, where we're giving out 393 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 2: the forty third annual Part Time Genius Awards. 394 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, forty third. It's amazing that we've been doing this 395 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 1: for this long, but it's historic, very important, and I 396 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:56,639 Speaker 1: was about to announce the twenty twenty four Botany Award. 397 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 2: I cannot wait for this one, Mango. So so who's 398 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:00,120 Speaker 2: it going to. 399 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: Well, this year's Bondani Award aka the You Light Up 400 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: My Life Award goes to Keith Wood, Karen Sarkisian and 401 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 1: Ilia Jampolski from the firm Light Bio, and they came 402 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 1: up with a way to make petunias gently glow in 403 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:19,199 Speaker 1: the dark. Now, over fifteen years ago at Metal Class 404 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:20,879 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if you remember this, but we talked 405 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,719 Speaker 1: to this chef who's the head chef at this restaurant 406 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: called Moto, and he was trying to make a glow 407 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: in the dark tomato plant. 408 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 409 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: The idea was that you could grow tomato plants in 410 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: your house. But by tweaking the genetics, the tomatoes would 411 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: actually act as gentle night lights. And it was such 412 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:38,679 Speaker 1: a cool idea. But I also remember we were, like, 413 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: you know, confused whether or not we'd feel comfortable eating 414 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: a glow in the dark tomato. You know, it's a 415 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,920 Speaker 1: change of mindset anyway. Scientists have been trying to make 416 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,400 Speaker 1: glow in the dark plants for a while, mostly by 417 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:55,920 Speaker 1: inserting the luciferase gene from fireflies into plants, which can work, 418 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 1: but in the past the plants have only glowed under 419 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: a black light, or they've needed expensive specialized food to 420 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: make them glow. But with this so called firefly petunia 421 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: that the scientists have come up with, they actually used 422 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:12,400 Speaker 1: a group of genes from some bioluminescent mushrooms. Now, according 423 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: to Scientific American quote, the fungus feeds its light emitting 424 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 1: reaction with the molecule caffeic acid, which terrestrial plants also 425 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 1: happen to make. By inserting the mushroom genes into the petunia, 426 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: researchers made it possible for the plant to produce enzymes 427 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,360 Speaker 1: that can convert cafaic acid into the light emitting molecule 428 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: lucifern and then recycle it back into caffaic acid, enabling 429 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 1: sustained BIOLUMINESCIN. So basically, as long as you water the 430 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: plants and you give it enough sunlight, it'll grow and 431 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:42,920 Speaker 1: glow for you. 432 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 2: That is actually amazing. I will be honest, I wasn't 433 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 2: actually that excited about this award before you talked about it, 434 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 2: but now now it's one of my favorites so far. 435 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:54,400 Speaker 2: So what does it look like exactly? 436 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:56,879 Speaker 1: Yeah, so the plant is white during the day, but 437 00:22:57,119 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: it glows this faint green at night. And you can 438 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: actually buy the plant for about thirty dollars, which feels 439 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: like a lovely thing to have, like lining your garden 440 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: path or whatever for the summer nights or whatever. But 441 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,199 Speaker 1: what's interesting is that the scientists picked petunias for a 442 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: very specific reason. The plants aren't native and they aren't 443 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: an invasive species, so there is very little risk of 444 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: the petunia's modified genes spreading to native plants or disrupting 445 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 1: any ecosystems. 446 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 2: That's very cool and very smart. All right, Well, it 447 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 2: is time for the twenty twenty four Fashion Award aka 448 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 2: the Wild Style Award, which I know you've been waiting 449 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:33,439 Speaker 2: for Mango. 450 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, this one is always one of my favorites. 451 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:35,919 Speaker 2: I know. 452 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 1: In the past we've given it to the makers of 453 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: the eighties style tracksuits for chickens, which is obviously a 454 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 1: good look for any chicken. Also, we gave it to 455 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,440 Speaker 1: one of the Japanese designers who made the baby mop, 456 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 1: which is a onesie with the dust mop stitch to 457 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: the bottom of it so that babies who are crawling 458 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 1: around your floor can pitch in on housework and learn 459 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:58,160 Speaker 1: responsibility and a healthy work ethic. But it's very curious 460 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:00,920 Speaker 1: to see what we've got plucked for the Serious Fashion Award. 461 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 2: I'd forgotten about the baby mop. If you don't have 462 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,879 Speaker 2: to somebody coming in your house and stealing your wine 463 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:08,119 Speaker 2: and cleaning your floors, you can just use a baby 464 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 2: but true, all right, But this year's award goes to 465 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 2: artists Sarah Ross and her design for Archasuits. Now, the 466 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 2: designs which she created a while back, just came to 467 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 2: our attention this last year and their response to the 468 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 2: hostile architecture in cities. And this is something that we've 469 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 2: talked about before, but hostile architecture includes things like benches 470 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:31,679 Speaker 2: that have bars, on them for every seat so that 471 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:35,360 Speaker 2: the unhoused people can't sleep easily on them, or slope 472 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 2: surfaces and big planners in public spaces to prevent sitting 473 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 2: or skateboarding anyway. This defensive style of architecture is basically 474 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 2: targeted at populations that don't have homes and make it 475 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 2: uncomfortable for them to rest there. So Ross decided to 476 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:54,400 Speaker 2: make some leisure whear to counter this. Her Arcasuits are 477 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 2: four absurdly designed leisure suits that have fins, sloped backs, 478 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 2: and other cushionny pieces to fill in the negative space 479 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 2: so that you can sleep comfortably on a bench or 480 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 2: on a slope, or even help you sit comfortably against 481 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 2: a fence. Actually, I'm just gonna show you a pick, 482 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:13,440 Speaker 2: because these things are pretty incredible. 483 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: Oh, these are brilliant. Actually, it's really really fun so funny, 484 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:22,199 Speaker 1: and they look ludicrous, but I love that you can 485 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 1: just like lie down on a bench with them. It's 486 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,439 Speaker 1: absolutely and I actually love how it's calling attention to 487 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 1: the ways we think about public spaces and think about 488 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 1: our neighbors as well. That's really wonderful. 489 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 2: Oh totally. I mean the design feels very humane, so 490 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 2: our esteemed prize committee thought she deserved a prize. But 491 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 2: here's the thing, Mango, We've actually only got one more award. 492 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 2: So do you want to do the honors? 493 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:45,880 Speaker 1: Oh? I would love to. So being a podcast, of course, 494 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: we've got to give out an audio award aka the 495 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: Lift Every Voice Award. 496 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 2: All right, and who's it going to? 497 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 1: So the twenty twenty four Audio Award goes to an 498 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: assistant professor of bio engineering at the University of California Law, 499 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: Los Angeles. His name is Jun Chen, and he invented 500 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: a tiny throat patch that can help people speak without 501 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 1: vocal cords. 502 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 2: Oh wow, that's incredible. So how did he come up 503 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 2: with the idea? 504 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: So apparently, Professor Chen was lecturing at the university for 505 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 1: a few hours, his voice began to wear out, and 506 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:20,959 Speaker 1: he started thinking about how to solve this problem, not 507 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 1: only for people like him, but for people who can't speak, 508 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:26,359 Speaker 1: and that led him and his colleagues to invent a 509 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 1: little patch that you can stick on your throat. The 510 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:33,399 Speaker 1: patch uses AI to decode and translate muscle movements into speech, 511 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 1: and amazingly, it doesn't need a battery to work because 512 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 1: it uses the muscle movements to generate electricity. And I 513 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 1: learned all about this from the site Oddity Central, but 514 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 1: I really really love it. 515 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 2: It's amazing, like what a little patch can do. 516 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 1: Yeah, apparently, when it's been tested in the lab, the 517 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 1: algorithm is about ninety five percent accurate at decoding a 518 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: person's speech, both when the person is speaking aloud but 519 00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: also when they're pronouncing words voicelessly, which is just super cool. Anyway, 520 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 1: there's still more designing to do before this hits the market, 521 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: but you know, it's this very thin, very small, multi 522 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,440 Speaker 1: layered patch and it is really incredible. 523 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, we finished with a couple of really 524 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 2: inspiring ones. I love that, And what a great way 525 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 2: to end with a contraption that gives the voiceless voice. 526 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 2: So that is it for our forty third annual Part 527 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 2: Time Genius Awards. You can catch us later this week 528 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:28,360 Speaker 2: with a new episode, and if you want to read 529 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,399 Speaker 2: more about these incredible innovations and stories, be sure to 530 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 2: visit us on Instagram on our handle part Time Genius. 531 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 2: But from Dylan, Mary, Gabe, Mango and me, thank you 532 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 2: so much for listening. 533 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius is a production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. 534 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 1: This show is hosted by Will Pearson and me mongs 535 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 1: Chatikler and research by our goodpal Mary Philip Sandy. Today's 536 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: episode was engineered and produced by the wonderful Dylan Fagan 537 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 1: with support from Tyler Klang. The show is executive produced 538 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 1: for iHeart by Katrina Norvel and Ali Perry, with social 539 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:21,959 Speaker 1: media support from Sasha Gay, trustee Dara Potts and Viney Shorey. 540 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:27,119 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 541 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.