How People are Manipulating Prediction Markets with Prediction Market Researcher Dr. Joshua Mitts
Sometimes it’s inside information, sometimes it’s changing perceptions with huge amounts of cash, sometimes it’s holding a hair dryer to a w...
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Society & Culture
Profoundly Pointless
From Dominatrixes to Dinosaur Hunters, explore a different side of life.
Episodes
20 of 405 episodes
The Future of Prediction Markets with Prediction Market Researcher Dr. Koleman Strumpf
Right now Prediction Markets are exploding in popularity and controversy. Going from a niche hobby to a market with billions of dollars in t...
How Animals Get Cast in Movies with Hollywood Animal Agent Joel Norton
In Hollywood casting is everything. Movie Producers and Casting Agents have to find just the right person to make movies and TV shows come t...
Words You Just Don't Say with Language Taboo Linguist Professor Randall Eggert
In every language there are words you just don’t say. They can be about sex, religion, food or even your mother-in-law. In this episode of P...
The History and Meaning of Swear Words with Linguist Professor Randall Eggert
We all know what the big swear words are, but where did they come from, what do they really mean and what do they say about the things we ho...
Why We Cuss with Cuss Word Researcher Dr. Richard Stephens
Why do we cuss? And what happens when we do. Psychologist and Curse Word Researcher Dr. Richard Stephens has spent decades trying to answer...
How Languages Change with Research Linguist Daniel Hieber
Every word and every language has an origin story. What originally started out as a way to describe a specific type of tree, is now what we...
Finding Buried Treasure with Treasure Hunter Brent Brisben
Treasure Hunter Brent Brisben has found over $4.5 million dollars worth of buried treasure, now he's on the hunt for more. But what does it...
How Drone Shows are Made with Drone Show Designer Grant Reichardt
Designing and piloting a drone show is no easy task. It takes hundreds of hours of preparation to control thousands of drones that all need...
The Art and Science of Creating Fireworks Shows with Pyrotechnician Steve Yoss
The fireworks explode in an instant of blinding light and thunderous sound. But designing a fireworks show takes months of preparation and y...
The Songs of Summer with Summer Song Researcher Devon Powers
What makes the perfect song of the summer? Professor Devon Powers studies summer songs. She says every great summer songs usually has three...
I'm Attracted to Water with Aquaphiliac Raven Lynette
As an Aquaphiliac Raven Lynette loves the water. But this isn't about just swimming around. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explo...
The Universe's Oldest Stars with Stellar Archaeologist Dr. Anna Frebel
They were born more than 13 billion years ago but ancient stars are still shaping our Universe today. And without them, we wouldn’t be here....
The New Soccer Hooligans with Soccer Violence Researcher Dr. Linus Peitz
Sociologist Dr. Linuz Peitz studies the psychology that drives Soccer (Football) Hooligans. He says the rising tide of soccer violence is al...
Secrets of Sorority Rush with Rush Consultant Trisha Addicks
What does it take to get into the United States’ best sororities. And why would you want to. As the world’s first Rush Consultant, Trisha Ad...
The Business of the World Cup with Sports Economist Dr. Victor Matheson
The World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world. But the action on the pitch still pales in comparison to the business going on beh...
How to Tell if Someone is Lying with Lie Detection Researcher Vincent Denault
How can you tell if someone is lying? Criminology Professor and Lie Detection Researcher Vincent Denault says that while lies are complicate...
Celebrities and Cults with Celebrity Cult Expert Cassie Marie
From Tom Cruise and Jared Leto to Allison Mack and Gwyneth Paltrow, Celebrity Cult Expert Cassie Marie says celebrities have a long associat...
The Science and Meaning of Deja Vu
What is Deja Vu, where does it come from and why do we get it? Deja Vu researchers Dr. Christopher Moulin and Dr. Akira O'Connor have spent...
How the NFL Draft Really Works with NFL Scout Dan Hatman
An an NFL Scout, Dan Hatman's job is to predict the future. He's got to sort through hundreds of players and thousands of hours of games bec...