Curiouser and Curiouser

Curiouser and Curiouser

Author: Festival of the Spoken Nerd May 3, 2022 Duration: 42:29

In a different kind of episode, our intrepid Detailers reveal three facts that they just could not believe the first time they heard them, but turned out to be true. The reproductive habits of barnacles, the unexpected mating call of the tawny owl and a freaky formula that draws a picture of itself all get the Unnecessary Detail treatment:

- Helen's bit (01:12)

- Matt's bit (16:08)

- Steve's bit (34:12)


SHOW NOTES: 

Unfortunately our show notes are too big for Acast's margins to contain... head to the episode page to see everything.


Corrections and clarifications:

- A few weeks after we recorded this episode, New York Times published an extremely detailed and well-researched article debunking the "Birds Released In Central Park By Shakespeare Fan" story. Read it here, with thanks to listener Joshua Miller for sending over this link. 


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Come for the Unnecessary Detail. Stay for the A Podcast Of. 



Thanks for listening!


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Ever find yourself falling down a rabbit hole of questions about the seemingly mundane? That’s the exact territory mapped out in A Podcast Of Unnecessary Detail. Each month, the trio from the live comedy phenomenon Festival of the Spoken Nerd-stand-up mathematician Matt Parker, experiment enthusiast Steve Mould, and musical geek Helen Arney-gathers to pick apart three unrelated stories with a gleeful, granular focus. They operate on the principle that the most fascinating layers are often hidden beneath the surface of ordinary things, and they have the comedic and explanatory chops to dig them up. This isn't a broad overview; it's a deep dive into the tangents and technicalities that most conversations gloss over, all delivered with the warmth and wit of friends who love to get sidetracked by a good fact. Listening to this podcast feels like being let in on a brilliant, meandering backstage conversation where laughter and genuine curiosity are equally important. You’ll hear the unexpected connections they draw, the playful debates, and the moments of genuine surprise as ordinary topics unravel into extraordinary tales of science, maths, and human ingenuity. It’s for anyone who’s ever wondered ‘why?’ and then immediately followed it up with ‘but how, exactly?’
Author: Language: English Episodes: 26

A Podcast Of Unnecessary Detail
Podcast Episodes
3.6 - Running Up That Hill [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:51
After a long and unexpected break, the podcast that keeps talking until stuff gets interesting returns with a new episode! This time, Steve tries to solve a long-running problem, Matt gets vexed about triangles and Helen…
3.5 - Twelve Pentagons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:23
Another episode of the podcast that fears no detail, where Matt talks balls, Steve talks fiery rings and Helen sings a tortoise into space.- Matt's bit (00:55) - pre-order "Love Triangle" here!- Steve's bit (19:30)- Hele…
3.4 - Keep Your Trousers on, Archimedes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:07
Back once again after a seasonal break, Series 3 continues with some Ingenuity from Steve, some DOOM from Matt, and a song about the man, the myth, the mathematician Archimedes from Helen:- Steve's bit (00:55)- Matt's bi…
3.3 - "You'll Log" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:46
Series 3 brings 2023 to a close with a festive special that reaches the parts that other festive specials don't reach... 3D programmable tree lights, the real reason people kiss under the mistletoe and a disappointingly…
3.2 - That’s Not What A UFO Looks Like [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:49
Against all odds, Series 3 continues with a complicated automotive engineer from Helen, a complicated visual processing system from Steve, and a complicated restaurant triangulation problem from Matt:- Helen's bit (00:55…
3.1 - For Your Local Definition Of "Down" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:18
In a surprise first episode of Series 3 (truly, no-one is more surprised than us to be popping up in your feed right now...) Steve tells the truth about the Prime Meridian, Helen brings a song from her new musical "Almos…
To Infinity And Beyond [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:52
In the final episode of this series, Steve gives faint stars the side-eye, Helen sings a relatively short song about relativity and Matt gives a standing ovation to the desktop calculator that rerouted a space probe. Up,…
Live And Kicking Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:22
Steve, Helen and Matt introduce the final installment of their live shows, performed at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre. With sets from astrophysicist and emo kid Jen Gupta, NATO alphabet innovator (in-NATO-vator) Ted Hill,…
Lock And Key [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:42
In this episode, Matt exposes false advertising in the Jigsaw Puzzle industry, Steve matches up what we know about the immune system, and Helen writes a new tune that fits an old song. If you like detail, have a listen.…
Live And Kicking Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:54
Matt, Helen and Steve introduce more favourite moments from their recent live shows, performed at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre. With comedian Rachel Wheeley talking about the Greenwich Time Signal, biochemical engineer Mi…