First up on the podcast, Online News Editor David Grimm joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about this year’s best online news stories—top performers and staff picks alike. Together they journey the scientific gamut, from bird feeders’ influence on hummingbird beak evolution to the use of “artificial spacetimes” to guide tiny robots through their environments.
... Show More
Jan 15
Reversing ecological destruction in the Galápagos, and finally mapping Antarctica’s surface
First up on the podcast, freelance science journalist Sofia Quaglia talks about her visit to the Galápagos archipelago and how researchers there are working to restore the islands to their former ecological glory. Next on the show, Antarctica’s deep ice coating obscures the hills ... Show More
30m 38s
Jan 8
The real da Vinci code, and the world’s oldest poison arrows
First up on the podcast, scholars are on a quest to find Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA. With no direct descendants, the hunt involves sampling the famous polymath’s papers, paintings, and distant cousins. Contributing Correspondent Richard Stone talks with host Sarah Crespi about what ... Show More
27m 31s
Jan 1
Looking for continents on exoplanets, and math is hard for mathematicians, too
First up on the podcast, the best images of exoplanets right now are basically bright dots. We can’t see possible continents, potential oceans, or even varying colors. To improve our view, scientists are proposing a faraway fleet of telescopes that would use light bent by the Sun ... Show More
43m 29s
Sep 2025
Marsquakes, Vaccine Politics and Mammoth Microbiomes
This week’s roundup dives into Mars’s lumpy mantle, a nasal spray that may help prevent COVID and the growing confusion around vaccine access in the U.S. Plus, researchers link phone use while on the toilet to hemorrhoid risk, uncover ancient mammoth microbiomes and explain why s ... Show More
9m 45s
Aug 2025
Why numeracy counts in everyday life, with Ellen Peters, PhD
From deciding whether to buy a house to weighing the risks and benefits of taking a new medication, many important life decisions hinge on understanding numbers, statistics and probability. Ellen Peters, PhD, author of “Innumeracy in the Wild: Misunderstanding and Misusing Number ... Show More
35m 22s
Jul 2024
Les statistiques, c'est vraiment des maths ? (ta minute mathématique #2)
🎙️ Ta minute mathématique, ton nouveau rendez-vous de l'été. Une minute pour une notion simple de mathématique abordées sous forme de question que tu as toujours voulu poser sans jamais oser le demander.Rendez-vous tous les mercredis pendant l'été.Aujourd'hui : les statistiques, ... Show More
1m 52s
Apr 2024
Lotion Spider Brouhaha, ADHD Superpowers, Earth's Evil Twin
Scientist and Twitch streamer Knimbley joins the show today to talk about how astronomy and Elden Ring intertwine! Plus, Jess returns to talk about lotion spiders, and Rachel explains how ADHD used to offer a real survival benefit in the olden days. The Weirdest Thing I Learned T ... Show More
59m 9s