Part-Time Genius

What’s the Best Passport to Carry? (And Why Do We Carry Passports?)

Travel identification has taken many forms over the years, from stone tablets to an exhausting process that involved posting your itinerary on a church door. But how did we arrive at the standardized booklets many of us carry today? How do different countries use art and technology to distinguish their passports? And what’s the best (and worst) passport in the world, according to experts? Plus: Why you can blame a German spy for your embarrassing passport photo. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Spencer Davis via Unsplash. Thanks, Spencer! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Recycling Worth the Hassle?

Why does Germany use five different bins for recycling? Can you trick people into being greener by putting wolves on packaging? And is recycling a good business to be in? Plus, why Totes McGoats is one of the worst phrases of all time... but also perhaps the best recycling mascot ever. Featuring Christopher Hassiotis from HowStuffWorks. This episode originally aired on January 24, 2018. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Pawel Czerwinski via Unsplash. Thanks, Pawel! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

9 Nutty Facts About Hard-Shelled Fruit

Why did people start (and stop) dyeing pistachios red? How do thieves pull off high-stakes nut heists? What’s up with the coconut that looks like a butt? And why do so many members of the PTG team have beef with pine nuts? Today, we’re cracking the delicious mysteries of nuts (and, yes, things that aren’t technically nuts). Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Mae Mu via Unsplash. Thanks, Mae! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Clean Should We Be?

Is our obsession with cleanliness keeping us from peak health? Also, can hookworm cure allergies? Will harvesting panda poop make you rich? Plus: Why Amish dust is superior to other dust (seriously!). Featuring Penny Sarchet. This episode originally aired on June 14, 2017. Got a question or idea for the show? Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Crystal Chabot via Unsplash. Thanks, Crystal! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the Best Way to Break a Bad Habit?

Why is it so hard to stop oversleeping and eating candy? Why is it equally hard to start going to the gym and preparing healthy snacks? If you’ve been struggling with New Year’s resolutions, you’re not alone—turns out humans have wrestled with habits for centuries, like the guy who paid his servant to drag him out of bed in the morning. Will and Mango have the answers you need, with a little help from behavior change expert Dr. Katy Milkman. Buy Katy Milkman’s book, How to Change, and subscribe to her newsletter, Milkman Delivers! Remember, Monday, March 2 is the official 2026 Part-Time Genius Habit Change Fresh Start Day! Mark your calendars and let us know what habit you’re trying to change. Call our hotline at (302) 405-5925 or email higeniuses@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social! Photo by Timm Bursch via Unsplash. Thanks, Timm! Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.