1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind from how Stuff 2 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: Works dot com. Hey, welcome to Stuff to Blow your Mind. 3 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: My name is Robert Lamb and Julie Douglas. You know, 4 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,760 Speaker 1: we hear a lot of wonderful feedback from you listeners, 5 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: and sadly we don't always have the time to h 6 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: to call the robot up to the desk and actually 7 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: go through any of it. Um in part because we're 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: increasingly busy with the with the stuff to la your 9 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: Mind thing, in part because of ice storms crippling the 10 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: city and what have you. But uh so, once again 11 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: we wanted to take an opportunity to devote one episode 12 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 1: it just uh conversing with you the listeners, uh, you 13 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: the readers, etcetera, and uh and and sharing some of 14 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: your thoughts on topics that we've we've recently touched on. Yeah, 15 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: so it's about high time that we got our house 16 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: in order, and we have a bevy of feedback that 17 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: we want to read because we think it's really interesting. 18 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: And uh, what should we check it off with. We 19 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: have a couple of themes. Oh well, I really like 20 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: this one on reincarnation. So let's call the robot over 21 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: and I'll read you what John had to say. John says, 22 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 1: I listened with interest to your recent thoughts on reincarnation 23 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: and I always struck with the thought that the idea 24 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: example of reincarnation with persisting memories of a past life 25 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: would be the Dali Lama. I think, uh, maybe to 26 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: be corrected, that when a Lama dies, the search for 27 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: the child who contains the spirit of leader begins and 28 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: there are tests to prove that they have found the 29 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: correct youth. I think these include tests check for signs 30 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: of a reincarnated spirit. Uh. Does anyone know of this? 31 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 1: And I'll take a break and say, yes, this is 32 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: actually the Dali Lama. Uh situation is a is a 33 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: really excellent example of of reincarnation worldview in effect. And 34 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: uh and and to the point where we really should 35 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: have mentioned it in the podcast because it's so strong. Um. Anyway, 36 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 1: John continues, Um, I don't know where I read this. 37 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: I also enjoyed your recent podcast about Stone Hinge, as 38 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: I have visited this in other monuments in England as 39 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: that is where I live. I prefer Avebury Circle as 40 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: it is large in diameter, if not in size of stones, 41 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,959 Speaker 1: and the different rings and ditches that even encompass the 42 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: village and their position in relation to other barrows and 43 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: earthworks locally, give a much more impressive vision than of 44 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: those who devised and built these monuments. At a bury, 45 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: you can get amongst the stones and walk the ditches, 46 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: allowing a more connected feeling with the whole area. These 47 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: monuments need to be seen topographically to really impress with 48 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: the relation to the land and what else it contains. 49 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: Simply looking at a picture only gives you a very 50 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 1: small part of what they are. Thanks for keeping my 51 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: truck driving night full of interesting thoughts. Look forward to 52 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: future shows. John. All right, Well, so that first part 53 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: about the Dalai Lama. I do remember seeing a film 54 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: in which I believe Kiana reeves start. Do you know 55 00:02:54,520 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: which one I'm from? New MATRIXI Lama? Uh No? In 56 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: it documented um the search for the Llama, and they 57 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: were giving him some of the test. Do you recall 58 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 1: any test? Third, administer, I I do not. I remember 59 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: seeing the documentaries, uh one document in particular about the 60 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: about looking for the Llama, looking for the chosen youth 61 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: that would would have the spirit of Vallama. But but 62 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: I don't recall the details of it. Offhand and in 63 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: terms of the Stonehenge information that John had given us, 64 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: which was really great. I wanted to read an email 65 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: from Diane who says I love the Stonehenge episodes because 66 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: they reminded me of a project I did when I 67 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: was in fourth grade. I had a great teacher who 68 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: did a Stonehenge project where we created stones out of 69 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: modeling clay and then had to transport them one by 70 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: one across the table by rolling them on pencils. Once 71 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: the stone was off the last pencil, it was moved 72 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: to the front and repeat across the table. There was 73 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: time consuming, but fun. It was a cool project to 74 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: show what sort of work went into cutting and transporting 75 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: the stones. Stuck with me for twenty years. What a 76 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: great project for for kids to do, I think. Um. 77 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: She says she's been a long time fan and she's 78 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: been meaning to write and suggest a future show, And 79 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: she said that she became involved with a nonprofit called 80 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: the Cancer Research Institute, and she said that cancer immunotherapy 81 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:18,839 Speaker 1: is a cool field of research and treatment for cancer 82 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: that uses the immune system to fight cancer and has 83 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: really started to take off in the last couple of years. 84 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 1: So she suggested that as an episode and that seems 85 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 1: like great fertile terrain for us, and I appreciate your 86 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 1: suggestion there, Diane. Yeah, yeah, we we could stand to 87 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: do a few more sort of health centric episodes in 88 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: the future. UM. Space is another area I want to 89 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: get back to. So if anyone out there has specific 90 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 1: requests for space related stuff to blow your mind content, uh, 91 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: do hit us up with those those suggestions, because sometimes 92 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: it's kind of difficult looking at at space, so looking 93 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 1: at health because I feel like we stuffed to bow 94 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: your mind. We we kind of have that caveat that 95 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,359 Speaker 1: it needs to it needs to really like shake you, 96 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 1: it needs to really awe you in some way a perform. 97 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 1: But so if you have any ideas that might lead 98 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: to a sober stone or moments did you with space, 99 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,600 Speaker 1: let us know. Yeah. Alright, here's another a bit of 100 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: listener mail, Thank you Robot. This one comes to us 101 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 1: from Tracy. Tracy says, I absolutely love your podcast. I 102 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: love your topics, but almost more than that, I love 103 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 1: your chemistry. You play off each other really well and 104 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: your interaction never slides into corny banter. I love your 105 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 1: inventive metaphors. Uh, the intensive research you do is evident 106 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: from your solid grasp of the information you present. You 107 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: rarely stumble in your knowledge. And to top it all off, 108 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 1: both have voices made for radio with no annoying vocal kicks. 109 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: You post nothing but fascinating articles on your Facebook page. 110 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,479 Speaker 1: You kick, But I just wanted you to know you 111 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: have a huge fan in Miami. If you ever find 112 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: yourself in South Florida, I hope Miami's Vice City Rollers, 113 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 1: the roller Derby team I volunteer with, is playing. I'll 114 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: give you comp tickets. Well, thank you, Tracy. Indeed, if 115 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 1: we're ever in the in in South Florida, we may 116 00:05:57,400 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: have to look you up. Indeed we will. And that 117 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 1: just minded me of the Roller Derby Microbiome episode we 118 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: did in which they looked at Rolling Derby teams and 119 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,600 Speaker 1: how they are swapping microbiomes and how interesting that is 120 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: and tracing that's really kind. Um. I do have to 121 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: say that I think that both of us have a 122 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: couple of malapropisms in which we butcher language, and that 123 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: is an episode which will be forthcoming at some point, 124 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: because it's really interesting about how your brain that listens 125 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,359 Speaker 1: in your brain that is anticipating speech. They have to 126 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: work in tandem, and a lot of these malapropisms um 127 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: result from that sort of little disconnects that happened when 128 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 1: they're trying to do this bifurcated action. Yeah, and I 129 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: think I've said before I feel like I have very 130 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: much have a writer reader brain and uh and therefore 131 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: when I'm speaking, I often fall into various traps. I 132 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: guess I've gotten better at it over the years, but 133 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: still not all the traps have been marked and and eliminated. Alright. 134 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 1: The next one comes from Richard, and he says, I 135 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: love stuff to play your mind. I listen while working 136 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: out at the gym, and as a high school science teacher, 137 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: I enjoy bringing the program into my classroom. Good job, 138 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: and thank you. I fear you may be incorrect on hibernation. Uh, 139 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: I belause there's an episode of republished episode in January 140 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: that he's referring to. He says, let me do this 141 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: in two parts. Your recent discussion of hibernation violates a 142 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 1: basic principle of physics and engineering, the law of squares 143 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:25,679 Speaker 1: and cubes, less formally, the relationship of surface area to volume. 144 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,239 Speaker 1: This universal principle deserves a separate treatment on your program, 145 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 1: and to make it less technical in more podcast friendly, 146 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 1: I bring to your attention that virtually all monster movies 147 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 1: get it wrong. For a summary of why, read the 148 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: great biologist JB. S. Haldane's essay on being the right size. 149 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: The law of squares and cubes can explain numerous physical 150 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: and biological phenomena. This brings us to point to While 151 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: it is true that ground squirrels can reduce their core 152 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 1: temperature sufficiently to go into a state of suspended animation, 153 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: larger animals like bears may lower their set points slightly, 154 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: but cannot radate enough body heat to get a truly 155 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: suspended state. They're easily aroused even during winter rest, although 156 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: I do not suggest you try the experiment for rather 157 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: obvious reasons. By the way, you can extend this analysis 158 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 1: to demonstrate that large dinosaurs probably approached warm bloodedness even 159 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: without internal constancy. If you want to get summary on 160 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: the issue and it's specific relations hybernation, there's a helpful 161 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: lecture by Steven Stearns from his Yale course on evolution 162 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: in Ecology. So I just want to say thank you 163 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:30,679 Speaker 1: Richard so much. UM. I do think that that probably 164 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,959 Speaker 1: deserves its own upcoming episode, because we'd like to get 165 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: into this topic a lot. Hibernation, suspended animation, What we 166 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: can learn from hibernation, how we could apply it to humans, 167 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:47,319 Speaker 1: either through emergency situations or even through space travel. Now, 168 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: I know that we have discussed the morphological limits of 169 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: gigantism before, particularly in terms of of say, Godzilla and 170 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,680 Speaker 1: King Kom, Barbie and Barbie. Yes, that was a separate, 171 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 1: separate episode, but but we have touched on those topics before. 172 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: All right, we can take a quick breaking when we 173 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: come back, more listener mail on a number of fascinating topics. Alright, 174 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: we're back. Let's take some more feedback and then get 175 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 1: into it. All right, This one comes to us from Valerie. 176 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: Valerie says, I just finished up your episode on Night Janitors. 177 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: It made me feel much less lame for needing nine 178 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: hours of sleep to feel good. Now, I have always 179 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 1: fallen asleep anywhere if I am tired, in loud rooms, 180 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 1: standing up in a boat, and other odd of places. 181 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,959 Speaker 1: Whenever I do anything that would loosen my inhibitions, like drink, 182 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 1: all I want to do is take a nap. Turns 183 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 1: out most of my inhibitions are how inappropriate it is 184 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: to sleep all the time. From now on, I am 185 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: going to imagine I have very demanding night janitors and 186 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: we are waiting at the doors, being like, can you 187 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:49,679 Speaker 1: hurry up? And there we have a job to do, 188 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 1: ready to take advantage of my weakened state to start 189 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 1: work early. Also, I was wondering if there is anything 190 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: to this idea of animals getting a taste for humans. 191 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 1: I feel like I hear that all the time. I 192 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: wonder if it is like when I finally have a 193 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: chance to try something and it's especially tasty, like when 194 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: I got a taste for star fruit. I also think 195 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: about one group of orcas it was on a documentary 196 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 1: I watched that were really into sea urchins, even though 197 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: they're much harder to eat and harder to get than 198 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: other food. Could we be a delicacy of the animal world. 199 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: I thought it might be interesting to hear a podcast 200 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,199 Speaker 1: on animals becoming man eaters after getting that first taste. 201 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: Warm regards Valerie in Austin, Texas, PS, you guys are great. 202 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 1: Well now I want to do an episode on man eaters. 203 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: That sounds perfect Well, you know, I thought this is 204 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: so timely because the other night, my daughter asked, she 205 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: gets to ask one question before she goes to bed, 206 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 1: and that's her way to She's always trying to distract 207 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: us from actually getting her to sleep. So that's the 208 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: way that we try to manage that. And so her 209 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: question was to do alligators to eat people? And so 210 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: my answer was because I tried to be as as 211 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: honest as possible without like going into some weird territory, 212 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 1: and I said, well, no they don't, but I'm sure 213 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: it has had been by accident. And then that was 214 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 1: so I shouldn't have even said that, because then she 215 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:09,560 Speaker 1: was like, when who what happened? And I thought, oh, man, 216 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: that's it's true. It's it has happened by accident and 217 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: sometimes um, people have been in the wrong place at 218 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: the wrong time. And she went on to ask like, 219 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:24,199 Speaker 1: do you think the alligators like the taste of humans? Well, 220 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 1: there you go. I think we'll definitely have to do 221 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 1: an episode on that. And I also have to say 222 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 1: that we were dangerously close to talking about cannibalism. I 223 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 1: just felt it. I felt like, the next question is 224 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,839 Speaker 1: going to be the keetmans eat other humans. So you're 225 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: just completely low on energy right at that time. That's 226 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: when she starts throwing out questions about cannibalism and yeah, 227 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: what why do people kill each other? Why do people 228 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: don't I mean this? Yeah, she throws out the heavy stuff. 229 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: We have another email here from Kevin and he's talking 230 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: about the Night Janitors, which is again this episode that 231 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 1: dealt with this idea of all these toxic by products 232 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 1: that our brains make and how do we usher them 233 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,319 Speaker 1: out of our system? Um. That has long been a mystery, 234 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: but we have new information that this happens when we sleep, 235 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: and only when we sleep. Um. Kevin says, I have 236 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,839 Speaker 1: an interesting study I conducted last semester on my own. 237 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:16,439 Speaker 1: I was nineteen at the time. I read about polyphasic sleeping, 238 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: where you can reduce average sleep to minimal hours, sometimes 239 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: to a day. I try to and reduce my average 240 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: from about eight hours to five hours. For thirty consecutive days, 241 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:27,839 Speaker 1: I would do three and a half hours at night 242 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:31,079 Speaker 1: and three equally spaced naps during the day. During this time, 243 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 1: I had lucid dreams the first time, which I still 244 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: seldom have to this day, and had felt a new 245 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: feeling of euphorium. Midway through. I found it was very well, possible, 246 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: but I stopped with my neighbor, who participated in twelve 247 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:47,599 Speaker 1: actual sleep studies, said I was adapting to become and insomniac. 248 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: This leads me to question whether we can adapt to 249 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,319 Speaker 1: a large amount of waste in our brains, or does 250 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 1: maybe the night janitor become more efficient. Good question. Also, 251 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: thank you for your exciting and inform national discussions. They 252 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,560 Speaker 1: have changed my intellectual life for the better. Thank you, Kevin. 253 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: All right, well here's another little bit on sleep. This 254 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: one comes to us from Ann and says Dear Julian Robert. 255 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:10,559 Speaker 1: During college, I had a lot of trouble with insomnia. 256 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 1: I was prescribed ambien my senior year. I made the 257 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 1: mistake multiple times of taking it but not immediately lying 258 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:18,719 Speaker 1: down and going to bed, which is recommended. This led 259 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 1: to some interesting Internet comments. The biggest problem I had 260 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:26,079 Speaker 1: was sleep cooking. I didn't just sleep eat whatever snacks 261 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,079 Speaker 1: were in my apartment. I somehow felt they need to 262 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: make ramen noodles or spaghettios, or on one scary occasion, 263 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:33,839 Speaker 1: to cook a full meal of pasta. I boiled a 264 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: pot of water, cooked the noodles, cooked, the sauce, drained, 265 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,959 Speaker 1: the pasta, poured the pasta and sauce onto a plate, 266 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: covered them with parmesan cheese, ate the whole plate of food, 267 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 1: and then and then left the empty plate on the 268 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: floor upy my bed. I woke up next morning boggled 269 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 1: by the plate. I am relieved to say I never 270 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: left the stove hunt. I quit taking Ambien and several 271 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: years later quit drinking entirely. Sobriety has had a huge 272 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 1: impact on my sleep quality and worked much better than 273 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: ambient for me. I learned that while alcohol can make 274 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: you fall asleep pass out, the sleep you get isn't 275 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: RESTful or restorative sleep or reduces rim sleep. But people 276 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 1: often think they're sleeping better because they fall asleep sooner. 277 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: All my best and thanks, and yeah, I have to 278 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: second that since I quit drinking year and a half 279 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: nearing two years ago, I will say that my sleep 280 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: has been so much better and now I'm hungry for it. 281 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: Played a spaghetti. Yeah, it's uh We mentioned uh am 282 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: bien before, and it's the effects it sometimes has on people. 283 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: I do want to want to go ahead and throw 284 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 1: out though that if you know, let let your doctor, 285 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: your trusted doctor, advise you on what you should and 286 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 1: shouldn't take and use that as your sort of call 287 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: point rather than, you know, any kind of horror stories 288 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: you've heard about one medication or another. Well, yeah, because 289 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: some things can affect another person in entirely different ways. 290 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 1: So yeah, because I've encountered people before who desperately needed 291 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: some help sleeping, at least for like a small portion 292 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: of their time. And uh, and they were scared to 293 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: even try some thing because they'd heard somebody knew somebody 294 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: who had heard about somebody who you know, ate a 295 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: bunch of cigarettes while on ambient or something. Yeah. Well, 296 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: and if you've ever suffered from insomnia and you know 297 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 1: that point in the night where are like, man, I 298 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: wish someone would just hit me over the head with 299 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: a pan and knock me out, you know that that's 300 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: when you're in a desperate place and you need some help. Yeah, 301 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: So anyway, thanks for sharing that with the sand all right. 302 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 1: The next one has to do with leeches. We recently 303 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: did a podcast episode about leeches and how they've sort 304 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: of redeemed themselves in the medical community. And this is 305 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: from Ashley. She says, I recently listened to the podcast 306 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: about leeches. I thought you might be interested in my 307 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: experience with them. I'm a veterinary technician at a large 308 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: specialty veterinary practice and we currently have a small colony 309 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: of leeches that are being used to treat a couple 310 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 1: of feline patients. These two kitties have a condition called 311 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 1: polyspthemia vera, in which their bodies make too many red 312 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: blood cells. This results in very thick, sludgy blood that 313 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: can lead to seizures, a taxia, blindness, and other neurological symptoms. 314 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 1: There are men occasions that decreased red blood cell production, 315 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: but the side effects aren't good. One other treatment is 316 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: blood letting every week, but one of these cats is 317 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: not very friendly, which makes drawing a large amount of 318 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: blood from her very difficult and stressful for her and 319 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: imagine others. Um There's only one study and one cat 320 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: that leeches have been used on for this condition, but 321 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 1: our doctors decided to give it a try. The cat 322 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: can sit in the owner's lap and have leeches feed 323 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: for about thirty minutes, can go home. Both cats have 324 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: had multiple treatments, are and are doing very well. So 325 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: it looks like our leech experiment is a success. Thank you. 326 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: For reading. Ashley ps. We keep our leeches and fish 327 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: bowls on a shelf. We learned the hard way that 328 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: the bowls need to be covered more than once leeches 329 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 1: rained down on the person using the computer below the 330 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: shelf they were housed on. That's a little bit nightmaric. 331 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: Just to create a new word. Alright, I'm just gonna 332 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: wind up here with two quick ones. This one comes 333 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: to us from Annie in New Orleans. Any He shares 334 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:05,120 Speaker 1: of her experiences with dentist dread and dental anxiety, which 335 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: we talked about in an episode. But then she closes 336 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: out and says, I listened to a lot of house 337 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 1: Stoworks podcasts, and I love them all for different reasons, 338 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 1: but I've almost started thinking of yours. This my mental 339 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 1: health cast. I developed some slightly debilitating anxiety and depression 340 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 1: problems this last year. For example, my fracture teeth were 341 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 1: very likely caused by clenching my teeth in my sleep. 342 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: After my crowns are in my dentist is going to 343 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: make a mouth guard to sleep with. Because if your 344 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 1: many informative episodes surrounding anxiety, I've decided to seek out 345 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: professional help. In addition to trying things like meditation to 346 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: quiet the constant screeching of my default mode network. I'm 347 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: feeling more hopeful for my future happiness than I have 348 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,400 Speaker 1: in as long as I can remember. You guys are great. Well, 349 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 1: that's that's very good to hear. For First, I want 350 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 1: to say mouth guard. I myself were a mouth guard 351 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: when I sleep every night, and it's made a lot 352 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 1: of difference for me. So UM, definitely stick with that 353 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 1: as much as you'll want to spit it out at times. 354 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 1: Uh and uh and and kudos for seeking, you know, 355 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 1: professional help to help balance things out. I think that's 356 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: you know, that's often the bravest uh and at times 357 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,199 Speaker 1: the hardest thing you have to do for yourself is 358 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:11,920 Speaker 1: is saying, yes, I'm gonna actually see somebody about this. Indeed, 359 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,680 Speaker 1: and you know, I've said this several times, but the 360 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: episodes that we've covered the topics, a lot of times 361 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,399 Speaker 1: I find myself turning to some of the things that 362 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 1: that do help. UM. And that was interesting that she 363 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 1: brought up the default mode network, because I really think 364 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,880 Speaker 1: that that is sometimes the problem with with a lot 365 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 1: of what ails me is just kind of quiet that 366 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: part of the mind and there's so many different ways 367 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: to get to that point. Indeed, indeed, all right, here's 368 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 1: the last one here. This one comes to it from 369 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:42,879 Speaker 1: Ashley actually says, Hi, Robert and Julie, I'm listening to 370 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 1: some of your older podcast via iTunes and came across 371 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,959 Speaker 1: Lucid Dreams. During the cast, you mentioned some sences not 372 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: being activated during dreams, and the food isn't usually a 373 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 1: part of lucid dreams because the taste isn't active. Well, 374 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 1: I had a very unusual dream of law back where 375 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 1: I was an intergalactic social mixer. I had a conversation 376 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: at the bar with a green, jellowish male and drank 377 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: the most perfect glass of pineapple juice. I've also had 378 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:06,880 Speaker 1: a recurring dream where I am at a family reunion 379 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: type gathering with my children. At some point I fall 380 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 1: out of favor with my family and they want to 381 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 1: have me committed and take out custody on my children. 382 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: At this point, I take flight like a bird, not superman. 383 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:19,960 Speaker 1: Think of the We Fit chicken game where you flap 384 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 1: your arms to fly. I've been having this dream on 385 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:25,640 Speaker 1: and off since two thousand two, prior to We Fit, 386 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 1: so I don't know why or where this dream came from. Okay, 387 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: well that's it. Thanks for keeping me company while I work, 388 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:33,919 Speaker 1: study and take mom breaks. I put myself in a 389 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: time out. I love you much, Ashley. Oh, thank you 390 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: very much, Ashley. I really would like to have a 391 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 1: lucid dream about food now, Yes, I as well, because 392 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,399 Speaker 1: I don't think I can remember an instance where I 393 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 1: had like a very taste uh centric dream. Yeah, and 394 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: just to be able to experience that in a lucid 395 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: way might be pretty amazing. I don't know. I'm gonna 396 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: put me to like some sort of sprig of basil 397 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: in my mouth before I get a sleep, yeah it, 398 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: or you know, or have someone else like stick basil 399 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: in your mouth on your sleep to trigger it. That 400 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: would be perfectly normal. Yeah. All right, So there you go. 401 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 1: We've managed to catch up a little bit on our 402 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: listener mail. You guys and gals are always sharing such 403 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: wonderful thoughts with us about the topics that we cover. 404 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 1: You have wonderful suggestions for future episodes, and we just 405 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 1: wanted to again take take time once more. You just 406 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:25,439 Speaker 1: go through some of these listener mail catch up, and 407 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,000 Speaker 1: then start brush to some new episodes. The next week. 408 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: All right, So you want to get in touch with us, 409 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: you want to get in on this, well, you can 410 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 1: find us in a number of places. Stuff to Blow 411 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 1: Your Mind dot Com is our main homepage, and that's 412 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: where you'll find blog posts, videos, all the podcast links 413 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:42,880 Speaker 1: out to our various social media accounts. Now our Facebook page. 414 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 1: If you just look on faceboobook for Stuff to Blow 415 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: your Mind, that's where we are. We're pretty strong following there, 416 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: and a lot of people get in touch with us 417 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: via Facebook and we do read those messages, so bear 418 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: that in mind. And then there's always an old fashioned 419 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: way you can get in touch with us as well. 420 00:20:57,119 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: But before I tell you about that old fashioned way, 421 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 1: I want to tell about YouTube, in particular Mind Stuff Show. 422 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 1: If you go there, you will find videos that Robert 423 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: and I have toiled away on. In fact, I probably 424 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: have the most jacked up Marilyn Monroe wig that has 425 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: ever existed in one of those videos, and you can 426 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 1: check that out at My Stuff Show at YouTube. In 427 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 1: the meantime, you can send us an email at Blow 428 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:25,679 Speaker 1: the Mind at Discovery dot com for more on this 429 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: and thousands of other topics. Doesn't how Stuff Works dot 430 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: Com