backyardphilosophy
216 episodes listed below
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Mike and Nick, two childhood friends, talk and discuss; Issues, Life, and the Universe. Where they bring to light problems, subjects and solutions that may not be generally known to the public. Go deep into topics from all over the board, from Invasive Species to what is the Meaning of Life. Join these two friends as they explore and discuss in the podcast Backyard Philosophy.w podcast weblog
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Backyard Philosophy Podcast pairs wide-ranging curiosity with humor, useful skepticism and a welcome willingness to show where the record remains uncertain.
Backyard Philosophy Podcast turns research into an informal exchange between Mike and Nick, with drinks, jokes and disagreements left in the room.
The Pacific gets blamed for beached whales; you get an ocean debate with very low diplomatic stakes.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A conversational case for why noise pollution is more than an irritation, with health effects treated as associations rather than certainties.
Noise pollution is treated as more than a nuisance here: it is linked to water, air, and daily life through a conversational exchange that stays light on its feet.
A sharp look at how werewolf panic turned rumor and village logic into accusation.
The episode follows werewolf belief from older wolf myths into the later panics that turned fear into accusation. It works best when it treats the werewolf less like a movie monster and more like a story built by village logic, rumor, and fear that kept feeding on itself.
Radu becomes a clear, compelling center of a tangled medieval power story.
The episode traces Radu, Dracula's younger brother, from family conflict into the Ottoman court and on toward the fall of Constantinople, turning a dense run of medieval politics into something easy to track.
A secret reactor under Chicago sounds impossible, but the story keeps it grounded and clear.
The segment treats Chicago Pile 1 as a dare that turned into history. It moves from the alarm over Nazi work on splitting the atom to the letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, then lands the reactor under the University of Chicago's Stagg Field.
Peter Boghossian applies street epistemology to guests debating free speech, immigration, and belief.
Vox's narrative reporting on factory farming, pandemic risk, and its Good Robot AI safety series.
It starts with wolves and an ominous night.
This segment explores the origins of the Christmas tradition of leaving cookies and milk for Santa, tracing it back to pagan and Viking customs during Yuletide, where children left food for Odin's animals like the eight-legged horse Sleipnir.
This segment explores the origins of Christmas cards, tracing back to a 1611 manuscript sent by Michael Maier to King James I as a holiday gesture.
This segment introduces the Black Shuck, a legendary hellhound from English folklore, described as a fearsome creature linked to Satan and haunting the countryside for centuries.
This episode segment explores the widespread phenomenon of phantom phone vibrations, where people mistakenly feel or hear their phone alerting them, debunking myths about phone companies causing it and highlighting its commonality.
This segment introduces Mary Ann Cotton, a prolific Victorian-era serial killer in England who murdered around 21 people for greed and enjoyment, beginning with her early life and a family tragedy.
This segment introduces the Year of the Four Emperors in ancient Rome, starting with Emperor Nero's misrule and the revolt led by Gaius Julius Findex in 68 AD that triggered a civil war.
This segment introduces Frank Hayes, an Irish immigrant who moved to the United States in 1916 and worked as a stable hand in New York City, setting the stage for his story in horse racing.
This segment explores the historical and cultural origins of the rabbit's foot as a talisman for good luck, tracing its significance from ancient times to modern superstitions.
This segment introduces think tanks as influential non-governmental organizations that research, advise, and draft legislation for governments and businesses, revealing their significant power in shaping policies.
This episode explores the origins and complexities of serving sizes and nutrition labels, tracing their development from the industrial revolution's impact on mass food production.
This episode segment introduces the historical context of the Lithuanian people resisting Russian rule by creating a major book smuggling ring, set against the backdrop of the rise and fall of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
This episode narrates the early life of Francis Marion, known as the Swamp Fox, a legendary figure from the American Revolutionary War.
This segment explores the origins of Yuletide, tracing it back to pagan Viking celebrations of the winter solstice in Scandinavia over a thousand years ago.
The hosts spend the episode on noise pollution, treating it as something you can’t really get away from.
This episode explores the life and legacy of Ismail al-Hazari, known as the father of robotics, detailing his birth during the Islamic Golden Age and Crusades, his cultural influences, and his lasting impact on technology.
The episode tells the story of Chicago Pile-1, the world's first nuclear reactor built secretly under a University of Chicago stadium during WWII.
Radu gets pulled out of Dracula's shadow and dropped into a brutal Wallachian succession mess.
Backyard Philosophy Podcast's "Goodbye & Hello ....!" has Nick and Mike review nearly three years of episodes before Nick steps away for a while.
Backyard Philosophy Podcast stages a Pacific-versus-Atlantic debate between Mike, an Atlantic supporter drawn to history and childhood trips to Florida and Myrtle Beach, and Nick, a Pacific supporter who fishes its waters and values its 25-to-30-foot waves.