Most Useful Podcast Ever

Hi y'all from Jacqui, Peter, Kevin, Eleanor and Roy! We've had an amazing, enlightening time creating this podcast for you for the last four years, but it's time for something new. Listen for our goodbyes and all the fun stuff we learned putting Most Useful together, and keep your eyes peeled for new episodes from[...]

Every year, the week of April Fool's Day, we take a break from providing our listeners with useful information, and instead do stuff like taste the new orange-vanilla Coke and try to explain movies we've never seen. Do you want to know a whole bunch of unproven home medical treatments invented by our gym manager's[...]

One day, when they were having lunch at their local bar, Rick Kiley and Jeff Boedges had an interesting idea: What if they came back one day and finished this weird old bottle of booze that had been sitting there for years? Well, they did it, and then turned it into a web series called[...]

We'll be the first to admit that the Most Useful Podcast Ever doesn't pursue a lot of hard-hitting journalism, but that's ok, because this week's guest, Elaine Shannon, certainly does. She came upon the story of criminal mastermind Paul Leroux while tracking the drug trade in Afghanistan, and eventually wrote a book—Hunting LeRoux: The Inside[...]

Deep in the middle of winter, it would be easy to hole up on the couch with a bag of Doritos and watch TV. But wouldn't it be more fun to get outside? On this episode, field editor James Lynch gives us a rundown of all the cool new gear he saw at the Outdoor[...]

With snow and cold descending across the Midwest and Northeast, we talk to the owner of StilL 630 spirits in St. Louis, about an experimental booze library that sounds like an excellent place to while away the winter. We also test winter jackets and bring in two popular mechanics greats—senior home editor Roy Berendsohn and[...]

Portable table saws, a wash-free gym shirt, a USB-based coffee cup, we'll test anything! Whether you're buying new stuff for yourself or gifts for your friends, you'll leave this episode with a ton of smart new ideas—and no buyers remorse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the office nearly empty between Christmas and New Year's, Jacqui and Tech Editor Alex George introduce the only other person in the office: PM's new Video Producer/Editor/Videographer, Todd Bogin. Todd shares some tips on what makes compelling video. Then he helps Jacqui plumb the depths of Alex's junk drawer, where Alex keeps all the[...]

With so many people coming over for the holidays, it's probably wise to make sure your grout is clean and your chimney in working order. You'll also want to stock up on some booze. Perhaps something unexpected, like cachaça? On this episode, we talk to Avuá Cachaça founder, Pete Nevenglosky, about the Brazilian tradition of[...]

Do you know what you're getting all your friends and family for the holidays? If so, good for you, overachiever. For the rest of us, the staff of Popular Mechanics gives a rundown on the hottest shopping tickets for this year, including a Lego Bugatti and a screwdriver that only costs $3. Also on this[...]

In an episode chock-full of things we're thankful for, we start out by speaking with Steven Caple, Jr., the director of the new movie Creed II. We highly recommend checking it out this Thanksgiving--preferably early in the day, before you fall into a tryptophan coma. Another guest, funny car champ Ron Capps, shares how grateful[...]

The Martian author Andy Weir is really into Mars. So much so that National Geographic tapped him to be an expert on their series Mars, about what human colonization of the red planet might be like. In advance of the season two premiere, Andy stops by the office to talk about the biggest challenges to[...]

Endurance races have gotten substantially more popular over the last several years, which means a lot of people with not a lot of experience are tackling serious miles on foot or by bike. One of those people is your humble host Jacqueline Detwiler, who is running her first marathon in New York City on November[...]

Ryan North's new book, How to Invent Everything, addresses that question that's probably been sitting in the back of your brain since you were a kid: If you got stuck in a previous time period, could you survive on your wits alone? Ryan says yes, so long as you bring a little advice. Also on[...]

The editors of Popular Mechanics have been crazy busy dealing with real life tasks lately, but what they learned doing their weekend work is great fodder for a podcast that's supposed to make your life easier. First, Roy spruces up a rental apartment in-between tenants. Kevin tries (unsuccessfully) to remove a bunch of stuck bolts[...]

Do you know how many eyes Popular Mechanics home editor Roy Berendsohn has? Two. And that's thanks to his diligent wearing of safety goggles. On this episode, we'll learn what items Roy deems essential to wear when doing work, plus how to make sure your house isn't leaking heat or air conditioning. Meanwhile, technology editor[...]

In honor of tonight's premiere of the new action flick Kin, starring Myles Truitt, Jack Reynor, James Franco and Zoë Kravitz, we talk to the directors about crazy stunts and shots, as well as how they came up with their high-tech mystery weapon. Also on this episode, Alex George talks gaming computers, Roy Berendsohn helps[...]

This episode, we decided to delve into some of the more serious, thoughtful, and future-thinking topics Popular Mechanics covers. In keeping with the theme, we interview iceman Wim Hof about how he changes his own autonomic nervous system so he can hang out in freezing temperatures for hours. (If you want to learn even more[...]

Sometimes at the Popular Mechanics office, we have a lot of interesting things to talk about, but none of them have anything to do with each other. We figure that's fine—the smartest people always know enough to be conversant about a lot of different topics. For example: By the end of this episode, you'll know[...]

On today's show, MUPE tackles the most all-American of vacations: The summer road trip. We call up Kevin's mom, who is somewhere in Idaho in the midst of a weeks-long trip around the northern US. We ask Alex George about the best gadgets to take in the car. Sunny Kim tells us about her favorite[...]

On this episode of the Most Useful Podcast Ever, Jacqueline Detwiler tries biohacking to (hopefully!) become smarter, healthier, happier, more creative and more productive. Experimenting with specialized diets, float tanks, and microbiome testing, we try to find out what works and what doesn’t. Dr. Molly Maloof calls in to explain the science behind biohacking as[...]

Summer is heating up and the Most Useful Podcast Ever has advice for you for all of it. First, we talk to the authors of Popular Mechanics' investigation into camping in 2018, with advice on site booking, packing food, truck camping and something called packrafting. We talk to Peter Martin about how they made this[...]

The Most Useful Podcast Ever is tired of being practical. So this week we threw caution to the wind to learn about some bonkers extreme sports. First, Jacqui jumps out of a plane with Red Bull Air Force member Jeff Provenzano. Then, Popular Mechanics tech editor (and former surf instructor) Alex George talks getting started[...]

The latest Blumhouse action movie, Upgrade, is a trip—creepy, adrenaline-pumping, and scarily prescient. On this week's episode, writer and director Leigh Whannell stops by our studio with the film's star Logan Michael Green to tell us how they pulled it all together. After that, we figured y'all might have some trouble getting to sleep, so[...]

Did you know that Popular Mechanics editor Matt Allyn is a certified beer judge? Well, he is, and lately, he's been trying truckloads of beer for an article he's working on called 500 Beers of Summer. If he told us about all of them, it would take the next four episodes, so we kept him[...]

Burlap & Barrel founder Ethan Frisch is a cool dude. He travels around the world finding smallholder spice farmers and connecting them with customers so that they're not exploited by huge, impersonal supply chains. He's also a former chef who knows a heck of a lot about how to use the incredible products he brings[...]

It's been a LONG winter, which means your place, car, and stuff could probably use a deep clean and some fresh air. On this episode, we talk to the Good Housekeeping Institute about dry cleaning, and visit the Corona Maintenance Facility in Queens to find out how the NYC Metropolitan Transit Authority cleans subway cars.[...]

Do you want to be the most informed person on your block? We sure do. That's why we put together today's episode, full of incredibly useful tips for living the smartest life possible.  April Fools!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did you know that frequent Most Useful Podcast Ever guest Eric Gunnar Rochow of Gardenfork.tv makes amazing maple syrup? Well, he does. We tasted it last fall, when he came by the office to teach us how to tap a maple tree. Now that its spring, it's perfect time to follow his instructions and try[...]

Excited to go see Red Sparrow tonight? Find out how Jason Matthews, the movie's author, used his own experience as a CIA agent to make the story realistic. Also on this episode, we visit a brand new Spy museum in midtown Manhattan, and attempt an escape method that appears in former CIA officer Jason Hanson's[...]

Do you know what the heck people are talking about when they say they got rich on Bitcoin? We didn't either. Thankfully, technology editor Alex George has been doing a deep dive on cryptocurrencies, from Bitcoin to Ethereum. Also on this episode: The dark side of LED lights, and a guide to the new Apple[...]

Founder of molecular gastronomy Wylie Dufresne is making donuts these days, so we asked him to come by the studio and make us some. They turned out super tasty—topped with crazy flavored sugars combined with chemistry ingredients. Also on this episode, Roy talks road salt, our Vermont correspondent calls in to explain boot care, and[...]

Who knew there were so many hinge-impaired people in the Popular Mechanics office? Jacqui and Kevin have both hung cabinet doors poorly over the years, which is why today, Marc Spagnuolo of The WoodWhisperer.com calls in to tell us everything we did wrong, and how to fix it. Also on this episode: Tech editor Alex[...]

Ever wondered about the scientific reasons behind drafty rooms and overactive boilers? Wonder no more! On this episode, Henry Gifford, author of Buildings Don't Lie, explains how humidity affects a cold room, why your thermostat has a tough time accounting for wind, and how restaurant cooling systems account for hot bowls of soup. Also on[...]

On today's episode, we spend a lot of time on gifts. In the latest iteration of our annual tradition, Matt, Peter, Jacqui, and Kevin share their holiday wish lists. Plus Jacqui tests a new pair of headphones that she gifted herself, and Peter Martin explains how to fake elation when you get a bad gift.[...]

We've said it before and we'll say it again: There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. In that spirit, we called two experts to help you pick out the perfect winter coat, Nick Meyers, director of the Mt. Shasta Avalanche Center, and Gary Smith, the CEO of Polartec. On this episode, Kevin[...]

This week's episode features three special guests to kick off the beginning of the holiday season: Frankie Celenza of Tastemade.com stops by to use his Struggle Thanksgiving techniques to help us make holiday dinner on the cheap; We talk to The Points Guy Brian Kelly about maximizing credit card points on travel and gift purchases;[...]

We puzzled over what to call this week's guest segment—the Dork Debate seemed too mean, so we went with Future of Technology Free-for-all. In fairness though, Popular Mechanics technology editor Alex George and CNET senior editor Dan Ackerman are neither dorks nor particularly pugnacious. They got along surprisingly well, often agreeing on the best ways[...]

No costume? Have no fear! Eric Gunnar Rochow of GardenFork.TV has some great ideas based on stuff you probably have in your garage. We also check back in on the jack o lanterns we carved and preserved last week, and *spoiler alert* some of them did not fare well at all. Later on the episode,[...]

There's a lot of superstition about Friday the 13th, but here at the Most Useful Podcast Ever, we believe that it's preparedness that creates luck. First up, we carve pumpkins with Hugh Mcmahon, who creates faces, animals and even ads in gourds. Mcmahon brings his tools and teaches us the secrets to carving (and preserving)[...]

The managing culinary director of Serious Eats, J. Kenji  López-Alt, has some crazy ideas about tools you can use for cooking. Like, he uses actual tools that you might find in the garage. Also on this episode, tech editor Alex George does not get eaten by a shark, Peter Martin learns to sew on a[...]

What do you do when a fan sends a huge jar of honey to the office? You invite him on the podcast, of course! This week we interview our fan, Eric Rochow of Gardenfork.tv, about all his DIY hobbies, including beekeeping and making a pot of beans in the dirt. Later on, Kevin tries to[...]

It's that time of year again--football is coming back. Kevin tries to fix up a TV he found on the side of the road, and calls up technician from ShopJimmy.com for help. Meanwhile Peter Martin explains all the non-traditional ways to watch football this season, like with PlayStation, which doesn't require a PlayStation. Plus: Roy[...]

Mosquitos suck, particularly in August, when people are still eating outside and the camping is just starting to get good. On this episode, we talk to Joe Conlon, technical advisor to the American Mosquito Control Association, about DEET, citronella, and how to avoid getting bit. Thus provisioned, we spend most of the episode out in[...]

Chris of Chrisfix.com and Popular Mechanics car editor Ezra Dyer join the cast of the Most Useful Podcast Ever to diagnose car sounds we found on the internet. We also talk about what to do if you find a lost baby bird, how to protect your home from falling trees, and the best way to[...]

Handy guy Steve Ramsey has almost 800,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel Woodworking for Mere Mortals, and yet he still found time to talk to the Most Useful Podcast Ever about the most necessary tools for a beginner's workshop. He even gives listeners a sneak peak at what's coming up next for his channel. Also[...]

Ok, ok, we scared you guys with the threat of Lyme disease, and while we do have a neurologist on this episode to tell us how to catch the disease early, it's not the only topic we cover this week. Solutions to summer scourges abound on this episode: We tell you how to combat sunburn,[...]

The summer has a habit of sneaking up on you. One day there are buds on trees, and the next, it's 95 degrees and almost July. This week, we've compiled a fantastic set of tips to smooth the transition: Wash your tent for the upcoming camping season, cool your beer in a hurry, give your[...]

Have you decided what to get your dad for Father's Day yet? Fear not: The Most Useful Podcast Ever has your back. Newly golf-obsessed executive editor Peter Martin and goods editor Matt Allyn both stop by the recording studio to tell us the coolest stuff they've found recently. We also talk to a log rolling[...]

Professional drone pilot Edward Kostakis stops by the studio to teach the staff of Popular Mechanics how to fly drones without crashing all the time. We also talk to Alex George about protecting your smart home via your router, and test out the brand new DJI Spark. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Roy, Peter, Jacqui and Kevin tell Steve Casner, NASA research psychologist and author of Careful: A Users Guide to Our Injury Prone Minds, stories of times we've made big mistakes to find out why humans do dumb stuff. We also try to make a phone call using an Amazon Echo, and test a commuter bike[...]

Our guest on the podcast this week is a very smart, very adventurous dude named Brendan Leonard, a climber, ultrarunner and general outdoorsman who recently wrote a book called The Great Outdoors: A Users Guide. He gives us tips on how to survive everything that can go wrong while you're out on an adventure, from[...]

With the latest installment of The Fast and The Furious out this weekend, Scott Eastwood, who plays a character named Little Nobody in the film, stopped in to the Popular Mechanics office to race the staff with remote control cars. But it turns out Eastwood has actual race experience, and he tells us all about[...]

Peter and Kevin watched the show "Jungletown" on Viceland this week and wondered how the show's volunteers were doing such a poor job of running a PVC water system to their home site. So they asked Roy, who didn't pull any punches. Meanwhile, Kevin spent some time out in the woods testing weird new camp[...]

To kick off today's show, we talk to PM Autos Editor, Ezra Dyer, who recently visited the NYPD Fleet Services Division—the guys responsible for keeping the department's 6,000 cop cars in good, running condition. Ezra explains what the average car owner could learn from watching how New York's Finest take care of their cars. Then,[...]

On today's show, we offer up helpful tips for three things that will likely be driving you mad this March. First up, we talk to Tim Chartier, professor of mathematics and computer science Davidson College, about "March Mathness," his statistically driven approach to mastering bracketology for this year's NCAA Basketball Championship. Then Alex George talks[...]

On today's show, in light of the emergency at the Oroville Dam in California, we talk to Rachel Sears, the director of FEMA’s Floodplain Management Division, to find out what to do if there's a flood risk near you. Then Katie Macdonald tries to get resident curmudgeon Peter Martin excited for Mardi Gras. Finally, Jacqui[...]

On today's show we ask: Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya? First, we get the lowdown on all the prop bets for this year's Superbowl. Not who wins, or the number of points scored by the Falcons or the Pats, but the good stuff—how often will we see Beyonce? How long will the national[...]

Popular Mechanics Senior Home Editor Roy Berendsohn is a font of mechanical knowledge. In this episode, we asked him to give us his top tips for winter, and ended up learning about physics, fans and tumblesnow. On the testing table, we try out an $8,000 camera. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you ready to turn some of our awesome life tips into full-time habits? Then check out this episode, which includes tricks for changing your life from Stanford researcher BJ Fogg, who studies the ways technology influences health habits and started the website tinyhabits.com. After that, we dig in deep with some Shop Notes for[...]

Popular Mechanics editors spend all day researching cool tech, tools, and toys. We asked a few to stop by the recording studio and tell us what they want for the holidays. The suggestions might just inspire you to spend your gift cards. And if you're home for the holidays and struggling with your parents' 50-character[...]

After helping the staff of Popular Mechanics learn how to build a backyard weather station for the print magazine, ABC News Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee calls in to explain how snow works and what you can do about it. Roy Berendsohn helps Kevin Dupzyk get his Christmas tree straight, and we ill-advisedly speed-taste a beer[...]

What the heck are you gonna do with all that leftover turkey? The Most Useful Podcast Ever calls the Butterball Turkey Talk-line to get some ideas (as well as some amazing stories of Thanksgiving dinners gone wrong). We also get some tips on finding Cyber Monday deals, and finally finish our Amazon Alexa scotch tasting...[...]

A couple of weeks ago, your intrepid hosts tackled a 10-mile mud race in the middle of New Jersey to tell our listeners the best way to attempt obstacles like monkey bars, barbed wire crawls, and the dreaded Atlas carry. We even invited ASOne Fitness trainer and Death Race finisher Mark Merchant on the show[...]

Are you ready for the most useful Halloween weekend yet? This week, the staff of Popular Mechanics goes on a field trip to Stumpy's Hatchet House in Eatontown, New Jersey to learn how to throw hatchets (at targets, not monsters, but still.) After that, we talk about our brand new microphone and scare the crap[...]

The Most Useful Podcast Ever's TV buying saga continues this week with Roy Berendsohn's advice on mounting a TV on the wall. We talk to NC State University food safety professor Ben Chapman about Botox, lemon jelly and judging the canning competition at the North Carolina State Fair. And Matt Goulet watches a creepy movie[...]

The Most Useful Podcast Ever meets its first beer cicerone, James Watt, who is also the cofounder of Brewdog. He tastes a few random beers we got together and the results are very impressive. On this episode, Popular Mechanics technology editor Alex George and TV fan and executive editor Peter Martin also help host Jacqui[...]

Hurricanes take a huge toll on buildings and cities, but have you ever wondered if they do anything useful? According to Frank Marks, director of NOAA's hurricane research division, they do. This week is a special two-expert episode, as Ash Fulk, returning guest and pitmaster at Hill Country Barbecue, returns to help us test the[...]

On today's show, we give advice on tipping, so you'll finally know for certain how stingy your friends really are. Then Roy drops by to answer a few questions about cabinetry, courtesy of our producer. And Peter Martin destroys a computer before finding out if he can destroy the Popular Mechanics podcast hosts in a[...]

With the temperature in New York city in the 90s, the Most Useful Podcast Ever asks Luke Belvel, an expert on heat exhaustion from the University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute, for some essential cooling tips, including whether panting like a dog works for humans. We also learn what to look for in a kayak[...]

Not all summer Olympic sports are as well known as swimming and gymnastics. How much do you know about steeplechase, the triple jump and racewalking? Not much? That's ok. This week's episode delves into the rules and history of unusual Olympic events, as well as who to watch for if they turn up on your[...]

It's cool that Pokemon Go is getting teenagers (and... um... adults) excited about spending time in outside, but there are lots of ways to have fun in public parks and gardens. On today's episode, we play true or false with Gerard Lordahl, director of GrowNYC's Open Space Greening Program, about crazy gardening hacks, like painting[...]

Guest hosts Cameron Johnson and Kevin Dupzyk talk to Elias Cairo of Olympia Provisions about curing meat for summer picnics. Regular guest Matt Goulet tries to make executive editor Peter Martin care about birds. Roy stops by to learn about ratcheting socket wrenches (and learns about the rap term "ratchet"), and we test a sous[...]

We made our intern sit on the phone with customer service for his whole first week. Now he gives us the best strategies for minimizing your wait time and frustration. Then, the Curious Idiot learns what Snapchat is, and two editors test some new-fangled shaving tools. Plus Roy Berendsohn teaches us how to strip —[...]

To get the smartest hi-tech tips for traveling well,  we talk to Robert Birge and Krista Pappas of Lola, an app that brings travel agents into the 21st century. We also have travel blogger Johnny Jet tell us where to find a bathroom in an unfamiliar city, and get the lowdown on the dirty tricks[...]

Now that it’s summer, the Most Useful Podcast Ever is excited to get outside. On this episode we learn about preventing allergies, selecting mushrooms, shucking oysters and preventing pit stains. To the backyard! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This might be the best episode we’ve done where we talk the least. First we play a game with Popular Mechanics auto editor Ezra Dyer called 30 Second Car Salesman, then Momentum Drums, a musical group that builds their own rigs and light up drums, stops by the office to make music out of tools.[...]

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Taxes are boring, but comedian and certified public accountant Greg Kyteisn’t. On today’s Most Useful Podcast Ever, he gives us tax tips thatwon’t make you fall asleep on your desk. After that, Alex George tells ushow to pimp your WiFi, Roy Berendsohn explains the particleboard family, and the Testing Table goes camping. Learn more about[...]

April Fools Special  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the Most Useful Podcast Ever,  Austin Robey, founder of Brooklyn 3D-printing studio MakeMode, stops by to tell us who stands to benefit most from the 3D printing revolution. Then, associate editor Matt Goulet tries out four methods of peeling hardboiled eggs, senior home editor Roy Berendsohn tells us about the old[...]

Most people breathe into their shoulders instead of into their chests, causing a host of physical problems and increasing stress. Clinical psychologist and breathing expert to law enforcement Belisa Vranich stops by the Most Useful Podcast Ever to give us a simple equation that makes it easier to breathe correctly. Then, on our testing table,[...]

With Apple’s battle over phone security in the news, the Most Useful Podcast Ever finds out how to keep your iPhone safe from criminals. Then, in honor of Popular Mechanics’ annual Survival issue, Shane Hobel of Mountain Scout Survival School stops by to teach us that there’s more than one way to start a fire,[...]

Just in time for the big game, we invite Hill Country Market Barbecue pitmaster Ash Fulk into the Popular Mechanics workshop to teach us all about nachos. Then we test new Sam Adams nitro beers you can serve with those nachos, and learn the trick to optimizing your television for sports. Learn more about your[...]

We talk to Bridgestone Winter Driving instructor Mark Cox, about Anti lock brakes, what to do if you're in a skid, and the difference between all those tires you see at the tire store. The we take a look at the best in from this years Outdoor Retailer Show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now that there’s finally enough ice to go ice fishing, we asked Minnesota fishing guide Scott Merwin for tips on doing it right. We figure he’ll know: He managed to catch six fish while being interviewed. After that, Curious Idiot Kevin Dupzyk finds out the best way to share photos from his vacation to Cuba,[...]

On today's episode, in advance of your New Year’s Eve party, we take science into our own hands and test a variety of hangover prevention products—on ourselves.  Our post-office party Testing Table is a little bit groggy but hopefully still informative. Just in case it’s not, we also talk to Dr. Jason Burke, the founder of Hangover[...]

Our editors suggest gifts for all those you may have in your life, from that teenager you don't know so well, to your girlfriend's Dad. Plus, we'll explain how to talk about technology to the older generation, and we test out which vacuum flask will keep your coco the warmest.  Learn more about your ad[...]

In this episode, chef Wylie Dufresne demonstrates the best way to carve whatever fowl you might be having this Thanksgiving, whether it’s a traditional turkey, or, as it was in our podcast studio, an overcooked rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods supermarket. Then, at the testing roundtable, we crash test Motorola’s new shatterproof phone, the Droid[...]

Amateur astronomer Ed Ting explains why the contributions of hobbyists like himself are still vital in the field of astronomy and helps others launch their own star obsessions with tips about telescopes, telescope targets, and light pollution. On Testing Table, we review Apple's new extra large iPad Pro, a vibrating physiotherapy ball that could shake[...]

We talk to a professional haunted house designer Larry Kirschner about how you can creep out your crib for the holiday with items you have around the house. Then, in this week's Testing Table, we have the Great Pumpkin Carve Off—we test out three pumpkin carving tools and then taste test some candy.  Learn more about your[...]

We chat with Todd Strauss-Schulson, director of the new movie The Final Girls, about how he created the unique and creative shots in his film, and how we can make our own movies more interesting.  Plus we'll go for a ride on a carbon fiber skate board, blow bubbles in our bourbon, and sniff out trouble.[...]

We talk to Sam Polcer, director of comunications for Bike New York, about the best way to move in the city and how cars and bikes can all just get along. Then Senior Home Editor Roy Berendsohn gives us the dirt on how to put your lawn to bed for the winter. And our Testing Table takes a field[...]

In our last episode, “Sleep,” senior editor Andrew Del Colle reviewed an Audi diesel car.  Shortly after posting that episode, news broke of Volkswagen’s cheating during diesel fuel emissions tests.  In this special episode Andrew returns to discuss the VW scandal and its implications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you have trouble sleeping, cross “astronaut” off your list of future careers. Residents of the International Space Station watch the sun set and then rise again every 90 minutes, meaning in one 24-hour period they experience about 16 cycles of the sun. Talk about confusing your circadian rhythm. But even earth-dwellers experience their fair[...]

You know how, when you show up to a barbecue, the first thing everyone looks at is what’s in your hand? It’s usually a sixer of some summer-friendly brew—Bell’s Oberon or Abita Strawberry—a package of brats, a bag of kettle-cooked potato chips. If you’re really creative, maybe a tray of handmade burgers with a dash of Worcestershire and chopped onions[...]

“Sitting is the new smoking” might be the most tired health cliché of the decade. Yeah, we get it. Spending the whole day in a chair isn’t healthy. Thing is: it’s not wrong. Sitting at work contributes to such diseases as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, even cancer. And even after-work exercise might not be able to[...]

One of the scariest things about living in New York city in the summer is that you're constantly being dripped on. You can never be sure if it's rain, or somebody else's sweat, or air conditioner condensation, or worse, humidity that collects on the ceiling of the subway station and then drips on your face.  Basically the[...]

  When buying a freezer, most of us consider the size and energy usage of a new model, but not other factors that can influence freezer burn and flavor. In this edition of PM’s Most Useful Podcast Ever, we play with a flash-freezing machine made by a scientific supply company and talk to Penn State[...]

A new podcast for getting things done.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices