Science Quickly
Kanaal Besonderhede
Science Quickly
Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.
Onlangse Episodes
1844 episodes
The Science of Headaches
Headaches are among the most common human experiences—yet science still struggles to explain them. Journalist Tom Zeller, Jr., joins host Rachel Feltm...
Why Defiance Can Be a Virtue
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 th...
How Hurricane Melissa Became a Meteorologic Outlier
Hurricane Melissa stunned meteorologists with its rare intensity, reaching wind speeds that are more typical of Pacific supertyphoons and maintaining...
Mosquitoes Invade Iceland, Earth Darkens, and Bird Flu Returns
Mosquitoes settle in Iceland for the first time as climate change reshapes the Arctic, and Earth’s darkening albedo may be accelerating global warming...
Why Medication Safety in Pregnancy Is Still a Mystery
When the U.S. president claimed that acetaminophen use during pregnancy could cause autism in a person’s offspring, it reignited a deeper conversation...
The Science of a Convincing Sorry
What makes an apology sound sincere? Psychologist Shiri Lev-Ari joins host Rachel Feltman to explore how the effort we put into our words—especially t...
Global Superbugs Surge, Chikungunya Hits Long Island, and Satellites Leak Data
This week on Science Quickly, we cover the global rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, a rare U.S. case of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus and...
The Doctor behind the Commander in Chief
Presidential physicians operate at the intersection of medicine, politics and national security. Former White House physician Jeffrey Kuhlman joins Sc...
Chris Hadfield’s Fictional Universe Is Rooted in Real Space History
What happens when a real-life astronaut turns to fiction? In this episode, Chris Hadfield shares how decades of spaceflight and global diplomacy inspi...
Enceladus’s Alien Ocean, Ancient Fungi and the Flavor of Influenza
Saturn’s moon Enceladus reveals complex organic molecules that could hint at extraterrestrial life. Researchers also uncover fungi’s ancient reign ove...
Enter One of the World’s Quietest Rooms
Inside one of the quietest rooms in the world, host Rachel Feltman meets artist-in-residence Seth Cluett at the historic anechoic chamber at Bell Labs...
Tylenol and Autism, a Shark Threesome and a Typhoon
This week’s roundup breaks down the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to revise the safety label for acetaminophen (Tylenol) following the Trump...
The Dead Composer Whose ‘Brain’ Still Makes Music
In a hauntingly innovative exhibit, brain cells grown from the late composer Alvin Lucier’s blood generate sound. Set in a museum in Perth, Australia,...
Mary Roach on the Science of Swapping Human Parts
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman explores the age-old quest to replace failing human body parts with science writer Mary Roach....
Vaccine Shakeups, Brain Injury Warnings and Boozy Chimps
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee has been reshaped, with new recommendations on the horizon. Meanwhile stud...
Algorithmic Social Media Is Driving New Slang
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 associ...
The Role Our Microbiome Plays In Our ‘Gut Feelings’
Scientists are tuning in to a surprising conversation happening inside us—between our gut and our brain. Host Rachel Feltman chats with Maya Kaelberer...
Kissing Bugs, Koalas and Clues to Life on Mars
A paper published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention argues that Chagas disease is now endemic in the U.S. Koalas may finally be spared...
Unpacking the Brain’s Role in Inventing Your Perception
Human brains don’t just perceive reality—they invent it. In this episode of Science Quickly, cognitive neuroscientist Daniel Yon speaks with host Rach...
How a Tick Bite Can Make You Allergic to Meat
A tick bite can trigger a rare allergy to red meat and animal products, forcing major lifestyle changes. Scientist Lee Haines joins host Rachel Feltma...
Marsquakes, Vaccine Politics and Mammoth Microbiomes
This week’s roundup dives into Mars’s lumpy mantle, a nasal spray that may help prevent COVID and the growing confusion around vaccine access in the U...
Inside the Turmoil at the CDC
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman is joined by associate editor for health and medicine Lauren J. Young to unpack the growing un...
Hurricane Forecasting 101
Meteorologists have made big strides in predicting hurricane paths, but many people still misinterpret the forecast maps. In this episode, senior news...
Katrina Was Predicted: Revisiting Warning Signs 20 Years Later
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Scientific American revisits the storm’s tragic legacy and the scientific warnings that w...
The Deep Sea’s Mysterious Oxygen Source
Trillions of potato-sized rocks scattered across the deep ocean floor are rich in metals such as cobalt and copper—making them a target for mining com...
Science’s Greatest 180s
Science doesn’t always get it right the first time—and that’s part of the journey. In this anniversary episode, we explore how ideas about nerve damag...
Could Peanut Allergies Be Cured?
Peanut allergies have surged dramatically in recent decades, and scientists are still working to understand why. In this episode, journalist Maryn Mck...
Nature’s Sexual Spectrum Breaks the Binary
Biologist Nathan Lents joins Science Quickly to explore the vast sexual diversity found across the animal kingdom. His new book, The Sexual Evolution:...
Chikungunya Outbreak, Glacial Outbursts and a New Human Ancestor
The chikungunya virus is rapidly spreading in China. Could it make its way to the U.S.? Meanwhile in Alaska a glacial lake outburst flooded the nearby...
Dinner with King Tut Explores the Wild World of Experimental Archaeology
Science writer Sam Kean joins Science Quickly to explore the hands-on world of experimental archaeology—where researchers don’t just study the past; t...
Living Longer, Aging Smarter [Sponsored]
Life expectancy has risen dramatically since 1900, reshaping how we understand aging. Scientists now view skin not just as a surface indicator, but as...
Condoms and Vasectomies Aren’t Enough—Is a Male Birth Control Pill Next?
In this episode, host Rachel Feltman speaks with freelance science journalist Hannah Seo about a promising new development in male contraception: a ho...
Cosmic Discoveries Soar as Earthly Health Decisions Stir Alarm
Rogue planets drifting through space might be forming their own planetary systems. NASA’s Europa Clipper mission has completed a key radar test ahead...
Climate Science Gets a Seat in Congress with Eric Sorensen
Representative Eric Sorensen of Illinois brings his background as a meteorologist to the halls of Congress, advocating for science-based policy amid i...
Former NASA Leaders Are Sounding the Alarm on Budget Cuts
The White House has proposed sharp cuts to NASA’s science budget, potentially reducing it to historic lows not seen since the early Apollo era. Beyond...
Russia’s Earthquake, Wonders of Walking and Surprising Plant Genetics
Host Rachel Feltman talks with Andrea Thompson, Scientific American’s senior sustainability editor, to discuss the massive Russian earthquake and the...
Is AI Conscious? Claude 4 Raises the Question
Host Rachel Feltman talks with Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American’s senior tech reporter, about his recent exchange with Claude 4, an artificial...
Your Guide to Summer’s Extreme Weather, from Corn Sweat to Flash Floods
The summer of 2025 has been a doozy in the U.S., with extreme weather across the country. Flash flooding caused destruction and death in Texas. Corn s...
Summer Meteor Showers, Short Summer Days and Ancient Arthropods
If last Tuesday seemed to fly by, you can blame the rotation of Earth. Try to look up this week to see the Southern Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capr...
Greenland’s Ice Sheet Is at Risk—And So Are We
Chief multimedia editor Jeffery DelViscio ventured to Greenland for a month to learn from the scientists studying the country’s ice sheet. He speaks w...