logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2022
8m 15s

No, 'frozen dessert' and ice cream aren'...

LiSTNR
About this episode

Why do we get brain freezes? And why is some ice cream all hot air?

The chemistry of ice cream is surprisingly complicated but Jacinta Bowler, a science journalist at Cosmos, is here to help explain the coolest facts about ice cream and why this summer treat tastes so good!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
May 2023
Should We Care About the Finite Supply of Helium?
Helium is the only truly non-renewable resource, and it's essential for things like MRI machines and nuclear reactors, but should we be worried? And, we turn air into food, so why can’t we get carbon to leave the atmosphere – or helium to stay? In this episode, Cosmos Science Jou ... Show More
7m 54s
Apr 2023
People are Seriously becoming Friends with their Robotic Vacuums
Are you ready to Roomba? Since its launch, more than 40 million autonomous vacuums have made their way into people’s homes, and often – as the research reveals – into people’s hearts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
11m 27s
Apr 2023
Forget Elephants and Giraffes: The True King of Bigness Will Shock You!
Cosmos science journalist, Evrim Yazgin, is here to settle the question on every toddler’s lips: what’s the biggest animal? The answer will definitely surprise you!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
6m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Is science in danger?
Funding cuts and research censorship have shaken the foundations of America’s health and science agencies, leaving researchers shocked, confused, and afraid. What does this mean for the future of science?For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscriptsFor more, go to vox.com/un ... Show More
25m 31s
Aug 2024
How much of a risk is space junk?
Space junk. It might sound like an out-of-this-world problem that we don’t need to worry about here on Earth – but is it? As we send more and more metal in the form of satellites up into space, scientists are warning it is becoming more of a risk both here – and up there. We dig ... Show More
28m 14s
Sep 2024
The $1,000 balloon
Helium is full of contradictions. It’s the second most abundant element in the universe, but is relatively rare on Earth. It’s non-reactive, totally inert—yet the most valuable helium isotope is sourced from thermonuclear warheads. And even though we treat it as a disposable gas, ... Show More
36m 53s
Jun 2025
Is climate change really making hurricanes worse?
The answer isn’t as clear as you might think. And because of drastic cuts to climate science funding, this question might be getting even harder to solve. Guest: Umair Irfan, Vox climate science correspondent For show transcripts, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unxtranscripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more ... Show More
22m 21s
Nov 2024
What will Trump 2.0 mean for science?
Madeleine Finlay talks to science editor and podcast co-host Ian Sample about how Donald Trump approached science when in office last time, and what his second term is likely to mean for the environment, health and scientific research. Help support our independent journalism at t ... Show More
17m 43s
Nov 2024
Should we bring back extinct animals?
A woolly mammoth by 2028.That’s the bold claim from US company Colossal Biosciences, who say research is under way that will make this possible.But even if we have the technology to bring back a long dead species, should we? We hear the arguments for and against de-extinction.Als ... Show More
28m 14s
Jan 2025
Our science predictions for 2025
Last year was full of unexpected science news, from a new strain of Mpox emerging in the DRC, to artificial intelligence dominating the Nobel prizes and two astronauts getting ‘stuck’ in space. So what will this year bring? Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discu ... Show More
18m 37s
Apr 2023
What weird thing in space is pulsing every 20 minutes?
Daniel and Katie talk about things in the sky that pulse, and a recent discovery of a puzzling set of pulses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
55m 38s
Apr 2019
Forget Carbon Neutral, Let's Go Carbon Negative
Scientists have developed ways to suck greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere. So climate change is solved then, right? Bloomberg Environment's Abby Smith tells us why this technology isn't yet ready for widespread use and why the government's policies toward what some call "car ... Show More
10m 24s
Mar 2025
What is a Quantum Computer?
What is this mysterious technology, and how is it going to affect our lives? Jorge talks to a Quantum scientist and visits their lab to see and hear these machines in action.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
39m 18s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami