Hyperfixed – Details, episodes & analysis

Maybe it’s just a quiet annoyance you’ve grudgingly learned to put up with, or a life defining issue that makes it hard to move forward. Whatever it is, Alex Goldman — reporter, radio producer, and overconfident idiot — will get to the bottom of it (if there’s a bottom to be found. Results may vary). Follow Alex as he figures out not only the vast hidden mechanisms that create these problems, but works with you, the listener, to find a solution. Or at least enough of an explanation that you’re ok with the annoyance. He’s not perfect. Hyperfixed is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a network of independent and listener-supported podcasts. Discover audio with vision at radiotopia.fm.

This week: Eva lives in the UK, loves to bake, and frequently tries to bake American recipes. But Americans measure by volume and everyone else measures by weight — and converting those measurements is complicated, for complicated reasons.

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Do you have problems you'd like Alex and the gang to solve? Get in touch with us at http://hyperfixedpod.com by clicking the "Submit a Problem" button.

Links: 

The National Institute of Standards and Measures

Le Grand K

Beyond Measure by James Vincent

This week: Gwen was born and raised in New York, and never felt like she needed to learn to drive. Now that she's turned 30, she's scared she's too old to change that. Alex stands around with a microphone and tries to help.

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Do you have problems you'd like Alex and the gang to solve? Get in touch with us at http://hyperfixedpod.com by clicking the "Submit a Problem" button.

On this episode, Dylan is concerned about something going on at the grocery store, but he's not quite sure how concerned he should be. That's where we step in.

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LINKS:

Daniel and Kelly's Extraordinary Universe Podcast

Paco Underhill's Why we Buy: The Science of Shopping

Jamie Loftus's 16 Minute Podcast

If you would like to call your grocery store about the energy they're wasting

Contact Walmart (and Sam's Club)

Contact Costco

Contact Kroger

(they also own: Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Foods Co, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Gerbes, Jay C Food Store, King Soopers, Mariano’s, Metro Market, Pay-Less Super Markets, Pick’n Save, QFC, Ralphs, Ruler, Smith’s Food and Drug)

Contact Albertsons

(they also own: Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets, and Balducci's Food Lovers)

This week - Casey has been chasing the origin of a very specific piece of ephemera for years. He came to us for help.

If you like this episode and want to hear more, please sign up for our premium feed here!

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If you would like to join at the $60 yearly level and receive your very own Big Chub Chet's button, you can do so here:

https://hyperfixedpod.com/button

There are a limited number so get them before they're gone! 

LINKS:
Busy Beaver Button Museum

The Button in Question (Spoilers! don't look until the episode is done!)

I've known Wendy, the host of Science Vs. for almost a decade at this point, and her show is spectacular! We are sharing an episode of her show on the feed this week, just because we love her and would like you all to hear it. You can find many more episodes of Science Vs. on Spotify

There is a new bonus episode on our premium feed this week -- if you are interested in hearing that and getting a bunch of other fun premium perks you can sign up here:

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If you'd like a limited edition button from our recent episode as part of signing up for the premium feed, you can do that here:

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See you next week with a new main feed episode! 

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:

Some people can control their dreams. While they're fast asleep: they fly, create new worlds, live other lives. But Wendy isn't one of them. So in today's episode, Wendy and the Science Vs team find a scientifically approved method to try to lucid dream. We test it out — and bizarre things start happening. We also explore how scientists are trying to harness the strange powers of lucid dreaming to help people, as well as to crack huge scientific mysteries, like: What is consciousness? And what exactly goes on in all of our heads when we're asleep? To do all this and more, we talk to psychologists Dr. Denholm Adventure-Heart and Dr. Brigitte Holzinger, as well as cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Başak Türker.

You can find an episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsLucidDreaming

This week - Kristin asks us for help on one of the most difficult decisions she'll ever have to make. 

You can sign up for bonus episodes, join our discord, and much more at https://hyperfixedpod.com/join

If you would like to get the button featured in the "Casey Wants to Believe" episode of Hyperfixed, you can get one at hyperfixedpod.com/button (while supplies last!)

Dylan Matthews: 23 charts and maps that show the world is getting much, much better

Our World in Data 

Robert De Neufville's substack "Telling the Future"

How to become a Superforecaster

This week, Kyle asks us whether a bit of folk wisdom, passed down through generations, is actually true, and once again we end up in a big philosophical discussion about the nature of knowledge and stuff.

Your support makes this show possible! Please consider becoming a premium member for bonus episodes, access to the discord, merch drops, and more

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There are still buttons available from our episode "Casey Wants to Believe" but they're going fast! Get one at

http://hyperfixedpod.com/button

LINKS:

Adam Savage's YouTube Channel Tested

Adam Savage's own Savage Indusries tape measure 

The Lufkin Night Eye Tape Measure (again, this is not a sponsorship -- just what Adam recommends)

We've had maybe a dozen submissions from people who reached out to us with questions about public restrooms. Specifically: why are they designed so poorly? And how gross are they actually? Alex and Hyperfixed Producer Amor Yates investigate.

Help us continue making hyperfixed! Become a premium member for bonus episodes, access to our discord and much much more! https://www.hyperfixedpod.com/join

LINKS:

Toilet: The Public Restroom and the Politics of Sharing.

The American Restroom Association

The Germ Files: The Surprising Ways Microbes Can Improve Your Health and Life (and How to Protect Yourself from the Bad Ones)

Joe Rhodes is a former journalist that is writing about his experiences on the Villa Vie Odyssey, a cruise ship that has just embarked on a 3 & 1/2 year voyage. It hasn't all been smooth sailing. We talk to him about his experience. This is part one of a multi-part series we are running on our premium feed -- part II comes out next week!

https://hyperfixedpod.com/join

LINKS:
Joe Rhodes' Substack