This Week I Learned

This week I learned that a murder of crows has a soft side, that the Vatican paints its walls with milk, that in 1975 all of Iceland's women went on strike, and that mountain climbing can cause you to go temporarily insane. For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts

This week I learned the tasty way to kill the bacteria on your ice, why you should play Super Mario into your old age, that it's illegal to take a photo of the Eiffel Tower at night, and that our atmosphere is constantly protecting us against meteoroids.

This week I learned that your dog is a nerd, the trick to learning a new skill faster, the tragic reason Canada gives Boston a Christmas tree every year, and that whales also exfoliate their skin. For more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts.

This week I learned that our stone-age female ancestors were strong as hell, that turtles breathe through their butts during the winter, that cuddling can change your genetics, and your perception of how much exercise you get can affect your longevity.

This week I learned about the time America celebrate Thanksgiving twice in one year, where the wishbone tradition comes from, that gluten may not be to blame for your gluten sensitivity, and that country names aren’t at all original. To read more about any of the facts mentioned, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts. And if you've come across any scientific tidbits, fascinating studies, or historical revelations that you'd like to share, email me at podcasts@theweek.com.

This week I learned dinosaurs almost weren't wiped out 66 million years ago, that wounds heal faster during the day, that bugs have certain preferences when it comes to your home, and that penguins have a more efficient walk than humans.

This week I learned that dogs can smell happiness, that bees can also be right-or left-handed, that the Polish composer Frederic Chopin's death-bed request was that his heart be sent back to Poland, and that not so long ago you could pay people to eat your sins.

This week I learned plants can sniff out their predators, bacteria have a sense of touch, there's a planet in another solar system where it snows sunscreen, and there might be a very good reason why the T. Rex had those comically short arms.

This week I learned how the sweet, sweet love between salmon changes landscapes, that you shouldn't fear the wandering mind, that we're born with a fear of spiders, and that a broken heart is a medical condition. Read more about the facts in this episode by visiting TheWeek.com/Podcasts.

This week I learned there's so much more to the humble roundworm, that stress can be just as harmful to your body as junk food, that fish get depressed like humans, and that we might not have the Oxford English Dictionary without the help of a murderer.

This week I learned the badass way that evolution is helping dolphins fend off unwanted males, that the placebo effect has an evil twin, that Nazis once stole an entire room made of amber, and that radioactive pigs are wandering Central Europe.

This week I learned why you no longer need to fear the spoiler, that parents' have a gender bias when it comes to their kids, the psychology of why we find clowns so creepy, and that stress causes us to lose sight of other dangers.

This week I learned good moods can boost the effective rate of the flu vaccine, the benefits of identifying your cat's personality, about an extinct frog with a jaw strength to rival a lion's, and that some doctors in the 1920s prescribed death-defying airplane rides as cures for illness. To learn more, visit TheWeek.com/Podcasts

This week I learned that getting emotional after failure is a good thing, that cargo ships out in the open ocean are influencing the weather, why giraffes really have those long necks, and that there is a town in Alaska where bald eagles are so plentiful they're a community nuisance. For more, go to TheWeek.com/podcasts

This week I learned there's nothing mystical about your out-of-body experience, that we're consuming an alarming amount of plastic, that women were also Viking warriors, and that chocolate was once medicinal. For more on these facts, go to TheWeek.com/Podcasts

This week I learned just how powerful a coffee craving can be, that swordfish heat their eyeballs to hunt in cold water, that wild dogs vote by sneeze, and that Haagen-Dazs isn’t the least bit Danish.

This week I learned that starfish are murderous creatures, how companies can 'own' colors, that scientists are getting fish addicted to drugs to help humans, and that surgeons performed a medical miracle with the help of a saxophone.

This week I learned your brain can predict the future, that taking photos won't rob you of the moment, why astronauts can't have fresh bread in space, and that there's one type of snake venom that hasn’t changed in 10 million years. For more, check out TheWeek.com/podcasts

This week I learned that eating too late could make you more sensitive to the sun, that humans and mammals bold hold their babies to the left, that Walt Disney made a ton of propaganda films during World War II, and why measuring sound is different in water and air. For more, go to TheWeek.com/podcasts

This week I learned it might just be possible to learn while you sleep, how the tongue keeps all those tastes straight, that bees understand the concept of zero, and that drugs in sports was once a celebrated part of an athlete's training.