Something Offbeat

A study published last month in the journal Nature found that two “blobs of unusual material” near the center of the earth could be remnants of an ancient planet that collided with Earth billions of years ago in the same impact that created the moon. The “blobs,” or large low-velocity provinces, were discovered in the 1980s. Still, geophysicists didn’t know what they were but had long-hypothesized they were remnants of an ancient, smaller planet called Theia. One of the study's authors, Dr. Paul Asimow, a professor of geology and geochemistry at Cal Tech University, joined the show this week to discuss the findings and disprove the "Hollow Earth" theory.

Last October, a New Hampshire woman was walking through an Italian market in Boston when she slipped on prosciutto and broke her ankle. She then – according to NBC News – decided to sue the company, which runs its signature Italian markets throughout the world. Her story made the team at “Something Offbeat” curious about personal injury law… and about dangerous deli meats. Dr. Thomas Russell, an attorney and personal injury law professor, joined the show to help us sort out torts and personal injury law cases.(Check out his latest exam, where a prosciutto slip takes center stage!) 

The “Something Offbeat” team also created a list dangerous of deli items to watch out for on floors as you shop this holiday season. As Russell said, no store wants to be known as the place “where Nonna goes and breaks her ankle slipping on prosciutto.”

Producers Chris and Lauren are back for another "minisode" to discuss holiday traditions. This week, they get into the best Thanksgiving side dishes, whether or not it's acceptable to run a 5K on a holiday, and learn they are embarrassingly bad U.S. geography.

From a dog bed for humans to a ladle shaped like the Loch Ness Monster, there's no shortage of quirky gifts on the market this holiday season. This week, smart shopping expert Trae Bodge joins Mike Rogers to discuss the offbeat gifts of the year, how to protect yourself from scams, and what she expects Americans to spend on presents between now and the new year.

It was like any other day off the coast of Tybee Island Georgia except for one thing. There seemed to be… a giant hamster wheel in the water. Inside it was a man who said he planned to get the vessel all the way to London, England. Before it could get far, the hamster wheel caught the Coast Guard’s attention and got its creator, athlete Ray Baluchi, in legal trouble. He allegedly claimed to have a bomb on board as they told him to stop the trip. If Baluchi wasn’t stopped, would he have been able to make it to his destination? The “Something Offbeat” team reached out to some experts – Dean Ovel, a runner who has experience running in a hamster wheel and Bart Kemper, principal engineer of Kemper Engineering – to find out.

Chris and Lauren are back with another Something Offbeat "minisode," talking through some of the stories they haven't been able to get to in a full episode. This week, they include two more toilet stories! Plus, a human skull found in a thrift store why the Texas Rangers couldn't celebrate in a pool after they won the World Series.

A toilet that's not even on this planet topped Money Inc's list of the most expensive toilets, coming in at just under $20 million. While there aren't any standard residential toilets that come close to that number, consumers can easily spend more than five figures on a commode if they so choose.

This week on Something Offbeat, Charmaine Wynter, an interior designer and lifestyle influencer, explains what can drive the price tag up on a toilet and how important a bathroom is to the feel of a home.

As she pulled a wiggling, 3-inch worm from her patient’s brain, Australian neurosurgeon Hari Priya Bandi could hardly believe the sight before her.

“It’s like something out of a sci-fi movie,” said Dr. Adler R. Dillman – a professor of Parasitology and chair of the Department of Nematology at University of California, Riverside – referencing news stories about the worm. He joined the “Something Offbeat” podcast this week to talk about the shocking discovery, what it has to do with our diets, and to share some insight that might help us get over our fears around parasites.

On this week's minisode, Lauren and Chris dig into the archives for stories they haven't had the chance to produce full episodes on yet -- from the dominatrix who requested public funds for a Florida nightclub to Elon Musk's "suggestion" that Wikipedia change its name.

When the zombie apocalypse happens, will you be ready? According to a "study" of the largest 200 cities in the country, Houston is the most prepared for the apocalypse, while Miramar, Florida is the least prepared.

Matt Thomas, a radio anchor in Houston, explains what makes Houston safe, while Zach Clark of Audacy's WWJ in Detroit, which came in at No. 194, defends his city's apocalypse preparedness.