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Uncommon Knowledge

Recent Episodes

Weight of Rusty Nails (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012
Run Time: 4:30
In this episode...Jay and Janet answer the question "which weighs more...a bucket of new nails or rusty nails?" Take a guess now...or take a couple of minutes to discover the answer and find out why they weigh more or less.

Space Shuttle, epilogue (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2012
Run Time: 4:30
The Shuttle program is shuttered, but NASA is not dead. In an epilogue to the four part Uncommon Knowledge series on the end of the shuttle program Jay, Janet and astronaut Scott Altman explain a few of the more than 100 NASA missions underway.

Space Shuttle, Part 4 (mp3)
Air Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2011
Run Time: 4:30
The last space shuttle has landed for the last time. All 4 orbiters are now grounded at museums. In the last part of a four part Uncommon Knowledge series on the shuttle, Jay and Janet ask shuttle commander Scott Altman "what’s next? What comes after the shuttle?"

Space Shuttle, Part 3 (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2011
Run Time: 4:30
The last Space Shuttle launch was July 8th. In shuttle history , none have taken off during rain or thunderstorms. That's because the shuttle and an airplane, which can fly in inclement weather, react very differently to lightning. Jay, Janet and Shuttle Commander Scott Altman explain.

Space Shuttle, Part 2 (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011
Run Time: 4:30
Space Shuttle pilots have an unflattering nickname for the orbiter. Shuttle Commander Scott Altman explains the nickname, along with the details and dynamics of landing a shuttle in part two of a four part series on the end of the shuttle program. The last launch was July 8th.

Space Shuttle, Part 1 (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2011
Run Time: 4:30
The last launch launched July 8th. The fleet is now on displays at museums. In the first of a four part series, you'll hear from Shuttle Commander and central Illinois native Scott Altman about why it's time to shutter shuttle.

The Geography of Your Community -- Invasive Species (mp3)
Air Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2011
Run Time: 3:30
There are introduced species and there are invasive species. Some are beneficial and some are destructive. Learn the difference during GLT Science Show Uncommon Knowledge, partnering with the Illinois Geographic Alliance to celebrate the Geography Awareness Week 2011 theme "The Adventure in Your Community."

The Geography of Your Community -- Drainage Divides (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2011
Run Time: 3:30
You've probably heard of the Continental Divide. You'll also find smaller drainage divides in your community, directing water one direction or another. GLT's Uncommon Knowledge partners with the Illinois Geographic Alliance to celebrate the Geography Awareness Week 2011 theme "The Adventure in Your Community." Jay and Janet with the help of Jim Carter explain drainage divides.

The Geography of Your Community -- Veterans Parkway (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2011
Run Time: 3:30
Veteran's Parkway in Bloomington-Normal, IL is a former edge in the community, it's a throughway, it's a destination and it's a barrier. Learn more about the geography of roads as GLT's Uncommon Knowledge partners with the Illinois Geographic Alliance to celebrate the Geography Awareness Week 2011 theme "The Adventure in Your Community."

The Geography of Your Community -- McLean County Settlers (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2011
Run Time: 3:30
Early settlers had to find just the right spot to be successful. What would become McLean County and Bloomington, IL had just the perfect combination of attributes. GLT's Uncommon Knowledge partners with the Illinois Geographic Alliance to celebrate the Geography Awareness Week 2011 theme "The Adventure in Your Community" with a month long series.

Exponential Growth (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2011
Run Time: 5:30
It's fund drive time at WGLT. Your pledge helps pay for Uncommon Knowledge. But how much should you give. Jay and Janet have a warning about just how quickly your pledge can add up...even when you start out with just a penny. Listen for the episode after a behind the scenes glimpse of what goes on before we start recording an episode of Uncommon Knowledge. Thanks for your support!

Mole Day (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2011
Run Time: 4:30
A mole is animal which burrows underground. It's a spot on your chin you have to shave around. It's also a unit of measurement. Jay and Janet celebrate Mole Day in this episode of Uncommon Knowledge.

Compostable Plastics (mp3)
Air Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2011
Run Time: 4:30
You'd think a compostable, recyclable container would be both easy to compost and recycle. And you'd be wrong. Jay and Janet, with the help of the Ecology Action Center, explains.

Tenth Anniversaries (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011
Run Time: 4:30
When it comes to milestones, 10 is more important than 9 or 11. Jay and Janet, with the help of an Assistant Professor of Developmental Math at Illinois State University have a simple explanation...as easy to understand as 1,2,3.

Dangerous Drinks (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2011
Run Time: 4:30
Mixed drinks or store bought pre-mixed drinks combining caffeine and other stimulants with alcohol have proven dangerous. Jay and Janet explain how the drinks pull the body in two different directions ending with a sometimes unfortunate result.

Space Shuttle, Part 4 (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011
Run Time: 4:30
The last space shuttle mission is underway and eventually all 4 orbiters will be grounded at museums. In the last part of a four part Uncommon Knowledge series on the shuttle, Jay and Janet ask shuttle commander Scott Altman "what’s next? What comes after the shuttle?"

Space Shuttle, Part 3 (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2011
Run Time: 4:30
The last Space Shuttle launch is scheduled for July 8th. None have taken off during rain or thunderstorms. That's because the shuttle and an airplane, which can fly in inclement weather, react very differently to lightning. Jay, Janet and Shuttle Commander Scott Altman explain.

Space Shuttle, Part 2 (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2011
Run Time: 4:30
Space Shuttle pilots have an unflattering nickname for the orbiter. Shuttle Commander Scott Altman explains the nickname, along with the details and dynamics of landing a shuttle in part two of a four part series on the end of the shuttle program. The last launch is scheduled for July 8th.

Space Shuttle, Part 1 (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2011
Run Time: 4:30
The last launch is scheduled for July 8th. The fleet is being moved to museums. In the first of a four part series, you'll hear from Shuttle Commander and central Illinois native Scott Altman about why it's time to shutter shuttle.

Photosynthesis (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2011
Run Time: 4:30
From one kernel of corn, farmers get a big green plant producing thousands of kernels of corn. Jay and Janet explain how that's possible in this episode of Uncommon Knowledge.

Weather VS Climate (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 9 May 2011
Run Time: 4:30
A really hot summer or a winter "snowmageddon" is not evidence of global warming or climate change. Jay and Janet help explain the difference between weather and climate

Skunked! (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 2 May 2011
Run Time: 4:30
A well known remedy to get rid of skunk smell might not help as much you expect. Jay and Janet have the truth about tomato juice eliminating skunk smell during this episode of Uncommon Knowledge.

Conditional Probability (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011
Run Time: 4:30
You've tested positive for a disease. The chances you actually have the disease could have more to do with "conditional probability" than medical science. Jay and Janet explain in this episode of Uncommon Knowledge.

El Niño-La Niña (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2011
Run Time: 4:30
Weather in the southern Pacific can affect precipitation and temperatures in central Illinois. Jay and Janet explain the El Niño-La Niña phenomenon.

Predator House Cats (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2011
Run Time: 4:30
There's a killer lurking in your neighborhood and maybe even in your own backyard. In this episode from April of 2010, Jay and Janet explain the danger posed to the environment by the common house cat.

Photic Sneeze (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2011
Run Time: 3:00
A listener asked last week, "Why do I sneeze when I go into the sunlight?" We have the answer...from an episode first aired in April 2008.

Water Pollution, Part 3 (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011
Run Time: 3:00
One of the biggest sources of water pollution is runoff after a storm. But as Jay and Janet learn there are things Illinois State University is doing to naturally filter storm water.

Water Pollution, Part 2 (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2011
Run Time: 3:00
It's getting harder to blame big business and industry for water pollution. In this episode of Uncommon Knowledge, Jay and Janet explain how to stop pollution at home.

Water Pollution, Part 1 (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2011
Run Time: 3:00
The problem of water pollution is solved? Well, not quite. Learn more in this episode of Uncommon Knowledge.

Car Battery (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2011
Run Time: 3:00
Find out what the Hindenburg, the Challenger Space Shuttle and your car have in common. Jay and Janet explain if you're not careful, you could also face disaster.

Catching Cold (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2011
Run Time: 3:00
Cold season is finished. But as you know, you can catch a cold anytime of the year. In this episode from February 2010, Jay and Janet explain what causes the common cold, why it's probably called a "cold" and what you can do to avoid catching a cold.

2 Cold 2 Snow (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010
Run Time: 3:00
Myth or truth? It can get so cold it can't snow. In this episode from last year, Jay and Janet help explain the meteorological truth.

Exoplanets-Kepler Telescope (mp3)
Air Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2011
Run Time: 3:30
The earth may be unique...but it is not the only planet in our galaxy. Astronomers are finding more and more thanks to an eye in the sky. Jay and Janet have the latest on the search for planets and what scientists have already found in this episode from August of 2010.

Exoplanets (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2010
Run Time: 3:00
For centuries, the only known planets were in our solar system. That's changing as astronomers find more and more planets orbiting distant stars. Jay and Janet have the latest on the planetary search in this episode of Uncommon Knowledge which first aired in August of 2010.

The Geography of Water -- Upstream Effects (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2010
Run Time: 4:00
We usually think of practices upstream having an effect downstream...but rivers are two way "streets" and what happens downstream can also have a big effect upstream. In part four of a month long series on water, GLT's Uncommon Knowledge celebrates Geography Awareness Week with the Illinois Geographic Alliance. Jay and Janet explain what happens downstream can have a big ecological and economic impact upstream.

The Geography of Water -- Reservoir Management (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2010
Run Time: 4:00
Life downstream of a reservoir is controlled in part by whoever is in charge upstream. In part three of a month long series on water, GLT's Uncommon Knowledge celebrates Geography Awareness Week with the Illinois Geographic Alliance. Jay and Janet explain the consequences and benefits of reservoirs.

The Geography of Water -- Who Owns Rain? (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2010
Run Time: 4:00
In some states, just because rain falls on your property doesn't mean the water belongs to you. In part two of a series on water, GLT's Uncommon Knowledge celebrates Geography Awareness Week with the Illinois Geographic Alliance, Jay and Janet skim the surface of...water rights.

The Geography of Water -- Desalination (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2010
Run Time: 4:00
The earth is practically covered with water, but without an expensive process, none of it is very useful. In the first part of a series on water, GLT's Uncommon Knowledge celebrates Geography Awareness Week with the Illinois Geographic Alliance, Jay and Janet explain the problems with desalination.

Mole Day (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010
Run Time: 4:00
A mole is animal which burrows underground. It's a spot on your chin you have to shave around. It's also a unit of measurement. Jay and Janet celebrate Mole Day in this episode of Uncommon Knowledge.

The Cost of Money (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2010
Run Time: 4:00
Producing some coins in the U.S. cost more than the coin is worth. What's up with that? Jay and Janet explain.

Infinity Paradox (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 4 Oct 2010
Run Time: 3:00
Infinity can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially when trying to count numbers to get "there." In this episode from last year, Jay and Janet and an ISU mathematician help explain a paradox associated with infinity

Exoplanets-Kepler Telescope (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010
Run Time: 3:30
The earth may be unique...but it is not the only planet in our galaxy. Astronomers are finding more and more thanks to an eye in the sky. Jay and Janet have the latest on the search for planets and what scientists have already found.

Exoplanets (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010
Run Time: 3:00
For centuries, the only known planets were in our solar system. That's changing as astronomers find more and more planets orbiting distant stars. Jay and Janet have the latest on the planetary search in this episode of Uncommon Knowledge.

Smart Phone Viruses (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2010
Run Time: 3:00
No one is talking much about Smart Phone viruses. That could be because there hasn't been a big outbreak. Yet. Discover your risk and how to keep safe in this edition of GLT's Uncommon Knowledge. First broadcast in June 2010.

The Hangover (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2010
Run Time: 3:00
The morning after was famously (and hilariously) portrayed to the extreme in the recent movie "The Hangover." While the events are unlikely, the bodily effects are universal. Jay and Janet explain what's happening and what you can do to cure a hangover.

Pregnancy - Beauty Treatments (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2010
Run Time: 3:00
Sometimes that pregnancy "glow, " just isn't enough. But do you run the risk of harming your baby with beauty treatments? Jay and Janet have the answers in the final part of the Uncommon Knowledge series on pregnancy.

Pregnancy - Boy or Girl (mp3)
Air Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2010
Run Time: 3:00
You could always just look closely at an ultra-sound image to determine the gender of a baby before born. There are also all sorts of folksy ways that some swear by. It's part three of our series on pregnancy.

Pregnancy - "Dangers" of Lifting (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2010
Run Time: 3:00
There are restrictions on how much and how to lift objects while pregnant...but some of the most alarming warnings can be ignored as Jay and Janet explain in part two of our series on pregnancy.

Pregnancy - Heartburn and Hirsute Babies (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2010
Run Time: 3:00
Discover the correlation between heartburn symptoms and hairy newborns. It's the first part of a series on pregnancy myths.

World Cup Soccer (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010
Run Time: 3:00
The world has World Cup soccer fever. During this episode of Uncommon Knowledge find out how the sport spread from humble beginnings to become the world's most popular spectator sport.

Smart Phone Viruses (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2010
Run Time: 3:00
No one is talking much about Smart Phone viruses. That could be because there hasn't been a big outbreak. Yet. Discover your risk and how to keep safe in this edition of GLT's Uncommon Knowledge.

Bats and Killer Fungus (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 24 May 2010
Run Time: 3:00
Bats have plenty of starring roles in horror movies...but this time, the bats are the victims...and it's not a movie. Jay and Janet explain in the final part of our series about bats.

Bats and Insects (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 17 May 2010
Run Time: 3:00
To control insects -- especially mosquitoes -- choosing bats over birds makes more sense. Jay and Janet explain why in this episode of Uncommon Knowledge.

The Hangover (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 10 May 2010
Run Time: 3:00
The morning after was famously (and hilariously) portrayed to the extreme in the recent movie "The Hangover." While the events are unlikely, the bodily effects are universal. Jay and Janet explain what's happening and what you can do to cure a hangover. First broadcast in May 2010.

Catching Cold (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010
Run Time: 3:00
Cold season is finished. But as you know, you can catch a cold anytime of the year. Listen as Jay and Janet explain what causes the common cold, why it's probably called a "cold" and what you can do to avoid catching a cold.

Encryption (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010
Run Time: 3:00
The computer coded language of spies is more often used for everyday business, like accessing your bank account. Jay and Janet explain encryption in this episode of Uncommon Knowledge.

Predator House Cats (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2010
Run Time: 4:30
There's a killer lurking in your neighborhood and maybe even in your own backyard. Jay and Janet explain the danger posed to the environment by the common house cat.

Super-Cooled Liquids (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2010
Run Time: 4:30
It's possible to cool water below the freezing point, but not form ice. With a little help from an ISU Chemistry Professor, Jay and Janet explain.

Super-Heated Liquids (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010
Run Time: 4:30
It's possible to overheat liquids in the microwave and get burned when it "explodes." With a little help from an ISU Chemistry Professor, Jay and Janet explain.

Data Compression (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010
Run Time: 3:00
Data compression sounds complicated...and in some cases it is. But you use it everyday with computer photos and music files on your mp3 player. Jay and Janet explain how it works.

Retrieving Fingerprints (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010
Run Time: 3:00
The only thing harder than leaving a fingerprint is finding a useable one. In this episode first broadcast in September of 2009, Jay and Janet get to the bottom of all that fingerprint evidence in all of those CSI shows on TV.

Leaving Fingerprints (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010
Run Time: 3:00
In this episode first broadcast in September of 2009, Jay and Janet get to the bottom of all that fingerprint evidence in all of those CSI shows on TV.

Catching Cold (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010
Run Time: 3:00
Cold season isn't finished yet and as you know, you can catch a cold anytime of the year. Listen as Jay and Janet explain what causes the common cold, why it's probably called a "cold" and what you can do to avoid catching a cold.

Infinity Paradox (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010
Run Time: 3:00
Infinity can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially when trying to count numbers to get "there." In this episode from October, Jay and Janet and an ISU mathematician help explain a paradox associated with infinity

Earth Tilt/Moon Formation (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010
Run Time: 3:00
Jay and Janet answer a question from a podcast listener about why the earth is tilted. Oh...and how the moon formed. The answers are related.

The Four Color Theorem (mp3)
Air Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010
Run Time: 3:00
From the title, you may be able to figure out the minimum number of colors for a map to ensure the same color states or countries don't touch. Jay and Janet share the story of the Four Color Theorem.