logo
episode-header-image
Today
23m 59s

Could humans learn to speak in music?

Scientific American
About this episode
What would it take to create a language made entirely of music? In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American’s Allison Parshall explores the science and linguistics behind musical languages, from real-world constructed languages to the intricate note-based communication system created for the alien Rocky in Project Hail Mary. Learn how linguists t ... Show More
Up next
Aug 10
A moon crash, water hacks and a new mRNA flu shot
A wayward SpaceX rocket crashes into the moon, offering scientists a rare chance to study a lunar impact, while cyberattacks targeting U.S. water utilities raise concerns about critical infrastructure security. We also unpack the record-breaking Cyclospora outbreak driving shoppe ... Show More
14m 13s
Aug 7
Is Gen Z making smoking cool again?
In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American’s Adam Kovac joins host Rachel Feltman to explore why some experts worry cigarettes may be making a comeback among Generation Z. They discuss how social media, celebrity influence and growing anxiety among young people may h ... Show More
13m 55s
Aug 5
Getting to YouTube science stardom by building $#!%ty robots
In this episode of Science Quickly, we talk with Simone Giertz, YouTube maker extraordinaire, about her life in science and the influencer spotlight. She started making, in her words, “shitty robots” and has evolved into a maker and product designer. But while she makes things to ... Show More
24m 56s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2008
How do Tibetans avoid altitude sickness?
<p>Due to the region's elevation, the average traveler to Tibet often experiences altitude sickness -- a condition caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn how Tibetans have adapted to life in high altitudes.</p><p> </p> Learn more ab ... Show More
12m 25s
Jun 2022
High lives
Spanning five countries, the Himalaya is home to peoples who have adapted to living in the harshest of conditions. Journalist and broadcaster Ed Douglas, author of the first major history of the Himalaya has been visiting these remote communities for 30 years. Now they are openin ... Show More
27m 49s
Aug 2023
Working at altitude
From Tibet to the Andes to the highlands of Ethiopia, around 150 million people around the world work at high altitude. Many were born there, but in a globalized world of mass migration, many weren’t, and are toiling in environments that their bodies maybe aren’t accustomed to.Wh ... Show More
18m 21s
Oct 2025
Intermediate | Lhasa
What China adventure is complete without a trip to majestic Lhasa? Learn all the Chinese you'll need to get yourself to Tibet and into the most famous attractions. Just remember to be wary of the altitude sickness! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1481 
20m 40s
Feb 2019
Light-Skin Variant Arose in Asia Independent of Europe
A new genetic study of Latin Americans provides evidence that gene variants for lighter skin color came about in Asia as well as in Europe. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 
4m 10s
Mar 2009
Are there dead bodies on Mount Everest?
<p>Every year, adventurers brave the elements and attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Yet dangers abound, and more than a hundred bodies litter the mountain. Listen in and learn more about Mount Everest in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.</p><p> </p> Learn more abou ... Show More
25m 2s
Oct 2025
Inside the Death Zone: The Science, Survival, and Latest Everest News
In this episode of The All About Everest Podcast, host Pauline Reynolds Nuttall takes listeners deep into the Death Zone — the deadly region above 8,000 meters where oxygen levels plummet and every breath is a fight for survival. Discover what really happens to the human body at ... Show More
15m 6s
Nov 2022
Tardigrades, an Unlikely Sleeping Beauty
Researchers put this ancient critter through a subzero gauntlet to learn more about what happens to their internal clock while surviving the extreme. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 
7m 3s
Dec 2020
The Source Code
Every human being shares a 99.9% identical DNA code. It's that .1% that makes us unique. We could see the influence of genetics before we unlocked it, but now that we've learned how to measure those differences, the knowledge could be dangerous. Learn more about your ad-choices a ... Show More
35m 23s
Jan 2022
The Truth About Talent ( When Genes Matter and When They Don't)
Genes cannot be easily changed, which means they provide a powerful advantage in favorable circumstances and a serious disadvantages in unfavorable circumstances. 
23m 49s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami