Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchELI5 Poker - which US president used poker to launch his election campaign?
Season 1 Episode 337
How did Poker evolve into a cultural phenomenon beyond just a card game? What makes poker different from other casino games in terms of player competition and strategy? Can you explain the betting pr…
Published on 1 day, 11 hours ago
ELI5 Washing Machines - more consequential than the internet?
Season 1 Episode 336
What makes washing machines such a vital household invention in the modern world? How did washing machines transform household chores from 8-12 hours to a fraction of that time? Could you explain the…
Published on 1 week, 1 day ago
ELI5 LiDAR - how it sees the world?
Season 1 Episode 335
What is LiDAR? Why is it helpful in addition to seeing things through cameras? How does LiDAR time-of-flight measure distance when light travels so fast—what tricks give picosecond precision? Why can…
Published on 2 weeks, 3 days ago
ELI5 Deck of Cards - why 52 playing cards and why so mysterious?
Season 1 Episode 334
How did we end up with the deck of cards that we use today? Did the standard 52-card deck derive from Tarot cards, and what does that mean for gameplay? Is it true that shuffling a deck creates a uni…
Published on 3 weeks, 3 days ago
ELI5 Gout - what is it and why is the big toe a target?
Season 1 Episode 333
What is gout, and how does it uniquely affect your body compared to other forms of arthritis? Why does gout primarily affect the big toe? How do uric acid crystals form, and what role do diet and lif…
Published on 1 month ago
ELI5 Rubiks Cubes - how do some people solve it in seconds?
Season 1 Episode 332
How do competitive solvers manage to solve a Rubik's Cube in under 10 seconds, and what techniques do they use? What is the relationship between memorization and pattern recognition for record-breaki…
Published on 1 month, 1 week ago
ELI5 Toilets - why are public toilets tankless unlike those at home?
Season 1 Episode 331
Why do home toilets typically have tanks, while public toilets often don't? What are some benefits of tankless toilets in public spaces from a design perspective? What is the S bend there for and how…
Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago
ELI5 Black Box Flight Recorders - what’s inside the orange mystery?
Season 1 Episode 330
Why are airplane black boxes not connected to real-time satellite data systems? What data does a black box contain and how does it contribute to improving aviation safety after an accident is investi…
Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago
ELI5 Wine - which came first, wine or beer?
Season 1 Episode 329
Which came first, wine or beer? Is it true that the birthplace of wine is Georgia, not France or Italy? Can any wine truly age forever, or does it have a finite lifespan where quality peaks and then …
Published on 1 month, 4 weeks ago
ELI5 Beer - why it was central to historical society?
Season 1 Episode 328
How did ancient sailors rely on beer for hydration? What does history tell us about alcohol's role in survival? Why was beer so essential for laborers in ancient Egypt, especially during pyramid cons…
Published on 2 months ago