Once in a while we have an episode that has nothing to do with science. This one's about how Gabe burned his hair off.

An expensive car, a shiny watch, a hot body, video game skins, a vegan diet — regardless of how different they can be, status symbols will always be a part of the human experience. Why do we need them so deeply?

Thanks for listening to (or watching) our show this year. And please don't forget these quick tips on how to have a safe and fun party on December 31.

Pain might rob your Christmas cheer -

And drag you through depressing muck -

But don't you worry, and don't you fear -

For you, my friend are in grand old luck -

Ho! There lies a simple remedy -

The balls of ho-me-o-pathy.

Sometimes we end up at social events because... it's just too awkward to say no. New research suggests you should feel better about declining (if you do it the right way).

Conor misplaces a telescope, our solar system is a ballerina, and how to protect your voice from being AI synthesized.

Across the globe, 15-year-olds are doing worse on standardized tests than five years ago. And it may have nothing to do with the pandemic lockdowns.

Does that seem like an impossible question to answer? It sure does. Because you'd have to go back in time to answer it. Or you'd need 30 hours on the planet's most powerful telescope (James Webb).

Just about every study we talk about in this episode has a pretty significant caveat. Also, an emailed warning from a poet who chopped too much firewood.

A longitudinal US study shows that having a younger sibling will tend to lower your cognitive development. But the effect vanishes after child number three.