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Surprisingly Brilliant

Seeker

A science history podcast uncovering the little-known stories and less-talked-about people behind well-known science & tech. Written & Hosted by Maren Hunsberger & Greg Foot for Seeker

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20 episodes
Avg 53 min
English

Episodes 20

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Dec 9, 2021 · 1 hr 4 min
The Impossible Picture
Time travel? Aliens? Seeing the invisible? This special episode’s tale from science history has them all as Maren takes Greg down the long and winding road science took to understand what is perhaps the most perplexing object in the universe: the black hole.
Apr 30, 2021 · 1 hr 7 min
The Helplessly Human Doctor
The man who changed our understanding of disorders of the brain was a man who couldn't recognize faces himself.
S2 · E14
Feb 18, 2021 · 59 min
The Lifesaving Bean
This is the story of a man whose genius shone against all odds, how his discoveries shaped much of our modern world, and the science that he could have done...if society had let him.
S2 · E13
Feb 11, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
The Half-Walnut of Pus
Greg tells Maren a (rather gross) story of pus, pox parties, and… cuckoos?
S2 · E12
Feb 4, 2021 · 50 min
The Language of the Universe
Maren tells Greg a story that starts with the beginning of civilization and goes (literally) on to infinity.
S2 · E11
Jan 28, 2021 · 52 min
The Donald Trump Of Science
A story in three parts: The discovery of a revolutionary biotechnology that’s used every day by countless scientists. How that works. And the dangerous ideas (& behaviour) of the man who won a Nobel Prize for its invention.
S2 · E10
Jan 21, 2021 · 1 hr 5 min
The Secret Doctor
Maren tells Greg a story that traverses the globe and challenges all our assumptions.
S2 · E9
Jan 14, 2021 · 58 min
The Forgotten Whiskey Chemist
Greg tells Maren the story of a chemist who was once the most famous Japanese person in America but was soon forgotten.
S2 · E8
Jan 7, 2021 · 47 min
The World in a Jar
Maren tells Greg a story filled with intrigue and lost voices, and they come to understand why all these voices are so important to listen to in the first place.
S1 · E7
Dec 31, 2020 · 59 min
The Puzzle Beneath Your Feet
This week Greg tells Maren about shovel-faced reptiles, giant ferns, land bridges, and classified war-time research.
S1 · E6
Dec 24, 2020 · 1 hr 5 min
The Reinvention of Sex
The Reinvention of Sex
S2 · E5
Dec 17, 2020 · 55 min
The Way To Win At Everything
In this episode Greg not only tells Maren how, but also untangles the story of its development, including separating fact from fiction in the film 'A Beautiful Mind'.
S2 · E4
Dec 10, 2020 · 46 min
The Virus Queen
Maren tells Greg the story of an extraordinary woman who completely changed the way we literally SEE viruses.
S2 · E3
Dec 3, 2020 · 1 hr 1 min
The Question Of Who Flew First
Greg tells Maren about the contenders who some claim really flew first, and their journey ends at a surprise destination: the Moon.
S2 · E2
Nov 26, 2020 · 1 hr
The Electronic Ear
Maren tells Greg a tale of biophysics, Alexander Graham Bell, the future of brain implants, and how we can reframe our perceptions of language and sensory experience.
S2 · E1
Nov 19, 2020 · 57 min
The Twist In The Tale
We kick off Season 2 with the story of your most requested person… but it’s not the story you may be expecting… and, it turns out, it’s not the story we should be remembering her for either.
Nov 16, 2020 · 1 min
Season 2 Is Here!
New episodes starting November 19!
S1 · E14
Jun 25, 2020 · 46 min
The Fourth Astronaut
Greg tells Maren the story of an incredible person who has not only been called The Fourth Astronaut, but who also pioneered, and coined the term for, ‘Software Engineering’.
S1 · E13
Jun 18, 2020 · 48 min
The Fungus that Shaped the World
Maren tells Greg a tale of accidental discoveries, fungal espionage, and the daunting potential future of medicine without this life-saving substance.
S1 · E12
Jun 11, 2020 · 46 min
The Mystery & Might of Ectoplasm
Greg tells Maren the amazing origin story of one of the most important pieces of medical tech ever developed.

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