-
Is That a Fact?
- Frauds, Quacks, and the Real Science of Everyday Life
- Narrated by: Garrett Goodison
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Categories: Health & Wellness, Fitness, Diet & Nutrition
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $13.99
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Who Ate the First Oyster?
- The Extraordinary People Behind the Greatest Firsts in History
- By: Cody Cassidy
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 46
Who wore the first pants? Who painted the first masterpiece? Who first rode the horse? Who invented soap? This madcap adventure across ancient history uses everything from modern genetics to archaeology to uncover the geniuses behind these and other world-changing innovations. With a sharp sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm for the wonders of our ancient ancestors, Who Ate the First Oyster? profiles the perpetrators of the greatest firsts and catastrophes of prehistory.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
It could be better...
- By Alex on 04-06-21
By: Cody Cassidy
-
The Second Book of General Ignorance
- Everything You Think You Know Is (Still) Wrong
- By: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 47
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 47
Just when you thought that it was safe to start showing off again, John Lloyd and John Mitchinson are back with another busload of mistakes and misunderstandings. Here is a new collection of simple, perfectly obvious questions you'll be quite certain you know the answers to. Whether it's history, science, sports, geography, literature, language, medicine, the classics, or common wisdom, you'll be astonished to discover that everything you thought you knew is still hopelessly wrong.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A book to listen to many times
- By Carina Dar on 08-07-20
By: John Lloyd, and others
-
The Book of General Ignorance
- By: John Mitchinson, John Lloyd
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 349
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 250
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 250
Challenging what most of us assume to be verifiable truths in areas like history, literature, science, nature, and more, The Book of General Ignorance is a witty gotcha compendium of how little we actually know about anything. It'll have you scratching your head wondering why we even bother to go to school.
Revealing the truth behind all the things we think we know but don't, this book leaves you dumbfounded about all the misinformation you've managed to collect during your life.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting.
- By A. Hawkbird on 12-07-08
By: John Mitchinson, and others
-
Now I Know: The Soviets Invaded Wisconsin?!
- ...And 99 More Interesting Facts, Plus the Amazing Stories Behind Them
- By: Dan Lewis
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 14
Did you know that a measles outbreak led to the assigning of phone numbers? How about the fact that pirates are the reason we don’t use the metric system in the United States? Or that there’s actually a reason why stepping on a Lego hurts so damn much? Now I Know: The Soviets Invaded Wisconsin?! is the ultimate challenge for even the biggest trivia buff. Based on the very popular newsletter, you are guaranteed to learn something new despite how much you already think you know.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
loads of interesting facts!!
- By Sarge 07 on 04-08-21
By: Dan Lewis
-
Monkeys, Myths, and Molecules
- Separating Fact from Fiction, and the Science of Everyday Life
- By: Dr. Joe Schwarcz
- Narrated by: Garrett Goodison
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story3 out of 5 stars 1
The internet is a powerful beast when it comes to science; the answer to any query you may have is just a few keystrokes away. Dr. Joe takes a critical look at how facts are misconstrued in the media. He debunks the myths surrounding canned food, artificial dyes, SPF, homeopathy, cancer, chemicals, and more.
By: Dr. Joe Schwarcz
-
Stuff You Should Know
- An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things
- By: Josh Clark, Chuck Bryant
- Narrated by: Chuck Bryant, Josh Clark
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 262
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 230
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 226
From the duo behind the massively successful and award-winning podcast Stuff You Should Know comes an unexpected look at things you thought you knew. Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant started the podcast Stuff You Should Know back in 2008 because they were curious - curious about the world around them, curious about what they might have missed in their formal educations, and curious to dig deeper on stuff they thought they understood.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Fails as an audio book.
- By Sarah H on 12-10-20
By: Josh Clark, and others
-
Who Ate the First Oyster?
- The Extraordinary People Behind the Greatest Firsts in History
- By: Cody Cassidy
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 46
Who wore the first pants? Who painted the first masterpiece? Who first rode the horse? Who invented soap? This madcap adventure across ancient history uses everything from modern genetics to archaeology to uncover the geniuses behind these and other world-changing innovations. With a sharp sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm for the wonders of our ancient ancestors, Who Ate the First Oyster? profiles the perpetrators of the greatest firsts and catastrophes of prehistory.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
It could be better...
- By Alex on 04-06-21
By: Cody Cassidy
-
The Second Book of General Ignorance
- Everything You Think You Know Is (Still) Wrong
- By: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 47
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 47
Just when you thought that it was safe to start showing off again, John Lloyd and John Mitchinson are back with another busload of mistakes and misunderstandings. Here is a new collection of simple, perfectly obvious questions you'll be quite certain you know the answers to. Whether it's history, science, sports, geography, literature, language, medicine, the classics, or common wisdom, you'll be astonished to discover that everything you thought you knew is still hopelessly wrong.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A book to listen to many times
- By Carina Dar on 08-07-20
By: John Lloyd, and others
-
The Book of General Ignorance
- By: John Mitchinson, John Lloyd
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 349
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 250
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 250
Challenging what most of us assume to be verifiable truths in areas like history, literature, science, nature, and more, The Book of General Ignorance is a witty gotcha compendium of how little we actually know about anything. It'll have you scratching your head wondering why we even bother to go to school.
Revealing the truth behind all the things we think we know but don't, this book leaves you dumbfounded about all the misinformation you've managed to collect during your life.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting.
- By A. Hawkbird on 12-07-08
By: John Mitchinson, and others
-
Now I Know: The Soviets Invaded Wisconsin?!
- ...And 99 More Interesting Facts, Plus the Amazing Stories Behind Them
- By: Dan Lewis
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 14
Did you know that a measles outbreak led to the assigning of phone numbers? How about the fact that pirates are the reason we don’t use the metric system in the United States? Or that there’s actually a reason why stepping on a Lego hurts so damn much? Now I Know: The Soviets Invaded Wisconsin?! is the ultimate challenge for even the biggest trivia buff. Based on the very popular newsletter, you are guaranteed to learn something new despite how much you already think you know.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
loads of interesting facts!!
- By Sarge 07 on 04-08-21
By: Dan Lewis
-
Monkeys, Myths, and Molecules
- Separating Fact from Fiction, and the Science of Everyday Life
- By: Dr. Joe Schwarcz
- Narrated by: Garrett Goodison
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story3 out of 5 stars 1
The internet is a powerful beast when it comes to science; the answer to any query you may have is just a few keystrokes away. Dr. Joe takes a critical look at how facts are misconstrued in the media. He debunks the myths surrounding canned food, artificial dyes, SPF, homeopathy, cancer, chemicals, and more.
By: Dr. Joe Schwarcz
-
Stuff You Should Know
- An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things
- By: Josh Clark, Chuck Bryant
- Narrated by: Chuck Bryant, Josh Clark
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 262
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 230
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 226
From the duo behind the massively successful and award-winning podcast Stuff You Should Know comes an unexpected look at things you thought you knew. Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant started the podcast Stuff You Should Know back in 2008 because they were curious - curious about the world around them, curious about what they might have missed in their formal educations, and curious to dig deeper on stuff they thought they understood.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Fails as an audio book.
- By Sarah H on 12-10-20
By: Josh Clark, and others
-
Now I Know
- The Revealing Stories Behind the World's Most Interesting Facts
- By: Dan Lewis
- Narrated by: Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 722
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 641
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 637
Did you know that there are actually 27 letters in the alphabet, or that the U.S. had a plan to invade Canada? And what actually happened to the flags left on the moon? Even if you think you have a handle on all things trivia, you're guaranteed a big surprise with Now I Know. From uncovering what happens to lost luggage to New York City's plan to crack down on crime by banning pinball, this book will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Quirky!
- By Janelle on 10-18-17
By: Dan Lewis
-
Humble Pi
- When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World
- By: Matt Parker
- Narrated by: Matt Parker
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,106
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 974
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 971
Exploring and explaining a litany of glitches, near misses, and mathematical mishaps involving the internet, big data, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman Empire, and an Olympic team, Matt Parker uncovers the bizarre ways math trips us up, and what this reveals about its essential place in our world. Getting it wrong has never been more fun.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating & enlightening even for da mathphobic✏️
- By C. White on 01-23-20
By: Matt Parker
-
Now I Know More
- The Revealing Stories Behind Even More of the World's Most Interesting Facts
- By: Dan Lewis
- Narrated by: Anthony Haden Salerno
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 661
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 597
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 598
Get ready to find out the real deal behind a new collection of fascinating facts. From pink camouflaged fighter planes to secret Harry Potter characters, Now I Know More covers everything from history and science to sports and pop culture. You'll learn about made-up towns that made their way onto real maps, the time three MLB teams squared off in a single game, and 99 more curious cases of remarkable trivia. And it's all true. With this audiobook, you really will know more!
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Light & Fun (Sometimes Creepy)
- By Gillian on 05-27-15
By: Dan Lewis
-
Fact or Fiction
- Science Tackles 58 Popular Myths
- By: Scientific American
- Narrated by: Janet Metzger
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Story0 out of 5 stars 0
Did NASA really spend millions creating a pen that would write in space? Is chocolate poisonous to dogs? Does stress cause gray hair? These questions are a sample of the urban lore investigated in this audiobook, Fact or Fiction: Science Tackles 58 Popular Myths. Drawing from Scientific American’s “Fact or Fiction” and “Strange But True” columns, we’ve selected 58 of the most surprising, fascinating, useful, and just plain wacky topics confronted by our writers over the years.
-
Great Adaptations
- Star-Nosed Moles, Electric Eels, and Other Tales of Evolution's Mysteries Solved
- By: Kenneth Catania
- Narrated by: Chris Sorensen
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 10
From star-nosed moles that have super-sensing snouts to electric eels that paralyze their prey, animals possess unique and extraordinary abilities. In Great Adaptations, Kenneth Catania presents an entertaining and engaging look at some of nature's most remarkable creatures. Telling the story of his biological detective work, Catania sheds light on the mysteries behind the behaviors of tentacled snakes, tiny shrews, zombie-making wasps, and more.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Excellently written!
- By Kindle Customer on 11-11-20
By: Kenneth Catania
-
2222 Interesting, Wacky & Crazy Facts
- The Knowledge Encyclopedia to Win Trivia (Amazing World Facts)
- By: Scott Matthews
- Narrated by: Carlos Ramirez
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 13
Research conducted by NASA in 1995 concluded that the perfect nap lasts for about 26 minutes. Did you know Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts? Did you know that if you're looking for a job, the application and resume are not nearly as important as a reference?
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Not read well
- By Ryan on 02-12-21
By: Scott Matthews
-
How To
- Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems
- By: Randall Munroe
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,175
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,056
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,051
For any task you might want to do, there's a right way, a wrong way, and a way so monumentally complex, excessive, and inadvisable that no one would ever try it. How To is a guide to the third kind of approach. It's full of highly impractical advice for everything from landing a plane to digging a hole.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Bad Ideas So BAD They Are NEARLY Irresistable! 🤓
- By C. White on 09-03-19
By: Randall Munroe
-
The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth
- And Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine
- By: Thomas Morris
- Narrated by: Thomas Morris, Ruper Farley
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 426
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 384
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 381
A puzzling series of dental explosions beginning in the 19th century is just one of many strange tales that have long lain undiscovered in the pages of old medical journals. Award-winning medical historian Thomas Morris delivers one of the most remarkable, cringe-inducing collections of stories ever assembled.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Boring Toilet Humor
- By Nemo on 01-30-20
By: Thomas Morris
-
And Then You're Dead
- What Really Happens If You Get Swallowed by a Whale, Are Shot from a Cannon, or Go Barreling over Niagara
- By: Cody Cassidy, Paul Doherty
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 257
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 230
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 230
A gleefully gruesome look at the actual science behind the most outlandish, cartoonish, and impossible deaths you can imagine. What would happen if you took a swim outside a deep-sea submarine wearing only a swimsuit? How long could you last if you stood on the surface of the sun? How far could you actually get in digging a hole to China? Paul Doherty, senior staff scientist at San Francisco's famed Exploratorium Museum, and writer Cody Cassidy explore the real science behind these and other fantastical scenarios.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
perfect for a precocious 9 year old boy
- By Kerith Strano Taylor on 05-15-17
By: Cody Cassidy, and others
-
The Wise Book of Whys
- By: Daven Hiskey, Today I Found Out.com
- Narrated by: Simon Whistler
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 76
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 75
Ever wonder why New York is called the "Big Apple" or why some countries drive on the right and some on the left? Well, wonder no more. This and over 100 other fascinating questions are answered in detail inside, along with some interesting Bonus Facts related to each topic to fully satisfy even the most learned of trivia buffs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fun book and might learn a few trivial things
- By Slam Bones on 06-16-17
By: Daven Hiskey, and others
-
Funny You Should Ask...
- Your Questions Answered by the QI Elves
- By: QI Elves, James Harkin, Anne Miller, and others
- Narrated by: John Lloyd, QI Elves, James Rawson, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 31
Funny You Should Ask... features the QI Elves' answers to 200 questions on topics ranging from goosebumps to gherkins and everything in-between. Generously sprinkled with mind-boggling extra facts from the Elves, this is essential listening for the incurably curious.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
If only it had been a bit longer
- By Emmi Virtanen on 12-28-20
By: QI Elves, and others
-
Stick a Flag in It
- 1,000 Years of Bizarre History from Britain and Beyond
- By: Arran Lomas
- Narrated by: Arran Lomas
- Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 237
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 219
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 219
From the Norman Invasion in 1066 to the eve of the First World War, Stick a Flag in It is a thousand-year jocular journey through the history of Britain and its global empire. Forget what you were taught in school - this is history like you’ve never heard it before, full of captivating historical quirks that will make you laugh out loud and scratch your head in disbelief.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting history, hilariously recounted
- By Tori on 10-14-20
By: Arran Lomas
Publisher's Summary
Dr. Joe Schwarcz takes on the quacks and doles out the facts in this eye-opening look at the science around us
Eat this and live to 100. Don’t, and die. Today, hyperboles dominate the media, which makes parsing science from fiction an arduous task when deciding what to eat, what chemicals to avoid, and what’s best for the environment. In Is That a Fact?, best-selling author Dr. Joe Schwarcz carefully navigates the storm of misinformation to help us separate fact from folly and shrewdness from foolishness.
Are GMOs really harmful? Or could they help developing countries? Which “miracle weight loss foods” gained popularity through exuberant data dredging? Is BPA dangerous or just a victim of unforgiving media hype? Is organic better? Dr. Joe questions the reliability and motives of “experts” in this easy-to-understand yet critical look at what’s fact and what’s plain nonsense.
Critic Reviews
“Written with a light touch and refreshing humor, this book provides a solid, authoritative starting point for anyone beginning to look at the world with a skeptical eye and a refresher for those further along that path.” (Library Journal)
“The author's entertaining writing style and clear, precise explanations make the book a joy to read, and his choice of subjects is so wide-ranging that there is really something for everyone here.” (Booklist)