Ungeniused: Recent Episodes
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Ungeniused is a show dedicated to covering the weirdest articles found on Wikipedia. Stephen Hackett and Myke Hurley are here to explain topics and share knowledge you'll never be able to use in real life. Hosted by Stephen Hackett and Myke Hurley.
This 60-story, 790-foot skyscraper towered over Boston when it opened in 1976, and thankfully is still upright, despite some startling structural issues.
The Citicorp Center's unique design turned heads when it opened in the 1970s. Little did people know that the building was in danger of collapse until secret repairs could be made.
“It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none — none more black.”
It's a gas station. It's a jerky bar. It's a set of very clean bathrooms. It's a gas station. It's a jerky bar. It's a bathroom. Are you getting it? This is not three highway stops. It's one highway stop. And they call it Buc-ee's.
We've all been startled by sudden noises, but some goats take being scared to an all-new level.
In 2001, a freight train derailed in Baltimore, causing a fire that burned for five days and over $12 million in damages.
In 1766, England was suffering from rising prices and food shortages. One day in October, violence broke out over cheese.
Rising from the shores of the Mississippi River, the Gateway Arch welcomes thousands of visitors a year to explore it's soaring heights through tiny windows at the top.
Waterbeds have been around a lot longer than you might think. Join Myke and Stephen as they dive into the world of nighttime waves.
In 1996, history was made when a research team in Scotland cloned the first animal from genetic material harvested from an adult mammal.
Paris is a beautiful destination for millions of tourists a year, but for some of them, it's a nightmare. And Paris isn't even the only city with its own syndrome.
In Norway, there is a building that contains a backup of the world's crops. The teams there are ready to help save humanity if things go sideways with the world's food supply.
The Great Molasses Flood could be the most famous non-water flood to have ever taken place, but there are several others that may sweep you off your feet.
There are several treaties that manage what countries — and companies — can do in outer space. Some of them are more useful than others.
In the wake of World War II, the U.S. continued its nuclear research. In that period, a single nuclear core was at the center of two fatal accidents.
From a small park in Texas to a sprawling corporation that then underwent bankruptcy, this is the story of Six Flags.
In 2005, Six Flags New Orleans closed ahead of Hurricane Katrina. It would never reopen.
If the Easy-Bake Oven wasn't your jam in the 1960s (or 90s), Thingmaker was ready for you, giving you the chance to make bug-like creatures named Creepy Crawlers.
One cooked treats with lightbulbs, the other made pressed juice for rich people. Both had their issues.
It's time for some more weird sports: combat juggling, deep-water soloing and land sailing.
In 1988, almost a dozen people were killed, with many more injured, when a truck carrying liquefied propane crashed and exploded in Memphis, TN.
On occasion, a large, remote area of the Pacific Ocean will catch a falling satellite or spacecraft.
In January of 2012, the capitan of the Costa Concordia went off-course, striking a reef and sinking his cruise ship with over 4,000 people on board.
If it's cold outside when you listen to this, Stephen and Myke have just the product for you!
On April 1, 1957, a BBC program ran a piece about a family in Switzerland who were farming ... spaghetti.
Flamingos are weird and pink and can fly and some are bigger than others and some are smaller than others.
The cable car system is a famous part of San Francisco, with history dating back over 150 years. In that time, a lot of things have changed about the system, but some haven't.
Almost 12 billion miles away from Earth, two spacecraft are speeding away from our Solar System, each carrying a small sample of what it means to be human.
Please enjoy this small collection of SPAM-related poems, as read by Stephen.
It's more than a food; it's a lifestyle.
Most people think of Microsoft in the 1990s as a juggernaut in the software industry, but that doesn't mean they didn't have some ... weird ... products that made it to market.
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds ... especially if a rocket can be used.
By modern spacecraft standards Sputnik 1 was extremely basic, but it marked the start of the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States.
You may think being at the bottom of the world would be safe. Just keep an eye on sharp objects if a chess game goes sideways.
Need to find some drugs or a lost person or maybe a hidden weapon? We have the device just for you.
Who doesn't love a festive event with games, food, drinks and ... a deadly train collision that had been purposefully designed?
Rumor had it that a particular alligator had been a pet when it lived in Berlin, but that's probably not true.
If you've ever wondered about those funny little trucks used to deliver the mail, Stephen and Myke have you covered in this episode. Just be sure to bring a fire extinguisher...
In December 1917, two ships collided in Halifax Harbor. The resulting explosion killed over 1,600 people, injured another 9,000 and leveled everything within a 1.6 mile radius.
After decades of false starts, in 1971 the United Kingdom moved to a decimalized monetary system. Leading up to the change, banks had to take on massive amounts of work and people across the country had to get used to new coins and updated prices for goods.
During World War I and II, the U.S. and Royal Navies turned to camouflage as a way to protect their ships and planes. One such method was a little more ... exciting than the others.
On January 28, 1986 the space shuttle Challenger broke up after launch, killing seven crew members, including one school teacher.
If shredding fresh powder is just too mainstream for you, this could be the sport for you.
When it comes to assessing storm damage, keeping an eye on cheap breakfast food may be the best way to do things.
Some see a cross-country drive as a way to visit the nation's wonders. Others see it as a race with no rules.
For over a century, people have tried to go faster and faster in water-based vehicles, turning to things like jet engines to reach new speeds. Sadly, this race for the record has resulted in many terrible and tragic accidents.
From time to time, the sun ejects plasma into space. If those particles hit Earth, some bad, bad things can happen.
People do weird and sometimes dangerous things for their moment in the social media spotlight.
This week: a PSA from Stephen (and a begrudging Myke) about how the Winter Olympics are the coolest games in town.
Every four years, a flame is lit in Greece and travels the world, lighting the way to the Olympic games.
The late 1950s were a weird time between the United States and the Soviet Union, like that one time both countries thought about nuking the moon.
In 1912, the world's largest passenger sank. Ever since, people have had theories about what happened.
The 2011 holiday season was almost ruined by a butter shortage in Norway. It was so serious people smuggled the spreadable staple in across the border to avoid tariffs.
This week, Stephen and Myke cover three more weird sports — fox tossing, speed typing and rocket racing.
Not all bodies of water are blue, and not all saltwater is the same. On this episode, Myke and Stephen belly flop into the weird world of pink lakes.
Beanie Babies may be cute, floppy toys, but they became one of the Internet's first fads, creating a mania for collectors and billions in profits for a reclusive business owner.
Air guitar is far more than a cool way to impress a potential date. It's a worldwide phenomenon, complete with championships with complex rules and a wild scoring system.
Body farms are used to help scientists and law enforcement officials understand how external factors affect human decomposition.
What's the deal with "Best By" and "Sell By" dates? Will taking old medicine hurt you? All of that and more, as Stephen and Myke explore the rather non-specific world of expiration dates.
Deep under the waters of Loch Ness swims a mystery that has haunted humankind for centuries ... or it could be exploding logs and hoaxes. Who knows?
Due to an obscure legal loophole, it's theoretically possible that a criminal could get away with any crime — including murder — in a small corner of Yellowstone National Park.
For six decades, the United States Navy Marine Mammal Program has trained sea lions and dolphins to carry out missions around the world. This work includes detecting underwater mines, defending against attack swimmers and more.
In the 1960s, the U.S. Navy studied long-term diving techniques through the SEALAB program, which included a dolphin assistant, sabotage and a fatal accident.
This week, the guys talk about water slides and give everyone some fast flume facts and FAQs.
From bouncy castles to dancing Tube Men, inflatable goods make life more exciting, unless you consider the danger or local laws.
If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happens when a cat falls off a table with a piece of toast strapped to its back?
The first (official) World's Fair — and the building that housed it — were both incredible feats for their day.
World's fairs have been held for over 200 years to highlight advances in technology and progress as the nations continue to march toward the future.
It sounds like releasing 1.5 million balloons to raise money would be a good idea, but in 1986, the people of Cleveland, Ohio learned that it is not.
There are a wide range of garden decorations out there, but some are far classier than others.
Reading Rainbow was hugely influential on a generation of kids, but you don't have to take our word for it.
High fives can be used as a rad greeting or a sick burn, and they can even help you keep from getting sick.
San Jose, California is home to the Winchester Mystery House, a sprawling mansion built over nearly four decades.
If you think baseball is boring and slow, there is good news: you get to take a break, even as a fan!
It isn't cats and dogs, but rains including fish, frogs and spiders have been recorded around the world.
Started as a terrible codename by some high school friends in the early 1970s, 420 is now a worldwide phenomenon.
This time, Stephen and Myke discuss extreme ironing, lawn mower racing and egg tapping.
In 1982, a series of murders rocked the country and changed consumer packaging forever.
Between diploma mills and lazy physicists, some animals have a pretty impressive educational status.
From magazines to television, conservation and preservation, the The National Geographic Society has been working to make the world a better place since 1888.
Every January 1, New Yorkers count in the new year by dropping a ball. As it turns out, that's is more complicated than it would seem.
From a Russian art museum to 10 Downing Street, cats are hard at work, keeping mice at bay.
Between 2011 and 2012, nearly 3,000 tons of maple syrup were stolen from the International Strategic Reserve. Yes, that's a thing.
Back in the day, some residents of New York City received their mail via a complex underground tube system. This episode was recorded live in Manhattan.
In the 1850s and 60s, engineers and crews worked to raise many of Chicago's buildings to help keep water from Lake Michigan out of the city. This episode was recorded live in Chicago, safely above the water line.
We've all seen the vapor trails left behind by jets as they streak across the sky, but are these clouds good or bad?
From World War I to podcasts today, challenge coins makes those who hold them far cooler.
The Norfolk Southern–Gregson Street Overpass is Internet famous for destroying the trucks of oblivious drivers.
From its origins after The Civil War to its mysterious ingredient list, we tackle all the Coca-Cola questions that have bubbled up since our previous episode.
At the height of a marketing battle with Pepsi, the Coca-Cola Corporation did the unthinkable and changed an American icon.
Hans Island is a small uninhabited island between Canada and Greenland, and is the center of one of the oddest (and most adorable) land disputes in modern times.
From chuckwagons after the Civil War to ultra-modern cuisine, food trucks have been part of the rural and urban landscape for decades.
From 1888–1891, an unknown assailant killed five women in the East End of London, going down in history was one of the world's most famous serial killers.
When it comes to serial killers, terminology and classifications are important things to understand.
Area 51 is a highly classified U.S. Air Force Base that has been home to numerous avionic projects over the years, and is often at the center of some of the world's more outlandish conspiracy theories.
Recording live in Atlanta, this week Stephen and Myke talk about one of the great debates in modern culture: which way toilet paper should hang from its roll.
A falling coconut can be deadly, but it's not as common as a tragedy as the press makes it out to be.
America wasn't going to take Europe's supersonic transport project lying down. The federal government helped fund the Boeing 2707, a response to Concorde that would never fly.
Today, we all know vampires are fictional, but in the late 1800s, many believed they inflicted disease on their still-alive family members.
Is it a day to celebrate love, or a scam by greeting card companies? Dive into this and the weird history of Valentine's Day this week with Stephen and Myke, who neglected to exchange gifts to mark the holiday.
The Pacific Ocean may be home to a giant soupy mass of plastic and chemicals, but far more adorable litter has ridden its waves in the past, too.
Stephen is joined by Jeremy Burge, the founder of Emojipedia, to discuss the small images that define so many of our digital conversations.
Prison escapes via helicopter may seem cool, but they rarely end well.
It was feared that the year 2000 would arrive with worldwide calamity as the computers in our homes to the systems running our nation's power grid and nuclear power plants ground to a halt. Thankfully, that didn't happen, thanks to the work of software engineers... or luck. Maybe both.
The story of Max Headroom spans from a science fiction character in a made-for-TV movie to the central character in an infamous TV signal hijacking in the late 1980s.
The world's oldest working light bulb was first lit in 1901, but as it turns out, there's some drama surrounding that fact.
People have raced hamsters, pigs and even turtles for years. Dive into the world of illegal betting on backyard race tracks and ... whatever it is turtles do when they are in competition with one another.
The sad tale of two siblings who lived their entire lives together and died just feet apart from one another.
Recorded live in Chicago, the story of a horrific and deadly accident involving a ship that took place a mere 20 feet from shore.
In 1957, the U.S. Air Force started a project to build a nuclear-powered missile that would rain down radiation and atomic bombs as it screamed overhead, just above the treetops.
From 1967 to 1975, over a dozen cargo ships were stranded in the Suez Canal after the Six-Day War. Crews on these ships created a small civilization that lasted until the Canal was cleared and they could be towed home.
A numbers station is a shortwave radio station characterized by broadcasts of formatted numbers, which are believed to be addressed to intelligence officers operating in foreign countries.
Many people have gone over Niagara Falls in things like barrels and giant rubber balls. You shouldn't try it.
Christmas Eve 1945 brought tragedy to the home of the Sodder family. A fire leveled their home, and four children disappeared, with little evidence left that they perished in the flames.
For centuries, treasure hunters have been digging up a tiny island off the coast of Nova Scotia in search of a pirate treasure. The thing is, there is very little evidence of it actually existing.
The port city of Texas City, Texas has witnessed not one, but two, explosive accidents over the last century. With hundreds dead and even more injured, this city has seen more than its fair share of disasters.
Things like basketball and football are so mainstream. Maybe it's time to stand out as at athlete in a more unique sport.
When Myke was young, he wanted to be an Egyptologist. Unaware of his co-host's childhood dreams, Stephen booked a world-wide tour of modern pyramids.
"Go big or go home" certainly describes the home of The People's House, a 3.9 million square foot mammoth of a building in Romania.
On January 15, 1919, the Great Molasses Flood killed 21 and injured 150 more in Boston.
On May 22, 1856, Preston Brooks attacked Charles Sumner on the floor of the U.S. Senate, striking him repeatedly with a cane until he was unconscious.
On November 24, 1971, a hijacker parachuted out of the back of a Boeing 727 and into the history books.
Some claim the United States Navy was experimenting with electromagnetism in 1943. Stories say it rendered a ship invisible and teleported it over 200 miles.
Not everyone believes the planet beneath our feet is spherical. The groups have been around for centuries, and survive today, thanks to the Internet.
Are you ever concerned that a loved one may burst into flames in their sleep? You probably don't have to worry about spontaneous human combustion. Probably.
Republicans and Democrats have you down this election cycle? Why not consider a non-human candidate?
The Games of the III Olympiad were marred by exploitation, experimentation and a near-deadly marathon.
The Bermuda Triangle is a loosely-defined region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean, where a number of aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
The Principality of Sealand is an unrecognized micronation off the coast of England with a very colorful history.
In 1932, farmers in Western Australia were having their crops destroyed by a migrating emu population. Their solution? Soldiers armed with machine guns.
The Hum is a phenomenon involving widespread reports of a persistent and invasive low-frequency humming, rumbling, or droning noise not audible to all people.
History is full of people tragically killed by their own inventions. This episode is full of their stories.
During World War II, the United States Army deployed a division made up of artists armed with inflatable tanks, sound equipment and more, all designed to deceive and manipulate the enemy.
In mainland Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries, large groups of people would dance in the streets. Were they sick? Was it just a form of escape? Did someone curse them?
Action Park claimed six lives in the 1980s. From water slides with loops to racing tracks on the sides of mountains, the amusement park's shocking history raises lots of questions about what was allowed at the time, and what people are willing to risk for a few shots of adrenaline.