Synopsis: This week on “Learn Me Something,” Aaron and Rich delve into fake news. What is the true definition of fake news, how long has it been around, and why do people fall for it? Did you know there’s actual science behind it?

Fake news is a type of yellow journalism or propaganda that consists of deliberate misinformation or hoaxes spread via traditional print and broadcast news media or online social media. — Wikipedia

Duration: 1:16:00

Present: Aaron Stewart, Rich Plumb

• Fake news Wikipedia definition
• YouGov poll on fake news
• Many Americans Believe Fake News Is Sowing Confusion
• FAKE NEWS REMAINS TOP INDUSTRY CONCERN IN 2017
• Snopes
• The real consequences of fake news
• What is Motivated Reasoning? How Does It Work? Dan Kahan Answers
• Scientists Just Replicated The Infamous Milgram Experiment
• Facebook found a new way to identify spam and false news articles in your News Feed
• What Universities Can Do About Digital Literacy in the Age of Fake News
• Social Media and Fake News in the 2016 Election
• 1999 NFL Playoffs

• @LMSPodcast on Twitter
• Learn Me Something on Facebook
• @HologramRadio for updates on other interesting podcasts

• Get Learn Me Something on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, or via RSS.

Download: Episode 34: Fake News

Synopsis: This week on “Learn Me Something,” Aaron and Rich delve into fake news. What is the true definition of fake news, how long has it been around, and why do people fall for it? Did you know there’s actual science behind it?

Duration: 1:16:00

Present: Aaron Stewart, Rich Plumb

Download: Episode 34: Fake News

Synopsis: This week on “Learn Me Something,” Aaron and Rich delve into cryptocurrencies, what they are, how they work, and question its stability and long-term viability. A cryptocurrency is a digital currency in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units of currency and verify the transfer of funds, operating independently of a central bank. As always, follow the links in the show notes for sources and referenced articles.

Virtual currencies, perhaps most notably Bitcoin, have captured the imagination of some, struck fear among others, and confused the heck out of the rest of us. – Thomas Carper, US-Senator

Announcing the first release of Bitcoin, a new electronic cash system that uses a peer-to-peer network to prevent double-spending. It’s completely decentralized with no server or central authority. – Satoshi Nakamoto, 09 January 2009, announcing Bitcoin on SourceForge.

Duration: 41:30:00

Present: Aaron Stewart, Rich Plumb

• What is Cryptocurrency: Everything You Need To Know
• What is Blockchain Technology? A Step-by-Step Guide For Beginners
• Proof of Work vs Proof of Stake: Basic Mining Guide
• Digital currency ripple soars nearly 56 percent, becomes second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap
• Bitcoin’s creator may be worth $6 billion — but people still don’t know who it is
• The Real Price of Bitcoin? According to Morgan Stanley, It’s Zero
• Watch Out for These Cryptocurrency Scams
• A brief history of Bitcoin hacks and frauds

• @LMSPodcast on Twitter
• Learn Me Something on Facebook
• @HologramRadio for updates on other interesting podcasts

• Get Learn Me Something on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, or via RSS.

Download: Episode 33: Cryptocurrency

Synopsis: This week on “Learn Me Something,” Aaron and Rich delve into cryptocurrencies, what they are, how they work, and question its stability and long-term viability. A cryptocurrency is a digital currency in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units of currency and verify the transfer of funds, operating independently of a central bank. As always, follow the links in the show notes for sources and referenced articles.

Announcing the first release of Bitcoin, a new electronic cash system that uses a peer-to-peer network to prevent double-spending. It’s completely decentralized with no server or central authority. – Satoshi Nakamoto, 09 January 2009, announcing Bitcoin on SourceForge.

Duration: 41:30:00

Present: Aaron Stewart, Rich Plumb

Download: Episode 33: Cryptocurrency

Synopsis: This week on “Learn Me Something,” Aaron and Rich delve into the horrifying reality that is modern-day slavery.

Populations that are vulnerable to slavery often reside in countries where government is not stable or discrimination is prevalent, according to the Walk Free Foundation.

Vulnerability to slavery is also shaped by a country’s economic and social development. In fact, the nations with the highest numbers of people living in slavery often had low scores on the Human Development Index (HDI).

Duration: 45:38:00

Present: Aaron Stewart, Rich Plumb

• Documentary. The Dark Side Of Chocolate
• What is the definition of human trafficking?
• Find Your Slavery Footprint
• Forced Marriage Continues in Many Countries
• 10 Countries With The Most Slaves
• Countries With the Most Slaves
• gBCAT
• African migrants being sold as slaves by Libyan human traffickers ‘have their organs harvested, bodies mutilated and roasted like kebabs’ claims Nigerian ex-minister
• NIGERIAN SLAVES HAVE ORGANS HARVESTED, BODIES MUTILATED AND ARE SET ON FIRE, HORRIFYING PICTURES CLAIM
• There Are More Slaves Today Than at Any Time in Human History

• @LMSPodcast on Twitter
• Learn Me Something on Facebook
• @HologramRadio for updates on other interesting podcasts

• Get Learn Me Something on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, or via RSS.

Download: Episode 32: Modern-Day Slavery

Synopsis: This week on “Learn Me Something,” Aaron and Rich delve into the horrifying reality that is modern-day slavery.

Vulnerability to slavery is also shaped by a country’s economic and social development. In fact, the nations with the highest numbers of people living in slavery often had low scores on the Human Development Index (HDI).

Duration: 45:38:00

Present: Aaron Stewart, Rich Plumb

Download: Episode 32: Modern-Day Slavery

Synopsis: This week on “Learn Me Something,” Aaron and Rich delve into the incredibly simple topic of gene therapy and CRISPR.

A gene is the basic physical and functional unit of heredity. Genes, which are made up of DNA, act as instructions to make molecules called proteins. In humans, genes vary in size from a few hundred DNA bases to more than 2 million bases. The Human Genome Project has estimated that humans have between 20,000 and 25,000 genes.

Duration: 52:16:00

Present: Aaron Stewart, Rich Plumb

• Gene Therapy Is Now Available, but Who Will Pay for It?
• How does gene therapy work?
• The Biotech Death of Jesse Gelsinger
• Gene Therapy Emerges From Disgrace to Be the Next Big Thing, Again
• What Is CRISPR?
• Stunning gene therapy breakthroughs are a riposte to our truth-tarnished times
• Welcome to Gene Therapy
• Gene Therapy: Genetic science learning center

• @LMSPodcast on Twitter
• Learn Me Something on Facebook
• @HologramRadio for updates on other interesting podcasts

• Get Learn Me Something on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, or via RSS.

Download: Episode 31: Gene Therapy

Synopsis: This week on “Learn Me Something,” Aaron and Rich delve into the incredibly simple topic of gene therapy and CRISPR.

Duration: 52:16:00

Present: Aaron Stewart, Rich Plumb

Download: Episode 31: Gene Therapy

Synopsis: This week on “Learn Me Something,” Aaron and Rich delve into advertising and propaganda. How many advertisements do we see per day? As many as 5,000 per day today vs 500 per day back in the 1970s. Edward Bernays was an Austrian-American pioneer in the field of public relations and propaganda, referred to in his obituary as “the father of public relations.”

Duration: 57:00:00

Present: Aaron Stewart, Rich Plumb

• Who is Edward Bernays?
• Edward Bernays is the Reason Why Americans Eat Bacon and Eggs for Breakfast
• The manipulation of the American mind: Edward Bernays and the birth of public relations
• Big Fruit
• Cutting Through Advertising Clutter
• The Century of the Self (Full Documentary)

• @LMSPodcast on Twitter
• Learn Me Something on Facebook
• @HologramRadio for updates on other interesting podcasts

• Get Learn Me Something on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, or via RSS.

Download: Episode 30: Propaganda

Synopsis: This week on “Learn Me Something,” Aaron and Rich delve into advertising and propaganda. How many advertisements do we see per day? As many as 5,000 per day today vs 500 per day back in the 1970s. Edward Bernays was an Austrian-American pioneer in the field of public relations and propaganda, referred to in his obituary as “the father of public relations.”

Duration: 57:00:00

Present: Aaron Stewart, Rich Plumb

Download: Episode 30: Propaganda