A very unfortunate bagel on either side of the Atlantic.
February 22, 2021 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
A very unfortunate bagel on either side of the Atlantic.
February 22, 2021 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is a book a bound, printed collection of pages, or is it something more?
February 8, 2021 • 5 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the robot, happy stuff: When does the apocalypse start, and when do we reach post-apocalyptic times?
January 25, 2021 • 12 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
We celebrate our 200th episode by going back to where it all started—news about whether something is a robot or not. Also, we may have inadvertently started a religion. (Congratulations, Listener Eric!)
January 11, 2021 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
In the spirit of the season, we discuss when a Christmas tree is dead. (Thanks to Listener Darran.)
December 24, 2020 • 6 minutes • Christmas tree death • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Fizzy water. Is it soda, or pop, or a soft drink, or something else?
(Incomparable members also get a bonus episode about Coca-Cola and cocaine, also released today.)
December 14, 2020 • 3 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
When are we indoors and when are we outdoors? And where do tents fit in?
November 30, 2020 • 4 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is a GIF a video?
(Incomparable members also get a bonus episode about movie studio logos, released today.)
November 16, 2020 • 4 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
When is a child no longer a child?
November 2, 2020 • 2 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
When the definition escapes its antecedent.
October 19, 2020 • 4 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
When is it a puppet, and when is it just someone in a suit? And what does this mean for the future of Gritty?
October 5, 2020 • 3 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
If we clone your body and transfer your memories to it, is it you?
September 21, 2020 • 2 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
You can use this podcast as a pillow, if you like, but it’s still not a pillow.
August 24, 2020 • 1 minute • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
When a book series hasn’t completed, what does the author owe us?
August 10, 2020 • 9 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Beginning in this episode, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto will be portraying John and Jason. Or not.
July 27, 2020 • 8 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is The Cloud just Other People’s Computers? Watch out for Cloud Men!
July 13, 2020 • 4 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Most people aren’t eating light bulbs.
June 29, 2020 • 5 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Listener James sends us a special message from beneath his blanket.
June 15, 2020 • 4 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What’s an Indie Developer, and is John one now? What does it mean to be “indie?”
June 1, 2020 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is a port a slot? PCMCIA cards have slots, but USB devices have ports. Either way, Jason has to make amends.
May 18, 2020 • 8 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Whatever this is called, a lot of us are doing it these days.
May 4, 2020 • 2 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
My other car is also a camera.
April 20, 2020 • 4 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Tabs or spaces?
AFTERSHOW: Commas.
April 6, 2020 • 10 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
But what if they also sell shampoo there?
March 23, 2020 • 3 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Morning has broken, like the first… morning?
March 9, 2020 • 2 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
It’s within walking distance. How far is that?
February 24, 2020 • 2 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Where does your finger go when you “swipe right”?
February 10, 2020 • 2 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
When is it stubble and when is it more?
January 27, 2020 • 4 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
It’s fundamental, yes. But is it something you can do with your ears?
January 13, 2020 • 1 minute • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
When is a body of water a river?
December 30, 2019 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is soup a drink? What separates liquids from food?
December 16, 2019 • 3 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Does it all come down to the U.S. Postal Service?
November 18, 2019 • 7 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
And do sliders have to slide?
November 4, 2019 • 5 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
An Accidental AR podcast.
October 21, 2019 • 9 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Can we differentiate between how people name pets and how they name children? Listeners Rover and Whiskers, drop us a line.
October 7, 2019 • 7 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Where do we draw the line between a regular device and a “smart” device?
September 23, 2019 • 4 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
When does a meal turn into leftovers?
September 9, 2019 • 5 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Listener Luke sent in this week’s theme song. Is it a cover version of our canonical theme song? When is a new version of a song not a cover?
August 26, 2019 • 4 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What constitutes family? Blood relatives only? Are friends family? Are co-workers family? Can you escape your family?
August 14, 2019 • 7 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Select all the STOREFRONTS to prove that you’re a human.
July 15, 2019 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
By popular demand, John has done his research—or maybe not?—and is here to break down what is bacon and what is an impostor.
July 1, 2019 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Prompted by a note from Listener Zach, we discuss the trend of “autonomous food delivery vehicles” on college campuses.
June 11, 2019 • 4 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The entire conversation is pants. (The Brits will get that.)
June 3, 2019 • 2 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
How much board is required?
May 20, 2019 • 9 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
We’ll see you at the Carl’s Jr./Green Burrito/KFC/Taco Bell.
May 6, 2019 • 7 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
When is it a TV show and when is it a movie? It’s confusing.
April 15, 2019 • 15 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
It all goes back to Mesopotamia.
April 1, 2019 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
If the new “Lion King” film features CGI animals talking with other CGI animals, is it a “live-action” movie or just a different kind of animation? What about a movie like “Avengers: Infinity War”?
March 18, 2019 • 8 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What is a “Chick Flick”? Let’s start off by taking apart the term itself.
February 18, 2019 • 9 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
In a rare topical episode, John and Jason discuss Marty, the tall, googly-eyed robot that may soon be roaming the aisles of a supermarket near you. Does Marty meet the Roomba test? Are the googly eyes fooling anyone?
February 4, 2019 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is this real or are we in a video game? How can we tell the true nature of the universe?
January 21, 2019 • 9 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Do hackers do good, or bad, or both?
January 7, 2019 • 2 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
“Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.”
Merry Christmas, everybody!
December 24, 2018 • 8 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Choosy mothers pronounce it differently.
December 10, 2018 • 5 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Where spreadsheets and databases collide.
November 26, 2018 • 3 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
“You haven’t done soup yet, have you?”
November 12, 2018 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Smartphones, dumb phones, feature phones, and computers in your pocket.
October 29, 2018 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Slot toasters, toaster ovens, and the definitions thereof.
October 15, 2018 • 9 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What makes something a podcast? OMG, are we one?!
October 1, 2018 • 2 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Bread is bread, but what about hot dog buns, bagels, tortillas, and pitas?
September 17, 2018 • 3 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
John is given the opportunity to endorse or reject the rulings of the International Astronomical Union.
September 3, 2018 • 5 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
John’s worked (and left) a lot of jobs. What’s his personal philosophy about job security versus going it alone as an independent?
August 20, 2018 • 8 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The subtle and vexing difference between a nerd and a geek.
August 6, 2018 • 6 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What is computer programming? And what doesn’t qualify?
July 23, 2018 • 8 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
When is a game show a game show, and when is it reality television? Also, we reveal our favorite reality TV show.
July 9, 2018 • 8 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is a Mac a PC? Is an iPad a computer? Does John favor a broad definition or a narrow one?
June 25, 2018 • 9 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What makes pasta pasta?
June 11, 2018 • 5 minutes • Pasta existentialism • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The conundrum of seasons versus eternally pleasant weather.
May 28, 2018 • 6 minutes • Endless mildness? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Bagels are not donuts, people.
May 14, 2018 • 2 minutes • What about a bacon donut? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Listener Ed, we’ve got bad news.
April 30, 2018 • 2 minutes • It's all unraveling • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What makes an animal a pet?
April 16, 2018 • 9 minutes • Do chickens count? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Did both of Jason’s parents both come from the Midwest, or only one? What are the true boundaries of America’s heartland?
April 2, 2018 • 8 minutes • What are the boundaries? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
From Sour Cream & Onion to BBQ, what are the “real” potato chip flavors?
March 19, 2018 • 6 minutes • Canonical flavors • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
If you don’t go anywhere, is it a vacation? What if you go somewhere, but you don’t relax?
March 5, 2018 • 10 minutes • And what about Staycations? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is cheesecake cheese, cake, pie, tart, or none of the above? Does the angle of the pan matter? Does crust content matter? Do any of us matter, really?
February 19, 2018 • 13 minutes • Not a pie • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
As recently highlighted on “The Good Place”, it’s a classic ethical conundum that John wants absolutely no part of. And what if the trolley drives itself?
February 7, 2018 • 13 minutes • Ethical problems • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Never believe what a robot tells you.
January 22, 2018 • 5 minutes • Not a woman. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
A dog interlude.
January 8, 2018 • 1 minute • Woof! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What makes a movie a holiday movie? How do they celebrate winter holidays in warm climates? Merry Christmas to all, especially in Australia!
December 25, 2017 • 7 minutes • Ho, ho, ho • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Okay, time to call it. Time of death— wait, wait, everybody hold on. How do we define death?
December 11, 2017 • 11 minutes • This is the big one • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
How can we call something alive?
November 27, 2017 • 15 minutes • It's made of Life Stuff • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
It would seem like ice cream versus frozen yogurt would be the main debate. But the pronunciation of a third competitor completely derails us.
November 13, 2017 • 10 minutes • There's only one R in Sherbet • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
We discuss the names of meals and when they happen, and make an interesting(?) digression into human sleep cycles.
October 31, 2017 • 14 minutes • Meal times and sleep times • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
From leafy greens to sugary Jell-O concoctions, all sorts of things are called salads.
October 16, 2017 • 7 minutes • Fruit Salad? Yummy yummy. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Continuing our confused series of episodes about food-related topics, it’s time for John and Jason to talk about Jason’s favorite food style and what happens when you put food on a grill.
October 2, 2017 • 9 minutes • BBQ • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
If everything can be a smoothie, then nothing is. So we try to define what makes a smoothie and acts as a bulwark against the milkshake.
September 18, 2017 • 6 minutes • Will it blend? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
I don’t know what it is, but I know it when I see it.
September 4, 2017 • 16 minutes • But is it art? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
We don’t know quite what an old-fashioned donut is, but we know what we like… and what we don’t.
August 21, 2017 • 10 minutes • Two blind men describe an elephant. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What makes machine intelligence “real AI”? And what is the difference between strong and weak AI?
August 7, 2017 • 11 minutes • When is a machine truly intelligent? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The very definition of video entertainment from Japan.
July 24, 2017 • 8 minutes • What defines Anime? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What makes something a sport, and not an exercise or a game?
July 10, 2017 • 14 minutes • Baseball? Is not sport, is game. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Exploring Jason’s favorite food, what a “favorite food” even is, and the hazy dividing line between condiments and other edibles.
June 26, 2017 • 9 minutes • Ketchup or Peanut Butter? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What’s science fiction? And more importantly, is Star Wars science fiction, fantasy, or something else?
June 12, 2017 • 10 minutes • Sci-Fi or Fantasy? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is everything a computer chip? Is nothing a computer chip? Jason thinks this is gonna be good. John thinks it’s obvious.
May 29, 2017 • 11 minutes • Microchips. Not potato chips. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What is the canon of bagels? Why are some ingredients allowed in an Everything Bagel but not any other bagel style? What makes raisins an acceptable ingredient, yet bars blueberries? Mr. Siracusa, native of the great state of New York, educates Mr. Snell, one of those California hippie types, about what a real bagel is.
May 15, 2017 • 18 minutes • Bialys! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What toppings are allowed on pizza? And what about using a knife and fork to eat pizza? There are many rules.
May 2, 2017 • 9 minutes • Canonical pizza toppings • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
John weighs in on what makes something a pizza, including the horror of the Turkey Dinner Pizza.
April 17, 2017 • 11 minutes • You have left Pizza Country. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Exploring what makes a sandwich, while also discussing the history of food, sandwiches as satire, and the difference between llamas and camels.
April 3, 2017 • 8 minutes • What is a sandwich? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
John helps Jason figure out the precise moment when a villain becomes a supervillain.
March 20, 2017 • 10 minutes • How super is my villain? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Your hosts return to where it all began and then prepare to set out for new horizons.
(Robot or Not will return in two weeks with a new series of episodes.)
March 6, 2017 • 2 minutes • At long last... the end? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Are John and Jason robots? All will be revealed!
February 27, 2017 • 2 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell themselves. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Could it be? Are we all robots?
February 20, 2017 • 2 minutes • Us • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What does a robot do when it gets to a web page with a checkbox that says “I’m not a robot”?
February 13, 2017 • 51 seconds • Fill in the blank. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The gate at Jabba’s palace in “Return of the Jedi” talks to droids, or has something inside it that talks to droids. So is it a robot?
February 6, 2017 • 2 minutes • Gatekeeper droid or door? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
They roam the ocean, scanning for important data and relaying their information home. There are no humans on board. Are these lonely sea voyagers robots?
January 30, 2017 • 5 minutes • Roomba of the Sea? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The robotic guardian of the Beams. He looks like a bear but has a satellite dish on his head. He’s a thousand years old.
January 23, 2017 • 4 minutes • A monster from the Dark Tower • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Game controller, robot, or total embarrassment?
January 16, 2017 • 2 minutes • Nintendo's Robotic Operating Buddy • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
ˈrōˌbät or rōbət?
January 9, 2017 • 3 minutes • Robutt or not? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
An unadorned iPhone can be a Naked Robotic Core, but is it a robot?
January 2, 2017 • 5 minutes • iPhone, Unadorned • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Look who was under the tree! It’s a giant mechanical monster!
December 26, 2016 • 1 minute • John loves him. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Among the fiercest creatures in the machine kingdom are the Battlebots. They’re designed for fighting! But are they really robots, or is that just a clever marketing name?
December 19, 2016 • 1 minute • They fight! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
High school students carry them around and learn what it’s like to be a parent. Or you learn how to revive them by pressing their chest and breathing into their mouths. But are these learning tools also educational robots?
December 12, 2016 • 1 minute • Educational toys or robots? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
It patrols the mall. Sometimes it knocks over small children.
December 5, 2016 • 3 minutes • Does it follow Asimov's laws? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The HBO series “Westworld” makes us contemplate whether its central characters, the Hosts, are robots or not. (We recorded this episode after the first seven episodes of season one had aired; forgive us if it was revealed later that “To Serve Man” was actually a cookbook.)
November 28, 2016 • 6 minutes • It's in the brain! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
A robot slowly turns himself human. When does he stop being a robot?
November 21, 2016 • 4 minutes • Robin Williams, Isaac Asimov, and Grobycs! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Sometimes Mario is metallic. Does that make him a robot?
November 14, 2016 • 1 minute • Do metal men dream of robot sheep? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
They are boats with paddles. What else are they?
November 7, 2016 • 1 minute • They have paddles. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Straight out of “Star Trek” come these technological villains. Also, we discuss larger issues including AIs and hive minds.
October 31, 2016 • 6 minutes • You will be assimilated. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
It just keeps going, and going, and going….
October 24, 2016 • 1 minute • Nothing outlasts the Energizer • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Little cute robots from “Ghost in the Shell.”
October 17, 2016 • 2 minutes • They're adorable... • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Self-guided rockets and drone barges.
October 10, 2016 • 6 minutes • Robots (or not) in space! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
They’re sure tasty, and it’s meat between bread, but are hot dogs sandwiches?
October 3, 2016 • 1 minute • Sandwich or Not, part 2 • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
They sure look like robots. But who’s under the masks?
September 26, 2016 • 1 minute • DJs or not? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The owl and the snake from “Blade Runner” raise some interesting questions.
September 19, 2016 • 2 minutes • How do you like our owl? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
A little metal owl from “Clash of the Titans.” Crafted by the gods, can he possibly be a robot?
September 12, 2016 • 3 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The robot from “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, plus a long digression into Star Trek androids.
September 5, 2016 • 5 minutes • She's a real woman, Jim. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is all animation “cartoons”?
August 29, 2016 • 2 minutes • Synonym or not? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Two beloved metal creatures from animation.
August 22, 2016 • 2 minutes • Two animation robots. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
That “Robo” prefix is sure interesting, and he’s probably a cop, but…
August 15, 2016 • 2 minutes • RoboCop • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Bender, Calculon, and Hedonismbot.
August 8, 2016 • 5 minutes • So many robots. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
He fights for the users inside a computer. Can software people be robots?
August 1, 2016 • 1 minute • Lightcycles are cool. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
A fancy “robot arm” from Canada. But when is a robot arm just an arm, and when is it a robot?
July 25, 2016 • 1 minute • Oh, Canada! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Part animal, part machine. But is it a robot?
July 18, 2016 • 3 minutes • Timely episode! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Please obey robot.
July 11, 2016 • 1 minute • Listener David, thanks • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
It’s Wimbledon time, and so our discussion turns to tennis, and Serena Williams—who is not a robot, despite her perhaps wishing she was.
July 4, 2016 • 8 minutes • Tennis or not? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Karel Capek’s play that made this podcast possible.
June 27, 2016 • 2 minutes • R.U.R. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The Country Bears, Chuck E. Cheese, and the things from Five Nights at Freddy’s.
June 20, 2016 • 1 minute • Charles E. Cheese Esquire • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Live from RelayCon WWDC 2016, it’s a special live edition of Robot or Not.
June 18, 2016 • 3 minutes • Our first live episode • John Siracusa and Jason Snell with Myke Hurley
He’s a droid with a cough. So what’s the deal?
June 13, 2016 • 2 minutes • Cough, cough • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
They go up, they go down. They might even go sideways from time to time. And they can be smart. But are they robots?
June 6, 2016 • 3 minutes • Yes, we said elevators • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Go go Gadget! Also we get off on a tangent about Penny, inspired by The Flop House.
May 30, 2016 • 2 minutes • What if penny met a dinosaur? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Please state the nature of the medical emergency. Can a hologram be a robot?
May 23, 2016 • 2 minutes • Hologram or not • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
From the AMC TV series “Humans,” the lifelike Synths look like humans but don’t act like it. And they bleed a funny color.
May 16, 2016 • 3 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
He’s an inflatable, medical robot from “Big Hero 6”—but can you back up your personality and still be a robot?
May 9, 2016 • 6 minutes • "Big Hero 6" • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Our own robot (or not) is in the spotlight at last.
May 2, 2016 • 1 minute • You know, that robot • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
If he only had a heart.
April 25, 2016 • 3 minutes • You know, from "The Wizard of Oz" • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
It’s made of liquid metal.
April 18, 2016 • 4 minutes • "Terminator 2" • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is it even a game? What if you had a video game that featured a robot?
April 11, 2016 • 1 minute • Feed me, or I die! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
From Bungie’s bestselling video game, Ghosts, Exos, Rasputin, and other things that might be robots.
April 4, 2016 • 6 minutes • "Destiny" • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
A software model of a flatworm, piloting a Lego Mindstorms toy.
March 28, 2016 • 5 minutes • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Agents and Oracles and Architects from the “Matrix” trilogy.
March 21, 2016 • 3 minutes • Hello, Mr. Anderson. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
They listen to us and talk back. But is that enough?
March 14, 2016 • 3 minutes • In IRC, on AOL, and elsewhere • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Roy Batty, Pris, and all the rest. They’ve seen the Tannhauser Gate, but are they robots?
March 7, 2016 • 7 minutes • "Blade Runner" • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Living rail cars in Sodor.
February 29, 2016 • 3 minutes • Confusion and delay in Sodor • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The bots from “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”
February 22, 2016 • 2 minutes • MST3K bots • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Enter the realm of the very, very tiny as John and Jason ponder if size matters when it comes to whether something is a robot or not.
February 15, 2016 • 6 minutes • Very tiny machines • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Security expert Bruce Schneier said the Internet of Things was a robot, but what does John think?
You can probably guess.
February 8, 2016 • 2 minutes • Bruce Schneier's metaphor • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Two enemies wrapped in metal shells from “Doctor Who” face their ultimate foe—the judgment of John Siracusa.
February 1, 2016 • 5 minutes • Doctor Who monsters • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
It’s right there in the name of this character from the acclaimed comic book “Saga,” but as we’ve learned, names can be misleading.
January 25, 2016 • 2 minutes • "Saga" • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
This one seems to have gotten in by mistake.
January 18, 2016 • 1 minute • Sandwich or Not? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Things that clean your swimming pool: are they Roombas or just dumb hoses? Also, if a toaster can’t be a robot, can a robot be a toaster?
January 11, 2016 • 3 minutes • C-3PO's toaster oven • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
If the cars in Pixar’s “Cars” movies aren’t cars, what are they, and where did they come from?
January 4, 2016 • 1 minute • So who made the cars? And where are they? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Just in time for the holidays, some existential questions. Also, could a robot be on a podcast?
December 28, 2015 • 53 seconds • Are you listening to a robot? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Doctor Who’s clockwork repair droids (from the episodes “Girl in the Fireplace” and “Deep Breath”) come under scrutiny. Sure, they start out as robots, but do they become something else..?
December 21, 2015 • 3 minutes • The Reverse Cybog Posit • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
From the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and specifically “Iron Man 3” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” deep robot-or-not questions about Iron Man’s suits, Ultron, and the Vision.
December 14, 2015 • 4 minutes • Marvel movie robots or not • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
A Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of his own!
December 7, 2015 • 2 minutes • Herbie is full of love • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
GlaDOS, Wheatley, turrets, cubes, spheres and more.
November 30, 2015 • 4 minutes • Portal and Portal 2 • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
She’s a small wonder, pretty and bright with soft curls.
She’s a small wonder, a girl unlike other girls.
She’s a miracle, and I grant you
She’ll enchant you at her sight.
She’s a small wonder, and she’ll make your heart take flight.
She’s fantastic, made of plastic.
Microchips here and there.
She’s a small wonder, brings love and laughter everywhere.
November 23, 2015 • 2 minutes • "Small Wonder" • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Cloud City’s majordomo from “The Empire Strikes Back” is in the spotlight.
November 16, 2015 • 1 minute • ...or not • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
It’s right there in the name, but what about the things that connect to it? And what about when Merlin talks about putting things “in the robot”? We need answers, John!
November 9, 2015 • 1 minute • What's in that Skype window? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
We take you back to the days of “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” to debate the show’s two artificial sidekicks.
November 2, 2015 • 6 minutes • Buck Rogers in the 25th Century • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
That little guy from “Short Circuit.”
October 26, 2015 • 1 minute • He's alive! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The blue box from “Doctor Who” might be sentient, might be alive, but is it a robot?
October 19, 2015 • 4 minutes • They're not built, they're grown • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
V’ger and the Ilia probe, both from “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”. Also, John complains about fake skin on androids.
October 12, 2015 • 9 minutes • Star Trek: The Motion Picture • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The metal robots (and their fleshy successors) from the old and new “Battlestar Galactica.”
October 5, 2015 • 9 minutes • Battlestar Galactica • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
What would a toaster have to do in order to be a robot? This episode introduces Siracusa’s Law, which somehow involves kitchen countertops.
September 28, 2015 • 3 minutes • Conceptual toaster questions • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The bigfoot/sasquatch from “The Six Million Dollar Man.”
September 21, 2015 • 6 minutes • The Six Million Dollar Man • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
From golf carts on Mars to New Horizons flying past Pluto, these are impressive machines, but are they robots?
September 14, 2015 • 3 minutes • Doubles! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
He tried to hitch his way across the country, but was dismembered in Philadelphia.
Image by archier on Flickr.
September 7, 2015 • 1 minute • Dressed up like a ghost • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Are droids robots? Do they have rights? Is the Empire based on a robo-slave economy?
August 31, 2015 • 6 minutes • The ethics of Star Wars sentience • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Are we seriously talking about magic here?
August 24, 2015 • 4 minutes • Robots versus magic • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Your plastic pal who’s fun to be with!
August 17, 2015 • 2 minutes • Life... don't talk to me about life • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Is an android a robot?
August 10, 2015 • 6 minutes • Androids and Robots • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
I know now why you humans cry.
August 3, 2015 • 3 minutes • I'll be back • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
So-called intelligent agents.
July 27, 2015 • 57 seconds • What about Jason's iPhone? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
From “Ghost in the Shell,” a human brain in a mechanical body. And what about uploaded brains and bodies?
July 20, 2015 • 2 minutes • Human brains, mechanical bodies • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Big robots with people inside, as seen in “Shogun Warriors” and “Pacific Rim.”
July 13, 2015 • 4 minutes • Big robots with little people inside • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Like the song says.
July 7, 2015 • 3 minutes • Robots in disguise? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The main computer of the USS Enterprise.
July 2, 2015 • 3 minutes • Hello, Computer! • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The “Knight Rider” car is cool, but is it a robot? What about KITT’s evil twin, KARR? Also, the dark pre-history of Pixar’s “Cars.”
June 29, 2015 • 6 minutes • Knight Rider • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Honda’s ASIMO, Sony’s AIBO, and other cute things that can do The Robot dance. Also, our Radio Shack memories.
June 25, 2015 • 2 minutes • Toy robots • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Look for the union label.
June 22, 2015 • 3 minutes • Titans of industry • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Does a self-guided vacuum cleaner cross John’s minimum bar for a robot? And what does that have to do with ants and dogs?
June 19, 2015 • 3 minutes • The lowest possible form of robot? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
They’re funny, but are they robots?
June 15, 2015 • 53 seconds • Skype isn't a robot • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Pondering sentient Google cars, Johnny Cab, and autopilots.
June 10, 2015 • 5 minutes • Are they robots or marketing? • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
The greatest prog rock album ever made.
June 4, 2015 • 48 seconds • Love and other robots • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
John and Jason try to understand robot dogs. Plus, a trip through old “Doctor Who” episodes.
June 2, 2015 • 2 minutes • Tin dogs • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
Cyborgs and robots and humans—how do we tell these things apart?
May 29, 2015 • 2 minutes • Cyborgs and Sith Lords • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
John’s position on supermarket self-checkout machines, Jason’s need for beer when he visits his in-laws, and whether attaching arms to things makes them robots.
May 25, 2015 • 4 minutes • Supermarket self check-out and ATMs • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
We explain why we’re here, and then discuss the protagonist of Styx’s 1983 album “Kilroy Was Here.”
May 22, 2015 • 5 minutes • Domo Arigato • John Siracusa and Jason Snell
A flashback to past podcasts, as a way of explaining why this podcast exists.
April 7, 2015 • 6 minutes • How it all started. • John Siracusa and Jason Snell