Best Tom Lum Podcasts (2025)

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84: Tree Talk & Trading Card Art 1:40:13

4d ago1:40:13

1:40:13

Can trees talk to each other? And how does that personifying metaphor square with the actual science behind it? And what can we learn from the stories of art on trading cards throughout history? Images we Talk About: Trade Cards 3 Modern Trading Cards Yuka Morii's Cards Terror Hyalopterus Lemure Preposterous Proportions Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro…

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Relationscapes: “You Could Learn a Lot From This Gay Divorce Story,” with Karl Dunn 1:09:39

9d ago1:09:39

1:09:39

“Relationscapes” is the current podcast by Fireside host Blair Hodges. Enjoy this sample episode! Be sure to subscribe directly to Relationscapes now, because this episode will fall out of the Fireside feed next month!By Relationscapes

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83: The Most Boring Element & Solving Shakespeare's Accent 1:32:48

18d ago1:32:48

1:32:48

What is the most boring element, and just how boring could it possibly be? Turns out: VERY! And how can we decipher what Shakespeare sounded like, and who among us can lay claim to his accent? Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:52) The Most Boring Element (00:48:53) Solving Shakespeare's Accent (01:26:37) Outro Support us with a Max Fun Membership…

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82: International Space Law & Taxidermy 1:51:32

1M ago1:51:32

1:51:32

What laws are there to worry about in the moon? And what does space law teach us about Earth law? And what can we learn about societies throughout history from the lens of stuffing dead animals? Images we Talk About: Orbiting Space Debris Fallen Space Debris Hanging Christian Crocodile Hanging Christian Crocodile Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:03…

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Preview: The Lab Rat Games 38:21

2M ago38:21

38:21

Welcome to the (preview for the) Lab Rat Games! The GAME show where we compete to learn anything and everything interesting! We love putting games into our topics, so what happens when we make a whole show of them, with each of us hosting their own section! Plus! We're joined by friend of the show and competitive chaos combatant, Sabrina Cruz! Supp…

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81: Dinosaur Diet Detectives & Proto-Podcasts 2:12:38

2M ago2:12:38

2:12:38

How can scientist's unravel the mystery of what dinosaurs ate? Well the clues are right in front of our eyes, or should I say their teeth! And poop! And listener you may already know what a podcast is, but how did proto-podcasts in a chicken coop give us the DNA for what we love, and how did podcasts even happen? Images we Talk About: First Iguanad…

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Tom, Ella, and Caroline join MFD Spring Break 1:20:29

2M ago1:20:29

1:20:29

It’s not MaxFunDrive without a wild kickoff spectacular! Former real-life VJ and host of MTV's Spring Break 1999, Dave Holmes, takes your favorite MaxFun hosts through some wacky ‘90s- and Spring Break-themed mini games!! Featuring: Dave Holmes, Jeremy Bent, Oscar Montoya, Dimitry Pompée, Tom Lum, Ellen Weatherford, Alex Schmidt, Brenda Snell, Drea…

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80: Ify Nwadiwe, The Science of the Peasant Railgun, and a Panoply of Nerdery 1:16:19

2M ago1:16:19

1:16:19

Host of Um Actually and nerd of many domains Ify Nwadiwe joins us as Tom helps him deconstruct the infamous Peasant Railgun from D&D. Could it actually work? And can we come up with something even more powerful using real science? We also dig into nerdery old and new, and see if Ify can convince Ella and Caroline to embrace their home country's gre…

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79: The Psychology of Math & Sudoku 1:50:32

2M ago1:50:32

1:50:32

Why is math both so easy and so hard for our brains, and how can the psychology of horses, babies, and mathematicians help answer that? And what wild journey did Sudoku take to become the popular puzzle that Ella adores? Things we Talk About: The Video of a Child Learning to Count The Melencolia Painting Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:04:59) The …

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78: Drosophila Melanogaster & The British Meal Deal 1:43:10

3M ago1:43:10

1:43:10

Why is the common fruit fly the perfect model organism, and the reason for 6 Nobel Prizes?? And what is the british fascination around the meal deal, lunchtime, and the sandwich? Images we Talk About: Map of the Fruit Fly Brain Rat My Meal Deal The Sandwich Factory Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:57) Drosophila Melanogaster (00:49:46) The Briti…

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77: Light Pollution & Mistaeks 1:43:58

3M ago1:43:58

1:43:58

What can we learn from the most modern - but overlooked form of pollution? And can mistakes in art be something actually... good? Images we Talk About: Navajo Rug Ch'ihónít’i Ramses II Statue Ecce Homo The Original Ecce Homo 3 Versions of Ecce Homo Lincoln Memorial Mistake Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:25) Light Pollution (00:48:06) Mistaeks …

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Recast: The Funcanny Valley - Spellbound and Gagged 1:15:38

4M ago1:15:38

1:15:38

As we plan out the new year, please enjoy a recast of one of my (Tom's) favorite guest appearances on Spellbound and Gagged, hosted by the wonderful friend of the show Ellen Weatherford!By Tom Lum

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New Year Q&A 2024/25 1:59:20

4M ago1:59:20

1:59:20

It's the start of the new year which means a bunch of new questions submitted by YOU! What are our favorite words from the podcast? What's it like to scrap a topic? Would we still love each other if we were worms? Things we Talk About: Contrapoints' Twilight Video Jenny Nicholson's Star Wars Hotel Video Shaun's Channel China's Artifical Sun XOXO 20…

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76: The HaLearnDays Spectacular! 2024 1:44:18

5M ago1:44:18

1:44:18

It's the HaLearn Days!! We've gathered a whole bunch of fun facts from each other and from friends of the show to share the gift of laughter and learning! Images we Talk About: The Rat Car Rat Car Video Support us with a Max Fun Membership! Join our Discord! Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:07:57) Part 1 (00:59:11) Part 2 (01:37:06) Outro We also l…

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75: Where are We? & Carrot Propaganda 1:29:14

5M ago1:29:14

1:29:14

Where are we in the universe? And what can we learn from all the hilariously wrong guesses and bad maps that got us there? And just how much carrot propaganda was there? Well, we'll see a lot of posters and a few myths to debunk! Images we Talk About: Dunn's Earth & Moon Maps Herschel's Milky Way Map Wright's Island Universes Drawing The Image of M…

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Submit Your Q&A Questions! 3:58

5M ago3:58

3:58

It's everyone's favorite holiday: the day we ask you to submit your Q&A questions!! Go to www.LetsLearnEverything.com/questions and submit your questions about truly anything at all from the science to the serious to the silly!By Tom Lum

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74: Autumn Leaves & Swearing 1:49:16

6M ago1:49:16

1:49:16

Why do leaves change color? No... like really? Like, show-me-the-scientific-literature-really? After all how mysterious could the answer be? And holy frick we're finally doing a topic on swearing!! What are the eras of swearing, and what is swearing actually good for? Listen to our episode of Escape this Podcast: Oceananigans pt. 3 - The Bering-tos…

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Relationscapes: “Trans in the Latter Days," with Laurie Lee Hall 2:05:48

6M ago2:05:48

2:05:48

“Family Proclamations” is the current podcast by Blair Hodges, host of Fireside. Enjoy this sample episode and be sure to subscribe directly to Family Proclamations now, because this episode will fall out of the Fireside feed next month!By Family Proclamations

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73: Linguist Gretchen McCulloch, Latin in Science, and Internet Linguistics 1:25:39

6M ago1:25:39

1:25:39

Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch of Lingthusiasm joins us to casually answer all of our pressing linguistics questions with the most mind blowing facts. Why does science use so much dang latin, and what is so unique about internet linguistics? Images we Talk About: Gretchen's Favorite Frogs Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:10:58) Latin in Scien…

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72: Former Cryptids & The Art of a Scary Story 1:57:20

7M ago1:57:20

1:57:20

Cryptids may be spooky, but what about the spooky animals that turned out to be... real?? And what makes a good spooky story? Could it be something secretly... heartwarming?? Timestamps: (00:07:15) Intro (00:04:21) Former Cryptids (00:54:25) The Art of Spooky Stories (01:52:33) Outro Support us with a Max Fun Membership! Join our Discord! We also l…

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Carrie and Ross Say Farewell 10:29

7M ago10:29

10:29

Carrie and Ross offer heartfelt goodbyes and a look ahead. Plus, can you guess how many guests, episodes, and investigations there have been? Cause you better believe Ross counted.By Ross and Carrie

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71: 🎂 Good Invasive Species, Rock Climbing, and Ig Interviews 2:05:30

7M ago2:05:30

2:05:30

For our birthday this year, we've each gifted a topic for one another! For Caroline, an environmental hot take: can invasive species ever be... good? For Tom, an entire topic about one of his favorite hobbies: rock climbing! And for Ella, interviews from the Ig Nobel Laureates this year. Support us with a Max Fun Membership! Join our Discord! Times…

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70: The Core of the Earth & Planned Obsolescence 1:52:07

8M ago1:52:07

1:52:07

What's actually going on in the center of the Earth, and just how interesting and useful could it be? And how did the now ubiquitous Planned Obsolescence start with... bicycles?? Images we Talk About: An Early Bicycle Bilhert's Animations Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:05:06) The Core (00:58:24) Planned Obsolescence (01:45:52) Outro Support us wi…

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69: Hank Green, Sex Science, Reverse Platypi, and the First Dick Drawing 2:00:56

8M ago2:00:56

2:00:56

Longtime inspiration and friend of the show Hank Green joins us for a very special episode! How do colonial organisms with just one queen avoid incest? How many Ig Nobels have gone to sex science? Can the team figure out the identity of the Reverse Platypus? When was the first dick grafitti, and could the story actually be... wholesome??? Watch: Th…

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Ross and Carrie Try Chiropractic (Part 3): Scientology Connection Edition 1:41:07

8M ago1:41:07

1:41:07

Ross and guest host Darrin Butters, animator extraordinaire, take a walk through chiropractic's history, including many surprising connections to Scientology. Then we find out what happens when Ross visits a third chiropractor and learns the secret KST diagnosis and treatment method. Plus, what are the potential harms of chiropractic, and where sho…

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68: Phrenology & Lego 1:42:58

9M ago1:42:58

1:42:58

It's an infamous pseudoscience, but what haven't we learned from the rise and fall of Phrenology? And Lego are ubiquitous, which means there's a lot to learn and a lot of nuance for our love of these stackable bricks. Things we Talk About: The Phrenology Pamphelet The Lego Cullen House Lego Seismometer CERN Lego Device The Brick Experiment Channel …

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The Communion Communion Bonbon Boncon 1:32:09

9M ago1:32:09

1:32:09

Ross and Carrie commune with John Hodgman, author, actor, and host of Maximum Fun's own Judge John Hodgman, about all things Communion: the Whitley Strieber book, the Christopher Walken film, and the old-fashioned wine and wafer. Get in on the great debate over energy vampires vs. psychic vampires, relive childhood fears of aliens and exorcisms, le…

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Recast: LLE on SIF - Eeny, meeny, miny, moe 1:05:38

9M ago1:05:38

1:05:38

While we're sending Tom "Well Wissage" and a speedy recovery, enjoy Ella & Caroline on this tremendous episode of one of our sibling shows on the network, Secretly Incredibly Fascinating!By Tom Lum

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67: Epigenetics & The Overlooked World Games 1:56:30

9M ago1:56:30

1:56:30

You may have heard Epigenetics used as a buzzword, but what is it really? Is it something we know about, something still new, or... both? And what in the world are the World Games, and what makes them better than the Olympics? Links we Talk About: Ella's SciShow Video on X Chromosome Diseases Sport Casting Fin Swimming Haudenosaunee Flag Christophe…

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Ross and Carrie Try Chiropractic (Part 2): X-Ray Edition 1:17:58

10M ago1:17:58

1:17:58

Ross and Carrie journey to the ends of the Earth (the West Side) to get Ross a full set of x-rays from his second chiropractor. They sip alkaline water before the young doctor measures and ranks Ross’ body parts before offering a pre-paid payment plan for… a LOT of visits. Ross tries the wobble chair, the decompression table, the cold laser, an act…

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10: The Funcanny Valley w/ Tom Lum 1:09:04

10M ago1:09:04

1:09:04

Why do we feel so weird when robots look a little too much like humans? How have artists navigated the uncanny valley - whether narrowly avoiding it or intentionally plunging into the psychological trench? Ellen & guest, science communicator Tom Lum, ride the zombie train right into the uncanny valley. Links: Follow Tom on TikTok, Instagram and You…

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Ross and Carrie Try Chiropractic (Part 1): Neck-Cracking Edition 1:15:22

10M ago1:15:22

1:15:22

Ross and Carrie explore one of the most popular alternative medicine modalities in the world: chiropractic. Ross, newly bothered by pain in his back and leg, sees the first of three chiropractors, to find out whether “adjusting” his spine will fix what ails him. Plus, Carrie recalls her years-ago chiropractic treatments for migraines. We have socia…

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66: What is a Species & What is UK Voting? 1:55:58

10M ago1:55:58

1:55:58

It's a word we say all the time but... what IS a species? How has it been used in the past, and could the different answers all be right? And how does voting work in the UK? It starts with voting for knights, and could hopefully end in the future with something even better. Images we Talk About: Ella's Zoom Moustache Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (0…

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Ross and Carrie Host Late Night with the Devil: Movie Review Edition! 1:42:34

10M ago1:42:34

1:42:34

Ross and Carrie unpack a barrel of references to cold reading, hypnosis, stage magic, age regression therapy, satanism, possession, and even spoon bending baked into the horror film “Late Night with the Devil”. Will it turn out to be, like Scooby Doo, a story in which the villain was the janitor all along? Or will our James Randi-inspired curmudgeo…

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The Best of Everything 2023-2024 2:00:03

10M ago2:00:03

2:00:03

After much deliberation, the academy (listeners of the podcast) has voted on the best topics from the past year! If this is your first episode, you'll get a sampling of our favorite moments of science and sillyness, and if you're a long time listener, you'll hear some behind the scenes thoughts about the topics, as well as... a secret teaser at the…

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9: Sex, Drugs, and Rocket Fuel 39:36

11M ago39:36

39:36

Who is the mysteriously unnamed "rocket enthusiast" behind the founding of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory? Ashley uncovers the story of rocket engineer Jack Parsons and his relationship to space, occultism, sex rituals, L. Ron Hubbard, and more. Links: Follow Ashley on Threads and check out her podcast Taboo Science! Follow Ellen on TikTok! Follo…

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Ross and Carrie Have Autistic Traits: AQ Test Edition 1:45:25

11M ago1:45:25

1:45:25

Ross and Carrie explore the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) test, a “metric for counting autistic traits” created by Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen, aka Cousin Borat. They explore the gender implications of the screener, the debate around self-diagnosis, and the recent absorption of Aspergers into the Autism spectrum. Plus, what happens when Ross and Carrie t…

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65: Black Holes 101 & Tattoos 1:47:56

11M ago1:47:56

1:47:56

What happens when a star collapses to a point of near infinite gravity? And just how hard could that be to actually... find? And why do we love tattoos so much, and how long have human beings across the world been loving them too? Check out Tom's first long form video that's finally out! Images we Talk About: The Crab Nebula First Image of a Black …

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Ross and Carrie Get their Vibe On: Dr. Steven Schwartz Edition 1:36:53

11M ago1:36:53

1:36:53

Ross and Carrie learn all about their bodies from Steven Schwartz, aka “Dr. Vibe” – a former chiropractor turned bed salesman who can explain basic physics in a way you’ve never heard before. Did you know that your Living Connective Tissue Matrix must be cleansed in order not to contaminate your body with all of your past experiences? Or that such …

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64: Tom Scott, Human Acceleration, and Failed Videos 1:22:03

11M ago1:22:03

1:22:03

How fast can a regular human accelerate from 0-60? How can you learn to love roller-coasters? And is there a terrifying experience Ella's done that even Tom Scott hasn't?? After having us on his show for so long, it's finally time for Tom Scott to join us on our show! Videos we Talk About: Tom Scott's Amazing Roller Coaster Video Tom Scott's Failed…

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Ross and Carrie Gaze at Stars: Party Time Edition 1:29:05

11M ago1:29:05

1:29:05

Ross tells Carrie about his trip to a star party at which TV star and paranormal investigator Ben Hansen, along with MUFON analyst-with-an-astronomy-degree Marc D’Antonio, ponders objects in the sky live with an audience of dozens of UFO enthusiasts. Ross is surprisingly pleased with their earthly explanations, until he and Carrie begin to track in…

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Pride Merch & Voting for the Best of Everything! 4:08

12M ago4:08

4:08

It's Pride and Poll-jedice! For pride month we have some pride merch including an amazing design by Caroline, with proceeds going to Pride in Stem! Also, toss in your vote to defend the honor of your favorite topic for the next Best Of Everything episode! All of this is at LetsLearnEverything.comBy Tom Lum

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Ross and Carrie Make Disgusting Babies: Catsup and Brownies Edition 1:18:39

12M ago1:18:39

1:18:39

Ross and Carrie live-eat disgusting and delightsome combinations of foods, many suggested by LISTENERS! This week’s themes are pickles, Mountain Dew, and alcohol. Plus, Carrie is still trying to chase down the soda (root beer?) that makes Lemon Oreos taste like marijuana. She fails, but Ross ends up high for the first time ever. It’s Flavor Babies.…

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63: Biomimicry & The Evolution of Chess 1:38:23

12M ago1:38:23

1:38:23

What can we learn by mimicking animals in nature, and more importantly, what can we learn about the nuance behind the buzzword of biomimicry? And just how many wild facts are hidden in a simple chess set? Images we Talk About: One of the Oldest Shatranj Sets Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:26) Biomimicry (00:50:25) Chess Chess Evolution (01:33:…

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Ross and Carrie are Quantum Computers: Tracey Dolan Edition 1:50:08

12M ago1:50:08

1:50:08

In episode 411, Carrie gives Ross INFORMATION about Tracey Garbutt Dolan, a professionally trained remote viewer and E.T. researcher. Carrie attends Tracey’s talk on developing remote viewing skills by reducing your REM (and, subsequently, your health). Then she tells Ross all about Tracey’s training, scientific experiments, and unusual cognitive e…

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62: False Memories & House Plants 1:42:15

1y ago1:42:15

1:42:15

How much real science is there to the Mandela Effect, and how much should we be worried about our faulty memories? And what's the science and history behind our long love for house plants? Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:31) False Memories (00:57:30) House Plants (01:37:47) Outro Support us with a Max Fun Membership! Join our Discord! Yes Ella …

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Ross and Carrie View Remotely: UFO Panel Edition 2:27:38

1y ago2:27:38

2:27:38

Ross and Carrie discuss the remote viewing panel at Contact in the Desert, a UFO conference in the socal desert. With Alan Steinfeld at the helm, this group of non-naval gazers discuss the history of the Stargate Project and their own methods for internally “viewing” a remote location or object. Then, Alan and Ross run their own tests, with impress…

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61: Whale Fall Ecology & Jury Duty 1:37:58

1y ago1:37:58

1:37:58

What happens when the largest living animal becomes the largest dead animal? Just how complex could a dead whale be? And what are the differences, flaws, and nuances of the jury system, and can we be studying it better? Images we Talk About: The Zombie Worm Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:59) Whale Fall Ecology (00:52:52) Jury Duty (01:32:41) O…

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Ross and Carrie Test the Perimeter Fences: Responses to Criticism Edition 48:49

1y ago48:49

48:49

Ross shares a talk he gave at SkeptiCamp LA 2024 looking at how practitioners of non-science wall themselves off from criticism. With examples from our prior investigations, Ross examines why an individual or organization might ignore its critics, fight back, vaguebook, flood the zone, cut ties, wall off itself and its members, or elect to positive…

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Ross and Carrie Hear Out Corey Goode: Devastating Deposition Edition 1:22:56

1y ago1:22:56

1:22:56

Ross and Carrie examine the claims of Corey Goode, who rose through the ranks of UFO speakers and alleged abductees, ultimately landing himself a recurring gig on Gaia TV before being quietly ejected. Enter Jason Rice, a new Gaia talking head on the very same show, who claims that he – like Corey – was a member of the Secret Space Program, and is i…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Tom Lum Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen