In this bonus episode, Lu and Tirth do some RecSci Quick Bites or funny studies they didn’t get to discuss at length during season one. These include an unusual finding on colonoscopy, ergonomic toilet seats, Japan’s Phillips curve, the misuse of the word promiscuity, the deal with birds, fruit bat fellatio part 2, and a case of untreated writer’s block.

This episode is part of the 4th edition of Podcasthon! This is the world’s largest podcast charity initiative, bringing together podcasters globally to raise awareness for important causes.

Doctors Without Borders: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/

Podcasthon: https://podcasthon.org/

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:27 Colonoscopy study
• 4:04 Toilet seat study
• 5:59 Japan study
• 7:02 Promiscuity study
• 8:47 Birds study
• 10:05 Fruit bat study
• 12:00 Writer’s block study
• 13:01 Outro

Article links:

• Tahan et al., 2019. An Unusual Finding of a Ladybug on Screening Colonoscopy. ACG Case Reports Journal. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6791639/
• Lustig et al., 2018. Beware of the toilet: the risk for a deep tissue injury during toilet sitting. Journal of Tissue Viability. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965206X17300670?via%3Dihub
• Smith, 2006. Japan’s Phillips Curve Looks Like Japan. Queen's Economics Department Working Paper No. 1083. http://qed.econ.queensu.ca/working_papers/papers/qed_wp_1083.pdf
• Elgar et al., 2013. Promiscuous words. Frontiers in Zoology. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1742-9994-10-66
• Baldassarre, 2020. What’s the Deal with Birds? Scientific Journal of Research and Reviews. https://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/sillymolecules/birds.pdf
• Maruthupandian et al., 2013. Cunnilingus apparently increases duration of copulation in the Indian flying fox, Pteropus giganteus. PLoS One. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0059743
• Upper, 1974. The unsuccessful self-treatment of a case of “writer's block.” Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1311997

You can find Recreational Science (#RecSciPod) everywhere great podcasts are found!

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How do you make yourself lift more at the gym? Have you tried swearing?

Kids need potty training, but what about animals? Does potty training cows make them healthier and happier?

In the season 1 finale, Lu and Tirth do a year-end review and discuss how saying your favorite swear word makes you stronger at the gym and how to potty train cows using an electric trainer.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:45 Year-end review
• 7:37 Swearing study
• 25:25 Potty training study
• 37:01 Is this SPAM? An update
• 42:43 What did you learn today, outro

Article links:

• Jiannine & Antonio, 2023. The Effects of Cursing on Exercise Performance. Journal of Exercise Physiology online. https://www.asep.org/asep/asep/JEPonlineOCTOBER2023_Lia%20Jiannine_Jose%20Antonio.pdf
• Stephens et al., 2025. “Don’t Hold Back”: Swearing Improves Strength Through State Disinhibition. American Psychologist. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2027-01514-001.html
• Bergsten et al., 1992. The cleanliness of cows tied in stalls and the health of their hooves as influenced by the use of electric trainers. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/016758779290038H

You can find Recreational Science (#RecSciPod) everywhere great podcasts are found!

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Recreational Science is produced by Scientafic (https://www.scientafic.com/recscipod)

Graphene is a fascinating material with the potential to help solve the world’s energy needs. Can you improve graphene with poop?

Garlic is a superfood packed with flavor and health benefits. Yes, garlic causes bad breath, but could it actually improve your body odor?

In this remunerative episode, Lu and Tirth discuss the electrocatalytic effects of doping graphene with guano and whether eating garlic makes men smell more desirable to women.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:16 Is this SPAM?
• 11:43 Graphene study
• 22:10 Garlic study
• 34:34 What did you learn today, outro

Article links:

• Wang et al., 2020. Will Any Crap We Put into Graphene Increase Its Electrocatalytic Effect? ACS Nano. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.9b00184
• Fialova et al., 2016. Consumption of garlic positively affects hedonic perception of axillary body odour. Appetite. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666315300787

You can find Recreational Science (#RecSciPod) everywhere great podcasts are found!

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How do economics work in a strip club? What are the factors that go into how much a stripper makes in tips? Do strippers earn more tips when they’re ovulating?

Men are prone to doing some dumb, poorly planned, and aggressive stuff. Is testosterone to blame? Does testosterone make men serve more hot sauce to other people?

In this episode, to celebrate the supposed end of Tirth’s bachelorhood, Lu and Tirth discuss surprising factors that affect how much money lap dancers make and how testosterone levels in men make them more aggressive with hot sauce.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:34 Tirth’s “not” bachelor party
• 8:37 Stripper study
• 20:51 Testosterone study
• 31:13 What did you learn today, outro

Article links:

• Miller et al., 2007. Ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by lap dancers: economic evidence for human estrus? Evolution and Human Behavior. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513807000694
• Klinesmith et al., 2006. Guns, Testosterone, and Aggression: An Experimental Test of a Mediational Hypothesis. Psychological Science. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01745.x

You can find Recreational Science (#RecSciPod) everywhere great podcasts are found!

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Recreational Science is produced by Scientafic (https://www.scientafic.com/recscipod)

Humans recognize each other’s faces. Chimps recognize each other’s butts. However, do chimps recognize human butts? Do humans recognize human butts? Do humans recognize chimp butts? All these questions must be asked.

Getting surgery, even minor procedures, triggers anxiety. Do clowns help kids relax pre-surgery? Is there room for clowns in pediatric operating rooms?

In this episode, Lu and Tirth discuss historic science gaffes, how human faces are quite similar to chimpanzee butts, and whether clowns can be good anxiolytics for children.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:55 Dave talk
• 5:27 Historic science gaffes quiz
• 19:22 Chimp butt study
• 36:49 Clown studies
• 50:29 What did you learn today, outro

Article links:

• Kret & Tomonaga, 2016. Getting to the Bottom of Face Processing. Species-Specific Inversion Effects for Faces and Behinds in Humans and Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes). PLoS One. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0165357
• Vagnoli et al., 2005. Clown doctors as a treatment for preoperative anxiety in children: a randomized, prospective study. Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2005-0466
• Golan et al., 2009. Clowns for the prevention of preoperative anxiety in children: a randomized controlled trial. Pediatric Anesthesia. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1460-9592.2008.02903.x

You can find Recreational Science (#RecSciPod) everywhere great podcasts are found!

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Recreational Science is produced by Scientafic (https://www.scientafic.com/recscipod)

Dog food quality has risen over the years, and its ingredients are not too different from that of pâté, or liver mousse, a French delicacy. The question, then, must be asked: can people taste the difference between dog food and pâté?

Driving under the influence of marijuana is dangerous and illegal, but what about bicycling? Is it safe to ride bikes after cannabis use?

Happy 2026! In this episode, Lu and Tirth discuss whether blind taste testers can tell the difference between dog food and pâté, liverwurst, or SPAM, and whether cannabis users can safely navigate through traffic on a bicycle while stoned.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:45 New Year’s celebrations and resolutions
• 8:04 Dog food study
• 20:17 Weed study
• 30:16 What did you learn today, outro

Article links:

• Bohannon J et al., 2009. Can people distinguish pâté from dog food? AAWE Working paper No. 36 – Economics. https://wine-economics.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/AAWE_WP36.pdf
• Hartung et al., 2016. The effect of cannabis on regular cannabis consumers’ ability to ride a bicycle. International Journal of Legal Medicine. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00414-015-1307-y

You can find Recreational Science (#RecSciPod) everywhere great podcasts are found!

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Kids swallow little toys and other things they’re not supposed to all the time. Is it dangerous to swallow Legos? How long does it take for a swallowed piece of Lego to pass? There’s only one way to find out.

Why do some men have beards? Do beards signify virility and manliness? Do bearded men have higher power levels?

In this episode, Lu and Tirth discuss the rich history of self-experimentation in medicine, how long it takes Legos to pass through the digestive tract, and whether bearded men fight better.

Please vote for our show on the pod radar before Monday 12/22! https://thepodradar.com/

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

3:12 Hate caller follow-up

7:59 The rich history of self-experimentation

16:42 Lego swallowing study

23:23 Beard study

36:11 What did you learn today, outro

Article links:

• Tagg et al., 2018. Everything is awesome: Don’t forget the Lego. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jpc.14309

• Dixson et al., 2018. Contest competition and men's facial hair: beards may not provide advantages in combat. Evolution and human behavior. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513817302660
• Beseris et al., 2020. Impact Protection Potential of Mammalian Hair: Testing the Pugilism Hypothesis for the Evolution of Human Facial Hair. Integrative organismal biology. https://academic.oup.com/iob/article/2/1/obaa005/5799080

You can find Recreational Science (#RecSciPod) everywhere great podcasts are found!

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• YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@RecSciPod
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Recreational Science is produced by Scientafic (https://www.scientafic.com/recscipod)

Would you give up your seat to a pregnant woman on the train? Would you be more likely to give up your seat to a pregnant woman if Batman was also on the train?

What do octopuses do during their free time? Are they smart, curious, and bored enough to play catch by themselves?

In this episode, Lu and Tirth discuss how the presence of Batman makes people more kind to one another and whether octopuses play with toys.

Beef man origins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc-5StGiCb4

Octopus playing video: https://figshare.com/articles/media/An_adult_i_O_bimaculoides_i_Octopus_H_playing_with_test_tube_cap_/29494452?file=56034531

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:25 Lu has a hater
• 10:39 Batman study
• 21:53 Octopus study
• 31:41 What did you learn today, outro

Article links:

• Pagnini et al., 2025. Unexpected events and prosocial behavior: the Batman effect. npj Mental Health Research. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44184-025-00171-5
• Jarmoulk et al., 2025. Evidence of play behavior in captive California two-spot octopuses, Octopus bimaculoides. PLoS One. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0326379

You can find Recreational Science (#RecSciPod) everywhere great podcasts are found!

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• YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@RecSciPod
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Recreational Science is produced by Scientafic (https://www.scientafic.com/recscipod)