Skip to main content
Back to Show
It's Okay to Be Smart

Why No One Can Agree What’s Really the Tallest Mountain

Season 10 Episode 9

What's the tallest mountain on Earth? It might seem like an easy question to answer, but in reality it's one that brings up more NEW questions than answers. It turns out that the way we measure mountains rests on a lot of approximations, assumptions, and averages. And when you dig into those, there's several contenders for the tallest mountain, each with their own good case for the title.

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By
Season
How the CIA Secretly Spied On Climate Change
17:58
How the CIA used Cold War technology to study and combat climate change
Why Y Is a Vowel According to Physics (and so is W)
13:58
The secret physics at the core of every syllable, starting with the first words we speak.
How To Go Faster Than Light Speed
9:56
The glow from faster-than-light particles gives us a unique way to explore the universe.
The Mystery Behind Earth’s Most Epic Migration
10:40
A mysterious and highly impactful phenomenon that scientists are still learning about.
Why Does Every Animal Look Like This?
9:10
Countershading is everywhere, and it may be nature’s most successful form of camouflage.
Can We Solve the Air Conditioning Paradox?
12:59
Global warming means more air conditioning…causing more warming 🤦. Could new chemistry he
What Makes Birds, Beetles, and Bubbles Shine So Beautifully?
14:49
How does iridescence work? From rainbow bubbles to beautiful birds, bugs, and gemstones.
The Dark Origins of the Scientific Method
11:53
Under house arrest in Egypt, one mathematician transformed how we examine the world.
Do All Animals Play?
8:32
Animals as simple as bees and as complex as you and me and have fun too!
Why Embarrassment Is Actually Good For You
13:10
We explore why embarrassment has lasted through evolution and its function.
In Search of the Blackest Thing on Earth
13:49
We are in search of the blackest black things on Earth and why.
The Unexpected Measure that Makes the Modern World Tick
14:24
Knowing exactly what a “second” is is more complicated than you might think!
Active loading indicator