Science journalist Rachel Nuwer discusses how MDMA – once a Schedule 1 drug – is now being heralded as a treatment for PTSD and other afflictions.
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The science of figuring out if ice cream is good for you
Journalist and public health historian David Merritt Johns joins us to discuss the surprising results of studies about food that’s traditionally been considered off-limits.
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What will it take for Texas to embrace clean energy?
Justin Worland of Time magazine discusses how politics is getting in the way of progress toward renewable energy and why the state continues to incentivize carbon-heavy methods.
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Imagine growing up in the Ice Age
April Nowell, a Paleolithic archaeologist, joins us to discuss the efforts to uncover the mysteries of childhood in the Ice Age.
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What makes big projects fail?
Oxford emeritus professor Bent Flyvbjerg talks about grand-scale projects and why some become famous, while others become infamous.
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The beauty of beetles
Entomologist Arthur V. Evans joins us for a primer on the world of beetles – some 400,000 species strong – their ability to survive and their importance to ecosystems.
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The flying machines that almost ruled the skies
Author S.C. Gwynne talks about the zeppelins that were built to connect the British Empire in style and grace but had fatal flaws that were overlooked by the bombastic men who championed them.
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Deception is a part of our nature (and nature itself)
Lixing Sun, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Central Washington University, talks about the role of deceit in the lives of plants and animals.
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Your brain is better on music
Larry Sherman is professor of neuroscience at the Oregon Health and Science University, and he joins us to talk about how music works in the brain and how it affects our emotions.
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Could we some day create new living things in a lab?
Science writer Philip Ball talks about efforts to create organic matter designed to help faulty organs while living in the body.
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How to experience moments of awe every day
Psychology professor Dacher Keltner joins us to discuss a relatively new field of research studying awe, how it can transform the mind and body, and his own personal experiences with it.
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Why men are dying sooner
Tara Parker-Pope, Well+Being Editor at The Washington Post, discusses the longevity gap between men and women – which is present around the world – and the research that’s needed to understand it.
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