Join co-hosts Zack and Katie as they learn about a different topic every week. Real-life couple Zack Radvansky and Kathryn Feeney are two curious individuals who love learning. Although Katie is in her third year of law school and Zack didn't go to college, they never run out of fascinating things to learn about together. In this podcast, every episode Katie challenges Zack to "become an expert" on a totally random topic - but the catch is, he only has 30 minutes to do it. Using the power of the internet, and a little humor and love, Zack and Katie want to prove that no matter who you are, or how much education you have, anyone can learn about anything in the world if they put their mind to it.
Episodes
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Monday Mar 29, 2021
In today's episode, Zack has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... Pheromones! Okay, you know you want to listen to this one. It's a highway to scoring a hot date in the post-pandemic world, right? Well, pump the brakes for a minute, because we've got good news and bad news. The good news is pheromones are totally real, and are present in most of the animal world (for sure moths and goldfish, the gold standard of animal traits). It's almost certain that humans have pheromones as well - however, we haven't isolated the molecule that constitutes them yet. So next time you see an instagram ad pop up telling you to buy this bottle of pheromones to ensure that you're crawling with hunnies in no time, pride yourself in the fact that you know better. Unless you're trying to make friends with a pig because, you might be successful there.
Highlights Include:
- German man named Adolf does something good!
- A truly offensive experiment on some Pennsylvania women
- Greek Dogs and Ancient Bees
Donate to the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep
Donate to the NAACP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/naacp-1
Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod
Send us your expertise at 30minuteexpertpodcast@gmail.com
And please rate and review!
Podcast artwork by Rick Radvanksy
Music by Jake Radvanksy
Monday Mar 22, 2021
Monday Mar 22, 2021
In today's episode, Katie has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... The Bermuda Triangle! Wow. This is an episode for the ages. The Bermuda Triangle! What the heck is it? It's a triangle, first of all, but it's so much more. Or, it's nothing, if you're gonna believe what the Navy has to say about it (smh). Weird stuff has been happening in the Bermuda Triangle since Shakespeare's time apparently, and even Chris Columbus, that fool, had an experience with it. Here's the thing - weird stuff has happened there. Lots of ships and planes that disappear without a trace. Can environmental factors account for all of it? Maybe, if you factor in rogue waves, hurricanes, and methane gas bubble eruptions (ew). Or, maybe it's a tear in the space-time continuum. Either way, it's a super fun ride. Come fly and sail with us straight into the heart of the Bermuda Triangle!
Highlights Include:
- Aliens!
- Atlantis!
- This whole thing's highlights!
Donate to the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep
Donate to the NAACP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/naacp-1
Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod
Send us your expertise at 30minuteexpertpodcast@gmail.com
And please rate and review!
Podcast artwork by Rick Radvanksy
Music by Jake Radvanksy
Monday Mar 15, 2021
Monday Mar 15, 2021
In today's episode, Zack has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... St. Patrick! Every once in a while we like to give you a timely episode, and this is one! Before you all celebrate in COVID-friendly ways like the good little experts you are, why not learn about the man you are getting drunk in honor of. This one takes us way way back to the 5th century (which is the 400s for those of us who have trouble with that). We move from Britain, to Ireland, back to Britain again, and lose no snakes in the process. St. Patrick may not have rid Ireland of snakes, but he did bring Christianity, and in turn encourage the Irish to stop enslaving people and warring so much, so I'd say that's a real win. Next time you see a shamrock, contemplate whether or not it helps you understand the concept of the Holy Trinity. And if it does, thank St. Patrick. This year, why not join in the millions of Irish and non-Irish Americans who increase cabbage sales by 70% and Guinness consumption 800% on March 17th every year. But don't drink and drive! Happy St. Paddy's Day!
Highlights Include:
- Two dreams from God himself!
- The first ever St. Patrick's Day Parade
- Chicago's Green River
Donate to the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep
Donate to the NAACP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/naacp-1
Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod
Send us your expertise at 30minuteexpertpodcast@gmail.com
And please rate and review!
Podcast artwork by Rick Radvanksy
Music by Jake Radvanksy
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
In today's episode, Katie has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... Visual Agnosia, or The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat! Boom! Long Title! This one was a doozy! Whenever things get sciency up in here, we get a little nervous because it is not our personal forte. But the various disorders that fall under the umbrella of "agnosia" are so interesting and unknown, it was worth the deep dive. This episode was sparked by Katie's request to Zack that he let her know if he learned about a guy who thought his wife was a hat in psych class, and it turned into something great. We learned that there really was a man who mistook his wife for a hat, and the reason why we all know about him is because his neurologist wrote about him in a book. That man had visual agnosia - there's also auditory and tactile agnosia, and we get into them all. The brain is an incredible thing... and so much more delicate and complicated than we generally give it credit for! Also, if this episode isn't enough for you, you can watch an opera, a French play, an Indian play, and listen to a Scottish indie rock band album all based on "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat." Enjoy!
Highlights Include:
- Dr. P: The man who mistook his wife for a hat
- Face Blindness explained!
- Oliver Sacks's ironic twist of fate
Donate to the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep
Donate to the NAACP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/naacp-1
Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod
Send us your expertise at 30minuteexpertpodcast@gmail.com
And please rate and review!
Podcast artwork by Rick Radvanksy
Music by Jake Radvanksy
Monday Mar 01, 2021
Monday Mar 01, 2021
In today's episode, Katie has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... Dry Cleaning! Are you like us and just drop your clothes off at the dry cleaner and have no idea what they do with them? Then this episode is for YOU! Get educated on what happens to your most delicate fabrics in the magic that is dry cleaning. And wow, HUGE spoiler but, dry cleaning? It isn't dry. Crazy times!! It also isn't very environmentally friendly, but it's getting better. Dry cleaning is as old as the gross woolen togas the ancient Greeks wore, and even ties into an incredible story of Black American history. Also, we peppered in some solid advice for next time you need to get something dry cleaned (although some of it may have been funded by "big dry cleaning"). This was a really fun one, so we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Highlights Include:
- How spilling kerosene on a tablecloth was a happy accident!
- Green/Eco/Organic Dry Cleaning
- An incredible Black history story - from dry cleaning!
Donate to the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep
Donate to the NAACP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/naacp-1
Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod
Send us your expertise at 30minuteexpertpodcast@gmail.com
And please rate and review!
Podcast artwork by Rick Radvanksy
Music by Jake Radvanksy
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Monday Feb 22, 2021
In today's episode, Zack has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... Jackie Robinson! It's the last Monday in February, and we finally decided to celebrate Black History Month! Being a sports figure, Jackie Robinson had yet eluded Katie's knowledge base. So she made Zack learn about him and teach her! I think we all know that Jackie Robinson is a pretty incredible guy, but we were even more blown away and impressed than we expected to be. Talk about multi-talented! This guy could do it all: football, baseball, long-jump, you name it. And he was literally the best at everything. He still holds the record for the longest run from scrimmage ever - 99 yards! (That's the whole field!) His path to the MLB is exciting and upsetting, considering how much abuse he took from the public. But he really opened doors for generations to come. After an incredible career, Jackie was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame - the first Black man to be so honored. After learning about him, it's easy to see that he truly earned all of the accolades that came his way - including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. We loved learning about Jackie Robinson. Celebrate Black History Month with us and listen!
Highlights Include:
- The unexpected link between Jackie Robinson and Pearl Harbor
- A real ally named "Branch"
- Three African-Americans played major league baseball before Jackie Robinson!
Donate to the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep
Donate to the NAACP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/naacp-1
Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod
Send us your expertise at 30minuteexpertpodcast@gmail.com
And please rate and review!
Podcast artwork by Rick Radvanksy
Music by Jake Radvanksy
Monday Feb 15, 2021
Monday Feb 15, 2021
In today's episode, Zack has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln! Americans know "Honest Abe" as the 16th president, the guy on the $5 bill, and of course, the president responsible for the Emancipation Proclamation, which ended slavery in the US. Unfortunately, he's also known for being assassinated. Most people probably think they know how this story goes, but we were shocked to learn the whole truth! What was meant to be an enjoyable evening at the theatre turned into a day that will live in infamy. The killer, John Wilkes Booth, was a horrible guy. Duh. Turns out, though, that he was even worse than you think. Make sure you listen all the way until the end when we (thank you, USA Today!) dissect the eerie similarities between Lincoln and JFK.
Donate to the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep
Donate to the NAACP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/naacp-1
Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod
Send us your expertise at 30minuteexpertpodcast@gmail.com
And please rate and review!
Podcast artwork by Rick Radvanksy
Music by Jake Radvanksy
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Monday Feb 08, 2021
In today's episode, Katie has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... Diatoms! Boy is this episode a treat. Our guess is that most of you don't even know what a diatom is! But you will by the time we're through. Diatoms are, to quote from the episode, one of the largest and ecologically most significant groups of organisms on Earth. That's amazing! You might not be able to see these single-celled phytoplankton with your naked eye, but you surely can feel their impact. Considering anywhere from 25-50% of earth's oxygen comes from diatoms, we're pretty confident we can all breathe easier knowing these little guys are around. And, they're as important dead as they are alive! What do toothpaste, cat litter, and the pyramids have in common? Diatoms! Well, diatomaceous earth, but basically same thing. The last part of the episode was so thrilling, we can't possibly spoil it here. But there's a hint in the "Highlights Include," if you catch my drift. *wink wink*
Buy Betsy Franco Feeney's children's book about Diatoms, "Jewels of the Sea" here: https://www.betsyfrancofeeney.com/books
Highlights Include:
- Diatoms contribute more oxygen to the air than all of the rainforests combined!
- "Plantimals"
- The Amazon Rainforest is fertilized by the Sahara Desert?!
Donate to the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep
Donate to the NAACP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/naacp-1
Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod
Send us your expertise at 30minuteexpertpodcast@gmail.com
And please rate and review!
Podcast artwork by Rick Radvanksy
Music by Jake Radvanksy
Monday Feb 01, 2021
Monday Feb 01, 2021
In today's episode, Zack has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... Alexander the Great! Or should we say Alexander the Really Really Awful, because boy was he. Dang! He may have been tutored by Aristotle as an adolescent, but it doesn't seem like he picked up much wisdom. If you're into conquering, pillaging, burning this, and selling human beings into slavery, then Alexander might be your guy - as he is to Napoleon and Julius Cesar. Go figure. Although the breadth of his conquests may be impressive (again, if you're into that kind of thing), there isn't much to show for them. Aside from naming a bunch of places Alexandria (after himself, naturally) Alexander's reign falls a little flat.
Highlights Include:
- Alexander: Snake God?
- A mysterious death and lost burial site
- What finally beats his army? Rain!
Donate to the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep
Donate to the NAACP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/naacp-1
Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod
Send us your expertise at 30minuteexpertpodcast@gmail.com
And please rate and review!
Podcast artwork by Rick Radvanksy
Music by Jake Radvanksy
Monday Jan 25, 2021
Monday Jan 25, 2021
In today's episode, Zack has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... Mona Lisa! Who IS she, am I right?? Zack definitively answers this question... psych! Of course he doesn't, but he does posit some pretty fun theories. Whether Mona Lisa is Lisa Giacondo, the artist known as Salai, or Da Vinci himself, she is quite bewitching. There are a few fun surprises in Mona Lisa - her hands may have been painted twice! She has letters in her eyes! What a gal. And she may in fact owe her extreme level of fame to an Italian art thief who kept her out of the public eye for two years. Way to build intrigue, dude. She may be small (and she may be pregnant) but Lisa has a big place in our hearts, whoever she may be.
Highlights Include:
- An art heist that involves Picasso!
- Sigmund Freud's opinion of who Mona Lisa is
- The hottest hairstyle for 1500's ladies of the evening
Donate to the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep
Donate to the NAACP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/naacp-1
Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod
Send us your expertise at 30minuteexpertpodcast@gmail.com
And please rate and review!
Podcast artwork by Rick Radvanksy
Music by Jake Radvanksy