Everything Everywhere Daily

Episode: Questions and Answers: Volume 35

Host: Gary Arndt
Date: October 1, 2025

Main Theme

This episode is the 35th volume of Gary Arndt’s monthly Questions and Answers segment, where he answers listener-submitted questions on topics ranging from travel and history to science, photography, education, and even some lighthearted takes on baseball and astrology. True to the podcast’s spirit, the episode highlights curiosity, lifelong learning, and expert advice drawn from Gary’s experience as a world traveler, photographer, and polymath.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Studying Abroad vs. Independent Travel

Listener Q: Should I study abroad or graduate early and just travel?

• Gary’s Take (05:50): He never studied abroad but knows many who did. He observes that many treat studying abroad as a chance to party and travel, taking easy (“blow off”) classes.
• Advice:
  • Graduating early and then traveling offers more freedom and saves tuition costs. It allows unstructured, self-directed exploration instead of being bound to academic obligations.
  • "If you do go to Europe, you'll have much more freedom to do what you want and go where you want without having classes and other obligations hanging over your head." (06:45)
  • On travel style: play it by ear once there—settling in one place or roaming are both valid and the right path will become apparent through experience.

2. Evolution: What Comes After Mammals?

Listener Q: What new class of animalia might evolve after mammals?

• Science Insight (09:00): It’s impossible to predict. Evolution is contingent on unique future circumstances, and not linear.
• Key Points:
  • Mammals arose due to unique environmental conditions; no path is guaranteed.
  • "Many people think that humans are the natural end result of evolution. That's not the case." (09:30)
  • Mammals didn’t “replace” reptiles—many reptiles survived alongside.
  • The future may hold new adaptations among mammals or entirely new unexpected classes, but it’s all speculation.

3. Time Travel Possibilities & the Grandfather Paradox

Listener Q: Is time travel possible, and can the grandfather paradox be solved?

• Gary’s Take (11:15):
  • Most theories of time travel are science fiction.
  • If true backwards-in-time travel were possible, there would already be evidence of it.
  • Limitations might include only traveling back to the time when the device was created, not before.
  • "If it were to happen, we'd already have evidence of it." (11:35)
  • Considers the possibility of time travelers being undetectable, joking about the classic "why didn't they kill baby Hitler?" trope.

4. Most & Least Desired American Historical Figures to Meet

Listener Q: Which American historical figure would you most and least want to meet?

• Most Want to Meet: Benjamin Franklin.
  • Describes Franklin as a scientist, philosopher, and fun company.
  • "He clearly knew how to enjoy himself, and I think he would be very entertaining to hang out with." (13:00)
• Least Want to Meet: Provides no specific name, just says the list is "very, very, very long." (13:20)

5. Tips for Content Creation and Photography

Listener Q: Top tips for new photographers and content creators?

• Advice (14:10):
  • Photography and content creation are distinct; skills in one don’t guarantee success in the other.
  • Improvement comes from volume: repeated practice leads to competence.
  • For photography: Learn your camera's manual settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), their effects, and practice deliberately to hone weak points.
  • "Ultimately you just need to get out and shoot and to do so in a very deliberate fashion where you are identifying your weaknesses and trying to improve on them." (15:25)

6. Evolution of Astrology & the 13th Zodiac Sign

Listener Q: Thoughts on astrology and the 13th zodiac sign?

• Gary’s Opinion (17:00):
  • Dismisses astrology as an unreliable pseudoscience with no proven mechanisms or results.
  • Explains that the zodiac’s 12 divisions are arbitrary—so is a 13th sign (“Ophiuchus”).
  • Notes the 13th sign idea arose in the 1970s and underscores astrology’s lack of consistent principles among practitioners.

7. Behind the Scenes: Hiring Olivia Ashe

Listener Q: How did Olivia Ashe join the podcast team?

• Answer (18:50):
  • Connected through a local university’s history professor; Olivia expressed interest and was hired after a meeting.

8. Favorite Empires (with a Twist)

Listener Q: Top three empires of all time?

• Gary’s Humorous Reply (19:50):
  • Empire Strikes Back
  • Empire of the Sun
  • The Last Emperor
  • Honorable mention: Age of Empires 2, Empire Earth
  • Not a serious historical ranking, but a playful take referencing movies and video games.

9. Podcast Language & Translation

Listener Q: Is the podcast available in other languages?

• Answer (21:05):
  • Only distributed in English; logistics and economics don’t support translation, whether manual or AI-aided.
  • Most listeners are in English-speaking countries.
  • "There are AI tools that will automatically translate the show, but I have absolutely no interest in using them." (21:30)

10. Explaining the Infield Fly Rule (Baseball)

Listener Q: Clarification on the infield fly rule after a confusing play.

• Gary’s Explanation (23:00):
  • Designed to prevent infielders from unfairly creating double/triple plays by dropping easy pop-ups with runners on base.
  • If the umpire calls “infield fly,” the batter is out, whether the ball is caught or not, and runners are not forced to advance.
  • Occurs about 300 times per MLB season.
  • "Most baseball fans don't really understand it." (23:15)

11. The Roots of Lifelong Curiosity & Love of Learning

Listener Q: How to stay invested in learning as an adult? Where did Gary’s curiosity come from?

• Gary’s Reflection (25:05):
  • Curiosity is inherent in childhood but often stifled by schooling focused on test scores, not genuine exploration.
  • The key is nurturing children’s varied interests and not defaulting to rote learning.
  • "Curiosity is usually stifled in kids in school. They have to do what they're told, not what they're interested in... Curiosity isn't a result, it's the motivating force that leads to results." (25:35)
  • Encouragement for listeners: if you’re here, you’re already curious, which he finds rewarding about his audience and the podcast’s community.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On traveling post-graduation versus study abroad:
  “There's no reason for you to pay tuition so you can go to Europe and then spend money on top of that.” (06:15)
• On evolution’s unpredictability:
  “Evolution is not on a set linear path... There were countless improbable things that resulted in the world that we see today.” (09:30)
• On the appeal of Benjamin Franklin:
  “He was a scientist and a philosopher and arguably the most interesting of the Founding Fathers... he clearly knew how to enjoy himself.” (13:00)
• On astrology’s scientific credibility:
  “As pseudosciences go, it isn't even a very good one.” (17:10)
• On the love of learning:
  “Curiosity isn’t a result, it’s the motivating force that leads to results.” (25:35)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------| | 05:50 | Study Abroad vs. Graduate Early and Travel | | 09:00 | Future of Animal Evolution | | 11:15 | Time Travel and the Grandfather Paradox | | 13:00 | Historical Figures Gary Would Want/Not Want to Meet| | 14:10 | Tips for Content Creation and Photography | | 17:00 | Astrology and the 13th Zodiac Sign | | 18:50 | Hiring Olivia Ashe | | 19:50 | Favorite Empires (Humorous Segment) | | 21:05 | Podcast Language & Translation | | 23:00 | Explaining the Infield Fly Rule | | 25:05 | Foundations of Curiosity and Lifelong Learning |

Episode Tone and Language

Gary maintains a conversational, insightful, and often humorous tone, balancing facts and personal experience. He is candid, practical, and occasionally self-deprecating, engaging directly with his audience’s curiosities and misgivings.

Summary

Everything Everywhere Daily’s “Questions and Answers: Volume 35” is an engaging episode that demonstrates why the podcast appeals so strongly to intellectually curious listeners. Gary responds candidly and informatively on topics from practical life advice (study abroad, content creation) to abstract musings (the future of evolution, time travel), always rooting his answers in experience and scientific reasoning. He closes with a thoughtful reflection on the importance of curiosity, inspiring listeners to sustain their passion for learning well beyond formal education.