Matt Parker and Bec Hill present: A Problem Squared. A podcast dedicated to solving problems of all kinds, such as, "What should I listen to right now?". A Podcast Squared. First one's free. You're welcome.
035 = Lunar Cheese Pops and Physics Bullet Drops
In THIS episode... * How long would it take us to eat the moon if it was made of cheese? * If you shot and dropped a bullet at exactly the same time, they would hit the ground simultaneously? * And Bec and Matt give thanks. As always, if you've got a problem or a solution, hit us up on our website aproblemsquared.com. And if you want want even more from A Problem Squared, find us on Twitter and Instagram.
APS 034 = Novel Seal of Approval and Family Seal of Removal
In this episode... * How related are you to a Harbour seal? * Bec gives some novel advice. * Matt mends a mistake. * And there's all sorts of AOB. If you want to bid on the £5,000 t-shirt referenced in 006 of A Problem Squared, join us on the 26th of May, 2022! All proceeds go to Water Aid - links to come. Bec's new book 'Now LiveScreaming' is out now! Go buy it! You can find Yale's incredible evolutionary and ecological chat here: https://vertlife.org/ And just a little recap, seals are in the Mammalian order Carnivora. Humans are in the Mammalian order Primates - 82.1 millions years ago the 'magnorder' of Boreoeutheria split into Euarchontoglires (which later gave us Primates) and Laurasiatheria (which gave us Carnivora). Bec also references ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King in her dinglett.
APS 033 = Super Computers and Putrid Pong Tooters
In this episode: * Can you alter the smell of your farts based on what you eat? * When does a computer become a supercomputer? * And, Any AOB! A huge thank you to Dr Jess Biesiekierski, you can find them at @jessbersa and @monashnutrition on Twitter, Dr Dr CK Yao, find them at @yao_ck on Twitter and of course, Gareth Turkington , @G_Turkington on Twitter, @gareth.turkington on Insta, who created, sung and recorded the fantastic “Fart Life”. If you want to find out more about pop-off related research referenced by Dr Jess, Dr CK and Bec, please have a look at the papers below: - Gas profiling study: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19490976.2018.1451280 - Protein fermentation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26527169/ - Co-supplementation in IBS: https://bit.ly/3M1FnPo - Charcoal cushion study: https://gut.bmj.com/content/43/1/100.full - Pilule Pet (fart pill): https://www.pilulepet.com/en/ And Bec's NEW book 'Horror Heights: Now LiveScreaming' IS OUT NOW. To find Matt's character and one line (on page 64), you can purchase from any good book store!
032 = Mountains, Molehills and Mates
On this episode... * How many molehills would you need to make a mountain out of them? * How do you find friends? * Matt revisits some mistaken maths. Don't forget to send in your Blue Dot Festival problems to us on the website below - we might just do it live! And, as always, if you've got a problem or a solution, hit us up on aproblemsquared.com. And if you want want even more from A Problem Squared (who doesn't) find us on Twitter and Instagram.
031 = Differing Frames and Numbering Phones
In this episode... * Why are aspect ratios so whack? * How many phone numbers actually exist? * Wheels or Doors: Revisited. * And, closure on A Pudding Squared. A big thank you to Tom Salinsky for helping with this week's problem. You can find more from him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tomsalinsky?lang=en and his podcast, Best Pick Pod, here: https://twitter.com/bestpickpod?lang=en If you want to see Matt, Bec AND Lucie at the belated and brilliant Nine Carols variety show on the 16th and 17th of April, you can book tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/comedy/nine-lessons-and-carols-for-curious-people-3/ You can check on tickets for Matt's shows here: https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/matt-parker-2 (Disclaimer: The 21st of April may, definitely be sold out.) Bec's NEW BOOK Horror Heights: Now LiveScreaming is available for pre-order here: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/bec-hill-2/horror-heights-now-livescreaming/9781444962338/ This is Dexter and Ivy's incredible A Pudding Squared answer, here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/In1cdfg_J4A Don't forget too send in your Blue Dot Festival problems to us on the site below - we might just do it live! As always, if you've got a problem or a solution, hit us up on aproblemsquared.com. And if you want want even more from A Problem Squared (and who doesn't) you can find us on Twitter and Instagram.
030 = Genetic Draws and Wheels vs Doors
In this episode... * What are the odds of having the same child twice? * Wheels or Doors? * And Bec recommends some new nerdy podcasts! Don't forget too send in your Blue Dot Festival problems to us on the website below - we might just do it live! And, as always, if you've got a problem or a solution, hit us up on aproblemsquared.com. And if you want want even more from A Problem Squared (and who doesn't) find us on Twitter and Instagram
029 = Product Labels and Public Payrolls
Happy Pi Day 2022! In this episode... * Which edible products have protected names? * How much tax paid by a civil servant would pass into their own salary? * And of course. We have AOB-B-B-b-b-b.... To watch a crack team of 30 calculate 11 digits of Pi by hand, head over to Stand-up Maths on YouTube. If you want a qualification of your own, why not take the Food Standards Agency Food Labelling e-course here, or if you'd rather do something else instead, just ask Bec for the source elements. Get your Blue Dot Festival problems to us on the website below - we might just do it live! And, as always, if you've got a problem or a solution, hit us up on aproblemsquared.com. If you want want even more from A Problem Squared (and who doesn't) find us on Twitter and Instagram
028 = Having a Chat and Nav'ing a Sat
In this episode... * Could a GPS sat nav work on the moon? * A Pudding Squared returns. * An APS announcement. * AND format news! If you have any memory of how 'Is This Your Card' started please (please) let us know. As always, if you've got a problem or a solution, hit us up on our website aproblemsquared.com. And if you want want even more from A Problem Squared, find us on Twitter and Instagram.
027 = Postcode Tray Score and Mesh Mask Decor
In this episode... * How do you reuse an old radiotherapy mask? * What is the optimal way to utilise postcodes in Scrabble? * And, the results of our 2021 listener survey are in. For more on radiotherapy masks, head on over to Macmillan. And do check out the Bravery Unmasked project for some truly incredible mask transformations. If you want want even more from A Problem Squared, find us on Twitter and Instagram. And as always, if you've got a problem or a solution, hit us up on our website www.aproblemsquared.com.
026 = Sliding on Snow and Skipping on Sleep
APS 026 is here, and it's the last of the year! In this episode... * How fast could a team of penguins complete a 4 x 100 relay race? * How can you fix your sleeping schedule? * And, AOB - lot's of it! As ever, we value your thoughts on A Problem Squared so head on over to: www.thatsurvey.ilikeit.aproblemsquared.com and give us some feedback! You can learn more about circadian rhythms here: https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx How to change them, here: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm/can-you-change-your-circadian-rhythm Some tried and tested sleep hacks (that really work): https://www.sleepcycle.com/how-to-fall-asleep/serious-sleep-hacks-that-really-work/ More about the B-Society, who help employers and educators to facilitate chronotypes that don’t suit early hours is here: https://www.b-society.org/about/ And, to find out which country you sleep like, follow this link here: https://time.com/4318156/sleep-countries-style/ We would also like to give a special mention to the alternative episode name that we were all very proud of: 'Antarctic Circles and Anarchic Cycles'. And an extra special mention to Bec for coming up with it.
025 = Bec's Beck's and Bucks
In this month's episode Bec finds out how many Beck's beers would fit in Bec Hill. And Matt investigates how much he'd have in Euros, if every person gave him 1 in their local currency. Plus! A ding is given, and Matt goes to Antarctica. A big thank you to Adam Kay, Doctor Xand and sword swallowers Snookie Mono and Snake Fervor for their help with this episode. As always, send your problems to www.aproblemsquared.com, EXCEPT if it's related to Antarctica, in which case, ask on Twitter: @AProblemSquared.
024 = Pumpkin Bores and Bumps 'n' Doors
APS 024 is out now! And it's a spooky October edition! In this episode... * What's the largest hole that can be carved in a pumpkin without the pumpkin collapsing? * How do you stop noisy ghosts rattling doors when you're trying to sleep? * And, Cupboard of Nupboard: The people have spoken!
023 = The Weight of Words and Graphene for Turds
Yes, that's right. The Weight of Words and Graphene for Turds. In this month's episode... If graphene was rolled to the size of a loo roll, how long would that roll be? What is the weight of the ink in Bec's book? Plus! The REAL answer to Earth's longest line of sight. And, Bec and Matt are reunited after two years apart. If you want want EVEN MORE from A Problem Squared, find us on Twitter, Instagram or Patreon. And as always, if you've got a problem or a solution, hit us up on our website www.aproblemsquared.com.
022 = Serial Writing, Lineal Sighting, and Cereal Biting
What's the best way to stay inspired when writing? Where on earth can you look the furthest away at something else, that is also on the earth? When eating cereal, what is the milk? Sauce, broth, jus or something else? Plus! Repurposing crushed bike helmets: Can you, should you?
021 = Inharmonics and Skin-harm-tonics
This is Inharmonics and Skin-harm-tonics! In this month's episode... How well can the human voice mimic a dinging bell? Bec teams up with a multi-vocalist Beardyman to tackle this one! What is the optimal use of sunscreen to create a tan and protect your skin? Plus: The results from Matt's sunny survey are IN and we have updates from episode 020. As always, if you've got a problem or a solution, hit us up on our website www.aproblemsquared.com, or on social media @AProblemSquared. If you want to master the mysterious art of harmonic singing, you can learn more from Anna Maria on YouTube. And a massive thank you once again to Beardyman. He is on the internet so go check him out!