Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.
Beneath fancy perfumes and deodorants, our food choices may be quietly shaping our natural scent in unexpected ways
11 min
27
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
28
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
29
What is consciousness, really?
A dive into how scientists are trying to understand what consciousness is and where it comes from
15 min
30
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
31
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
32
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
33
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
34
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
35
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
36
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
37
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
38
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.
16 min
39
ENCORE: Science’s Greatest 180s
In honor of SciAm’s 180th birthday, we’re spotlighting the biggest “wait, what?” moments in science history.
5 min
40
The Quest for Climate-Ready Christmas Trees
As Christmas trees face mounting challenges from climate change, researchers explore solutions to help ensure that a beloved holiday tradition endures in a warming world.
12 min
41
2025: The Year Science Was Shaken
A look back at 2025’s biggest science stories—from federal upheaval and public health setbacks to climate policy reversals and groundbreaking discoveries in space.
17 min
42
The Hidden Voices of Monk Seals
Researchers uncover 20 new underwater calls from Hawaii’s endangered monk seals.
19 min
43
Inside the Struggle to Save an Orca Community
A scientist, a journalist and a remarkable scent‑detecting dog race to learn what’s endangering the last southern resident orcas.
This week’s science roundup covers 2025’s near-record heat, a new mpox strain and fresh clues about why hobbits vanished 50,000 years ago.
8 min
45
Karen Hao on Why AI Is Reshaping Society
Journalist Karen Hao unpacks the rise of AI “empires,” their ideological roots, and the hidden environmental and societal costs of OpenAI’s quest for artificial general intelligence.
26 min
46
Can NASA Deliver on Perseverance’s Promise to R...
NASA’s Perseverance rover has gathered groundbreaking Mars samples, but the mission to bring them home is facing serious challenges.
Vaccines coming under fire, satellites crowding the skies, and dogs boosting teen mental health.
8 min
48
New Hope for Treating Postpartum Depression?
This Two-Week Treatment May Reset the Brain
13 min
49
Scientific American Picks the Best Reads of the...
Scientific American unveils its first-ever best fiction and nonfiction books of the year, spotlighting stories that blend science, imagination and unforgettable voices.
10 min
50
Thanksgiving’s Iconic Bird Is Thriving Again in...
Wild turkeys once nearly disappeared, but today they’re thriving.