Various Things with Richard Various

Dreams

Did you know that about 12% of people can only dream in black and white? Or that blind people can still see images in their dreams? 

This week, I take a look at dreams, a fascinating phenomena that we spend an average of six years of our lives doing.

I've included links to further reading and a transcript for those who want to know more on our Patreon page - https://patreon.com/variousthings 

 

Theme Music - Dub Eastern Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Graham: A Very, Very Big Number

 

There is a number that won't fit in our universe, and it's name is Graham.

 

This week, I look at Graham's number - a number so large that thinking about it can kill you.

 

I've included links to further reading and a transcript for those who want to know more on our Patreon page - https://patreon.com/variousthings 

 

Theme Music - Dub Eastern Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Aspasia and Hypatia

 

There once was a woman who lived in Ancient Athens, and that is all that we can say accurately about Aspasia of Miletus.

 

This week I look (far too briefly) at two figures from ancient philosophy - Aspasia of Miletus, and Hypatia of Alexandria.

 

Both were women philosophers, and both were quite influential in the development of western philosophy.

 

For anyone who wants to know more, I've included links and a transcript on our patreon page: https://patreon.com/variousthings 

 

Theme Music - Dub Eastern Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Death Poetry

 

Since time began

the dead alone know peace.

Life is but melting snow.

 

 

This poem was written by the Zen monk Nandai, moments before he passed away. It's an example of death poetry, a fascinating genre found predominantly in the east asian literary tradition. 

 

This week, we look at death poetry from an outsider's perspective, and ask what it is about these poems that proves so undeniably fascinating. 

 

For anyone who wants to know more, I've included links and a transcript on our patreon page: https://patreon.com/variousthings 

 

Theme Music - Dub Eastern Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The Day Nothing Happened

 

On Good Friday 1930, the BBC National Service advised listeners "there is no news today", then continued broadcasting a concert by the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

 

This week, we look at why this is so significant from our context deep within the 24-hour cycle, how news gathering and dissemination has changed since the advent of the steam powered printing press, and how it is changing again because of the internet.

 

For anyone who wants to know more, I've included links and a transcript on our patreon page: https://patreon.com/variousthings 

 

Theme Music - Dub Eastern Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Plant Feelings and Fungal Internets

This week, we take a look at the fascinating world of plant perception. Screaming cucumbers, plant tweezer love, and a fungal IoT are all covered off. 

For anyone wanting to know more, I've provided links to the articles I reference below. There's a transcript available on our Patreon page too - https://www.patreon.com/variousthings 

How Stuff Works article

Plant Internet – Nic Fleming for BBC

Plant Touch

Great TEDx talk about Plant Perception by Stefano Mancuso

Michael Pollan’s great New Yorker article 

Theme Music - Dub Eastern Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Dolphins and Reindeer and Jaguars - Oh My!

 

This week, we take a look at animals deliberately using all manner of substances to get high, and how ancient humans may have stumbled across some of our favourite intoxicants by watching our animal friends party. 

 

As I mention in the episode, there are all manner of animals getting up to all manner of mischief - more examples than I have time to talk about this week.

 

So, if you're interested in finding out more, I've included references and links mentioned in the episode below!

  

Australian Geographic Article

Dolphins: Spy in the Pod (footage of dolphins using puffers to get high)

 

Andy Letcher’s Blog

 

Lewin, Louis (1890) Phantastica: A Classic Survey on the Use and Abuse of Mind-Altering Plants (booktopia link)

 

Jaguars tripping on Ayahuasca

 

Signifying Animals edited by Fellow in Social Anthropology Roy Willis, Ph.D. (1990)

 

Theme Music - Dub Eastern Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/