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As a child, Robert Lamb dreamed of becoming a mad scientist when he grew up. As this profession later proved to be largely fictional, he swallowed his heartbreak and turned his attention to the written word instead. He earned his bachelor's degree in creative writing from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, which launched him on a path of positions such as high school teacher, journalist and newspaper editor. Robert finally landed a position as science writer for HowStuffWorks.com, which has allowed him to rediscover all the things that made the world seem so mad and amazing to begin with. He currently lives in Decatur with his lovely wife and their beautiful one-eyed cat. You can find Robert on Twitter at @BlowtheMind and on Facebook at the official Stuff to Blow Your Mind page.
Most Recent: Robert Lamb Postings
Here we are at last! Ironically, the last deadly sin we’ve gotten around to covering is good old sloth. Also known as acedia, this sin is deceptively difficult to define.
When does mere laziness become moral failure? When does apathy descend into sloth?And is it all a slippery slope to worse temptations?
I this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Julie and I tackle one final deadly sin, traveling through both Dante’s purgatory and the neural pathways of the human mind.
The seven deadly sins series is complete! Please make sure you’ve erased all the P’s from your forehead.
Where does wrath arise from in the human brain and why do we malign it as one of the seven deadly sins? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Julie and I continue the buffet of vice in an examination of human anger.
We’ll travel through the muddy and violent swamps of the river Styx in Dante’s “Inferno,” through the Nakara and Asura realms of Buddhism and up through the ratlike hind-brain of human evolution.
Air (Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel) earned their spot in the space music pantheon with 1998′s “Moon Safari.” They’ve been a chill-out staple ever since, but this year Air returned to their lunar roots with “Le Voyage Dans La Lune.”
Air composed the new album as a soundtrack for the classic1902 silent science fiction film “A Trip to the Moon.” As Dave over at Timid Futures points out, the record sounds like something you might hear in a space station rec room.
Blow Your Mind: Virtual Sex and Linked Dreaming
by Robert Lamb | March 29, 2012
Imagine a future in which an astronaut engages in a virtual, sensual encounter with her spouse back on Earth. What sort of near-future technology will make this possible – and where do we stand right now on the virtual sex front? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Julie and I discuss the technology of not only computer-mitigated sexual experience, but of linked dreaming. We discuss the topic with the appropriate decorum, but be advised that the episode does discuss the intersection of technology and sexuality.
As humans, are we mere slaves to our desire? Can we use our minds against our fleshly passions, or should we just go full-satyr and embrace the inner goat?
Yes, this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind centers around the “sin” of lust. Join Robert and Julie as they journey through the maelstroms of Dante’s Inferno and into a scientific and psychological discussion of human desire.
Adron’s “Organismo” is a delightfully difficult album to pigeonhole. Take Brazilian Tropicàlia, collide it with the limitless female singer/songwriter vibe of the 1970s and then allow a jolt of labyrinthine surreality to shock it all to life.
You’ll tap your foot. You’ll hum “Pyramids” for days. You might even take a space viking as your lover.
Are you terrified of giant monster attacks on your city? Well then this is the podcast episode for you. Join us as we calm your fears with a healthy dose of science. Would monsters like Godzilla and King Kong even be able to stand, much less topple a skyscraper? Stuff To Blow Your Mind examines the morphological limitations of gigantic creatures as well as the cultural significance of Japan’s Gojira. Plus, what about Barbie? How monstrous would she be at human scale? Tune in to find out.
Stendhal Syndrome: Kicked in the Brain by Art
by Robert Lamb | March 15, 2012
Imagine a work of art so breathtakingly beautiful that it causes your heart to beat faster and your head to swoon with hallucinations. You’re falling into the painting, through the painting, touching the limits of emotional experience… and then you faint. This Stuff to Blow Your Mind episode dives into the surreal world of Stendhal syndrome. What’s the science behind this psychosomatic illness? How much of it is mere travel shock and how do Rubens Syndrome, Paris Syndrome and Jerusalem Syndrome factor into the mix?
Would you like more money? Sure, we all would. But how does greed breakdown in the human mind? Why does money feel so right and where’s the line between reasonable appreciation for the power of wealth and complete corruption?
In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Julie and I dive into the world of Gordon Gekko, Scrooge McDuck and King Midas.
Blow Your Mind: Novelty Junkies and Neophilia
by Robert Lamb | March 8, 2012
Do you love new experiences and fresh ideas?
Do you maybe love them a little too much?
In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Julie and I examine neophilia, the love of novelty. How can this swell-sounding human attribute lead one person down the road to ruin and another through a life of success?
Recent Postings by Category
BrainStuff
- Thank You and Best Wishes to Marshall Brain
- Contest – Design a $300 house and win $25,000
- How the Philtrum works – the place under your nose where your face comes together
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
- Golden Fields of Canola
- The Park That Never Sleeps: Central Park
- Draw a Pretty Picture With Your Bike and Your Phone
Keep Asking
- Why can a 5 foot 8 inch man dunk a basketball on a 10 foot rim while some people of taller stature can’t?
- What happens to our sun once it runs out of fuel?
- How do we know the age of the universe?
Stuff Mom Never Told You
- Who invented the Christmas card?
- How the Kinsey Report Fueled Whiskey Sales
- How to Get Your Wedding Announcement into The New York Times
Stuff to Blow Your Mind
- Blow Your Mind: Nebula in a Box
- Blow Your Mind: Three Minutes Till Impact
- Touching the Void: Psychedelics and Death
Stuff You Should Know
- Stuff You Should Know at SXSW
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
- Deformed Baby Spider Brains
The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Listener Mail: What’s the world’s largest engine?
- Listener Mail: What makes a “classic car” classic?
- Was Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” Super Bowl commercial a little too political?
How-to Stuff
- How to Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor
- How to Travel the World in 4 Days
- How to Smell Like Someone at HowStuffWorks
PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 68: Astrology: What’s PopStuff’s Sign?
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 67: Collecting: PopStuff’s Cabinet of Curiosities
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 66: Tracy and Holly’s Running Playlists
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
- Good News from the Oldest Mayan Calendar
- One Year Later: Colony Collapse Disorder
- Who Killed Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Stuff to Change the World
- Who will own the Arctic?
- Obesity: The New Global Crisis
- Bill Gates Makes For A Pretty Decent Cartoon
Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Butch Cassidy: Should we read between the lines?
- Are we rooting for D.B. Cooper?
- Party Time: A Look at Unconventional Politics
