Commute | The Podcast

The first night in an unfamiliar place is usually not great for sleep. We look to the research to tell us why. 

Many dog owners leave the TV on to entertain their pet when they go out. Does the dog actually care?

It wasn’t that long ago that Pluto was our 9th planet. How did it lose that status?  Could it ever regain its place in our solar system?

Sources:

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/04/21/474691141/half-your-brain-stands-guard-when-sleeping-in-a-new-place

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jan/17/can-dogs-watch-tv#:~:text=Unlikely.,it%2520than%2520focus%2520on%2520it.&text=%E2%80%9CThere%2520are%2520dogs%2520that%2520will,commercial%252Dlength%2520amounts%2520of%2520time

https://www.axios.com/2024/07/11/planet-definition-change-astronomers-proposal-pluto

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We’re very close to something that hasn’t occurred in a decade and a half.  Just don’t blink or you might miss it. 

Celebrities ask for some strange things in contracts. We’ll tell you about some of the best requests.

Instead of cryogenic chambers or infrared lights, here are seven affordable and attainable ways to increase your life span.

Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgpnqe91j1o
https://toofab.com/2023/05/26/unexpected-clauses-that-ended-up-in-actors-contracts/

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The Wizard of Oz is a beloved cinematic classic. What happened behind the scenes was far from lovely.

The board game Guess Who has been a best seller for nearly 45 years. It’s the way that happened you’ll want to tell your friends about at your next social gathering.

Today, Donald Trump will be sworn in (for the 2nd time) as President of the United States of America. Like those before him, he’ll do it with his hand on a Bible. Is this a requirement?

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Did it take a cartoon mascot to convince the public to include five-digit codes on mailing addresses? 

When natural disasters strike, most people look to established news outlets for the latest updates. Others look to … Waffle House.

First Winnie the Pooh, then Mickey Mouse, and now our favorite sailor man enters the public domain. Why does this keep happening?

Sources:
https://zipcodes.org/blog/funny-facts-about-zip-codes
https://www.wafflehouse.com/how-to-measure-a-storms-fury-one-breakfast-at-a-time/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/happy-public-domain-day-popeye-rhapsody-in-blue-the-sound-and-the-fury-and-thousands-of-other-captivating-creations-are-finally-free-for-everyone-to-use-180985744/

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Some reviewers have called the recent remake of the horror classic Nosferatu “the perfect horror film.” However, its source material, a silent film from the 1920s, almost didn’t exist. This week, that complicated history and the story it tells us about the challenges of preserving films from the silent era.

We know a product or service can be trademarked, but can a smell? A toy from your past decided to try. 

Why is New Year’s Day observed on January 1st?  “Why not?” is not a sufficient answer.



Sources:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/nightmarish-classic-nosferatu-almost-destroyed-one-furious/
https://mashable.com/article/hasbro-play-doh-smell-trademark
https://time.com/6550127/new-year-celebration-january-calendar-date-history/

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It’s that time of year—Christmas trees, twinkling lights, too many sweets… and endless holiday movies! An update on one of our most popular segments tells how (and why) original holiday films are made.

Why are we supposed to kiss if we meet under mistletoe? Here’s everything you could want to know about the festive berries. 

Which U.S. state has the most holiday spirit? How about the least? You know someone has figured it out for us. 


Sources:
https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1211596888
https://www.history.com/news/why-do-we-kiss-under-the-mistletoe
https://www.mentalfloss.com/states-with-the-most-and-least-christmas-spirit

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Judges surely get hangry in the afternoons, like the rest of us. Does that impact their job?

Banana candy, you’ve probably noticed, tastes nothing like banana. That’s intentional.

A collection of never-before-heard Michael Jackson songs were found in a storage unit. That doesn’t mean you’ll ever hear them. 

Sources:
https://www.randomactsofmedicine.com/p/are-hungry-judges-and-tardy-doctors
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140829-the-secrets-of-fake-flavours
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/unreleased-michael-jackson-tapes-found-130500824.html

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Helium, that we use to blow up parade floats and birthday balloons, is a uniquely one-of-a-kind element. That’s not necessarily a good thing.

What if we lived in a world where we wanted for nothing, where our every wish and need was cared for? Scientists ran an experiment and, as always, things did not go as expected. 

Ever tried to sneak a drink into the movies or some candy to a ballgame? There’s always that one guy who takes things too far. 

Sources:
https://www.npr.org/2019/11/01/775554343/the-world-is-constantly-running-out-of-helium-heres-why-it-matters
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-old-experiment-with-mice-led-to-bleak-predictions-for-humanitys-future-180954423/
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/20/americas/smuggler-tarantulas-peru-intl-scli/index.html

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More than three decades ago, the New Yorker Magazine printed a cartoon about the internet that is just as accurate today as it was then, setting records for reprints. It’s still setting records.

It’s after Halloween. What happens to all the pumpkins?

Porta potties - everyone uses them; no one wants to. We’ll tell you more than you ever expected to know, including how often, if ever, they’re cleaned.

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The film Sideways, about male bonding in wine country, was released in 2004. Twenty years later, it’s still has an impact on one industry. 

A scientific experiment taught rats to drive. That’s not even the most amazing part.

In the 1950s, Roger Bannister did what was previously thought impossible - run a mile in under 4 minutes. Why did multiple runners suddenly do the same just days later?

Sources:
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/07/05/535038513/the-sideways-effect-how-a-wine-obsessed-film-reshaped-the-industry
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2024/11/08/driving-rats-anticipation-learning-neuroscience/
https://www.scienceofrunning.com/2017/05/the-roger-bannister-effect-the-myth-of-the-psychological-breakthrough.html?v=47e5dceea252

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