The Softbrains

'Unwelcomed pests, invasive three Save yourselves is natures plea'Justin shares with us his poetic side in episode 25 of @thesoftbrains, he tells us all about the damage of three invasive species. The zebra mussels, dandelions and the Norwegian rat. They've spread all over the world, damaging and infiltrating human environments. And human intervention hasn't exactly been the most helpful.

Speaking of human intervention, Clarke tells us all about the ways that intervention can go wrong. She gives us a brief history on the Branch Davidians and their previous leader David Koresh who was preparing for the apocalypse by stockpiling weapons. Eventually leading to the ATF's intervention and the death of 76 people during the Waco Siege in 1993.

The Softbrains podcast is available on all major podcast apps including iTunes, Spotify and Google Play.

The water bear, the moss piglet, the tardigrade has had many names in the past. And despite it's small microscopic stature it's one of the most resilient creatures on Earth. It has survived Earth's mass extinctions, extreme temperatures and even, space. Justin tells us all about these tiny little 'slow steppers' and how they can survive virtually anything. A big part of it is their ability to curl up into a dehydrated ball and hibernate for up to 120 years! 

Unlike the microscopic tardigrade, Sesame Street is huge! One of the most popular childrens show of all time. But throughout its 49 year history, it hasn't been without controversy. This week, Clarke explains how Sesame Street has struggled with a possibly racist Muppet, a terrorist Muppet and an HIV positive Muppet. She also breaks down the difference between the Jim Henson characters like Kermit and Miss Piggy and the classic Sesame Street characters like Elmo and Big Bird. W is for weird in this weeks episode of @thesoftbrains. Episode 24: The Tiny Water Bear and Sesame street Controversies

The life of Jackie Chan or Chan Kong-Sang is one full of Kung Fu, organized crime and softcore porn. This week, Clarke tells us all about Jackie Chan and his escapades over the years including working with Bruce Lee, releasing 20 musical albums and owning a Segway dealership. One of the most recognizable stars in the world, Jackie Chan has got to have one of the most interesting histories of Hollywood's greatest. 

Black Dolphin isn't just a black dolphin, it's also one of Russia's toughest prison's. With an average of 5 murders per inmate, Black Dolphin prison is full of cannibals, serial killers and child molesters. That's right, Justin didn't hold back this episode. He tells us all about Russia's most prolific serial killer and the prison that he's in. Find out why they call him the 'werewolf' killer in episode 23 of @thesoftbrains : Jackie Chan and Russia's Toughest Prison

The Softbrains podcast is available on all major podcast apps including iTunes, Spotify and Google Play. Link in bio to listen, or copy and paste for a direct link to our latest episode: https://bit.ly/2yw94Us

Natural disasters happen, it is an inevitability of living on Earth. What we choose to do when presented with warning signs of impending doom can make the difference between life and death. In 1985, there was a small town named Armero in Columbia. It sat in the shadow of Nevado del Ruiz, also known as La Mesa de Herveo or Kumanday: an enormous albeit quiet stratovolcano. The Earth rumbled and smoke came forth, telltale signs of what was to come. Why did thousands of people die?

In a completely different subject matter, Clarke looks into British rule of colonial India. Delhi had a problem with the number of venomous cobra’s , and the British Government decided to do something about it. Somehow, their plan only caused the snake population to explode, and also gave us The Cobra Effect, a phenomena seen the world over where an attempted solution only makes the problem worse. What happened? Find out this week in @thesoftbrains Episode 22: The Tragedy of Armero and The Cobra Effect.

The Softbrains podcast is available on all major podcast apps including iTunes, Spotify and Google Play, and more. Listen in every week for weird history, awkward anecdotes and current events with your hosts Clarke and Justin!

Everyone remembers that famous scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The movie is finishing up, the bad guys just got their faces melted off, and the government worker is wheeling the lost ark into the depths of a huge warehouse. Or is it a huge warehouse? It's actually a painting on glass called a 'matte painting.' This week, Clarke dives into how matte paintings have been used in Star Wars, the Wizard of Oz and Harry Potter. She explains the genius of the artist Christopher Evans and how he helped George Lucas bring his universe to life. 

Justin continues with the mysterious connection between the Mongolian army, milk, horses, and the plague.  Surprisingly, milk was a great advantage for Ghenghis Khan and his army, influencing future generations and their ability to process milk. We all know the plague was caused by rats, but what role did Ghenghis Khan and milk have in the spread of the black death? Find out in this weeks episode of @thesoftbrains Episode 21: Star Wars Matte Paintings and the Power of Milk.

The Softbrains podcast is available on all major podcast apps including iTunes, Spotify and Google Play. Listen in every week for weird history, awkward anecdotes and current events with your hosts Clarke and Justin!

Episode 20 of The Softbrains has arrived! This week, we get right into the swing of things with part 2 of Justin’s investigation into Board Game history. The largest game manufacturer in the world didn’t get there by just making games; they became more and more successful by buying out their direct competitors. We're talking about the big guys, Milton Bradley and Hasbro included.

We also explore one of The Softbrains’ favourite topics – ocean life, in the form of Sixgill Sharks. In a world covered in oceans, we truly know very little about it’s marine life and the mysteries of Sixgill sharks. Clarke explains what shark scientists are doing to discover more information about the Bluntnose Sixgill, the Bigeyed Sixgill and the brand NEW Atlantic Sixgill shark. This week’s episode is packed with laughs and brain food, so tune in to The Softbrains Episode 20 – Board Game History (Part 2) and Sixgill Sharks!

 

The Softbrains podcast is available on all major podcast apps including iTunes, Spotify and Google Play. Check out our website for more Softbrains! 

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Ancient Egyptian tombs have been around for thousands of years and for thousands of years, they’ve sat empty and desecrated due to extreme grave robbing. Some pharaohs made it out relatively unscathed, like King Tut… but why? Why was King Tuts tomb so famous and virtually untouched? Ancient Egypt is also the birthplace of one of the oldest board games in the world, dating back thousands of years. Dice are also super old and used to be made of BONE. This episode has a ton of history and LOTS of ancient Egypt, if that’s your thing, tune in to The Softbrains Episode 19 – Pyramid Tomb Robbing and Board Games (Part 1)! The Softbrains podcast is available on all major podcast apps including iTunes, Spotify and Google Play.

Greyhounds have been around for thousands of years. Humans have been racing them since 1876. Florida recently banned all dog racing in the recent US midterm elections. Thousands of dogs are set to be homeless or worse. After the greyhounds, the Softbrains made their way over to Cuba. Where there have been multiple incidents of mysterious 'sonic attacks' throughout the last two years coined the Thing or the Havana Syndrome. Both CIA officers and state department officials have been effected by this debilitating and targeted attack. We unpack the politics and some of the mystery behind it in Episode 18: Greyhound Racing and the Havana Syndrome.

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This week we talked about the MET Gala, how to conserve synthetic polymers according to the costume institute, nail health, Tippi Hedren's visit to a Vietnamese refugee camp and so much more! Spoiler alert, there's a dress made out of bird skulls and a woman with 28 foot long nails. 

The Softbrains podcast is available on all major podcast apps including iTunes, Spotify and Google Play. If you like what you hear follow us on all social medias @thesoftbrains

Ladies and Germs, Boys and Ghouls, welcome to The Softbrains Halloween Spooktacular Special! We have a fantastic treat for our listeners this week; everything is a little extra spooky, with some creepy topics, some disturbing stories, and thrilling tunes. 

We talk about torture devices, varying from the pear of anguish, the head crusher, and thumbscrews... Maybe a serial killer used them before they chopped up their victims and fed them to the public! Listeners beware, you're in for a scare!