Learn It from a Layman

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?

The Basics of Data Science

Mike Vedomske, PhD in Systems and Information Engineering and Senior Data Scientist at Nike, joins the podcast to discuss data science. Is data science different than machine learning? What kind of data do you use and how is it collected or mined? What types of algorithms do you use? What is multiple linear regression? What kind of tools are available? How do you use visualization to explore data? How is data science improving the world?

The Basics of DNA

We discuss the basics of DNA. How is DNA organized in a cell? What is RNA? What are chromosomes, how are the structured, and how big are they? How much of our DNA is not used? Do proteins rule the world? How can researchers figure out which part of DNA comes from specific regions of the world? Why is cloning hard? What are stem cells? What does DNA have to do with cancer and what can you do to protect your DNA?

The Basics of International Travel

We discuss the basics of international travel. When does your passport actually expire? What's a visa and do you need one? What considerations are there if you drive to another country? Should you fly standby if you can? How can you layover in Iceland for free? What are ways you can save money, and what are ways you shouldn't save money? What are the dos and don'ts of security when traveling? Should you try to learn the language?

The Basics of Browsers

We discuss the basics of browsers. What is a browser and what does it do? Is Google Chrome the best browser? How does a browser affect internet privacy? What is a Virtual Private Network (VPN)? Are different browsers better or worse? Is incognito mode useful? What can I do if a website isn't working? What are Dev Tools in a browser and how can they help the layman?

The Basics of Conspiracy Theories

We discuss the basics of conspiracy theories. Did the US really land on the moon? Who killed JFK? Was Obama born in the United States? Is Earth flat? Why do people believe conspiracy theories? How do you tell if something is a conspiracy theory and how do you avoid falling prey to one? Is Tim trying to bring down the podcast? We lay out four steps to help arm yourself against misinformation.