Text is king

Text is king

Author: Adam Mastroianni January 21, 2026 Duration: 19:20
Read on, queen Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/text-is-king All posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/ Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad. Experimental History just turned four, so here are last year’s most-viewed posts: The Decline of DevianceFace It: You’re a Crazy Person28 Slightly Rude Notes on WritingBag of Words, Have Mercy on UsNew Paradigm for Psychology Just Dropped

Ever wonder why we do things the way we do, or if there's a better way hiding in plain sight? That's the kind of question Adam Mastroianni chases down in Experimental History. This isn't a dry recounting of dates and battles. Instead, Adam digs into the strange, often hilarious experiments-both formal and accidental-that have shaped our world, our societies, and our own minds. You'll hear episodes that blend scientific curiosity with historical detective work, all delivered with a comedic touch that makes even the most obscure topic feel like a fascinating conversation with a clever friend. The goal here is simple but profound: to find what's actually true and figure out how it can be genuinely useful. New episodes of this podcast arrive every other Tuesday, offering a regular dose of perspective-shifting ideas. It’s a unique mix that lives up to its name, treating history not as a static record but as a series of ongoing trials and errors we can all learn from.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 69

Experimental History
Podcast Episodes
An invitation to a secret society [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:34
OR: why you should be a lizard Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/an-invitation-to-a-secret-society All posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/ Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.
The illusion of moral decline [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:22
The short version of a paper I published. Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-illusion-of-moral-decline All posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/ Music by Brandon Rosiar, photographs by my da…
I wanted to be a teacher but they made me a cop [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:42
The conundrum in every classroom. Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/i-wanted-to-be-a-teacher-but-they Every post: https://www.experimental-history.com/ Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.
Science is a strong link problem [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:09
OR: how to eat fewer asparagus beetles. Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/science-is-a-strong-link-problem All posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/ Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.
Brain training begins in the hips [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:50
A response to a reader's question. Original posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/brain-training-begins-in-the-hips All posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/ Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad.
You can't reach the brain through the ears [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:22
Why do we have to learn everything the hard way? Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/you-cant-reach-the-brain-through All posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/ Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by…
It's very weird to have a skull full of poison [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:54
A tale of ten strangenesses. Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/its-very-weird-to-have-a-skull-full All posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/ Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my dad
The radical idea that people aren't stupid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:30
The toilet spoke and I understood the truth. Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-radical-idea-that-people-arent All posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/ Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by my…
The dance of the naked emperors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:04
A followup to "The rise and fall of peer review" Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-dance-of-the-naked-emperors All posts: https://www.experimental-history.com/ Music by Brandon Rosiar, photos by m…
The rise and fall of peer review [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:16
Why the greatest scientific experiment in history failed, and why that's a good thing Original post: https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-rise-and-fall-of-peer-review All posts: https://www.experimental-history.com…