Learn It from a Layman

World War II - 1945 - Series Finale

We bring our World War II podcast series to a close. Was what happened in Europe a fait accompli after Normandy? Was FDR naïve in his approach to Stalin? What happened in Dresden and why? How many casualties were there in WWII and how can a layman put that in perspective?

The Basics of American Government

We discuss the basics of American government. What is a democratic republic? What is the difference between the federal and the state governments? What is gerrymandering? Is Tim running for office? What are the roles of the judicial, executive, and legislative branches? What is the difference between a recall and an impeachment? 

Layman Trivia

We talk trivia. What is the most volcanic moon? Why is Tim talking about sperm whale anatomy and organs? What is the smallest mammal? How fast can a heart beat? What land animal can drink salt water? What are the most spoken languages in the world?

10 Best Ways to Die in Nature

For our 100th episode, we go back to our roots, with a twist. We discuss the 10 best ways to die in nature. Are there actual homeopathic pirates? Can you be clicked to death? Has anyone ever died by meteor strike? Can a tortoise kill you? How do pythons kill their prey? Was jungle book based on a true story? Come celebrate our milestone with us!

The Basics of Programming Languages

We discuss the basics of programming languages. What familiar experiences can a layman relate to programming? Why do we need programming languages? What is ambiguity in human language and can there be any in a computer language? What is a compiled language vs a script language? Why aren't all apps available on all phones? Do computers use "little zaps"? Why are there so many different programming languages? What are the top programming languages? Can Carl speak French?

The Basics of Attention

We discuss attention. What does paying attention mean? What's happening in the brain when you pay attention to something? Do humans really have a shorter attention span than a goldfish? Did Tim actually fall asleep while talking to his class? Can caffeine help with attention? What does cognitive modeling tell us about attention? Can we improve our attention span and ability to focus?

The Basics of World War II - 1944 - Part 2

We continue our World War II podcast series. What is the D in D-Day for? How did French shrubs cause an issue in retaking France? What was the fallout from Operation Valkyrie? What is Operation Bagration? What happened in the Warsaw Uprising and did the Soviets leave the Poles out to dry? What is the story behind A Bridge Too Far? When did the B-29s join the Pacific Theatre? What were the V-1 and V-2 bombs used for? How many hand grenades were used in the Battle of Peleliu? We discuss one of the most amazing acts of heroism in Naval history at the Battle off Samar at Leyte Gulf.

The Basics of Photography

We are joined by Katie Christensen, Master of Fine Arts, and we discuss the basics of photography. What happens in a film camera? Are there any benefits for film photography over digital? What do all of those settings like ISO and F-stop on your camera mean? Are there camera considerations more than the number of megapixels when buying a camera? Who are some famous historical photographers and what did they do? How do you deal with shadows? How useful is Cameron as a reflective device?