Horny Bugs, Women are Stronger Than Men, Evil Monkey Backpack Trends

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

Popular Science

Science, Education, Society & Culture

4.6 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 18 June 2025

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Casey Johnston joins the show this week to talk about how women are truly and actually stronger than men (all of which she details in her new book!). Plus, Laura talks about promiscuous fruit flies, and Rachel talks about capuchin monkey's version of a Labubu. Get Casey's book here! https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/casey-johnston/a-physical-education/9781538773253/ The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook group⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠tweet at us⁠⁠⁠⁠! ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to learn more about all of our stories! ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠ Link to Jess' Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn⁠⁠⁠⁠ Link to Balint's Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitch.tv/sciants_streams ⁠⁠⁠ -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠ Produced by Jess Boddy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy⁠⁠⁠⁠ Popular Science: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/PopSci⁠⁠⁠⁠ Theme music by Billy Cadden: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Go to https://LIQUIDIV.COM and get 20% off your first order with code WEIRDEST at checkout. Go to https://Quince.com/weirdest for free shipping on your order and365 -day returns. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/WEIRDEST to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:44.2	invented in a NASA engineer's bathroom? Or which Taco Bell invention involved a literal
0:49.3	paint sprayer to coat taco shells in Dorito dust? And did you know that Levi's jeans wouldn't exist without the
0:55.5	California Gold Rush? I know. Crazy, right? These are just a few of the delightfully weird and
1:01.0	wildly true stories featured on the best idea yet, a podcast all about the surprising origin
1:06.5	stories behind the products you're most obsessed with. From the Happy Meal to Google Maps to
1:11.6	good old Costco's Kirkland brand, each episode unpacks how these icons went viral,
1:16.7	thanks to a whole lot of trial, error, and awesomeness. If you love learning how stuff
1:21.3	works, who made it, and why on earth it caught on, follow the best idea yet on the Wondery app
1:26.3	or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen
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	...

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