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
Yesterday
Emily St. John Mandel on science in fiction
Science has some really weird, wonderful ideas. Some of them are hard to prove in fact, but Emily St. John Mandel does a great job of playing with them in fiction — in works like Station Eleven, Sea of Tranquility, and her newest novel, Exit Party. Guest: Emily St. John Mandel, a ... Show More
27m 29s
Nov 4
What are you laughing at?
Scientists are trying to figure out what makes something funny. We compare notes with comedians Atsuko Okatsuka, Josh Johnson, Dulcé Sloan, and Chris Fleming (Originally published in 2023) Guests: Allie Volpe, Vox correspondent; Peter McGraw, professor at University o ... Show More
19m 3s
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