1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to Part Time Genius, the production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 2: Guess what, Mango? 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: What's that? 4 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,319 Speaker 3: Well, so I've been looking into underground bunkers this week 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,119 Speaker 3: and that this was just on a whim. It was 6 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 3: not because of any real world events. 7 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 2: You know. 8 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,920 Speaker 3: I just get curious about stuff, and it turns out 9 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 3: that living underground is actually a ton of work. 10 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: So what do you mean by that? Exactly? 11 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 3: All right, Well just just think about it. So first 12 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 3: you've got to excavate and build the foundation for this place. 13 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 2: Then you've got to add electrical. 14 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 3: Wiring and plumbing, a septic system, air filtration, backup generators. 15 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 3: Like doomsday preppers put a lot of work into this 16 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 3: sort of thing. 17 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 1: You know. Honestly, I feel like I'm too lazy to 18 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 1: really prep for more than like a day or two. 19 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 1: And I remember looking up emergency prep foods once. This 20 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: is before Sandy happened, and instead of finding anything practical, like, 21 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: I went into this rabbit hole trying to find the 22 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: funniest one, and my favorite was something called PB and 23 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: J in a can. 24 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 3: You know, I think when people hear that, their instinct 25 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 3: is to try to claim that that sounds gross. I 26 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 3: want to admit it actually sounds like maybe that could 27 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 3: be good. I'd probably I'm just hungry right now, but 28 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 3: I would probably try it. 29 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: I know, Like I thought it would be this dehydrated 30 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 1: like PBNJ that you heat up and it magically seems 31 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: fresh again. But instead it was this tin can with 32 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: this old hot dog roll stuffed inside and two packets 33 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: of peanut butter and jelly. They just smear on yourself. 34 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: So it was honestly so unepetizing. When I found out 35 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: what it was, I tried to order a few to 36 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: give out a Christmas. 37 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 3: You said, you smear it on yourself? Oh you like 38 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 3: you do this smears? God, Okay, I'll say this is 39 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 3: just got got really weird. But I feel like you 40 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 3: and I clearly aren't cut out for prepping, which is 41 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 3: why I found, you know, the service for people like us. 42 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 3: It's called Vivos, and they've spent the last decade setting 43 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 3: up dozens of these subterranean shelters all over the world. 44 00:01:58,920 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: And here's the thing. 45 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 3: Most of these shelters aren't privately owned, so instead they're 46 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 3: actually part of a membership program where customers pay annual 47 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 3: dues in exchange for a guaranteed spot in the closest 48 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 3: vivos bunker and so that way, like if disaster strikes, 49 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 3: members can take shelter at a moment's notice. 50 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: I like it. So it's like a we work for doomsday. 51 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 3: I think that's their tagline exactly. And their website lists 52 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 3: out a bunch of scenarios this co living space might 53 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 3: be great for. So here are some of them, for 54 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 3: a magnetic pull shift, a super volcano, or even a 55 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 3: social meltdown. 56 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: Which sounds like they're advertising to like a very specific clientele, right, 57 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: like if you're living with Kanye West and need some 58 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 1: space from his social media all towns, this is perfect 59 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 1: for you. But it really does. 60 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 2: Sound expensive to Yeah, it is definitely pricey. 61 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 3: So a spot in an eighty person bunker will set 62 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 3: you back about thirty five thousand dollars and that's actually 63 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 3: way more than I would have even guessed on this. 64 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 3: But with the threat of super volcanoes, maybe this is 65 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 3: a good investment. I don't know, but all my research 66 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 3: made me wonder what other mysteries are hiding under our feet, 67 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 3: from hidden cities to weird creatures. There's this whole secret 68 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 3: world to explore down there. So strap on your headlamp 69 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 3: and let's dig in. Hey, their podcast listeners, welcome to 70 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 3: Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson and as always I'm 71 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 3: joined by my good friend Mangesh hot Ticketter. And on 72 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 3: the other side of his computer screen waving a pick 73 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 3: axe like he is ready for a gold rush. That's 74 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 3: our friend and producer Loell. I'm not sure if I'm 75 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 3: following this one exactly, but he's really waving it aggressively. 76 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: I do love how even in a quarantine, Lowell. 77 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: Comes through with the process. It's so good. 78 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 1: But you know, I do have a little housekeeping to 79 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: start this off. Since we started off the show again, 80 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: we've gotten really really nice notes. People have been leaving 81 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: reviews that are super kind and writing to our Instagram 82 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: and Facebook, and honestly it's really heartwarming. It makes me 83 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: so happy. So thank you so much for listening. I 84 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: also have an apology. I mentioned this previously, but one 85 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 1: of our readers, Charles wrote in this great correction about 86 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: the comic book character the Red Bee, and so I 87 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: sent him some honey in these cute little like bear bombs, 88 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: thinking it's on topic, and then it turns out he's 89 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: a beekeeper and the last thing he needs is honey. Yeah, 90 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: so I miscalculated on that front. I'm sorry, Charles. 91 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 3: I like the idea that he's just going to work 92 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:47,480 Speaker 3: his way into every episode. We're just going to take 93 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 3: turns thanking him and then apologizing and then thanking him. 94 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 2: So yeah, good way to go. 95 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 1: But I'd say the bigger thing is that last week 96 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 1: we announced the very first ever part time Genius Grant, 97 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,040 Speaker 1: and this is huge news because we've never done this 98 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: on the show before. We're going to give out six 99 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: dollars to the person who sends us the best ridiculous 100 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: invention they come up with. We've had a handful of suggestions, 101 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,039 Speaker 1: but I can't stress how prestigious this is. It's truly 102 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: an honor. So send us your inventions via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, wherever. 103 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: Just tag us in it and we'll look for it, 104 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: and then next week we'll announce who's won the big money. 105 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 2: It's a big one. 106 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 3: I'd actually forgotten that we committed to that six dollars, 107 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 3: so I need to need to focus this week. So 108 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 3: just so we're clear, parents aren't the only ones with 109 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 3: ridiculous invention ideas. Kids are welcome to you know, winning 110 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 3: a part time Genius grant is going to look so 111 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 3: great on your college applications. Get your parents' permission to 112 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 3: submit these, But we'd love to hear from you, so 113 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 3: send in your ideas. But all right, enough of that, 114 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,479 Speaker 3: it's time to get back to today's idea. This week we're 115 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 3: talking about great things hidden underground, and we are of 116 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 3: course joined by our favorite researcher, pal Gabeluesier. 117 00:05:58,480 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 2: Gabe, what do you have for us? 118 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 1: All right? 119 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 4: So when I think of weird things underground, one of 120 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 4: the first that comes to mind are cicadas. I actually 121 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 4: have some fond memories of these guys from when I 122 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 4: was a kid in southern Maryland. Which it's kind of 123 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,840 Speaker 4: strange because cicadas are you know, gross monster bugs, which 124 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 4: is not all that endearing. But the sound they make 125 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 4: is so distinct. It's this ominous kind of drone. It 126 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 4: almost sounds like something sizzling. 127 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: I feel like you have to do the sound game, 128 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: you guys, Okay, fuck me on the spot. I don't know, 129 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: it's like. 130 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 2: Nailed it. 131 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 1: They do much better than that. That's how stuff sizzles as. 132 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 4: I don't know anyway, Cicadas, you know, they were basically 133 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 4: the soundtrack of my summers growing up. But there was 134 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 4: one summer in particular, and this is where my fact 135 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 4: comes in where the cicada noise got cranked up to eleven. 136 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 4: And this was in the summer of ninety nine, which 137 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 4: is the year that the Brood five cicad came to town. 138 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 4: And I know brood five, It like makes them sound 139 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 4: pretty tough, like these are like like your gang of 140 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 4: cicadas or something. But basically they're a species of cicadas 141 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 4: known as periodical cicadas, and basically, instead of emerging every 142 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 4: summer to lay their eggs, these ones only come to 143 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 4: the surface once every seventeen years. So whenever that rolls around, 144 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 4: the regions where these guys live are flooded with swarms 145 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 4: of cicadas and they cause this enormous racket for a 146 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 4: month and a half. And during that time they lay 147 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 4: some eggs, molt some exoskeletons, and then they all die 148 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 4: and they're offspring burrowback underground for the next seventeen years. 149 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 3: I mean, that is an amazing life cycle when you 150 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 3: think about it, but it's also kind of confusing, like 151 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,239 Speaker 3: why stay underground for seventeen years instead of just one. 152 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 4: Yeah. Well, the short answer is we don't really know. 153 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 4: Like scientists think, maybe it's because it puts their life 154 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 4: cycle out of sync with predators, so you know, it 155 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 4: gives them a chance of survival. But that's just a guess. 156 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 4: All we know is that every seventeen years it gets 157 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 4: really really loud in the summer and millions of these 158 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 4: bugs all come out and party. 159 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: That sounds terrible, but I like that you started with 160 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: animals because I also wanted to talk about one, and 161 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: that's the star nosed mole. If you haven't seen one 162 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: of these, picture like a regular mole, but instead of 163 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: the usual snout, they have this like weird pink star 164 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: shaped dependent you're on the front. And when I used 165 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: to see this in like children's dictionaries, I always thought 166 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 1: it was a mistake. It kind of looked like almost 167 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 1: like when a cigar explodes in an old cartoon. 168 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it actually kind of looks like somebody forgot to 169 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 3: add a head to it and instead they just like 170 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 3: glued a squid to its face as a prank. Like 171 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 3: It's pretty disgusting but also kind of cool looking. 172 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, you kind of understand why they want 173 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:55,599 Speaker 1: to stay underground, and that star nose is actually really functional. 174 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: It contains one hundred thousand nerve fibers which help it 175 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: sense it's that's y And just for reference, that's five 176 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: times more touch sensors than we have in our entire hand. 177 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: And they're all crammed into this nose that's smaller than 178 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 1: like the tip of your pinky. So the mole makes 179 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: good use of them. It's basically blind, and it hunts 180 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: by bobbing that star up and down as it plows 181 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: through soil, so it's touching twelve different places all at once. 182 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: And the tactic is so effective that the star nosed 183 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: mole actually holds the record as the world's fastest eater. 184 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 1: It can actually find and devour an insect in a 185 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: quarter of a second. 186 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 3: That's pretty cool, all right. Well, since you two have 187 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 3: given underground wildlife it's due. I feel like I should 188 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 3: talk about the plant version of the Internet. So instead 189 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 3: of using wires and satellites to communicate, plants use fungal 190 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 3: threads called mycelia, and it's pretty crucial to their survival. 191 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 3: So take the phantom orchid for example. These plants actually 192 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:54,680 Speaker 3: lack chlorophyll which means they can't create their own energy 193 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,560 Speaker 3: through you know, photosynthesis, which we all remember from our 194 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 3: elementary school years, like other plants use. So to get 195 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 3: around this hang up, the orchid engages in a strange 196 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 3: three way partnership and involves an underground fungus and a 197 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 3: nearby tree species. Now it sounds a little kinkier than 198 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 3: it actually is, trust me on this one. But the 199 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:17,559 Speaker 3: roots of both the orchid and the tree are connected 200 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 3: to the miceilia beneath the soil, and it's through this 201 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 3: middleman that the tree is able to transfer carbon to 202 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 3: the orchid, which is of course what it needs. 203 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: That's pretty incredible, but it also sounds a little too altruistic. 204 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: What's in it for the trees to share its resources? 205 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 3: I mean share might not be the right word in 206 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 3: this case, and it's probably more accurate to say the 207 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 3: plant is stealing the tree's carbon. 208 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 2: But it's still pretty cool. 209 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: Fair enough. But I think you said plants actually communicate 210 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: through this net as well. 211 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, this is pretty interesting. So a good example is 212 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 3: there's this bean plant that sends out a chemical signal 213 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 3: whenever it's under attack by a fits and when this happens, 214 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:56,959 Speaker 3: other bean plants in the area will pick up the 215 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,439 Speaker 3: distress signal through the mycelia net. 216 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 2: Even though they aren't under. 217 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 3: Attack themselves, they'll actually activate their anti apid defenses. 218 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 2: This is so cool. 219 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 3: So the question is are the bean plants intentionally sending 220 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,959 Speaker 3: signals to warn their neighbors or are the neighboring plants 221 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 3: just sort of like eavesdropping to see if there are 222 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 3: aphids in the area. And technically the jury is still 223 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 3: out on this, but I do like the idea of 224 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 3: plants having each other's backs. 225 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 4: Ah me too, all right, Well, moving on from something 226 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:33,319 Speaker 4: potentially sweet to something decidedly not sweet, let me tell 227 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:36,839 Speaker 4: you a little about fat birds. I hate that you 228 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,680 Speaker 4: picked fat bergs as a topic there, so the time 229 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 4: has come though, because I thought at least a few 230 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:44,559 Speaker 4: of our listeners out there would get a kick out 231 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 4: of this, and maybe will too, we'll see. But fat 232 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,959 Speaker 4: birds are pretty much what they sound like. It's an iceberg, 233 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 4: but made out of fat instead of ice. And another 234 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 4: difference is that fat birds don't form in the open ocean. 235 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 4: They form underground, primarily in the pipe and sewers of cities. 236 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,199 Speaker 4: And that's because fat birds aren't made from just any fat. 237 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 4: They're made from the fats and oils that we wash 238 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 4: down our drains each day, so we're talking about everything 239 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 4: from cooking oil to hair grease to body wash. All 240 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 4: of that gunk eventually collects in the pipes beneath our 241 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 4: streets and it solidifies into a massive chunk of debris 242 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 4: aka a fat bird. 243 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:25,319 Speaker 2: Fat bird. 244 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 4: That would be you know, gross enough on its own, 245 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,199 Speaker 4: but the reality is even worse because everything we flush 246 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 4: down the toilet is also fair game for the fat birds. 247 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 2: It's just such a great word. 248 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 3: I just feel like we should all chant fat berg, 249 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 3: fat bird. 250 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 2: You were saying, fat bird. 251 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 4: I think, all right, anyway, that's right, because unfortunately it 252 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 4: means a lot of bathroom trash that we have no 253 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,559 Speaker 4: business flushing in the first place, like dental floss, wet 254 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 4: wipes and prophylactics. 255 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:00,040 Speaker 1: All of that. 256 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 4: Results in a big tangle that's really tough to deal with. 257 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 4: And if these fat bergs are left unchecked, they can 258 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 4: actually grow so large that one can clog an entire 259 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 4: sewer pipe, slowing water flow, causing widespread backups of sewage. 260 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 4: It's not pretty. And when it gets to that point, 261 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 4: there aren't a lot of ways to deal with this, 262 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 4: Like you either blast it with a power washer or 263 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,119 Speaker 4: you chip away at it with a pickaxe. 264 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 3: Yeah you hear that, loll it is your time to 265 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 3: shine with that pickax. 266 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: So I am curious, even though I'm grossed off with this, 267 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: how big can these get? Like I'm almost afraid. 268 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,839 Speaker 4: To ask, Yeah, they can get like disturbingly big. The 269 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 4: largest one to date was found beneath London back in 270 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 4: twenty seventeen, and it was over eight hundred and twenty 271 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 4: feet long and weighed more than one hundred and thirty tons. 272 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:51,959 Speaker 2: Oh wow, it's hard to wrap. 273 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 4: Your head around just how massive that is. But for reference, 274 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 4: that's nearly three times the height of the Statue of 275 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,959 Speaker 4: Liberty and a little over half the weight, so way 276 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 4: way too big for a sewer. And keep in mind 277 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 4: like New York City spends roughly five million per year 278 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 4: combating fat bergs, so even the smaller ones are a 279 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:11,559 Speaker 4: huge problem. 280 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 3: Now, I do feel like we should clarify because I 281 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 3: know we've been laughing a little bit about the name 282 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:18,439 Speaker 3: fat burg but I feel like we should go on 283 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 3: record and say that the PTG family here we are 284 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 3: firmly in the anti fat Burgs camp on like some 285 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 3: of those other podcasts out there, But listeners, please do 286 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 3: your part and don't feed the fat Burgs. All right, 287 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 3: we'll be back with more after a break. Welcome back 288 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 3: to Part Time Genius. We're talking about all the strange 289 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 3: stuff that you could but probably won't find underground. And 290 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 3: I think, Mango, I think you're up next. 291 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 2: What do you have? 292 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 1: We've talked about living underground, so let's talk about working 293 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 1: underg And there's a weird new opportunity in Sweden where 294 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: it doesn't even matter what you're doing down there. There's 295 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: this job available. It's a new position. The only requirement 296 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: is for the employee to clock in at the Korswagen 297 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 1: train station, which is currently under I guess it's under 298 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: construction beneath Gothenburg, Sweden. And really that's it. According to 299 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: the job description quote, the position holds no duties or 300 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 1: responsibilities besides the fact that the work should be carried 301 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: out at Korswagen. Whatever the employee chooses to do constitutes 302 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: the worst. 303 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 4: Seriously, like that sounds amazing. There's got to be a 304 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 4: catch there. 305 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 1: Right, There's actually no catch. It's a legit job offer. 306 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: It's complete with a competitive starting salary, annual wage, increases, 307 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: paid vacation, even a pension. And the best part is 308 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: you get to enjoy the job for the rest of 309 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: your life if you want it. The people behind the 310 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: project call it eternal employment. You might be wondering who's 311 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: behind the project. It's the work of these artists, Simon 312 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: Golden and Jacob Senabee. They partnered with the Swedish Transit 313 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: Authority and they raised about six hundred and fifty thousand 314 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 1: dollars for the project. So the idea is to grow 315 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: that initial sum through investments and use it to pay 316 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: one employee for as long as they choose to work there, 317 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: and if they ever want to retire or you know, 318 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: just not hang out underground this train station all day, 319 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 1: then they can simply leave and a new employee will 320 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: be chosen to take their place. It's a super strange idea, 321 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: but if it sounds like the job for you, then 322 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: there's good news because anyone in the world is free 323 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: to apply. The only hitches that you have to wait 324 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 1: a few years. The applications won't be accepted until twenty 325 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: twenty five, which is a few months before the station 326 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 1: is set to open. 327 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 3: I guess that gives people plenty of time to get 328 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 3: that resume ready. But all right, well, if people are 329 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 3: going to live underground and work underground, you are definitely 330 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 3: going to need a way to relax underground, something that 331 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 3: we don't often think about when we're thinking about constructing 332 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 3: these sorts of things. But if you're looking for inspiration, 333 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 3: you could always take a page from a group of 334 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 3: French cenophiles and host your own underground movie theater. So 335 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:00,080 Speaker 3: to give you some context, there are about two one 336 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 3: hundred miles of stone tunnels beneath the Moparness neighborhood in Paris. 337 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 4: Now. 338 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 3: Those tunnels are a product of the city's ancient stone quarries, 339 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 3: and they also serve as the final resting place for 340 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 3: more than six million Parisians. That's basically because they're catacombs, 341 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,160 Speaker 3: and even though they're not open to the public, people 342 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 3: have been frequenting these things. Now, back in two thousand 343 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 3: and four, the French police discovered a four hundred square 344 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 3: foot cavern. Now this is about sixty feet underground, and 345 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 3: it had been turned into this amphitheater, complete with a 346 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 3: full size movie screen, projection equipment and a wide selection 347 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 3: of films. There were even twenty or so seats carved 348 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 3: directly into the stone itself. 349 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 2: How cool is this? 350 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:45,920 Speaker 4: That is super cool. It's like a secret movie club. 351 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,880 Speaker 4: It's like, yeah, literal underground cinema. 352 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 2: That's right, that's right. 353 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 4: I mean, do you know, I'm really curious, like, do 354 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 4: you know what kind of stuff they were watching down there? 355 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 3: I couldn't find any exact titles, but the reports I 356 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 3: saw were that there were a bunch of like fifties 357 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:03,239 Speaker 3: noir movies and some recent thrillers. And the police did 358 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 3: say that none of the films were obscene or banned 359 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:08,360 Speaker 3: or anything like that, but that's not to say there 360 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 3: wasn't anything nefarious going on. According to this article in Gizmoto, 361 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 3: the police also found quote three thousand square feet of 362 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 3: subterranean galleries strung with lights, wired for phones, and live 363 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 3: with pirated electricity. The officers uncovered a bar, a lounge, 364 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 3: a workshop, and a dining corner complete with its own 365 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 3: couscous maker. 366 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 1: I feel like illegal couscous is the tastiest you. 367 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:37,199 Speaker 2: Know it as you know it is. 368 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 3: That was my favorite part actually, But the creepiest part 369 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 3: is that when the police came back three days later, 370 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 3: all the phone and electricity lines had been cut, and 371 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 3: there was a note on the floor that just said, 372 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 3: don't try to find us. 373 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 2: I mean, isn't that spooky? 374 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: Wow? 375 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 3: But that's where I thought the story would have ended. 376 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 3: But apparently, years later someone claimed credit for the Secrets Cinema. 377 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 3: The perpetrators turned out to be a group of urban 378 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 3: explorers who started mapping this underground network for fun, and 379 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 3: they liked it so much that once they were done 380 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 3: with the maps, they started looking for new ways to 381 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 3: spend time down there, so they built themselves a movie theater. 382 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 4: I mean, you gotta stay busy, you know. 383 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:18,639 Speaker 2: And it's true. 384 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:22,359 Speaker 4: Actually I have another fact here, another movie fact. Mine's 385 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 4: a little different though. It turns out the salt mines 386 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:28,360 Speaker 4: in Kansas are full of old movie reels. 387 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: Why is that? 388 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean it's mostly because it's such a stable 389 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 4: environment down there, like for storing the films. The temperature 390 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 4: stays right around forty five degrees and twenty five percent humidity. 391 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:43,360 Speaker 4: It's pretty much perfect. And obviously, you know, weather isn't 392 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 4: a factor down there either, because some of these facilities 393 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,680 Speaker 4: are more than six hundred feet below ground and That's 394 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 4: important because at warmer temperatures, celluloid film will actually start 395 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:57,840 Speaker 4: to rot. They call it vinegar syndrome, and it's because 396 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:01,760 Speaker 4: the decaying film gives off a really strong vinegar smell apparently. 397 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 3: So is it just old celluloid movies that's in these 398 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 3: vaults or do they store new films there too? 399 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a mix of both. Nowadays, there are tons 400 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 4: of the early celluloid classics like The Wizard of Oz 401 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 4: Gone with the Wind. Most of the Looney Tunes from 402 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:21,919 Speaker 4: the forties and fifties are down there too, which is 403 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 4: pretty cool. Later, though, movies shot on film are also there, 404 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 4: like the original Star Wars is down there. But it's 405 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:33,199 Speaker 4: not just films either. Studios also use the salt mines 406 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:38,439 Speaker 4: to store props and memorabilia, like George Clooney's batsuit is 407 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 4: a Batman costume. It's down there. 408 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 1: Oh way, I'd actually forgotten that he played Batman. 409 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think the studio probably wants to forget that too, 410 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 3: but I'm pretty sure that's why the suit is hidden 411 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 3: down there. But ye. All right, Well, my last fact 412 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:54,959 Speaker 3: of the day here. I thought i'd keep it simple 413 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 3: and tell you a little about the deepest hole that 414 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 3: has ever been dug. It's called the Super Deep Borehole, 415 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:03,879 Speaker 3: and it was drilled into the surface of the Cola 416 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 3: Peninsula in Russia during the nineteen seventies and eighties. So 417 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 3: after twenty years of drilling, the hole reached its maximum depth, 418 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 3: which is forty thousand, two hundred and thirty feet or 419 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 3: roughly seven and a half miles underground. 420 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: I mean that sounds insanely deep, but refresh my memory. 421 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:25,119 Speaker 1: How close to the center of the Earth is that? 422 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,679 Speaker 3: Oh, it's nowhere close to the center there there, but 423 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 3: it's still pretty cool. So the Earth's core is almost 424 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 3: four thousand miles below us, so seven and a half 425 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 3: miles is barely half the distance to the Earth's mantle. 426 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 3: But that's the deepest we've ever managed to get in 427 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 3: terms of true vertical depth. So that's the deepest hole 428 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 3: drilled by machine. But if you're looking for the deepest 429 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 3: hole ever dug by hand, that honor goes to the 430 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 3: Wooding Dean Well near Brighton in the United Kingdom. It's 431 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 3: one thy two hundred and eighty five feet deep, so 432 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 3: almost exactly as deep as the Empire State Building is tall. 433 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:05,919 Speaker 3: So this well was dug over a four year period 434 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 3: during the mid eighteen hundreds, and it was a long 435 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 3: way down just to get some water. 436 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: You know. Yeah, I really like all the New York references. 437 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: The Fatberg was as big as like three Statue of Liberties, 438 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 1: the fire State building here. But you know, I think 439 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna call this one and give it to Will 440 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 1: because I really like that plant Internet fact. I think 441 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 1: that one kind of blew me away. 442 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 4: Gave you cool with that, oh totally, plus the underground 443 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 4: movie theater. 444 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,399 Speaker 2: Will takes it. Yeah, I'll take it. I appreciate it. 445 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 3: I feel like I'm I think I'm two for two 446 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 3: now and it feels pretty good. I'm gonna be honest 447 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 3: with you guys. All right, Well that we'll do it 448 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 3: for today's Part Time Genius for Mango, Gabe Loll and myself. 449 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for listening, Stay inside and send 450 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 3: those bad invention ideas for that whopping six dollars. We'll 451 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 3: be back soon. 452 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 2: Part Time Genius is a production of iHeartRadio. 453 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:11,919 Speaker 3: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 454 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 3: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.