Best Nicholas Kaufmann Podcasts (2025)

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Nature & Nurture #163: Nicholas Wade - The Origin of Politics 59:41

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8d ago59:41

59:41

Nicholas Wade is the author of several books on human evolution, and has served as staff writer and editor for Nature, Science, and the science section of The New York Times. In this episode, we discuss Nicholas’ latest book The Origins of Politics on the evolutionary psychology of social cognition, tribalism, altruism, aggression, and other psycho…

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Nature & Nurture #162: Dr. Simon LeVay - The Science of Desire 50:57

2M ago50:57

50:57

Dr. Simon LeVay is a neuroscientist and author of Attraction, Love, Sex: The Inside Story.

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Nature & Nurture #161: Dr. Lars Krutak - The History of Indigenous Tattoos 52:28

4M ago52:28

52:28

Dr. Lars Krutak is an anthropologist, a research associate at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, host of the Discovery Channel series Tattoo Hunter, and author of Indigenous Tattoo Traditions.

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Nature & Nurture #160: Dr. Robert King - The Science of Orgasms 48:41

4M ago48:41

48:41

Dr. Robert King is a researcher at the School of Applied Psychology of University College Cork in Ireland. He is an expert in evolutionary psychology, sexual selection, and the science of orgasms, as detailed in his book Naturally Selective: Evolution, Orgasm, and Female Choice.

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Nature & Nurture #159: Dr. Jaap de Roode - How Parasites & Immune Systems Evolved 47:36

5M ago47:36

47:36

Dr. Jaap de Roode is the Samuel C. Dobbs Professor of Biology at Emory University, and the author of Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, & Other Animals Heal Themselves. He is an expert in the population biology of parasites and virus transmission, and how animals defend themselves against these threats.…

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Nature & Nurture #158: Dr. Eric Kaufmann - Universities & The History of Wokeness 1:04:05

5M ago1:04:05

1:04:05

Dr. Eric Kaufmann is a Professor of Politics at The University of Buckingham and Director of the Centre for Heterodox Social Science. He is the author of several books including The Third Awokening: A 12-Point Plan for Rolling Back Progressive Extremism. In this episode, Eric and I discuss The Third Awokening, beginning with the history of the term…

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Nature & Nurture #157: Dr. Bill von Hippel - Evolutionary Psychology & Digital Health 1:21:12

5M ago1:21:12

1:21:12

Dr. Bill von Hippel is a social psychologist and author of The Social Paradox: Autonomy, Connection, and Why We Need Both to Find Happiness.

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Nature & Nurture #156: Dr. Dean Hamer - The Genetics of Sexual Orientation 1:19:54

6M ago1:19:54

1:19:54

Dr. Dean Hamer is a geneticist, author of several books including The Science of Desire and The God Gene, and a filmmaker. In this episode, we talk about Dean’s background in genetics and how the science of sexual orientation helped shape the “born this way” movement in gay civil rights. We talk about ethical debates surrounding the biological stud…

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Nature & Nurture #155: Dr. Helen Joyce - Making Sense of the Transgender Debate 1:33:41

7M ago1:33:41

1:33:41

Dr. Helen Joyce is a journalist, mathematician, women’s right advocate, and author of Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality. In this episode, we talk about Helen’s background in mathematics and transition into journalism, and eventually the so-called gender culture war. We discuss sex differences in personality, why gender nonconformity is normal, and…

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Nature & Nurture #154: Dr. Carl Marci - Protecting Your Brain From Screens 59:09

7M ago59:09

59:09

Dr. Carl Marci is a psychiatrist, Director of the Social Neuroscience Psychotherapy Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, and author of Rewired: Protecting Your Brain in the Digital Age. In this episode, we discuss how social media and digital technology impact attention span and brain development, what is happening to kids in the dig…

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Episode 024: Ice Mummies / What Is Reality? 1:05:53

7M ago1:05:53

1:05:53

In the Season 2 finale, Nick explores the chilling (in more ways than one) world of ice mummies. From Beechey Island in the Arctic to the summits of the Austrian Alps, the bodies of the dead lay frozen and preserved, including one "iceman" discovered to be 5,300 years old! Then, Dave examines the difference between perception and reality. Are we se…

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Episode 023: Krakatoa / Io: The Death Moon 54:21

7M ago54:21

54:21

In this episode, Nick takes us back in time to the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, one of the most devastating volcanic eruptions in modern history. Not only did it kill tens of thousands and lead to unimaginable devastation, it also changed the Earth's climate in ways that still affect us over one hundred years later. Then, Dave drops us off on Io, …

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Episode 022: Jellyfish / Repopulating the Earth 1:08:25

8M ago1:08:25

1:08:25

In this episode, Nick brings us back to the ocean to visit one of its most bizarre inhabitants, the jellyfish. Some have tentacles over 100 feet long, others have a sting that can kill a human being in under five minutes, but most fascinating of all are the ones who've achieved immortality. Then, Dave asks one of the most difficult questions in sci…

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Episode 021: Strange Loves of the Anglerfish / Teleportation 51:42

8M ago51:42

51:42

In this episode, Nick takes us to the deepest ocean depths to meet the alien-looking anglerfish and its bizarre, disturbing mating habits. Think you've been on weird dates? You haven't seen anything yet! Then, Dave ponders what teleportation would be like in the real world. Star Trek makes it look easy, but what would it entail to break you down in…

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Episode 020: Horsehair Worms / How Many Planets Are There? 53:50

8M ago53:50

53:50

In this episode, Nick introduces listeners to the horrifying horsehair worm, a water-dwelling parasitic organism whose brutal lifecycle puts its insect host through hell, culminating in the worm's unique ability to compel its host to drown itself. Then, Dave asks the question, "How many planets are there in our solar system?" The answer might seem …

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Episode 019: Lazarus Syndrome / Cerebral Organoids 55:01

8M ago55:01

55:01

In this episode, Nick explores Lazarus Syndrome, a rare occurrence where people who are declared dead suddenly and mysteriously wake up hours later, sometimes just minutes away from being embalmed. The dead are rising, but this isn't a zombie movie, it's real life! Then, Dave introduces us to cerebral organoids, lab-grown living human brain cells i…

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Episode 018: Into the Immune System / Dark Flow 55:37

9M ago55:37

55:37

In this episode, Nick shrinks Dave to the size of a bacterium and sends him into the savage battlefield of the human immune system, a breathtaking biological enterprise that's second in complexity only to the human brain. Then, Dave takes us to the very edge of the universe, where something unknown lurks beyond observable space, emitting such an im…

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Episode 017: The Manchineel Tree / Deep Life 51:02

9M ago51:02

51:02

In this episode, Nick gets too close for comfort to a tree the Guinness Book of World Records called "the deadliest tree in the world." With poisonous fruit, toxic bark, and lethal sap, there's no doubt the manchineel tree wants you dead. Only one creature can survive in its branches, but you'll never guess what it is. Then, Dave takes a deep dive …

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Nature & Nurture #153: Dr. Robin Nusslock - Neuroinflammation, Emotion, & Mindfulness 48:53

9M ago48:53

48:53

Dr. Robin Nusslock is a neuroscientist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University. He is an expert on the interactions between the brain and the immune system, including the role of neuroinflammation in regulating positive emotion, negative emotion, and mental health. In this episode, we discuss Robin’s research on the brain a…

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Episode 016: Death by Slug / A Field Trip to the Exoplanets 49:02

9M ago49:02

49:02

In this episode, Nick recounts the true story of a young Australian man in the peak of health who, in 2010, ate a common garden slug on a dare. What followed was a swift and brutal physical deterioration, eventually putting him into a coma. But slugs aren't poisonous, so what happened? The answer will shock you! Then, Dave takes us on a guided tour…

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Episode 015: When Birds Attack / The Yucca Flat Experiment 39:25

9M ago39:25

39:25

In this episode, Nick recounts the bizarre events that befell the small coastal city of Capitola, California in 1961, when thousands of seabirds attacked the city, an incident eerily similar to Alfred Hitchcock's famous movie The Birds, yet this happened two years before the movie. What caused the birds to swarm Capitola and peck madly at its resid…

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Nature & Nurture #152: Dr. Webb Keane - Technology, Morality, & Narrative 1:06:55

9M ago1:06:55

1:06:55

Dr. Webb Keane is the George Herbert Mead Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Michigan. He is an expert in the anthropology of religion and ethics; semiotics and language; material culture; gifts, commodities, and money; and media. He is the author of Animals, Robots, Gods: Adventures in the Mor…

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Episode 014: Chernobyl Fungus / The Phoenix Cluster 47:31

10M ago47:31

47:31

In this episode, Nick leads us deep into the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to the remains of the deadly reactor itself, where a most unexpected organism has made its home. Not only is it resistant to the radiation bombarding it, it appears to be feeding on radiation to grow and reproduce. Then, Dave takes us on a journey to the Phoenix Cluster, a massiv…

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Nature & Nurture #151: Dr. Michael Bernstein - The Placebo & Nocebo Effects 57:07

10M ago57:07

57:07

Dr. Michael Bernstein is an experimental psychologist, Assistant Professor at Brown University Medical School, and the author of The Nocebo Effect: When Words Make You Sick. Dr. Bernstein’s research is focused on the overlap between cognitive science and medicine, studying the role of expectation in healthcare and leveraging the placebo effect to i…

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Episode 013: Spooky Science Lab Live! 47:28

10M ago47:28

47:28

In this episode, Nick explores the strange and spooky phenomenon of bog mummies in northern Europe. How are they so well preserved after thousands of years, and what dark, deadly secret do they share? Then, Dave examines what intelligent alien life might look like should we ever encounter them. The answer might surprise you! This episode was record…

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Nature & Nurture #150: Dr. Michael Bailey - Gender Dysphoria and Sexual Orientation 1:37:42

11M ago1:37:42

1:37:42

Dr. Bailey is a psychologist, behavioral geneticist, and Professor at Northwestern University specializing in the etiology of sexual orientation, sexual preferences and paraphilias, and gender diversity. In this episode, we discuss the history of transexualism in clinical psychology and its relation to modern transgender identifying people, the sci…

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Nature & Nurture #149: Dr. Ogi Ogas - Autism, Sex, & Consciousness 1:42:02

11M ago1:42:02

1:42:02

Dr. Ogi Ogas is a mathematical neuroscientist and author several books including Consciousness: How It’s Made, and A Billion Wicked Thoughts. He writes about autism, mathematical neuroscience, consciousness, and more on his Dark Gift blog: https://www.ogiogas.com/ In this episode Ogi and I discuss the history of mathematical neuroscience, competing…

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Nature & Nurture #148: Dr. Holly Bowen - Emotion, Motivation, & Memory 59:09

12M ago59:09

59:09

Dr. Holly Bowen is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Southern Methodist University. Dr. Bowen’s research focuses on how affective states, specifically emotion and motivation, influence how we form memories and remember past experiences. She is also interested in how the links between emotion, motivation and memory are impacted by age-related …

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Nature & Nurture #147: Dr. Jason Storm - From Postmodernism to Metamodernism 1:32:13

1y ago1:32:13

1:32:13

Dr. Jason Storm is a philosopher, historian, and the Francis Christopher Oakley Third Century Professor of Religion at Williams College. Dr. Storm is the author of several books including Metamodernism: The Future of Theory. In this episode, Jason and I talk about the history of modernism and postmodernism in philosophy and the arts, the concept of…

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Nature & Nurture #146: Dr. Susana Monsó - How Animals Understand Death 56:40

1y ago56:40

56:40

Dr. Susana Monsó is a philosopher, animal ethicist, and author of Playing Possum: How Animals Understand Death. In this episode, we discuss how different animals grieve, how opossums fake death, why predators play with their prey, why dogs sometimes eat their deceased owners as a sign of love, and human rituals surrounding death. We discuss how thi…

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Nature & Nurture #145: Dr. Karen Bales - Neurobiology of Care & Attachment 55:34

1y ago55:34

55:34

Dr. Karen Bales is a Professor of Psychology and Neurobiology at UC Davis, and an expert in oxytocin, pairbonding, and the neurobiology of care. In this episode we discuss Karen’s background, education, and research on parental care and pairbonding across a wide variety of species including marosets, tamarins, titi monkeys, prairie voles, and seaho…

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Nature & Nurture #144: Dr. Alexey Tolchinsky - Chaos Theory in Psychology & Neuroscience 1:30:42

1+ y ago1:30:42

1:30:42

Dr. Alexey Tolchinsky is a licensed psychologist and an adjunct professor at the George Washington University. In this episode, we discuss Alexey’s clinical experience as a therapist, our shared research interests in neuropsychoanalysis, chaos theory as a way to measure complexity in neuroscience and psychology, narrative fallacy in research, and t…

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Nature & Nurture #143: Dr. Nicholas Christakis - The Evolution of Social Networks 57:25

1+ y ago57:25

57:25

Dr. Nicholas Christakis is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale University, where he directs the Human Nature Lab. Dr. Christakis is an MD-PhD physician and sociologist known for applying social network analysis to the study of public health and the evolutionary psychology of cooperation. He is the author of several books in…

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Nature & Nurture #142: Dr. Mark Solms - A Journey to the Source of Consciousness 1:34:34

1+ y ago1:34:34

1:34:34

Dr. Mark Solms is a neuropsychologist, Professor at the University of Cape Town, and author of The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Consciousness. In this episode, we discuss The Hidden Spring - core areas within the brainstem which are the root of all feeling and consciousness in all vertebrates - and pioneering discoveries from affective…

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Episode 012: Wormnado / Where Are the Aliens? 55:20

1+ y ago55:20

55:20

In the final episode of Season 1, Nick tells the story of a massive herd of earthworms discovered in the shape of a perfect spiral on the ground--a "wormnado"--and examines what could have caused this seemingly impossible phenomenon. Does it have anything to do with a rare phase of the moon known as the "Worm Moon"? Then, Dave looks into the "Dark …

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Episode 011: The Fungus with a Personal Chef / Are We Aliens? 55:15

1+ y ago55:15

55:15

Nick introduces us to the busy, relentless world of leafcutter ants, who spend their whole lives harvesting leaves from the forest to bring back to their nest and feed to the fungus that lives there. These tiny, six-legged personal chefs live to serve the fungus, which raises the question: Who's in charge? Then, Dave discusses the theory of "panspe…

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Nature & Nurture #141: Dr. Jorge Morales - The Neuroscience & Philosophy of Perception 1:21:10

1+ y ago1:21:10

1:21:10

Dr. Jorge Morales is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Philosophy at Northeastern University, where he directs the Subjectivity Lab. In this episode, we discuss Jorge’s research on the neuropsychology and philosophy of visual perception, introspection, and theory of mind as lenses through which to study consciousness. We discuss the neural a…

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Episode 010: Inside a Venus Flytrap / The Tunguska Event 52:43

1+ y ago52:43

52:43

Nick shrinks Dave and drops him inside a Venus flytrap to explore what happens to the prey of this fascinating carnivorous plant. Don't worry, it's for science! Then, Dave looks into the infamous Tunguska Event of 1908, when a colossal explosion blasted the snowy Siberian landscape. The cause of the explosion has long been a mystery, but have scien…

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Episode 009: The Pistol Shrimp / Death in Space 54:27

1+ y ago54:27

54:27

Join Nick in a return to the watery deep to meet the creature with the fastest draw on Earth -- the pistol shrimp, a cannibalistic predator with a surprising secret! Then, Dave teleports Nick into outer space without a spacesuit to study exactly how and why you would die in the vast expanse between planets, and what would happen to your body over t…

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Episode 008: The Mantis Shrimp / The Multiverse 54:33

1+ y ago54:33

54:33

Dive under the sea to encounter a crustacean assassin, the mantis shrimp! Nick explains why this creature has the best eyesight of any animal on the planet, and why it isn't actually a shrimp. Stick around to hear Dave discuss the Multiverse, which it turns out was not just invented for the movies but might actually be real--and potentially the ans…

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Episode 007: Nick Puts Dave Inside a Chrysalis / Strange Star Roundup 52:18

1+ y ago52:18

52:18

In this episode, Nick changes Dave into a caterpillar and puts him in a chrysalis to study his intense, disturbing transformation into a butterfly and Dave takes us on a tour of our galactic neighborhood to introduce us to some of the strangest stars in the night sky! Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/user/spooky-science-lab Hosted by Nicholas Kaufm…

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Episode 006: Parasitoid Wasps, Part 2 / Black Hole Sun 55:48

1+ y ago55:48

55:48

In this episode, Nick discusses the horrors that parasitoid wasp larvae inflict on common orb-weaver spiders and Dave explains how there could be a black hole growing at the center of our sun -- a black hole we'll never see until it's too late! Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/user/spooky-science-lab Hosted by Nicholas Kaufmann and David Wellington…

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Nature & Nurture #140: Dr. Beatriz Luna - Adolescent Brain Development, Dopamine, & Risk-Taking 1:00:29

1+ y ago1:00:29

1:00:29

Dr. Beatriz Luna is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, where she directs the Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development. Dr. Luna is an expert in adolescent brain development and the neurodevelopment of the dopamine reward system, and its interactions with inhibitory control to produce developmental changes in se…

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Episode 005: Parasitoid Wasps, Part 1 / Dave Shrinks Nick, Part 2 1:03:57

1+ y ago1:03:57

1:03:57

In this episode, Nick examines the bizarre behavior of caterpillars impregnated with wasp larvae and Dave uses a shrink ray on Nick again to continue exploring the mysterious miniature world all around us! Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/user/spooky-science-lab Hosted by Nicholas Kaufmann and David Wellington Edited by David Wellington Additional …

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Episode 004: Zombie Bacteria / Dave Shrinks Nick, Part 1 55:10

1+ y ago55:10

55:10

In this episode, Nick reveals the hidden threat of scientists resurrecting bacteria that's been dead for millions of years and Dave describes the bizarre miniature world Nick would find himself in after being hit with a shrink ray! Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/user/spooky-science-lab Hosted by Nicholas Kaufmann and David Wellington Edited by Da…

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Nature & Nurture #139: Dr. Rob Chavez - Computational Neuroscience & Social Cognition 51:46

1+ y ago51:46

51:46

Dr. Robert Chavez is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Oregon, where he directs the Computational Social Neuroscience Lab. https://csnl.uoregon.edu/ In this episode, Rob and I discuss our shared background in cognitive science and statistics, our mutual interests in neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, soc…

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Episode 003: Attack of the Decapitated Snake / Living in a Computer Simulation 56:18

1+ y ago56:18

56:18

In this episode, Nick relates the horrific story of a decapitated snake that refused to die and Dave explains how to tell if you're living in a computer simulation of reality! Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/user/spooky-science-lab Hosted by Nicholas Kaufmann and David Wellington Edited by David Wellington Additional voices by Jennifer Dikes and A…

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Episode 002: Zombie Cicadas / Poop on the Moon 50:26

1+ y ago50:26

50:26

In this episode, Nick introduces you to a fungus that turns cicadas into sex-crazed zombies and Dave reveals the shocking truth about human poop on the moon! Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/user/spooky-science-lab Hosted by Nicholas Kaufmann and David Wellington Edited by David Wellington Additional voices by Jennifer Dikes and Alexa Antopol Logo …

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Nature & Nurture #138: Dr. Adriene Beltz - Hormones, Sex Differences, & Contraceptives 50:49

1+ y ago50:49

50:49

Dr. Adriene Beltz is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan, where she directs the Methods, Sex Differences, and Development Lab.

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Episode 001: Lake Natron / Dave Throws Nick Into a Black Hole 57:34

1+ y ago57:34

57:34

In this episode, Nick takes us to Lake Natron, widely known as the deadliest lake in the world thanks to its alarming tendency to turn animals to stone, and Dave describes the shocking effects of throwing Nick into a black hole. Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/user/spooky-science-lab Hosted by Nicholas Kaufmann and David Wellington Edited by David…