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Points For Tryin'

Comedy

A part-comedy, part-educational podcast where we look back on the wonderful and weird world of failed inventions.

Location:

United States

Genres:

Comedy

Description:

A part-comedy, part-educational podcast where we look back on the wonderful and weird world of failed inventions.

Language:

English


Episodes
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Ep. 16 - When a Tire Company Tried Making Spaceships: The Goodyear Meteor

4/1/2024
It's known for tires and blimps, but there's an alternate timeline where Goodyear is the go-to company if you want to buy a space station or a rocket plane. Let us take you through that alternate timeline. For the video version, go to: https://youtu.be/F8NPMr15IQo If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com Sources: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Inflatable_Structures_in_Space/zqQqAAAAMAAJ https://books.google.com/books?id=PS0DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA124 https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/science/space/08space.html

Duration:00:27:06

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Ep. 15 - Frank Tinsley: Futuristic Fever Dreams from the 50’s

11/14/2022
What did the 1950's think the future would be like? According to illustrator Frank Tinsley, it would be filled with water cannons, space rockets, and giant vegetables.

Duration:00:26:08

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Special Episode: Robert Goddard’s ”The High Speed Bet”

9/4/2022
A companion to Episode 14, a full reading of Robert Goddard's short story "The High Speed Bet". For the video version, go to: https://youtu.be/IrYFJU7aUGM If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Duration:00:14:42

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Ep. 14 - Vacuum Trains: The Hyperloop from 1904

9/4/2022
Ep. 14 - Vacuum Trains: The Hyperloop from 1904 Airless tunnels? Check. Magnetically-levitated trains? Check. Promises of insanely-fast travel? Also check. But this isn't Elon Musk's Hyperloop, Alfred Beach and Robert Goddard had him beat by over a hundred years. For the video version, go to: https://youtu.be/zXYJ2XtqOyM If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beach_Pneumatic_Transit https://untappedcities.com/2020/04/20/nycs-first-subway-a-one-block-pneumatic-tunnel-below-broadway/ https://www.nyhistory.org/blogs/beach-pneumatic-transit-the-1870-subway-that-could-have-been https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Beach_Pneumatic_Transit https://gizmodo.com/the-scifi-story-robert-h-goddard-published-100-years-a-1494959842 https://web.wpi.edu/Images/CMS/Goddard/goddard-high-speed-train.pdf https://patents.google.com/patent/US2511979A/en

Duration:00:20:37

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Ep. 13 - Getting to Space, No Rockets Required? (SpinLaunch & Space Elevators)

4/9/2022
What if you could get to space, WIHOUT using any rockets? (Or in the case of SpinLaunch, a much smaller rocket than usual? That's what we're looking at today. For the video version, go to: https://youtu.be/v9booqvNrTQ If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/michaellaine/space-elevator-science-climb-to-the-sky-a-tethered https://www.liftport.com/ https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast07sep_1/ https://space.nss.org/wp-content/uploads/2000-Space-Elevator-NASA-CP210429.pdf https://www.spinlaunch.com/ https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2019164472A1/en https://spacenews.com/spinlaunch-conducts-first-test-of-suborbital-accelerator-at-spaceport-america/

Duration:00:23:32

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History’s Biggest Failed Invention: The Wheel

4/1/2022
Happy April Everyone! For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/jbuRTyV9htg If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Duration:00:02:46

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Ep. 12 - Bacon From a Toaster and Low-Fat Bacon (Reddi Bacon & Sizzlean)

2/15/2022
This episode is all about the internet's favorite food: BACON! Lean more about the first attempt at instant-bacon, and turkey bacon's older brother. For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/LzOWpgsvdOs If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Duration:00:19:31

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Ep. 11 - The Canadian Flying Saucer and ”Weather Balloons”

12/27/2021
This episode looks at some UFO-centric ideas. Like the time a Canadian company designed a flying saucer for the Air Force, and the REAL project behind the Roswell alien story. For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/_vp1emOSqt8 If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Duration:00:17:25

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Ep. 10 - The 50-Caliber Mousetrap (and other fan comments)

10/21/2021
This episode we look at your comments and ideas! Keep them coming at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/49xAtggmhic If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Duration:00:21:20

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Ep. 9 - Powering Gadgets (and Even Computers) with Water

7/28/2021
This episode looks at some innovative uses for hydro-power: hooking up household gadgets to the sink to power them, and even using water in a computer. For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/glktE3u23Is If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us at pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Duration:00:19:40

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Ep. 8 - Lincoln's Boat Patent and Einstein's Wing Design

5/31/2021
This episode looks back at the some famous (failed) inventors. Abraham Lincoln holds a patent for a device to stop boats from running aground, and Albert Einstein once designed his own airplane wing. For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/GMIN3S0sr-A If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us as pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Duration:00:18:13

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Ep. 7 - Double Steering Wheels and Self-Parking Cars

5/5/2021
This episode looks back at some attempts to ACTUALLY re-invent the wheel, from alternate ways of steering to parking-assist features. For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/WCQHCHGZX2w If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us as pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Duration:00:20:36

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Ep. 6 - Flying Tanks and Submarines

3/21/2021
This episode asks the question: "will it fly"? For tanks and submarines, the answer was "sort of". For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/ATdDt-gVids If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us as pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Duration:00:15:35

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Ep. 5 - Centrifuge-Assisted Birth and Human Catapults

2/21/2021
This episode features two human-launching patents. One tried to make childbirth easier using centrifugal force, and the other tried to launch people onto the roof of a building. For the video version and links to sources go to: https://youtu.be/WW0k3gSxmlM If you have comments, thoughts, or suggestions, email us as pointsfortryinchannel@gmail.com

Duration:00:18:41

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Ep. 4 - Animal Spies

12/31/2020
This episode features some of the many ways that animals have been used as spies and weapons: pigeon cameras, bat bombs, cat microphones, and pigeon-guided bombs. For the video version and links to sources go to: youtu.be/QZ8a0Q6Wf_M

Duration:00:24:33

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Ep. 3 - Mail Missiles and Underground Delivery

11/15/2020
This episode features some unconventional ways the post office used to deliver mail: cruise missiles and underground tubes. For the video version and links to sources go to: youtu.be/bAJPmSu4z9k

Duration:00:26:33

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Ep. 2 - Propeller-Powered Cars and Trains

11/11/2020
This episode features two propeller-powered vehicles, Marcel Leyat's Helica car and the German Shienenzeppelin ("rail zeppelin"). For the video version and links to sources go to: youtu.be/fpxRBHo2cT4

Duration:00:30:01

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Ep. 1 - 4-Legged Jeep and 6-Legged Tractor

11/5/2020
This episode features the GE Pedipulator (aka the Walking Truck) and the John Deere Timberjack. For the video version and links to sources go to: youtu.be/Hjug5afyPQg

Duration:00:18:48