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PODCAST

Smartest Year Ever

Welcome to the Smartest Year Ever! This is your daily podcast for quick, funny, fascinating insights that you can use or share all year long. From history and science to quirky word origins and beyond, no topic is off-limits. Each episode is casual, short—most under 5 minutes—making it the perfect way to start your day or grab a quick dose of knowledge anytime. Tune in for bite-sized brilliance, and let’s make 2025 the Smartest Year Ever!

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All Episodes

00:04:57

The Erdapfel: The Last Globe Without America |...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/12

What did the world look like before the Americas appeared on any map? In 1492, Martin Behaim unveiled the Erdapfel, the oldest surviving globe in existence. This hand-painted sphere was a Renaissance masterpiece—and yet, it’s hilariously wrong. Based on Marco Polo’s exaggerations, Ptolemaic geography, and medieval sailor legends, the Erdapfel shows a world with no Americas, an oversized Japan, and oceans dotted with phantom islands.This video explores why the Erdapfel matters, how it reflected

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00:04:31

Operation Red Dog: The Neo-Nazi Coup You’ve Never...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/11

In 1981, a bizarre coup plot unfolded that blended neo-Nazis, mercenaries, and a deposed Caribbean prime minister into one of the most farcical operations in modern history. Known as Operation Red Dog, this failed attempt to seize control of the island of Dominica became infamous as the so-called “Bayou of Pigs.”In this episode, Gordy explores how a group of extremists loaded up weapons, ammo, and propaganda in Louisiana, only to be stopped by federal agents before they even left the dock. It’s a

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00:04:24

The Cadaver Synod: When a Dead Pope Stood Trial |...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/10

In 897 AD, Rome staged one of the most grotesque and unforgettable trials in history. The defendant wasn’t alive—he was already buried. Months after his death, Pope Formosus was dug up, dressed in papal robes, and placed in a courtroom chair to face charges in what became known as the Cadaver Synod.In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy unpacks the twisted mix of medieval politics, papal power struggles, and dark spectacle that turned a corpse into the star witness of his own trial. From the

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00:04:04

The Four Pests Campaign: How Killing Sparrows...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/09

In 1958, Mao Zedong launched the Four Pests Campaign as part of the Great Leap Forward, a nationwide effort to eliminate rats, flies, mosquitoes, and sparrows. The goal was to protect crops and public health. Instead, it spiraled into one of the greatest ecological disasters in modern history.Gordy takes you inside this story of pots, pans, and sparrows falling from the sky, showing how a war against nature turned into an unintended famine-inducing catastrophe. Learn how sparrow extermination caused

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00:05:11

The Great Stink of 1858: When London Reeked |...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/08

The Great Stink of 1858 was more than just a bad smell—it was one of the most pivotal turning points in Victorian history. In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy uncovers how the Thames turned toxic, why Parliament nearly shut down, and how this crisis gave rise to one of the greatest feats of 19th-century engineering: Joseph Bazalgette’s modern London sewer system.From the Industrial Revolution’s overflowing streets to the scorching summer that “cooked” the river, this story blends public

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00:04:17

The Ghost Army: WWII’s Secret Deception Unit |...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/07

In 1944, a secret U.S. Army unit carried inflatable tanks, blasted fake soundscapes, and staged phantom divisions across Europe. Known as the Ghost Army, this group of artists, designers, and engineers turned creativity into one of the most unusual weapons of World War II.Gordy takes you through how these master illusionists used camouflage, sound effects, and radio trickery to deceive the Nazis—and how their daring deceptions saved thousands of lives. The story stayed classified for decades and

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00:05:51

George Washington’s Teeth: Myth vs. Reality |...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/06

George Washington’s teeth are legendary—but not for the reasons most people think. For centuries, kids have been taught that America’s first president had wooden teeth, but that’s one of history’s most stubborn myths. The reality is stranger, more unsettling, and far more revealing about life in the 18th century.In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy digs into the myth vs. reality of Washington’s dental struggles. From ivory dentures carved from hippopotamus and cow teeth to spring-loaded

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00:06:03

When Did Generations Start Getting Names? | Smartest...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/05

Today, Gordy explores the surprising history of generational names—from the Lost Generation to Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Why did we start labeling entire age groups with catchy titles? And who decided which names stuck?This episode traces the evolution of generation branding, from sociological theory in the 19th century to cultural touchstones like Hemingway, Tom Brokaw, and Douglas Coupland. You’ll learn how terms like Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha took

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00:04:40

Is Superhuman Strength in Emergencies Real or Just a...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/04

Is superhuman strength in emergencies real—or just a myth?Gordy explores the phenomenon known as hysterical strength, those jaw-dropping moments when people seem to summon superhuman power in a crisis. From stories of mothers lifting cars to scientific insights into adrenaline, motor unit recruitment, and pain suppression, this episode dives into the fascinating mix of physiology, myth, and legend.Why do so many reports involve cars—often Chevys—and are these feats truly possible, or just

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00:05:20

What Is the Ugliest Color in the World? | Smartest...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/03

What is the ugliest color in the world? On this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy digs into the strange story of Pantone 448C, a muddy greenish-brown shade that became the unlikely star of a worldwide public health campaign.This episode explores:How color psychology influences perception and behaviorWhy Pantone 448C was chosen in cigarette packaging regulationsThe role of design, branding, and public health in shaping human habitsHow culture, history, and even evolutionary instincts affect our

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00:04:42

Why Countries Have Different Names in English |...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/10/02

Why do we say Germany in English when locals call it Deutschland? Why is Japan “Japan” to us but Nihon in Japanese? And why does Greece go by “Hellas” inside its own borders?In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy dives into the fascinating world of exonyms and endonyms—the outsider names and insider names that reveal the tangled history of languages, empires, and trade routes. From Roman labels like Germania, to Portuguese traders shaping “Japan”, to why Ivory Coast officially asked the world

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00:06:08

How Big Is Olympus Mons, the Solar System’s Tallest...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/09/30

Olympus Mons is the tallest mountain in the solar system—a Martian giant that makes Mount Everest look like a speed bump. Gordy breaks down just how massive this shield volcano is, why Mars can grow mountains on a scale Earth can’t touch, and how humans first discovered it.From comparisons with Mauna Kea and Everest, to the role of weak gravity and the lack of plate tectonics, this episode unpacks why Olympus Mons holds the crown. You’ll also hear about the enormous caldera, cliffs taller than

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00:04:57

How Many Poppy Seeds Will Make You Fail a Drug Test?...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/09/29

How many poppy seeds does it take to make a drug test go positive? Gordy digs into the strange overlap between breakfast bagels, opium poppies, and the science of urine testing thresholds.This episode of Smartest Year Ever explores how Papaver somniferum (the opium poppy) ended up blurring the line between a harmless poppy-seed muffin and a failed drug screening. From the Sumerians calling it the “joy plant,” to modern federal workplace drug testing standards, to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s poppy

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00:05:03

Do Animals Have Accents? | Smartest Year Ever (Sept...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/09/28

Do animals have accents? Gordy dives into the fascinating world of animal communication—from whales with regional songs, to bird dialects, to cows rumored to moo with local twangs. This episode explores how creatures from orcas to sparrows to goats develop unique sounds depending on geography, culture, and social learning.What starts as a simple question—do animals have accents like humans?—opens up into a wild exploration of dialects in the natural world, the science of vocal learning, and how

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00:06:24

Animals on Trial: Pigs in Pants and Rats with Lawyers...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/09/27

Animals once stood trial in real courts. From pigs in pants to rats with lawyers, the medieval justice system went to bizarre lengths to prosecute creatures for crimes. Gordy explores the strangest animal trials in history, where the line between justice, religion, and superstition completely blurred.You’ll hear about a pig executed in France, rats defended in court, insects excommunicated by the church, and even a rooster burned for witchcraft. These weren’t symbolic punishments—they were full

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00:06:21

Benjamin the Tasmanian Tiger and the Tragedy of...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/09/26

Benjamin the Tasmanian Tiger is one of the most haunting symbols of extinction. This episode of Smartest Year Ever dives into the tragic story of the last thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger, and the powerful concept of an endling—the final surviving member of a species.Gordy explores how Benjamin’s lonely fate in Hobart Zoo became a global reminder of the irreversible cost of extinction. Along the way, he unpacks the meaning of “endling” and revisits other unforgettable examples: Martha

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00:05:25

The Greasefish: Colombia’s Lost Torch Fish | Smartest...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/09/25

The Greasefish of Lake Tota—a strange Colombian catfish so packed with fat it could be lit like a torch. Gordy dives into the bizarre story of Rhizosomichthys totae, an enigmatic species once found in Colombia’s largest lake. Was it truly driven extinct by invasive rainbow trout, or could it still be hiding in the depths today?This episode of Smartest Year Ever blends science, history, and curiosity to reveal how a fish unlike any other captured the imagination of locals and scientists alike. Along

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00:05:36

Animal Xing Signs: When Do They Put Them Up? |...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/09/24

Why do some roads have deer crossing signs, while others get full-on wildlife bridges? In this episode, Gordy explores the strange, data-driven world of animal crossing signs—from the famous Christmas Island crab migration (where officials built actual crab bridges and underpasses) to moose crossings in North America, toad fences in Germany, and even squirrel skybridges in Washington State.Transportation departments don’t just guess where to put signs—they track wildlife-vehicle collisions,

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00:04:56

Pygmy Mammoths & Giant Mice: Island Syndrome |...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/09/23

On today’s Smartest Year Ever, Gordy dives into the strange world of island evolution. Why do elephants become pygmy mammoths on the Channel Islands, while small creatures like rodents balloon into giants? Biologists call this phenomenon the island syndrome—also known as the island rule or Foster’s rule. It explains how insular dwarfism shrinks massive animals like mammoths and hippos, while insular gigantism super-sizes tortoises, Komodo dragons, and even pigeons into the now-extinct dodo.This

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00:04:47

The Longest Bird Flight Ever | Smartest Year Ever...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/09/22

How far can a bird really fly without stopping? In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy explores one of the most extreme endurance records in the animal kingdom. It’s part of Animal Week, and today’s subject, the bar-tailed godwit looks ordinary on the beach—but in the air, it achieves something that pushes the limits of biology, navigation, and survival.From reconfiguring its body before migration, to navigating oceans with invisible cues, this is a story that blends evolutionary science,

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305 results

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