Roses are red. Violets are sweet. Corpse flowers are blooming and smell like bad meat
Roses are red. Violets are sweet. Corpse flowers are blooming and smell like bad meat
This is an excerpt from the latest episode of Everyone & Their Mom, a new show from Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or listen on NPR One, and you can find us on Instagram.
Smell ya later
Host Emma Choi and co-host Negin Farsad discover the dirty secret of the corpse flower which recently bloomed at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. Their secret? They're big 'ole guys and they smell SO bad. The flower is native to Indonesia and its pungent smell has been compared to rotting flesh. This one was gifted to the university by a former Biomed professor. It's the gift that keeps on giving: giving a terrible, terrible meat smell.
Corpse flower power
Christina Hipshier is the greenhouse supervisor for the biology department at Grand Valley State University and the keeper of the corpse flower. Christina tells us she was caught by surprise by the flower's sudden bloom as it only blooms once every 5-10 years. She shares the beauty of the corpse flower and helps us understand the benefit of its super stink.
Workin' up a sweat
Body odor is "pretty much my favorite topic," says Sarah Everts, a journalist who wrote The Joy of Sweat and participated in a speed dating event that pairs you up based on whose B.O. you're attracted to. She tells Emma about this unique way to sniff out a soul mate and reveals why choosing a partner based on smell might be the best thing for your dating life.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about secret messages and play along with our quizzes. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or listen on NPR One, and you can find us on Instagram.