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For more than 50 years Fine Art Detective Richard Ellis has traveled the world in search of stolen art. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the fine art underworld. Where stolen masterpieces are sold in secret for millions or used as collateral for weapons and drugs by organized crime. We talk the biggest art heists, the dumbest criminals and the one case Richard is still trying to solve. Contact the Show 00:00 Introducing Fine Art Detective Richard Ellis 01:12 How Art is Stolen 06:03 Where Stolen Art Goes 11:19 Investigating Art Theft 17:48 The Biggest Art Theft Case 19:50 Smart Criminals and Dumb Criminals 24:28 The Thief that Got Away Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You might not know it. You might now believe it. But occult practices are all around you. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore how the occult shaped American. Influencing everything from cookbooks and movies to wide spread panic and the office of the President. We talk occult practices, secret ceremonies and what's really on the dollar bill. Contact the Show Dr. Brian Regal Website Dr. Brian Regal Social Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear is one of our most powerful emotions. It keeps us safe but it can also take over every aspect of our lives. Fear Researcher Dr. Kerry Ressler says there is a way to control it. In this Episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the science of fear. We talk why we feel fear, why the modern world has made us so afraid and the one thing everyone fears. Contact the Show Dr. Kerry Ressler Website Introducing Dr. Kerry Ressler: 00:00 Why We Feel Fear: 01:10 What Happens When We're Afraid: 04:10 Controlling Fear: 07:27 Fear vs. Anxiety: 15:47 Why We're More Afraid: 18:22 Universal Fear: 22:49 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Haunted House Designer John Denley has spent the last 30 years creating some of the world’s scariest Haunted Houses. He says there’s one thing that makes a Haunted House truly terrifying, vulnerability. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the business of Haunted Houses. We talk what makes a Haunted House scary, the world’s scariest Haunted Houses and the one thing people fear most. Contact the Show John Denley Website Introducing John Denley: 00:00 What Makes a Haunted House Scary: 01:31 The Business of Haunted Houses: 04:59 The Scariest Haunted Houses: 07:43 Crowd Reactions: 11:03 The Future of Haunted Houses: 16:21 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes it’s inside information, sometimes it’s changing perceptions with huge amounts of cash, sometimes it’s holding a hair dryer to a weather gage. Prediction Market Researcher Dr. Joshua Mitts says these are just some of the ways Prediction Markets are being manipulated. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore how people are making millions manipulating Prediction Markets like Kalshi and Polymarket. We talk the different ways Prediction Markets are being manipulated, why some market categories are easier to manipulate than others and why only a very small number of people are actually making money on Prediction Markets. Contact the Show Dr. Joshua Mitts 00:00 Introducing Dr. Joshua Mitts 01:21 How Prediction Markets are Manipulated 07:28 The Cost of Prediction Market Manipulation 10:21 Where Prediction Market Manipulation Happens 13:46 Listener Submitted Questions 16:10 Protecting Yourself from Market Manipulation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Right now Prediction Markets are exploding in popularity and controversy. Going from a niche hobby to a market with billions of dollars in trades. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the future of Prediction Markets with Prediction Market Researcher Dr. Koleman Strumpf. We talk how prediction markets really work, the crazy/brilliant strategies some people are using to make millions and why Prediction Markets could become the Wild West. Contact the Show Dr. Koleman Strumpf Website Dr. Koleman Strumpf Social 00:00 Introducing Dr. Koleman Strumpf 01:20 What are Prediction Markets 04:37 Why Prediction Markets are Becoming More Popular 05:49 Regulating Prediction Markets 08:55 Manipulating Prediction Markets 12:52 The Dangers of Prediction Markets 14:51 Prediction Market Strategies 18:58 The Future of Prediction Markets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Hollywood casting is everything. Movie Producers and Casting Agents have to find just the right person to make movies and TV shows come to life. Even if that person, isn't a person. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore how Hollywood casts animals with Hollywood Animal Agent Joel Norton. We talk what movie producers are looking for in an onscreen animals, why some dog breeds never get case in movies and the most famous movie animals of all time. 00:00 Introducing Hollywood Animal Agent Joel Norton 01:24 How Animals Get Cast in Movies 02:05: What Casting Directors are Looking For 03:51 Hollywood Animal Training 07:46 How Much Animals Get Paid 11:28 The Most and Least Popular Hollywood Dogs 12:24 The Most Famous Hollywood Pet Contact the Show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In every language there are words you just don’t say. They can be about sex, religion, food or even your mother-in-law. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore the fascinating history and controversial present of language taboos with Professor Randall Eggert. We talk the biggest current language taboos, historical language taboos and language taboos that are forming today. 00:00 Introducing Professor Randall Eggert 01:28 Language Taboos 06:03 The Biggest Language Taboos 08:33 Language Taboos that Have Faded Away 11:53 Historical Language Taboo 13:58 The Next Language Taboo Contact the Show Professor Randall Eggert YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know what the big swear words are, but where did they come from, what do they really mean and what do they say about the things we hold sacred. Linguist Randall Eggert studies swear words. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we look at the history and hidden meaning of swear words. We talk where swear words come from, normal words that used to be swear words and the worst swear words of all time. 00:00 Introducing Professor Randall Eggert 01:11 How Words Become Swear Words 3:00 What All Swear Words Have in Common 07:00 The Worst Swear Words 11:18 The Best Swear Word 15:41 Historical Swear Words 17:16 When Swear Words Become Normal Words 19:57 New Swear Words Contact the Show Professor Randall Eggert YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do we cuss? And what happens when we do. Psychologist and Curse Word Researcher Dr. Richard Stephens has spent decades trying to answer those two questions. Dr. Stephens says that while there are many reason why we cuss, such as anger and trying to fit in, when we curse, our body and mind go through significant changes. Changes that can dull pain and even make us stronger. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we talk the unique psychology behind cussing, the power of different curse words and why our brains treat curse words differently than other words. 00:00 Introducing Dr. Richard Stephens 01:11 Why We Cuss 02:30 What Happens When We Cuss 03:57 Cussing and Pain Management 05:31 Cussing Makes Us Stronger 08:09 The Strongest Cuss Words 09:45 Why Some People Cuss More 12:19 Cussing and Honesty 16:39 The Best Cuss Word Contact the Show Dr. Richard Stephens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every word and every language has an origin story. What originally started out as a way to describe a specific type of tree, is now what we call a book. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we explore how languages change with Research Linguist Dr. Daniel Hieber. We talk how new languages are created, why the meaning of words changes and the chaos unleashed by the Great Vowell Shift. 00:00 Introducing Dr. Daniel Hieber 01:07 How We Learn Language 05:51 The Very First Language 08:44 Words that Don't Change 12:11 How Long it Takes for Languages to Change 14:57 The Great Vowel Shift 19:18 The Hardest and Easiest Languages to Learn 20:43 The Most Unique Language 23:41 The Best Curse Word 26: 29 Language Misconceptions Contact the Show Dr. Daniel Hieber Website Dr. Daniel Hieber Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Treasure Hunter Brent Brisben has found over $4.5 million dollars worth of buried treasure, now he's on the hunt for more. But what does it take to be one of the world's best treasure hunters? In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we go inside the search for buried treasure. We talk finding sunken ship wrecks, black market treasure dealers and the secret to finding buried treasure. Then, in the Pointless part of the show, we countdown the Top 5 Meats. Contact the Show Brent Brisben Website 1715 Treasure Fleet 00:00 Introducing Brent Brisben 01:09 How Treasure Hunters Search for Buried Treasure 03:09 The Most I Ever Found 04:35 Can You Keep Buried Treasure 06:37 The Treasure Hunting Industry 08:13 Black Market Treasure Hunting 12:57 The Cost of Treasure Hunting 15:17 The Biggest Treasure Ever Found 19:14 Pointless 39:11 Candle of the Month 47:47 Top 5 Meats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Designing and piloting a drone show is no easy task. It takes hundreds of hours of preparation to control thousands of drones that all need to move in pattern so precise, it comes down to the centimeter. Drone Show Designer Grant Reichardt has worked on some of the world’s biggest drone shows. We talk how drone shows are designed, spending million of dollars on drones and what it takes to create a hologram in the sky. Then, in the Pointless part of the show, it’s Sparklers and Black Cats vs. Bottle Rockets and Roman Candles as we countdown the Top 5 Types of Fireworks. 00:00 Introducing Drone Show Designer Grant Reichardt 01:04 Designing a Drone Show 02:56 A Very Special Type of Drone 06:56 When Something Goes Wrong 10:49 The Future of Drone Shows 15:15 Pointless 39:12 The Top 5 Types of Fireworks Contact the Show Aerial Illuminations Website Aerial Illuminations YouTube Aerial Illuminations Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fireworks explode in an instant of blinding light and thunderous sound. But designing a fireworks show takes months of preparation and years of training. From the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show to Burning Man, Pyrotechnician Steven Yoss has been behind the scenes at some of the world’s biggest fireworks shows. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we talk the art of designing fireworks shows, the science of making fireworks and what happens when things go wrong. Then, in the Pointless part of the show, we countdown the Top 5 Actors and Actresses You Know but Can’t Name. 00:00 Introducing Pyrotechnician Steve Yoss 0:59 Designing Fireworks Shows 04:32 How Fireworks are Made 07:41 Fireworks Dangers 09:37 The Best and Worst Fireworks 11:51 Fireworks Colors 13:51 Fireworks Injuries 15:51 The Best Fireworks Shows 19:49 The Future of Fireworks Shows 20:51 Pointless 46:51 Top 5 Actors You Know But Can’t Name Contact the Show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes the perfect song of the summer? Professor Devon Powers studies summer songs. She says every great summer songs usually has three things: a memorable chorus, a beat that makes you feel good and lyrics anyone can sing. In this episode of Profoundly Pointless we look a the last 25 years of Songs of the Summer. We talk making the perfect summer song, the behind the scenes marketing that turn ordinary songs into massive hits and why we sometimes don’t have a song of the summer. Then, in the Pointless part of the show, we countdown the Top 5 Summer Songs. 00:00 Introducing Professor Devon Powers 00:58 What Makes a Good Summer Song 06:62 A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey 09:23 Despacito by Daddy Yankee 10:19 Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke 11:55 Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jespen 15:38 The Simple Complexity of Summer Song 18:04 Old Town Road by Lil Nas X 19:30 Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO 21:21 The Best Song of the Summer 22:19 The Worst Song of the Summer 24:20 Timing the Song of the Summer 26:26 2026’s Song of the Summer 27:37 Pointless 46:18 The Top 5 Summer Songs Contact the Show Devon Powers’ Book on Trend Forecasting Devon Powers’ Book on the Birth of Rock Criticism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices