Science Vs

In 2017, a weird-looking space object called ʻOumuamua whipped past our sun. Now a Harvard scientist is suggesting it miiiight be an alien probe! So we’re revisiting this episode from a few years ago, where we ask: could aliens actually exist? Is there any chance they’ve visited Earth already? We talked to astronomers Dr. Jill Tarter, Dr. Seth Shostak, investigative journalist David Clarke, and physicist Prof. Jim Al Khalili. Check out the transcript here: http://bit.ly/2QlCqSf This episode was originally produced by Kaitlyn Sawrey, Wendy Zukerman and Rose Rimler with help from Shruti Ravindran and Meryl Horn. Nick DelRose helped produce the updated version. Fact Checking by Michelle Harris, Meryl Horn and Nick DelRose. Music by Bobby Lord and Emma Munger, mixed by Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. Editing by Blythe Terrell. Additional editing help from Caitlin Kenney. Also thank you to Dr. Ravi Kumar Kopparapu, Dr. Craig O'Neill, Dr. Jessie Christiansen, Dr. Cameron Hummels, Dr. Phil Hopkins, Dr. Avi Loeb, and

Parts of the U.S. are about to see a surge of cicadas — masses of flying bugs, popping up all over the place. After 17 years underground, a crap ton of Brood X cicadas will emerge for a giant chorusing orgy — and it’s all for sex and drugs. So what does this cicada storm mean for us? Should we be bugging out? We speak to biologist Dr. John Cooley, ecologist Dr. Louie Yang, mycologist Dr. Matt Kasson, and evolutionary biologist Prof. Chris Simon.  Check out the transcript right here: http://bit.ly/3cnpD95 You can help scientists map out the 2021 Brood X emergence by snapping photos of the cicadas with your smartphone! – To join in, check out the Cicada Safari app at www.cicadasafari.org  To learn more and see if Brood X is going to pop up in your area, check out: https://cicadas.uconn.edu/brood_10/ This episode was produced by Michelle Dang with help from me, Wendy Zukerman, as well as, Nick DelRose, Taylor White, Meryl Horn, and Rose Rimler. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Erica Aki

Internet influencers have been pushing “immune boosters” during the pandemic — claiming they’ve got just the pill, berry or brew to rev up our body’s defenses. But is there really a way to boost our immune system? We’re finding out whether these vitamins and supplements truly work as a shield against colds and viruses. We speak to public health Prof. Tim Caulfield, nutrition Prof. Carol Johnston, immunologist Shiv Pillai, and immune aging researcher Niharika Duggal.  UPDATE 3/12/21: An earlier version of this episode overstated the evidence that starting to exercise leads to fewer colds and flus. While we do have lots of evidence that suggests exercise is good for our immune system, the research around starting an exercise program is more mixed. We've updated the episode. Check out the transcript right here: http://bit.ly/3cjIe6f And find more rhymes from Shiv on TikTok: profpillaipoet Credits:  This episode was produced by Rose Rimler with help from Wendy Zukerman, as well as Taylor White, Nick DelRose, Mery

There are a lot of fads, blogs and strong opinions, but then there’s SCIENCE. Season 10 starts March 4! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Butterflies flit through life as the pride and joy of the insect world. But when we saw photos of butterflies swarming the eyes of turtles, we wondered if there was a dark side lurking behind all those flashy colors. Assistant Professor of Biology Chandreyee Mitra lets us in on these butterfly secrets. Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/36osuwx  This episode was produced by Nick DelRose with help from Wendy Zukerman, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, and Taylor White. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard. And special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re sharing an episode of Coronavirus: Fact Vs. Fiction, a podcast from CNN. This episode is The Hunt for Disease X: As human activity ventures further into the wilderness, scientists believe more diseases will emerge. CNN Senior International Correspondent Sam Kiley takes Dr. Sanjay Gupta on a journey deep into the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the hunt for the next pandemic pathogen continues. Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction is a production of CNN Audio. Megan Marcus is the executive producer. Felicia Patinkin is the senior producer. Raj Makhija is the senior manager of production operations. This episode was produced by Anna Lagamayo, Rachel Cohn, Emily Liu, Eryn Mathewson, Madeleine Thompson, Zach St. Louis and Zoe Saunders. The medical writer is Andrea Kane. Nathan Miller is the engineer, and David Toledo is the team’s production assistant. Special thanks to Ben Tinker and Amanda Sealy of CNN Health, as well as Ashley Lusk, Courtney Coupe and Daniel Kantor from CN

Magic mushrooms have hit the headlines, with people saying that shrooms cured their depression and anxiety. But is this for real? How can taking a trip on psychedelics fix your brain? Today, magic mushrooms ditch their tie dye for a lab coat as we go on a magical journey into the science. We talk to clinical psychologists Dr. Alan Davis and Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu, and neuropsychologist Dr. Katrin Preller. Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/37Th8QX This episode does deal with depression. Here are some crisis hotlines:  United States: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (2755) (Online chat available); US Crisis Text Line Text “GO” to 741741 Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 (Online chat available) Canada: Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (See link for phone numbers listed by province) United Kingdom: Samaritans 116 123 (UK and ROI) Full list of international hotlines here  This episode was produced by Meryl Horn and Michelle Dang with help from Wendy Zukerman, Ni

MINI EPISODE! Tons of new science means fresh answers on a few things that really freaked us out at the start of the pandemic: coronavirus on surfaces; ibuprofen and Covid-19; and getting Covid twice.  Link to transcript: https://bit.ly/3lXu6Ca This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, Nick DelRose, and Wendy Zukerman with help from Michelle Dang and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell with help from Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. Thanks to everyone we got in touch with for this episode, and special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a ton of hoopla over these new coronavirus vaccines. But given that they’ve been produced at warp speed — can we trust them? We also find out what’s going on with “long haulers.” How common is it to be sick for months from Covid-19? Plus, fresh new science about why some young people land in the hospital. We talk to Dr. Katy Stephenson, Dr. Alexander Hoischen, Dr. Jeffrey Siegelman, and Prof. Tim Spector.  Link to transcript: https://bit.ly/37vYvT3 This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, NickDelRose, and Wendy Zukerman with help from Michelle Dang, and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell with help from Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. Thanks to everyone we got in touch with for this episode including Dr. Cleo Anastassopoulou, Dr. Cas van der Made, Prof. Joel Ray, Dr. Nicholas Tatonetti, Michael Zietz, Prof. Torben Barrington, Dr. Emma Pierson, Professor Pe

When a deadly pig virus hit Cuba in 1971, some claimed the CIA was behind it all. But could it be true? In part two of our investigation into the outbreak, we finally hear directly from the CIA — and get to the bottom of what happened.  In this episode: ex-CIA Brian Latell, journalist Drew Fetherston, Professor Mary-Louise Penrith and Professor José Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno.  Please fill out our Science Vs survey! Link here: https://blythet.typeform.com/to/Z7YOM2QM  New to the show? Some of our fave episodes are ... Hunting an Invisible Killer: https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/brhv724  The Mystery of the Man Who Died Twice: https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/brhod5   Placebo: Can the Mind Cure You? https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/5whgzd  5G: Welcome to the Revolution? https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/j4h39x  Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/2Kn0iSv A huge thanks to Dan Guillemette, Rebecca Ibarra and the team at WNYC's Scattered. This episode was produced by We

When the Cuban government rounded up and killed thousands of pigs in 1971, people were angry and confused. Castro claimed they were trying to stop an outbreak. But then rumours started spreading that something much bigger was behind it all. The CIA.  To find out more, we speak to Professor Virgil Suarez, journalist Drew Fetherston, Professor Mary Louise Penrith, ex-CIA Carol "Rollie" Flynn and Professor Loch Johnson. Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/3ksSP0o A huge thanks to Dan Guillemette, Rebeca Ibarra and the team at WNYC's Scattered. This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Nick DelRose, Mathilde Urfalino, Hannah Harris Green, Rose Rimler and Michelle Dang. It was edited by Blythe Terrell and Caitlin Kenney, with help from PJ Vogt. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord and Marcus Bagala. Interpreting by Carmen Graterol and Julia Kaplan. Translation by Silvina Baldermann. Thanks to eve

The eccentric platypus has always turned heads, and now it’s got something else up its sleeve. We talked with mammalogist Dr. Paula Anich to get the scoop. Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/34YfHR4 This episode was produced by Nick DelRose with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Peter Leonard. And special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The idea of paying Black Americans reparations for slavery has been around for a long time, but it’s starting to get more support than ever. So we ask: If the country does agree to pay up, how do you calculate the bill? And how could the U.S. come up with that kind of cash? To find out, we talk to historian and farmer Leah Penniman, economist Prof. William Darity Jr., public policy scholar Assistant Prof. Naomi Zewde, and Ebony Pickett.  UPDATE 10/30/20: An earlier version of this episode said that the average White person who didn't finish high school makes more money than the average Black person who graduated from college. The actual statistic is about net worth, rather than income, so we removed this reference. We’ve updated the episode. Check out the transcript here: https://bit.ly/3kSFe3q Selected resources: Leah’s book, Farming While Black Sandy’s book, From Here to Equality This Time article about Rosewood This episode was produced by Rose Rimler and Anoa Changa with help from Wendy Zukerman, H

We keep hearing that a Yellowstone supervolcano could blow at any moment — and possibly wipe us all out. So is Yellowstone overdue for the BIG ONE, and if it happens, how bad could it be? To find out, we talk to paleoecologist Dr. Gill Plunkett, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge Dr. Mike Poland and Washington resident Christian Jacobsen.  Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/3kliFV6 Check out Yellowstone Volcano Observatory’s weekly blog the “Caldera Chronicles”: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/yellowstone/caldera-chronicles This episode was produced by Michelle Dang and Nicholas DelRose, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Barbra Rodriguez. Mix and sound design by Sam Bair. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Brian Wilcox, Dr. Mike Rampino, Dr. Jazmin Scarlett, Dr. Joe McC

We’re sharing another great Gimlet show, How to Save a Planet. On this episode: It started with students walking out of school to demand more action on climate change, built into an international movement – and then was propelled forward by a pandemic. This is the surprising story behind Europe’s climate plan, and what the rest of us can learn from it. Find more episodes here: https://open.spotify.com/show/1KzrasExlM5dgMYwgFHns6 How to Save a Planet is hosted by Alex Blumberg and Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. Reporters and producers are Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz and Anna Ladd. Senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design, mixing and original music by Emma Munger. Additional music by Bobby Lord. Mixed for Science Vs by Robert Hann. Thanks to Manon Dufour and Annika Hedberg for talking with us about the European Green Deal. Special thanks to Sandra Riaño, Rachel Strom and Whitney Potter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Silicon Valley seems to be constantly pumping out "solutions" to fix our broken food system. The latest and greatest: cell-cultured meat — meat that's grown in vats, without needing to kill animals. Companies say their new techy meat will be safe and better for the planet than what we have now. We join forces with Chase Purdy, author of “Billion Dollar Burger,” to find out if this stuff is all it’s cracked up to be. In this episode, we speak to Ira van Eelen, Dr. Uma Valeti of Memphis Meats and Dr. Carolyn Mattick. Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/2IbvIu1 This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman and Chase Purdy, with help from Rose Rimler, Nicholas DelRose, Michelle Dang and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Sam Bair. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Dr. Hanna Tuomisto, Dr. Marco Springmann

An adventuring Swedish doctor takes on a decades-long medical mystery: What exactly was the 1918 flu? We talk to Dr. Johan Hultin, Eileen Hultin, Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger, Ann Reid, Rita Olanna and Annie Conger.  Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/30mnvt6 Check out Radiolab’s episode on the 1918 flu here: https://bit.ly/3n9cxkm And the book Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused it by Gina Kolata: https://bit.ly/3ipCeJU This episode was produced by Rose Rimler with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Michelle Dang, Hannah Harris Green and Nicholas DelRose. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, Emma Munger, and Marcus Thorne Bagala. Special thanks to: Abbie Ruzicka, Abigail Collins, Davis Hovey, John White, Robyn Russell, Rachel Cohen, Warren Kakoona, Brian Crockett, Trefon Angasan, Brad Angasan, Matt Ganley, Dr. Adam Lauring, Dr. M

There’s this idea that the female orgasm is a complicated riddle, but for a man with a penis, getting off is easy peasy. Is there really an orgasm gap? And if so — can science explain it? To learn more, we talk to neuroscientist Dr. Nan Wise, neuroscientist Dr. Nicole Prause and psychologist Dr. Candice Hargons.  Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/340vQDV Learn more about Dr. Nicole Prause’s’s lab, the Liberos Center: https://www.liberoscenter.com/ Check out Dr. Nan Wise’s website and her book “Why Good Sex Matters”: https://askdoctornan.com/ And check out Dr. Candice Hargons' website: http://drcandicenicole.com/ Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey and shared your orgasm stories with us! This episode was produced by Hannah Harris Green, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler and Nick DelRose. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and

NOTE: This episode first published 6/13/19. Are sharks the super-predators we think they are? Or have we been baited with great white lies? To find out, we interviewed shark researchers Dr. Taylor Chapple, Dr. Tricia Meredith and Dr. Chris Pepin-Neff, along with surfer Mike Wells.  We’re doing a survey for our episode on orgasms! We’d love for you to take it: https://blythet.typeform.com/to/qhESeova Check out the full episode transcript here: https://bit.ly/32hPFac  This episode was produced by Rose Rimler with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Meryl Horn and Michelle Dang. Senior produced by Kaitlyn Sawrey. Edited by Blythe Terrell and Kaitlyn Sawrey. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. A huge thanks to the amazing team of musicians who helped us with Flaws and our Snark Week music: Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, Emma Munger, and Marcus Thorne Bagala. Recording assistance from Caroline Perryman, Shannon Cason, Sam Turken, Beth McMullen, and Jesse Wentzloff. A big thanks to

For centuries, people have been looking to the stars to tell us all kinds of things — what our future holds, who we should date. So what does the science say about astrology? It turns out, there’s some surprising stuff here. We speak to astronomer Prof. Caty Pilachowski, Prof. Dave Henningsen and astrology lover Natalie Norman.  Here’s a link to the transcript: https://bit.ly/31VTDoM  This episode was produced by Meryl Horn and Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Michelle Dang, Hannah Harris Green and Nick DelRose. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell with help from Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. Thanks to everyone we got in touch with for this episode including Professor Todd Tinsley, Dr. Peter Hartmann, Dr. Katie Mack, Dr. Kathy Cooksey, Professor John Mcgrew, Professor Jim Kaler, Dr. Alex Storrs, Julius Bjerrekær, Laura Gilmore and others. And special thanks to Chris Suter,