1659: "Overmodulating the Carrier"

1659: "Overmodulating the Carrier"

Author: JC May 21, 2026 Duration: 2:59
Interesting Things with JC #1659: "Overmodulating the Carrier" – WMEX engineers pushed AM modulation to the edge so the station sounded louder and denser than nearby signals, with audio processing that helped 1510 punch through static, car noise, fading, and crowded nighttime dial conditions.

You're about to hear stories that often slip through the cracks of mainstream conversation. Interesting Things with JC is a compact series where host JC digs into the past and present, finding connections and narratives that are frequently overlooked. Each episode feels like a focused exploration, whether it's a curious historical footnote, a fresh perspective on a current event, or a cultural phenomenon that deserves a closer look. The tone is conversational and inquisitive, driven by a genuine fascination with the subject matter rather than a dry lecture. This podcast sits comfortably at the intersection of history, culture, and society, making complex topics accessible without oversimplifying them. You'll find yourself reconsidering what you thought you knew, as JC guides you through these meticulously researched tales. It’s for anyone with a lingering curiosity about how the world works and where its many strange, compelling stories originate. The result is a consistently engaging listen that proves the most interesting things are often hidden in plain sight, just waiting for someone to point them out. Tune in for a thoughtful break from the noise, filled with substance and unexpected details.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Interesting Things with JC
Podcast Episodes
1655: "Particles Live Longer in Accelerators" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:39
Interesting Things with JC #1655: "Particles Live Longer in Accelerators" – A muon forms high above Earth and should decay before reaching the ground, but many survive the trip as their internal clocks slow near light sp…
1654: "Fusion Propulsion" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:54
Interesting Things with JC #1654: "Fusion Propulsion" – A spacecraft engine tries to push plasma at hundreds of kilometers per second while no normal material can touch the fuel. Fusion promises travel times chemical roc…
1653: "The Sugar Industry and the Scientists" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:32
Interesting Things with JC #1653: "The Sugar Industry and the Scientists" – Harvard researchers published papers that downplayed sugar’s possible link to heart disease while sugar industry funding stayed undisclosed, and…
1652: "Facebook’s Emotional Contagion Experiment" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:44
Interesting Things with JC #1652: "Facebook’s Emotional Contagion Experiment" – Facebook changed the News Feeds of nearly 690,000 users to test whether emotions could spread online without telling them first, and the use…
1651: "The NERVA Program" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:56
Interesting Things with JC #1651: "The NERVA Program" – A rocket engine fires in the Nevada desert without burning fuel the normal way, and a uranium reactor heats liquid hydrogen until it blasts through the nozzle; the…
1650: "Ion Drives" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:41
Interesting Things with JC #1650: "Ion Drives" – An engine produces less force than a postcard weighs, yet it keeps pushing a spacecraft across billions of miles of space; chemical rockets burn hard and stop quickly, whi…
1649: "Ernst Stuhlinger" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:41
Interesting Things with JC #1649: "Ernst Stuhlinger" – A NASA engineer answers a nun asking why Mars missions matter while people are starving on Earth, and the answer comes from a former V-2 rocket scientist whose later…
1648: "Why Are Manhole Covers Round?" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:27
Interesting Things with JC #1648: "Why Are Manhole Covers Round?" – A heavy cover sits over a city access hole, but its shape keeps it from dropping into the tunnel below; the same circle also spreads traffic force and l…
1647: "Fermilab" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:10
Interesting Things with JC #1647: "Fermilab" – Scientists send neutrinos through solid rock from Illinois to distant detectors without a tunnel, while bison graze above one of America’s major particle physics laboratorie…
1646: "Electrostatic Propulsion" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:40
Interesting Things with JC #1646: "Electrostatic Propulsion" – A fixed-wing aircraft flies with no propeller, no combustion, and no exhaust while electric fields push ionized air across its wings; the same thrust pattern…