The centuries-old international battle over the real sound of a musical note.
Guest: Fanny Gribenski, historical musicologist and author of Tuning the World: The Rise of 440 Hertz in Music, Science, and Politics, 1859–1955
Reported for Unexplainable by Emily Siner
For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts
For ... Show More
Yesterday
Mysterious objects near the beginning of time
Astronomers are putting together a new picture of the early universe. It involves a lot of very weird black holes, and it could help us understand how our own galaxy formed. Guest: Caitlin Casey, astronomer at UC Santa Barbara For show transcripts, go to v ... Show More
26m 16s
Feb 2
Cloud atlas
It’s surprisingly hard to predict how clouds form, move, and change, but it’s essential to try. Because how clouds react to a warming world helps determine how hot our future will be. Guests: Vox contributor Umair Irfan, scientists Scott M. Collis, Angeline Pendergrass, and autho ... Show More
29m 2s
Oct 2025
Chris Hadfield’s Fictional Universe Is Rooted in Real Space History
What happens when a real-life astronaut turns to fiction? In this episode, Chris Hadfield shares how decades of spaceflight and global diplomacy inspired his latest novel, Final Orbit, a cold war thriller packed with historical intrigue and technical precision. Host Rachel Feltma ... Show More
10m 52s
Sep 2025
The Dead Composer Whose ‘Brain’ Still Makes Music
In a hauntingly innovative exhibit, brain cells grown from the late composer Alvin Lucier’s blood generate sound. Set in a museum in Perth, Australia, the installation blurs the line between art and neuroscience. Host Rachel Feltman and associate editor Allison Parshall explore t ... Show More
25m 25s
Sep 2025
The Dead Composer Whose ‘Brain’ Still Makes Music
In a hauntingly innovative exhibit, brain cells grown from the late composer Alvin Lucier’s blood generate sound. Set in a museum in Perth, Australia, the installation blurs the line between art and neuroscience. Host Rachel Feltman and associate editor Allison Parshall explore t ... Show More
25m 25s
Oct 2025
Global Superbugs Surge, Chikungunya Hits Long Island, and Satellites Leak Data
This week on Science Quickly, we cover the global rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, a rare U.S. case of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus and new research on anti-inflammatory supplements. Plus, scientists warn of satellite vulnerabilities—from Earth’s weakening magnetic ... Show More
8m 52s
Feb 2025
Valentine’s Day Isn’t Just for Romance—The Science of Deep Friendships
Love isn’t just about romance. This Valentine’s Day, we’re exploring the power of deep nonromantic bonds. Host Rachel Feltman sits down with Rhaina Cohen, a producer and editor for NPR’s podcast Embedded and author of The Other Significant Others, to discuss the history and psych ... Show More
17m 2s
Every hand-crafted instrument from violin maker Michael Doran holds its own unexplainable questions. Guest: Michael Doran of Doran’s Violin’s For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to v ... Show More
