For millennia, people have been reporting stories of mysterious spheres of light that glow, crackle, and hover eerily during thunderstorms. They’ve been spotted in people’s homes, and are even said to be able to pass through windows. No one knows how ball lightning forms — but that’s not stopping scientists from attempting to recreate it in their labs.
For f ... Show More
Aug 5
A trip to the twilight reefs
Down beneath the waves, where the light starts to fade, there's an ecosystem scientists don't fully understand. About a decade ago, some researchers left structures in this mysterious world and let them grow encrusted with life. Now they're pulling them back up again and unwrappi ... Show More
39m 40s
Aug 3
The hidden world that birds see
Birds navigate using Earth’s magnetic field, but scientists still don’t know how they actually sense it. Called the holy grail of sensory biology, magnetoreception offers a window into the thousands of unique sensory worlds animals experience. To watch this episode on video, find ... Show More
27m 39s
Oct 2016
Will-o'-the-Wisp: A Light in the Swamp
<p>There was a time when strange lights appeared in the marshlands. Commoners might have known the eerie luminescence as “Will-o’-the-Wisp” or “Hinky Punk,” while the learned pondered the mysteries of “Ignis Fatuus.” Superstitions aside, what natural phenomenon was at work here, ... Show More
1h 20m
Apr 2020
Curious About Lightning And Thunder
<p>In episode 79, we learn about lightning and thunder. What causes lightning? How hot is lightning? Can you have lightning without rain? Can you have thunder without lightning? Olivia interviews Greg, a meteorologist, to ask him some questions about lightning and thunder an ... Show More
20m 46s
Feb 2023
Lightning Protection: Lasers, Rockets or Rods?
Every year, lightning is estimated to cause up to 24,000 deaths globally. It starts forest fires, burns buildings and crops, and causes disruptive power outages. The best, most practical technology available to deflect lightning is the simple lightning rod, created by Benjamin Fr ... Show More
12m 18s