Science Quickly
Scientific American
300 episodes
Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.
Episodes page 2 of 6
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How common viruses could quietly raise your cancer risk
In this episode of Science Quickly, one of SciAm’s Young American Scientists, biologist Jaye Gardiner, explores how common viral infections may raise cancer risk—not just through genetic mutations but by reshaping the…
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The neuroscientist decoding how the brain learns
In this episode, host Rachel Feltman interviews neuroscientist Kauê M. Costa, who is among Scientific American’s inaugural cohort of Young American Scientists honorees. Costa shares how being surprised by experiments…
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From aspiring actress to NASA astrophysicist
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman interviews NASA astrophysicist Erini Lambrides about her unconventional journey from pursuing the performing arts to studying supermassive black holes. Lambrides…
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Disclosure Day and the science of alien language
In the new movie Disclosure Day, aliens communicate through a series of strange clicks and pops. But what could an alien language actually be like? In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman puts that…
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The science of World Cup grass
In this episode of Science Quickly, we explore the science behind preparing natural grass for the 2026 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup, a project in which researchers have worked to…
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World Cup health monitoring ramps up as Mars mission ends and AI rules shift
In this episode of Science Quickly, we look at how World Cup host cities are tracking potential disease outbreaks with wastewater surveillance, discuss the loss of NASA’s long-running MAVEN orbiter at Mars, unpack a…
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What’s in a name? When it comes to PCOS, a lot
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman interviews physician Anuja Dokras about the long road to changing the name of the condition PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian…
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The math behind your daily annoyances
From the mystery of why elevator waits feel endless to the surprisingly tricky problem of splitting a pizza (or even a sandwich) fairly, this episode explores how math shapes everyday experiences in ways you might not…
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Why this Ebola outbreak is so different
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman and Scientific American senior desk editor for health and medicine Tanya Lewis break down the fast-growing Ebola outbreak—caused by a viral species with no…
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You think you’re using your phone. It’s using you back
In this episode of Science Quickly, author Vanessa Chang discusses her book The Body Digital: A Brief History of Humans and Machines from Cuckoo Clocks to ChatGPT. The book explores how technologies—from handwriting to…
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Can we build a world that works for all?
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman interviews leading thinker Jeremy Lent about his latest book Ecocivilization: Making a World That Works for All, which challenges the idea that humans are…
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The fake disease that fooled AI
Have you ever turned to an artificial intelligence chatbot for medical advice? In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman speaks with researcher Almira Osmanovic Thunström about an experiment in which she…
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Nukes on the moon?
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman speaks with science journalist Robin George Andrews about NASA’s push to put a nuclear reactor on the moon. They explore why nuclear power could be key to…
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Hantavirus update, PCOS name change, ‘cheeky’ fish behavior
In this episode of Science Quickly, we get the latest on the hantavirus outbreak with Tanya Lewis, Scientific American’s senior desk editor for health and medicine. We also unpack why the common health condition…
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Why Black women face a silent health crisis
In this episode of Science Quickly, gynecologic oncologist and health equity researcher Kemi Doll explains why the well-known Black maternal mortality crisis is part of a broader “Black womb crisis” in which many Black…
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Do you actually need more protein? What the science says
Protein is having a major moment, showing up in everything from snack foods to coffee drinks—but do we actually need more of it? In this episode of Science Quickly, Rachel Feltman speaks with science journalist Bethany…
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Hantavirus at sea, microplastics, and the Alaska tsunami mystery
In this science news roundup, we start with a deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship. The outbreak is raising concerns about rare human‑to‑human transmission while experts say the risk of a wider pandemic…
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Influencers are obsessed with peptides. What does the science say?
Peptides are everywhere right now—from weight-loss drugs to TikTok wellness hacks—but the science hasn’t caught up with the hype. Journalist Victoria Song joins Science Quickly host Rachel Feltman to break down what…
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He let AI agents run a start-up—and things got weird fast
In this episode of Science Quickly, journalist Evan Ratliff joins Kendra Pierre-Louis to discuss his audacious experiment: launching a start‑up staffed entirely by autonomous artificial intelligence agents. Ratliff…
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Scorpion stingers, preeclampsia hope, canceled wind farms
In this week’s Science Quickly news roundup, we look at promising results from a new study about preeclampsia. We also cover the latest news about the Trump administration’s push against clean energy. Plus, we remember…
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The science of psychedelic therapy
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman and science journalist Jane C. Hu trace the surprising journey of psychedelics in the U.S.—from symbolizing the hippie movement of the 1960s to being seen as a…
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Why physics is poetic, political and personal
Physics can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein joins Science Quickly to explore how poetry, pop culture and imagination can help us grapple…
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NASA Curiosity, suicide hotline hope, AI voice clone
In this week’s Science Quickly news roundup, we dive into NASA’s new discovery of organic molecules on Mars, including some that have never been found there before. We also explore how human migration may have been…
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The wildlife trade may be speeding up the next pandemic
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman talks with Yale University epidemiologist Colin Carlson about new research showing that the global wildlife trade is spreading dangerous pathogens far faster than…
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Earth Day special: How to save the planet (again)
In this special Earth Day episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman turns to three environmental experts for a healthy dose of climate hope. Climate scientist Kate Marvel, atmospheric chemist Susan Solomon and…
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‘Cocaine hippos,’ underground bees, and surprising science on aging and the heart
In this episode of Science Quickly, we explore Colombia’s controversial plan to cull invasive “cocaine hippos” and the discovery of millions of underground bees in a New York State cemetery. And we dive into new…
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Why birds outlived T. rex
Birds are the only dinosaurs who managed to survive the asteroid impact that wiped out 75 percent of all species 66 million years ago. But how did they pull it off? To get some answers, host Kendra Pierre-Louis speaks…
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When science meets Pokémon
Curiosity about the natural world can start in unexpected places. In this episode of Science Quickly, host Kendra Pierre‑Louis talks with paleontologist Arjan Mann and entomologist Spencer Monckton about how…
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Artemis II returned safely from the moon—but was it worth it?
In this episode of Science Quickly, we unpack NASA’s Artemis II mission after its safe return from lunar orbit, asking what the long‑awaited comeback to the moon actually achieved and whether it was worth the cost.…
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Alexis Hall turns Moby-Dick into a wild sci‑fi adventure
In this episode of Science Quickly, author Alexis Hall discusses Hell’s Heart, their sci‑fi reimagining of Moby-Dick. Hall dives into how a lockdown reread of Herman Melville’s novel sparked a vision of space whales,…
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U.S. measles cases surge as vaccination rates drop
In this episode of Science Quickly, we examine the surge in measles cases across the U.S., exploring how falling measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination rates, the rising use of exemptions and pockets of…
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Artemis II, endangered species and oil, snowpack crisis
In this episode of Science Quickly, we give you a quick update on NASA’s Artemis II moon mission before digging into a move by the Trump administration that could endanger wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico. Later Andrea…
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Why NASA is betting big on Artemis II moon mission
In this episode of Science Quickly, we break down the successful launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission—the first crewed journey toward the moon in more than 50 years—as space editor Lee Billings explains how the Orion…
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We weren’t supposed to have chins
Humans are the only species that has chins. How this unique trait evolved has always been somewhat of a mystery. In this episode of Science Quickly, host Kendra Pierre-Louis talks to paleoanthropologist Lauren…
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NASA’s nuclear spacecraft, Iran war climate fallout and a promising new Lyme shot
In this episode of Science Quickly, we dig into NASA’s bold push toward a nuclear‑powered mission to Mars and plans for a long‑term lunar base, examine how the Iran war has triggered massive carbon emissions and a…
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You’ve been lied to about pain—here’s the truth
In this episode of Science Quickly, pain scientist Rachel Zoffness reveals why pain isn’t just a body problem but also a brain‑driven warning system that we’ve been misunderstanding for decades. She and host Kendra…
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Can AI do math, or does it just act like a calculator?
In this episode of Science Quickly, Kendra Pierre-Louis and SciAm reporter Joe Howlett explore a new math challenge designed to test whether today’s AI models can truly tackle cutting‑edge proofs. They break down how…
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Heat dome, legal win for vaccines, lead-tainted clothes
In this episode of Science Quickly, Andrea Thompson, senior desk editor for life sciences at Scientific American, joins host Kendra Pierre-Louis to discuss the recent heat wave in parts of the U.S. We’ll also dive into…
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Andy Weir spills the space tea on Ryan Gosling and Project Hail Mary
In this episode of Science Quickly, author Andy Weir joins SciAm’s Bri Kane to talk all things Project Hail Mary—from working with Ryan Gosling on the new film adaptation of the book to building the extraterrestrial…
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GLP-1 drugs are entering a new chapter
In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American’s associate health editor Lauren Young joins host Kendra Pierre-Louis to talk about how the story of GLP‑1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro is evolving.…
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Nuclear doubts, bigger hail, and new clues about aging brains
In this episode of Science Quickly, we cover the record release of global emergency oil reserves amid escalating conflict, a breakdown of why nuclear experts say Iran was not close to building a nuclear weapon, new…
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How RFK, Jr.’s beliefs echo a troubling ideology
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for protecting the health of the American people. But over the past year, it has taken several steps that critics say undermine that very objective. In…
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The Traitors and the science of sneaky lies
In this episode of Science Quickly, we dive into the psychology of deception through the deliciously twisty lens of The Traitors, exploring why humans are surprisingly bad at detecting lies and what science says about…
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Measles outbreak, AI in warfare, sped-up global warming
In this episode of Science Quickly, we cover a few important updates on the measles outbreaks in the U.S. We also look at how governments are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence for military action,…
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Michael Pollan explores consciousness, AI and the brain
In this episode of Science Quickly, journalist Michael Pollan joins Scientific American’s Bri Kane to unpack why consciousness is so hard to define in a discussion that explores what brain science, artificial…
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A tech journalist, some hot dogs and an AI hoax
In February the BBC’s Thomas Germain became the world’s “best tech journalist at eating hot dogs”—at least, that’s what ChatGPT and Google Search’s “AI Overview” were telling Internet users for a while. Germain…
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Women’s heart health, Artemis update, postbirthing vitamins for reindeer
In this episode of Science Quickly, we’ll unpack a worrying prediction for women’s heart health that says nearly 60 percent of women in the U.S. will have some form of cardiovascular disease by 2050. We’ll also get you…
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A teen, an algorithm and the race to stop poaching
In this episode of Science Quickly, freelance wildlife writer Melissa Hobson investigates how a 17‑year‑old’s breakthrough artificial-intelligence-based gunshot detector could transform antipoaching efforts by giving…
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The science behind polyamory
In this episode of Science Quickly, we explore what research reveals about polyamory, how multipartner relationships actually function and why communication and consent are central to making them work. Anthropologist…
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New dino, vaccine shake-ups, dirty air risks
In this Science Quickly news roundup, we look at the Food and Drug Administration’s surprising change of heart on reviewing Moderna’s mRNA flu shot, a promising new inhaled vaccine that could fight multiple respiratory…
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