Science unscripted

Is AI going to kill us?

Who can actually say what AI can (or can't) do? Maybe the guy who developed the 'box' it escaped from.

Is your life meaningful? (pt. 2)

Ever freaked out about finding 'meaning' in your life? A new study might help you understand where that (uniquely human) feeling comes from. (Note: We published part 1 on

Pathological cringe & a pill to 'delete' trauma

A single drug undid the damage in mice who'd suffered early-life trauma. Also, a contagious form of 'cringe avoidance' is spreading — and listen in to the soft sounds of

Can a dog understand these facial expressions?

If dogs could understand our faces... how could we prove that, scientifically? Also, AI gets banned from the classroom and a study that put heavy metal festival fans thro

How to speak without saying anything

Gabe and Conor are back to talk about a science museum you should never visit, a cosmic event you shouldn't miss... and a well-researched communications strategy used by

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

If you could put on VR goggles and talk to your future self... would that help you become who you want to be? Or would it harm you?

SpaceX & a low-g baby?

When Elon Musk talks about a human 'civilization' on Mars, he's suggesting we'll have babies there. Should we?

The 'Google maps' inside a pigeon's liver

A new experiment shows pigeons use immune cells to navigate our planet. The discovery redefines our understanding of how an animal can 'feel' Earth's magnetic field.

Do you want to have kids?

There are plenty of reasons NOT to have kids. But a new paper suggests having them may be the only way to protect gender equality over the long term.

The testosterone age (or Honey, I shrunk my testes)

Influencers, billionaires, even the US health secretary. Proponents of testosterone — as a hormonal therapy or barometer of "masculinity" — are causing men to self-medica

Hantavirus: What to expect from here

This ship phase is over. But the nature of this virus means cases may rise — even as officials contain it.

Is the hantavirus the next pandemic?

If you want to understand why the Andes variant of the hantavirus is different than COVID-19, this episode's for you.

The ad that makes you drink more

We know advertising works. (It's why the industry exists.) But a new study on beer ads in Germany shows how. Causally.

How can I tell if someone's smart?

Some people seem to know if others are intelligent. Others... don't. A new study suggests why.

There's almost no way to make us like AI art. Why?

A new study tried just about everything to get people to have a more positive reaction to AI poetry and prose. It failed. Almost always. And it's worth talking about why.

Deepfake nudes & why men make them

Lust? Humiliation? Control? If you think you know why men and boys make fake AI nudes of women and girls... first-of-its-kind research suggests a motivation that's almost

When do you think the world will end?

A shockingly high number of people believe a global calamity will happen in their lifetime. Are you one of them?

The war on phone blasting

A viral TikTok of a woman kicked off a plane is a good time to talk about how to (productively) confront loud people.

Why do I get goosebumps when I listen to music?

Some of us get chills from music, movies or art. And others... never do. Why is that?

Wait — who's friendzoning who here?!

It's usually guys who complain about being 'friendzoned.' But new research says it definitely happens to women, too — sometimes.