In today's episode, Katie has 30 minutes to become an "expert" on... The Mandela Effect! First of all, guess what?! This is 30 Minute Expert's One Year Anniversary! That's right, we've been at it for one whole year. Very proud to have made it this far - thank you so much to everyone who has listened and supported us. We did it! Back to scheduled programming: The Mandela Effect! If you thought the Berenstain Bears were the Berenstein Bears, or that Darth Vader said "Luke, I am your father," or that Tom Cruise wore sunglasses in that underwear scene in Risky Business, then you know what this is. It's when a group of people all share the same false memory, and really really believe it is true. The phenomenon is coined after a collectively shared false memory that Nelson Mandela died while in prison in the 1980s. This is completely untrue, yet thousands of people online all have the same memory of it happening. Why?! There are plenty of brain/memory related scientific explanations for it, including priming, post-event influences, and just the creation of false memories in general (look up Ronald Cotton's story!). But the explanation also could be a multiverse issue, time travellers messing things up, or plain out Satanic action. Pick what pleases you and stay for all the examples at the end. We love you! Keep listening! Highlights Include: - Somehow got to String Theory - Purple giraffes tap dancing - Mayer, Froot, SHAZAM! Follow on instagram @30minuteexpertpodcast and twitter @30minexpertpod Send us your expertise at [email protected] And please rate and review! Podcast artwork by Rick Radvansky Music by Jake Radvansky