science

13 O’Clock Episode 487: Isaac Newton’s Experiments in Alchemy

/ Jenny Ashford / Leave a comment

Discover the hidden side of Isaac Newton, the scientific genius behind gravity and calculus, who spent decades secretly obsessed with alchemy. Far from being a mere pseudoscience detour, Newton’s alchemical pursuits involved intense laboratory experiments, decoding ancient texts, and a quest for the philosopher’s stone and divine secrets in matter. Influenced by mysterious figures like Eirenaeus Philalethes, he wrote over a million words on transmutation and metallic “growth.” This forgotten passion shaped his revolutionary ideas on forces and light, revealing Newton not just as the first modern scientist, but the last great magician.

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Please support us on Patreon! Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram. Also check out Jenny’s horror channel, The Scare Salon, and her true crime channel, Crime Immemorial. Check out Fright On Cue, a cool horror writing journal with image and text prompts.

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THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS! The show is made possible by: Allison, Amanda, Amanda O., Amber, Ambition Writing, Amy H., Anthony, Antonio, Arezo, Arif, Armand, Ashley, Austin, Ben, BlackMarigold, Blake, Brad, Brandon, Brian, Bryce, Bunjip, Bunny, Cady, Calexico Mom, Cami, Chris, Christopher, Ciarra, Cody, Corinthian, creepy crepes, D. Newton, Dae, Damian, Dan, Darkskull, Darren, Dave B., David P., Dean, Denise, Dermot, Dominic, Duncan, Dwayne, Ed, Elizabeth, Elliot, Eric, Erin, Esther, Fade, Feeky, Gareth, Geare, Ginger, Gramthars Hammer, Greg, Gwen, Gwendoline, Hanna, Hayden, Heather, HoboNasty, Holly, Hugo, Iain, Ilse, Ima Shrew, Jaime, Jake A., Jake S., James, James H., Jamin, Jana & Scott, Janet, Jason, Jason W., Jeanette, Jen, Jessica, Jesus, Jill, Joanie, Jocifer, Joe, John A. Brown, John H., John M., Jon R., Jonathan, Jonathan H., Joseph, Juli, Juliana, Justin, Justyn, Karin, Kat, Katrina, Keith, Kelley G., Ken, Kieron, Klaus, Knothead Studios, Kool Kitty, Lana, Lars, Leander, Liam, Lindsey, Logan, Lonna, Lynx_13, Macy, Marcus, Mark, Mary Ellen, Master of Dungeons, Matt, Matthew, Maximillian, Melanie, Melissa, Melissa G., Michael, Miguel, Mike, Misty, Mother of Beasts, Natalia, Nathalie, Nicodemus, Nilay, Noah, Oddcatt, Oli, out_running_erins, Paul, Poppa77 Morrison, Rabbit, Rachel, Rebecca, Rebecca L., Rebecca M., Richard J., Richard & Sheena, Rik, Rob, Robina, Ryan, Samantha, Sandra, Saul, Scarlett, Scott, Sean, seven lines, Shaebie, Shae-Nicole, Sheena, Sophie, Stephanie, Steven Vincent, Stop Prop, Sydney, Tabitha, Tammie, Tanja, Tara, Terrie, TheMysteryGamer, Thomas, Thomm, Tiffany, Timothy, Tina, Travon, Trevor, Trey, Tyran, Valtrina, Vashti, Veronica, Via, Victor, Victoria, Victoria E., Virginia, Weaponsandstuff93, Will S., and Xánada.

Channel art and audio & video editing by Jenny Ashford. Music & sound effects courtesy of freesound.org users jamespotterboy, corsica-s, enjoypa, capturedlv, luffy, kiddpark, and justkiddink. Video clips courtesy of Videezy & Videvo.

13 O’Clock Episode 421: Evolution vs. Creationism

/ Jenny Ashford / Leave a comment

The evolution vs. creationism controversy centers on differing explanations for the origin and development of life. Evolution, supported by scientific evidence, posits that species evolved over millions of years through natural selection and genetic variation. Creationism, rooted in religious beliefs, claims that life was created by a divine being in its current form, as described in sacred texts like the Bible. This debate has sparked educational and legal disputes, particularly regarding whether both views should be taught in public schools. The controversy reflects broader tensions between science and religion in explaining human origins.

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Please support us on Patreon! Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Also check out Jenny’s horror channel, The Scare Salon, and her true crime channel, Crime Immemorial. Check out Fright On Cue, a cool horror writing journal with image and text prompts.

Please try out TubeBuddy!

And check out our cool merch at our Zazzle store, and some board and card games designed by Jenny at Giallo Games!

Visit Jenny’s Amazon author page! And check out our awesome cookbook!

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS! The show is made possible by: Allison, Amanda, Amanda O., Ambition Writing, Amy H., Anthony, Antonio, Arezo, Arif, Ashley, Austin, Ben, BlackMarigold, Blake, Brad, Brandon, Brian, Bryce, Bunjip, Bunny, Cady, Calexico Mom, Cami, Chris, Christopher, Ciarra, Cody, Corinthian, creepy crepes, D. Newton, Dae, Damian, Dan, Darkskull, Darren, Dave B., David P., Dean, Denise, Dermot, Dominic, Duncan, Dwayne, Ed, Elizabeth, Elliot, Eric, Erin, Esther, Fade, Feeky, Gareth, Ginger, Gramthars Hammer, Greg, Gwen, Gwendoline, Hanna, Hayden, Heather, HoboNasty, Holly, Hugo, Iain, Ilse, Ima Shrew, Jaime, Jake A., Jake S., James, James H., Jamin, Jana & Scott, Janet, Jason, Jason W., Jeanette, Jen, Jessica, Jesus, Jill, Joanie, Jocifer, Joe, John H., John M., Jon R., Jonathan, Jonathan H., Joseph, Juli, Juliana, Justin, Justyn, Karin, Kat, Katrina, Keith, Kelley G., Ken, Kieron, Knothead Studios, Kool Kitty, Lana, Lars, Leander, Liam, Lindsey, Logan, Lonna, Lynx_13, Macy, Marcus, Mark, Mary Ellen, Master of Dungeons, Matt, Matthew, Maximillian, Melanie, Melissa, Melissa G., Michael, Miguel, Mike, Mother of Beasts, Natalia, Nathalie, Nicodemus, Nilay, Noah, Oddcatt, Oli, out_running_erins, Paul, Rachel, Rebecca, Rebecca L., Rebecca M., Richard J., Richard & Sheena, Rik, Rob, Robina, Ryan, Samantha, Sandra, Saul, Scarlett, Scott, Sean, seven lines, Shae-Nicole, Sheena, Sophie, Stephanie, Steven Vincent, Stop Prop, Sydney, Tabitha, Tammie, Tara, Terrie, TheMysteryGamer, Thomas, Thomm, Tiffany, Timothy, Tina, Travon, Trevor, Trey, Tyran, Valtrina, Vashti, Veronica, Via, Victor, Victoria, Victoria E., Virginia, Weaponsandstuff93, Will S., and Xánada.

Channel art and audio & video editing by Jenny Ashford. Music & sound effects courtesy of freesound.org users jamespotterboy, corsica-s, enjoypa, capturedlv, luffy, kiddpark, and justkiddink. Video clips courtesy of Videezy & Videvo.

13 O’Clock Episode 418: More Stories of Mad Science

/ Jenny Ashford / Leave a comment

Way back on Episode 35, we discussed four cases of bizarre science experiments throughout history, and on this second installment, we’ll be delving into another four even weirder tales of mad scientists. First, we’ll discuss Robert Galbraith Heath, who claimed to be able to “cure” homosexuality by stimulating the brain’s pleasure centers with electrodes. Then we’ll talk about José Delgado, who attempted to influence the behavior of animals and humans via remote control. We’ll also get into the story of so-called “Red Frankenstein” Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov, who tried to breed a human-ape hybrid. Lastly, we’ll discuss the gruesome experiments done by Vladimir Demikhov, in which he surgically created a series of two-headed dogs in order to see if the animals could survive using only one circulatory system. Put on your white lab coat and dust off your test tubes as we journey down some of the stranger avenues of scientific progress.

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Please support us on Patreon! Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Also check out Jenny’s horror channel, The Scare Salon, and her true crime channel, Crime Immemorial. Check out Fright On Cue, a cool horror writing journal with image and text prompts.

Please try out TubeBuddy!

And check out our cool merch at our Zazzle store, and some board and card games designed by Jenny at Giallo Games!

Visit Jenny’s Amazon author page! And check out our awesome cookbook!

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS! The show is made possible by: Allison, Amanda, Amanda O., Ambition Writing, Amy H., Anthony, Antonio, Arezo, Arif, Ashley, Austin, Ben, BlackMarigold, Blake, Brad, Brandon, Brian, Bryce, Bunjip, Bunny, Cady, Calexico Mom, Cami, Chris, Christopher, Ciarra, Cody, Corinthian, creepy crepes, D. Newton, Dae, Damian, Dan, Darkskull, Darren, Dave B., David P., Dean, Denise, Dermot, Dominic, Duncan, Dwayne, Ed, Elizabeth, Elliot, Eric, Erin, Esther, Fade, Feeky, Gareth, Ginger, Gramthars Hammer, Greg, Gwen, Gwendoline, Hanna, Hayden, Heather, HoboNasty, Holly, Hugo, Iain, Ilse, Ima Shrew, Jaime, Jake A., Jake S., James, James H., Jamin, Jana & Scott, Janet, Jason, Jason W., Jeanette, Jen, Jessica, Jesus, Jill, Joanie, Jocifer, Joe, John H., John M., Jon R., Jonathan, Jonathan H., Joseph, Juli, Juliana, Justin, Justyn, Karin, Kat, Katrina, Keith, Kelley G., Ken, Kieron, Knothead Studios, Kool Kitty, Lana, Lars, Leander, Liam, Lindsey, Logan, Lonna, Lynx_13, Macy, Marcus, Mark, Mary Ellen, Master of Dungeons, Matt, Matthew, Maximillian, Melanie, Melissa, Melissa G., Michael, Miguel, Mike, Mother of Beasts, Natalia, Nathalie, Nicodemus, Nilay, Noah, Oddcatt, Oli, out_running_erins, Paul, Rachel, Rebecca, Rebecca L., Rebecca M., Richard J., Richard & Sheena, Rik, Rob, Robina, Ryan, Samantha, Sandra, Saul, Scarlett, Scott, Sean, seven lines, Shae-Nicole, Sheena, Sophie, Stephanie, Steven Vincent, Stop Prop, Sydney, Tabitha, Tammie, Tara, Terrie, TheMysteryGamer, Thomas, Thomm, Tiffany, Timothy, Tina, Travon, Trevor, Trey, Tyran, Valtrina, Vashti, Veronica, Via, Victor, Victoria, Victoria E., Virginia, Weaponsandstuff93, Will S., and Xánada.

Channel art and audio & video editing by Jenny Ashford. Music & sound effects courtesy of freesound.org users jamespotterboy, corsica-s, enjoypa, capturedlv, luffy, kiddpark, and justkiddink. Video clips courtesy of Videezy & Videvo.

13 O’Clock Episode 406: Phrenology – The Skull Bump Pseudoscience

/ Jenny Ashford / Leave a comment

Phrenology is a pseudoscience that emerged in the early 19th century, proposing that the shape and size of various areas of the brain (and thus the overlying skull) determine a person’s character, personality traits, and intellectual abilities. It was founded by German physician Franz Joseph Gall around 1796. Gall theorized that different brain regions were responsible for different aspects of personality and behavior and that the development of these regions would cause corresponding bumps or indentations on the skull. Today, phrenology is considered a historical curiosity and an example of how early scientific endeavors can go astray. It serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of scientific methods and evidence in forming theories about the human mind and behavior. Sadly, though, its pernicious influence can still be felt today. Join Tom and Jenny on this wild journey into pseudoscientific nonsense on a heady episode 406.

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Please support us on Patreon! Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Also check out Jenny’s horror channel, The Scare Salon, and her true crime channel, Crime Immemorial. Check out Fright On Cue, a cool horror writing journal with image and text prompts.

Please try out TubeBuddy!

And check out our cool merch at our Zazzle store, and some board and card games designed by Jenny at Giallo Games!

Visit Jenny’s Amazon author page! And check out our awesome cookbook!

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS! The show is made possible by: Allison, Amanda, Amanda O., Ambition Writing, Amy H., Anthony, Antonio, Arezo, Arif, Ashley, Austin, Ben, BlackMarigold, Blake, Brad, Brandon, Brian, Bryce, Bunjip, Bunny, Cady, Calexico Mom, Cami, Chris, Christopher, Ciarra, Cody, Corinthian, creepy crepes, D. Newton, Dae, Damian, Dan, Darkskull, Darren, Dave B., David P., Dean, Denise, Dermot, Dominic, Duncan, Dwayne, Ed, Elizabeth, Elliot, Eric, Erin, Esther, Fade, Feeky, Gareth, Ginger, Gramthars Hammer, Greg, Gwen, Gwendoline, Hanna, Hayden, Heather, HoboNasty, Holly, Hugo, Iain, Ilse, Ima Shrew, Jaime, Jake A., Jake S., James, James H., Jamin, Jana & Scott, Janet, Jason, Jason W., Jeanette, Jen, Jessica, Jesus, Joanie, Jocifer, Joe, John H., John M., Jon R., Jonathan, Jonathan H., Joseph, Juli, Juliana, Justin, Justyn, Karin, Kat, Katrina, Keith, Kelley G., Ken, Kieron, Knothead Studios, Kool Kitty, Lana, Lars, Leander, Liam, Lindsey, Logan, Lonna, Lynx_13, Macy, Marcus, Mark, Mary Ellen, Master of Dungeons, Matt, Matthew, Maximillian, Melanie, Melissa, Melissa G., Michael, Miguel, Mike, Mother of Beasts, Natalia, Nathalie, Nicodemus, Nilay, Noah, Oddcatt, Oli, out_running_erins, Paul, Rachel, Rebecca, Rebecca L., Rebecca M., Richard J., Richard & Sheena, Rik, Rob, Robina, Ryan, Samantha, Sandra, Saul, Scarlett, Scott, Sean, seven lines, Shae-Nicole, Sheena, Sophie, Stephanie, Steven Vincent, Stop Prop, Sydney, Tabitha, Tammie, Tara, Terrie, TheMysteryGamer, Thomas, Thomm, Tiffany, Timothy, Tina, Travon, Trevor, Trey, Tyran, Valtrina, Vashti, Veronica, Via, Victor, Victoria, Victoria E., Virginia, Weaponsandstuff93, Will S., and Xánada.

Channel art and audio & video editing by Jenny Ashford. Music & sound effects courtesy of freesound.org users jamespotterboy, corsica-s, enjoypa, capturedlv, luffy, kiddpark, and justkiddink. Video clips courtesy of Videezy & Videvo.