First up on the podcast, along Brazil’s Juruá River, local residents have been working with scientists to manage a giant fish called the arapaima—affecting the land, the people, and the economy. Contributing Correspondent Warren Cornwall joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about this collaborative effort.
Next on the show, how moonlight affects nocturnal animal ... Show More
Apr 30
Watching a spiders’ heart beat, epigenetic ethics, and what science biographies reveal about fame
First up on the podcast, Online News Editor David Grimm shares a batch of fun stories with podcast host Sarah Crespi—from spider hearts racing when traffic gets loud to a disease-preventing house. Staff Writer Adrian Cho hops in to help discuss the possibility of black holes with ... Show More
46m 43s
Apr 23
Cleaning up uranium mining, and how the heart avoids cancer
First up on the podcast, freelance science and environmental journalist Quentin Septer joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about a controversial uranium mine getting fast-tracked in South Dakota. Septer chatted with locals, scientists, and regulators to learn more about the geology o ... Show More
30m 48s
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
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
Nov 2024
What we—and AI—can learn from nature's intelligence
Artificial intelligence is powerful, but what about natural intelligence? This hour, TED speakers explore the intrinsic genius in animal language, insect behavior, plant anatomy and our immune system. Guests include neuroscientist Greg Gage, computational neuroscientist Frances C ... Show More
49m 38s
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 samedis pendant l'été.Aujourd'hui : les statistiques, c ... Show More
1m 52s
Oct 2022
Flirting Cats, Walking Sharks, Preventing Cerebral Palsy
We discuss a new app that can translate a cat’s meow into human languages, how the Epaulette shark is teaching us about climate change, and a potential treatment that might prevent cerebral palsy.Flirting Cats “Did My Cat Just Hit On Me? An Adventure in Pet Translation” by Emily ... Show More
14m 27s