Author Randall Munroe discusses weird science questions like: Could you cool the earth by opening freezer doors? And: Is it possible to build a billion-story building?
Read more
How big data could help us talk to whales
Biologist Tom Mustill talks about his deep dive into how scientists are trying to decode the “words” of whales and the potential consequences of human-whale interactions.
Read more
Consumer rights are civil rights
President and CEO of Consumer Reports Marta L. Tellado joins us to talk about data breaches, digital spying concerns and product failures. Plus, a blog post with 3 facts you didn’t know about companies collecting your digital data.
Read more
New ways to detect alien technology
Writer Jon Gertner talks about the search for traces of machines throughout the universe, and what happens if we actually find them.
Read more
Animals have feelings, just like us
Writer Yudhijit Bhattacharjee discusses the mental abilities of animals and how they might have emotions as complex as our own.
Read more
How your brain navigates
Neuroscientist Christopher Kemp explains our brain’s ability to orient ourselves in space and find our way through a confusing world.
Read more
How to deal with workplace bullies
Tessa West examines the different personality types that tend to make work miserable and the methods of social psychology you can employ to neutralize them. Plus, a blog post on how to deal with bulldozing coworkers.
Read more
We know what makes us laugh, but why?
Professor Jonathan Silvertown talks about the science behind why we giggle, laughter’s evolutionary advantages, and why you might want to tickle your houseplants.
Read more
A young person’s guide to navigating the news
Dr. Seema Yasmin discusses ways to engage youth and help them learn to dispel rumors and myths about science and medicine. Plus, a bonus blog post on misinformation, disinformation and mal-information.
Read more
The point of tiny T. rex arms and other dinosaur mysteries
David Hone, paleontologist and senior lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, shares the latest in dinosaur research, from child-rearing to habitats – and what might be the next big dinosaur discovery on the horizon.
Read more
BFFs: The science of building friendships that last
Marisa G. Franco is a professor at the University of Maryland. She talks with us about the latest science on friendship, why it’s essential to our health, and ways to use your own strengths to forge lasting relationships.
Read more
Neil deGrasse Tyson on why we should think more like scientists
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson joins us to make a case for the rationality of science—and to help us look at global challenges in new ways.
Read more