443 – DOCTALES WITH COCKTAILS: Metric Time, UFOs & Other Ridiculous Things People Believed

In this lighthearted yet insightful episode of BS Free MD, Drs. May and Tim Hindmarsh celebrate April Fool's Day with a deep dive into some of history's most legendary pranks, blending humor with commentary on human gullibility and the power of narrative. They recount the infamous 1975 'metric time' prank by Canadian radio hosts Denny Carr and Wally Stanbuck, which convinced thousands that Canada had switched to a 10-hour day and 100-second hour—complete with fake 'Lyman-Colar Time' and panicked callers seeking new watches. The hosts also highlight the 1974 Alaska tire prank by 'Porky Bicker,' who lit 70 tires on a volcano to spell 'Happy April Fool's Day' in snow, and the decades-long Clearwater, Florida penguin hoax, where two men staged giant lead penguin feet to fool locals and even a cryptozoologist for 10 years. The episode then pivots to modern-day absurdities, including AI-generated fake news and UFO conspiracy theories, with the hosts debating whether secret government tech or alien visitation is more likely—and more infuriating to the public. They close with a reflective Easter-themed note on humility, authenticity, and the dangers of self-righteousness, using the absurdity of a phallic iceberg off Newfoundland as a metaphor for how easily we project meaning onto the world.