Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.
Discover what researchers have learned about polyamory, what misconceptions people have about such multipartner relationships and how individuals actually navigate them
13 min
27
New dino, vaccine shake-ups, dirty air risks
A surprising FDA reversal on Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine, early promise from a universal inhaled vaccine, and a desert fossil find that is reshaping spinosaurid history.
10 min
28
The surprising enigma of slippery ice
The reason we slip and slide on ice—a phenomenon central to figure skating, curling and other Winter Olympic events—is a centuries-old physics mystery that may have finally been cracked
14 min
29
Can AI keep Alzheimer’s patients safe at home?
How AI‑powered “smart home” technologies could improve safety and ease caregiver burden for people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia
17 min
30
Trump’s climate rollback, this wild winter and ...
We take a look at President Trump’s decision to reject a landmark climate finding, the cause of an unusual winter in the U.S. and the physics behind a bizarre ski jumping scandal
10 min
31
The evolutionary riddle of the kiss
Why the simple act of kissing—which can be traced back 21.5 million years—continues to confound evolutionary biologists
13 min
32
How Heated Rivalry nailed its Russian
How a Russian dialect coach helped Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie master challenging Russian sounds and build a believable accent
16 min
33
Rhythm babies, rocket delays, solar fireworks
Babies show innate rhythm as NASA’s Artemis II mission hits delays, a major solar flare erupts and concerns grow over PFAS “forever chemicals”
10 min
34
Psychiatry’s playbook is about to get torn up
Why psychiatry’s diagnostic system may undergo major changes, and what the scientific debates over how mental illnesses should be defined are
16 min
35
The curious case of the nonburpers
For those with retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction, daily life can be miserable, with symptoms such as bloating and chest pain. But a simple Botox injection can help
16 min
36
A new AI tool to decode DNA, a medical marvel a...
How a new AI model could help us better understand noncoding DNA, how doctors kept a man alive without lungs for two days, and what a peculiar flower can teach us about evolution
10 min
37
The hidden genius behind nonreflective glass
The Lost Women of Science team uncovers Katharine Burr Blodgett’s overlooked brilliance
14 min
38
Want to smell more attractive? Try these foods
Beneath fancy perfumes and deodorants, our food choices may be quietly shaping our natural scent in unexpected ways
11 min
39
A historic moon mission, AI that helps restore ...
What’s on the road to the launch of NASA’s Artemis II, how scientists are using artificial intelligence to help stroke patients speak, and what an Indonesian cave art discovery says about early human migration
10 min
40
The quest for Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA
Researchers are using cutting‑edge DNA techniques to hunt for genetic evidence in centuries‑old artworks in an effort to better understand the genius of Leonardo da Vinci
17 min
41
What is consciousness, really?
A dive into how scientists are trying to understand what consciousness is and where it comes from
15 min
42
EPA weakens air pollution rules, cancer surviva...
Why the EPA’s air pollution rule change could make the air dirtier, how cancer survival hit a record-high, and what we know about the first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station
9 min
43
How Venezuela’s Heavy Crude Shapes Climate Risks
A break down of why Venezuela’s oil boom is clashing with a hotter, more fragile planet
17 min
44
The Great Seed Oil Panic
A food scientist debunks the vilification of seed oils on social media and explains what research says about them.
16 min
45
Woodpeckers Rock the Lab, AI Steps Out of the C...
Why flu cases are spiking, how AI predicts disease from your sleep, and what surprising biomechanics lie behind woodpeckers’ powerful pecks.
9 min
46
Weighing the Good and Bad of Weight-Loss Drugs
Behind the hype of GLP-1 medications lies complex science, serious side effects and a pharmaceutical arms race.
21 min
47
America’s Children Face a New Era of Health Risk
A look at how evolving national health policies could reshape the future of kids’ care, from vaccines to essential treatments.
13 min
48
How to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick
Behavioral economist Katy Milkman explains why most New Year’s resolutions fail and shares how science-backed strategies can build habits that last.
15 min
49
ENCORE: Algorithmic Social Media Is Driving New...
Linguist Adam Aleksic explains how viral slang and algorithm-driven speech aren’t destroying language––they’re accelerating its natural evolution.
25 min
50
ENCORE: Understanding the Science of ‘Squirting’
A mysterious and often debated aspect of human sexuality colloquially known as “squirting” sparks controversy. This episode explores what research reveals.