Yours

Podcasts · Science

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 3 of 6

  1. New dino, vaccine shake-ups, dirty air risks

    · 11 min

    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…

  2. The surprising enigma of slippery ice

    · 16 min

    Many of the events in the Winter Olympics involve some sort of sliding or slipping on ice—in a skillful, controlled way. Those moves often seem effortless, but the physics behind what makes them possible is messy. For…

  3. Can AI keep Alzheimer’s patients safe at home?

    · 19 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, multimedia journalist Meghan McDonough explores how emerging artificial-intelligence‑powered “smart home” tools are helping people with Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions that…

  4. Trump’s climate rollback, this wild winter and ‘Penisgate’

    · 12 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, we unpack the Trump administration’s move to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency’s “endangerment finding” and its effect on the future of U.S. climate policy. We also look at…

  5. The evolutionary riddle of the kiss

    · 15 min

    With Valentine’s Day around the corner, kissing may be on your mind. But why do we kiss? In this episode of Science Quickly, evolutionary biologist Matilda Brindle joins host Kendra Pierre-Louis to uncover the…

  6. How Heated Rivalry nailed its Russian

    · 18 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, hosts Kendra Pierre-Louis and Allison Parshall dive into the surprising linguistics behind the hit TV series Heated Rivalry. Pierre-Louis and Parshall speak with the show’s Russian…

  7. Rhythm babies, rocket delays, solar fireworks

    · 12 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, we dive into NASA’s latest headaches as the Artemis II moon mission hits delays. We also take a look at a massive solar flare that lit up the skies—and disrupted some tech—along with…

  8. Psychiatry’s playbook is about to get torn up

    · 17 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, we dig into a brewing shake-up inside psychiatry as the American Psychiatric Association considers sweeping changes to the way mental illness is defined and diagnosed. Scientific…

  9. The curious case of the nonburpers

    · 18 min

    Can you imagine not being able to burp at all? In this episode of Science Quickly, we dive into the little-known but surprisingly serious “no burp” syndrome known as retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (RCPD).…

  10. A new AI tool to decode DNA, a medical marvel and a rebel lipstick vine

    · 12 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, we dive into Google DeepMind’s new artificial intelligence model AlphaGenome, which could help researchers better understand how noncoding DNA shapes gene expression. We also look at…

  11. The hidden genius behind nonreflective glass

    · 15 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, host Kendra Pierre-Louis talks with Katie Hafner of the podcast Lost Women of Science about the remarkable but often overlooked physicist and chemist Katharine Burr Blodgett, whose…

  12. Want to smell more attractive? Try these foods

    · 13 min

    Many people turn to expensive perfumes to elevate their natural scent and smell more pleasant to others. But what if you could achieve that just by switching up your diet? In this episode of Science Quickly, host…

  13. A historic moon mission, AI that helps restore stroke patients’ voice and the oldest cave art ever found

    · 11 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, we look at the stakes behind Artemis II, NASA’s historic lunar flyby mission that’s preparing to launch soon. We’ll also dive into the science behind Revoice, an…

  14. The quest for Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA

    · 19 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, host Kendra Pierre-Louis speaks with forensic scientist Rhonda Roby about an ambitious effort to uncover traces of Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA using modern forensic techniques. Roby and…

  15. What is consciousness, really?

    · 16 min

    In this episode, we explore what consciousness is, how the brain creates it and what current science says about dreams, anesthesia, animals and even artificial intelligence. Scientific American’s associate editor…

  16. EPA weakens air pollution rules, cancer survival soars, and NASA evacuates astronauts

    · 11 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, we unpack the Environmental Protection Agency’s controversial decision to change how it calculates health benefits from regulating certain air pollutants, a move that experts warn…

  17. How Venezuela’s Heavy Crude Shapes Climate Risks

    · 19 min

    In this episode, we dive into the climate stakes behind Venezuela’s vast but troubled oil reserves and the country’s mounting tensions with neighboring Guyana. Climate reporter Amy Westervelt breaks down why the…

  18. The Great Seed Oil Panic

    · 17 min

    Seed oils have become a target of wellness influencers and high-profile public officials. They say that these widely used and relatively inexpensive oils, which include canola, soybean and sunflower oil, are toxic. But…

  19. Woodpeckers Rock the Lab, AI Steps Out of the Chat Box, and Flu Hits Hard

    · 11 min

    Have you ever wondered how woodpeckers pound away without breaking their neck? We’ve got the answer—plus, why this flu season has broken a record, how AI is learning to predict disease from your sleep, and what CES…

  20. Weighing the Good and Bad of Weight-Loss Drugs

    · 22 min

    Drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, colloquially called GLP-1 medications, have gone from relatively obscure diabetes treatments to blockbuster weight-loss medications. But is the hype backed up…

  21. America’s Children Face a New Era of Health Risk

    · 15 min

    Recent federal public health changes could affect children’s health, from vaccine access to essential medical care. In this episode, senior editor Dan Vergano breaks down what shifting national guidelines may mean for…

  22. How to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick

    · 17 min

    Why do most New Year’s resolutions fail? And how can science help us stick to them? Behavioral economist Katy Milkman joins Science Quickly to explain the “fresh start effect,” the motivational boost we get from…

  23. ENCORE: Algorithmic Social Media Is Driving New Slang

    · 27 min

    From viral slang such as “skibidi” to the rise of so-called brain rot, linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic, aka the “Etymology Nerd,” and associate editor Allison Parshall, who covers the mind and brain, unpack…

  24. ENCORE: Understanding the Science of ‘Squirting’

    · 17 min

    The human body is capable of some truly incredible things. One of the most mysterious and debated phenomena is a release of fluid during sex that is often referred to as “squirting.” What’s actually happening, and why…

  25. ENCORE: Science’s Greatest 180s

    · 6:39

    Science doesn’t always get it right the first time—and that’s part of the journey. In this anniversary special, we explore how ideas about nerve damage, sustainable materials and alien life have done a full 180. This…

  26. The Quest for Climate-Ready Christmas Trees

    · 14 min

    Christmas trees may seem timeless, but growing them is becoming increasingly challenging in a warming world. In this episode, host Kendra Pierre-Louis talks to Priya Rajarapu, a Christmas tree extension specialist at…

  27. 2025: The Year Science Was Shaken

    · 18 min

    In this year-end roundup, Scientific American editors break down how 2025 reshaped science across the board—from sweeping federal upheavals that disrupted long-standing research institutions to public health setbacks…

  28. The Hidden Voices of Monk Seals

    · 21 min

    In this episode, take a dive into the underwater vocalizations of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Scientists analyzing thousands of hours of underwater recordings have uncovered a surprising array of previously…

  29. Inside the Struggle to Save an Orca Community

    · 11 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, we present an inside look at one of the world’s most endangered whale populations: the southern resident orcas. Senior multimedia editor Kelso Harper joins host Kendra Pierre-Louis…

  30. Hobbit Disappearance Explained, Second-Hottest Year Looms, New Mpox Variant Found

    · 10 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, we dive into how the European Union’s latest Copernicus Climate Change Service bulletin shows that 2025 is on track to become the second-hottest year on record, explore what a newly…

  31. Karen Hao on Why AI Is Reshaping Society

    · 28 min

    Generative artificial intelligence has transformed our inboxes, classrooms and even medical records—but at what cost? In this episode, journalist Karen Hao joins Scientific American to discuss her new book Empire of…

  32. Can NASA Deliver on Perseverance’s Promise to Reveal Life on Mars?

    · 16 min

    NASA’s Perseverance rover has spent nearly five years roaming the Martian surface in search of clues to ancient life. But the ambitious plan to return its precious rock samples to Earth is now on shaky ground.…

  33. CDC Vaccine Panel, Satellite Light Pollution, Puppy Power

    · 9:48

    Scientific American associate editor Lauren J. Young breaks down key vaccine recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Also, the Food and Drug…

  34. New Hope for Treating Postpartum Depression?

    · 15 min

    Emerging research on the biology of postpartum depression is showing how little it resembles other severe mood disorders in the brain and body. Understanding these differences could be key to better screening,…

  35. Scientific American Picks the Best Reads of the Year

    · 12 min

    Scientific American debuts its first-ever best fiction and nonfiction book lists, featuring stories that explore climate change, alien encounters and even love stories in space. Associate books editor Bri Kane joins…

  36. Thanksgiving’s Iconic Bird Is Thriving Again in the Wild

    · 16 min

    Wild turkeys were once on the brink of disappearing from the U.S.’s forests, with populations dropping to just tens of thousands by the 1930s. Thanks to conservation efforts, their numbers have soared to more than six…

  37. Tamer Raccoons, COP30 Recap, New Fluoride Research

    · 9:29

    Zoya Teirstein, a senior staff writer at Grist, joins host Kendra Pierre-Louis to talk about this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP30, which wrapped up in Brazil last week. Plus, new studies…

  38. The Hidden Worlds of ‘Nanocosmos’

    · 24 min

    In his new book, Nanocosmos: Journeys in Electron Space, artist and writer Michael Benson transforms scientific imaging into art, capturing intricate natural designs that inspire awe and wonder. Join host Kendra…

  39. Gut Health Tips for the Holidays

    · 17 min

    Holiday meals can delight our taste buds while the food puts real strain on our digestion. Host Kendra Pierre-Louis talks with Northwestern University gastroenterology expert Kathryn Tomasino about why digestion is…

  40. The Digital Time Capsule That Survived Two Decades

    · 14 min

    Our editor in chief David M. Ewalt revisits a remarkable 20-year experiment: an e-mail time capsule designed to deliver digital messages from the past into the future. What began as a tech project at Forbes evolved…

  41. Can Vaccines Help Defeat Cancer?

    · 22 min

    Host Kendra Pierre-Louis speaks with reporter Rowan Moore Gerety about how mRNA vaccines, first successfully developed to protect against COVID, are now being tested to treat cancers such as pancreatic cancer.…

  42. Can AI Ease the Pain of Loss?

    · 13 min

    Griefbots—artificial-intelligence-powered chat tools that simulate conversations with the deceased—are helping some people navigate loss in unexpected ways. Science writer David Berreby shares his firsthand experience…

  43. Why Some Foods Gross Us Out

    · 13 min

    In this episode of Science Quickly, Rachel Feltman introduces interim host Kendra Pierre-Louis, a climate journalist with a strong aversion to mayonnaise—and a knack for turning that disgust into fascinating science…

  44. The Science of Headaches

    · 15 min

    Headaches are among the most common human experiences—yet science still struggles to explain them. Journalist Tom Zeller, Jr., joins host Rachel Feltman to explore the cultural, gender-related and scientific blind…

  45. Why Defiance Can Be a Virtue

    · 17 min

    Many of us are taught from a young age that being “good” means being obedient—but that conditioning can make it hard to speak up when it counts. In this episode, Cornell University professor Sunita Sah explains how…

  46. How Hurricane Melissa Became a Meteorologic Outlier

    · 12 min

    Hurricane Melissa stunned meteorologists with its rare intensity, reaching wind speeds that are more typical of Pacific supertyphoons and maintaining Category 5 strength for more than 24 hours. Scientific American…

  47. How to Trick-or-Treat Your Gut

    · 8:56

    Halloween might be a treat for your taste buds, but what about the trillions of microbes in your gut? Gastroenterologist Chris Damman joins host Rachel Feltman to explore how different candies affect your gut…

  48. How TikTok’s Algorithm Could Shift with a U.S. Spin-off

    · 15 min

    TikTok’s algorithm has become a cultural force, shaping what more than a billion users see and share, but its future may be shifting. As the platform prepares for a U.S.-only spin-off, Kelley Cotter, an assistant…

  49. Mosquitoes Invade Iceland, Earth Darkens, and Bird Flu Returns

    · 10 min

    Mosquitoes settle in Iceland for the first time as climate change reshapes the Arctic, and Earth’s darkening albedo may be accelerating global warming. Host Rachel Feltman also dives into rising bird flu cases,…

  50. Why Medication Safety in Pregnancy Is Still a Mystery

    · 12 min

    When the U.S. president claimed that acetaminophen use during pregnancy could cause autism in a person’s offspring, it reignited a deeper conversation about how little we know about medication safety for pregnant…

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.