The Story Collider

Writer Jess Zimmerman discovers the dangers of dating a philosopher of neuroscience who thinks he knows what's really happening in her head. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist Jon Ronson is excited when he hears about some 'sentient' robots, but when he goes to interview them he finds both less and more than he ever expected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

André Fenton always wanted to do research at the most fundamental level -- to uncover basic truths about memory and how it works, never mind how useful. But a friend's accident unexpectedly leads to him inventing a spectacularly useful, and lifesaving, device. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin Marantz Henig and her daughter, Samantha, decided to write a book together about life as a twentysomthing. There was just one problem -- how to handle the bits you don't want to talk about with your mother? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colin Jerolmack was floundering in grad school until he found deep insights into human nature... from pigeons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Biologist Kelly Smith and comic artist Zach Weiner were having trouble dating, until they met online and realized what they each needed was another nerd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anica Rissi realizes the true purpose of her science project: to increase her popularity. But how far is she willing to go? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tara Clancy's worry over making bad life choices leads her to think about all the things she doesn't know -- and from there, obviously, to theoretical physics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Her grandmother's death forces neuroscientist Heather Berlin to think hard about what she believes, and why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Rothschild tells the most adorably gross love story you'll ever hear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A neighbor's gift of two baby rabbits leads Robin Abrahams to a new view of, and fascination with, personality. "Do you not understand that I am a nine year old girl? ... Of course I want the bunnies!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having lost his ambition to be a scientist, Lawrence David embarks on one more research project -- to collect and study his poop. Every day. For a year. "I wake up, I dread pooping. I'm gagging, and I hear my wife screaming from the bedroom, 'Serves you right for putting feces in our fridge!'" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When her dad is diagnosed with cancer, Abby Pond is sent on a journey home, across the world, and into a new science. "He said, 'Why are you sitting here waiting for me to die. This is dumb.' So he kicked me out." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arran Frood is a science writer who specializes in writing about studies of psychedelic drugs, but a routine story turns personal when he finds himself in a study of MDMA and therapy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In high school, Adam Wade falls for his lab partner, but is led astray by dreams of golf team greatness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Heather Swain is told she has rabies, that turns out to be the least strange part of her experience. "Who wants to grow up saying their mother died of rabies, like I was a raccoon?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Questions arise when Steve Mirsky is introduced to his friend's new girlfriend, and he relies on his past experience to help -- specifically his degree in chemistry. "It's almost like you're army buddies.... It's midnight, it's just the two of you, and you're going through this labyrinth of dusty medical records." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a grad student, Ari Daniel Shapiro has to tag some narwhals to collect data. The problem: it's in the arctic, the devices have never been tested, and if he fails he'll never be able to do research again. "The thing is, you have to get the tag back to get the data." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A science writer is challenged when her dog comes down with a case of heartworm -- and then the medication goes wrong. "As I'm leaving, the vet says, 'Oh, by the way: Don't go on the internet. It'll only freak you out.'" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rory Scholl has to show up on day one to a new job -- with a severe case of Bell's Palsy. "When I said this to one of my co-workers I slurred my words, which was nothing new: I had a lot of three martini lunches." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices