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19. Is your phone listening to you… and should you care?
35:26||Ep. 19Most people have experienced the creepy feeling of getting ads that feel a little bit too targeted, for products they haven’t ever searched for but have maybe talked about IRL. With Amazon announcing a rollback on privacy protections, and the Trump administration ramping up mass surveillance as a scare tactic, it might be time to take stock of what privacy even means anymore. With some help from Andrew Couts, senior editor of security and investigations at WIRED, we get a clear-eyed view of how voice-assisted tech actually works, and why you should care. For more, check out our newsletter at www.nosuchthing.show, and if you have an argument you want us to settle, email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com.
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18. Is RFK Jr. right about anything?
30:08||Ep. 18Today’s episode is about RFK Jr., a man who has a completely baffling political trajectory. How does a guy go from “champion of the environment” to joining the most anti-environment administration ever? Thanks to our guest, Derek Beres, that pipeline becomes much clearer, as RFK Jr’s worldview has a lot of overlap with science that is at best, shoddy, and at worst, straight up disinformation.For more, check out our newsletter at www.nosuchthing.show, and if you have an argument you want us to settle, email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com.Original music for this episode produced by Zeno Pittarelli.
17. Why are TSA rules so confusing?
40:16||Ep. 17We just got back from a little weekend trip, which got us thinking once again about how confusing and terrible it is to deal with the TSA. Despite all their yelling—the TSA does not make it clear about what you can or cannot bring on a plane, or what items you actually have to take out of your bag. So I spoke with Darryl Campbell, an aviation safety writer for The Verge and author of Fatal Abstraction, who did a deep dive on The Humiliating History of the TSA.For more, check out our newsletter at www.nosuchthing.show, and if you have an argument you want us to settle, email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com.Original music for this episode produced by Zeno Pittarelli!
16. NST Mailbag: Taking photos in movie theaters (& more)
34:27||Ep. 16This week, we tackle movie theater photographers, black coffee, dirty jeans, trebuchets, and more as we answer questions submitted by listeners.00:30 Taking photos in movie theaters10:03 What is black coffee?17:25 How often should you wash your jeans?23:27 Some clarity on microwaving sponges27:07 The Trebuchet Theory29:12 Why do we pod? For more, check out our newsletter at www.nosuchthing.show, and if you have an argument you want us to settle, email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com.We’ll be off next week, so take advantage of the free time by leaving us a five-star rating wherever you listen to podcasts and sharing the show with your friends!
15. Why does Dasani water taste like that?
39:10||Ep. 15This week, we investigate a shocking conspiracy theory that might explain why Dasani stands out among the titans of bottled water, with the help of water sommelier Martin Riese and Tap Score CEO Johnny Pujol. For more, check out our newsletter at www.nosuchthing.show, and if you have an argument you want us to settle, email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com.
14. Why don't men ask follow up questions?
38:54||Ep. 14It’s been known for years now that men aren’t the best at asking follow-up questions on dates with women. But a more specific version of this phenomenon has emerged: men aren’t even asking other men follow-up questions, even their good friends! With the help of “mindful masculinity” expert Liz Plank, we get to the bottom of why men don’t know anything about their male friends, and we put our own friendship to the test.For more, including links to some of the research cited in this episode, visit our website.Have an argument you want us to settle? Shoot us an email at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com.
13. Why are headlights so bright?
45:45||Ep. 13This week, we look into why car headlights seem like they've gotten so much brighter in recent years than they used to be. And, is there any hope for a shift back to a more reasonable brightness level? Our guest today is Daniel Stern, a lighting expert and chief editor of Driving Vision News.Additional music by Certain Self.For more, including links to some of the research cited in this episode, visit our website.Have an argument you want us to settle? Shoot us an email at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com.