Science unscripted

Ever freaked out about finding 'meaning' in your life? A new study might help you understand where that (uniquely human) feeling comes from. (Note: We published part 1 on June 15, 2025)

A single drug undid the damage in mice who'd suffered early-life trauma. Also, a contagious form of 'cringe avoidance' is spreading — and listen in to the soft sounds of Jurassic crickets.

If dogs could understand our faces... how could we prove that, scientifically? Also, AI gets banned from the classroom and a study that put heavy metal festival fans through.... some serious pain.

Gabe and Conor are back to talk about a science museum you should never visit, a cosmic event you shouldn't miss... and a well-researched communications strategy used by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

If you could put on VR goggles and talk to your future self... would that help you become who you want to be? Or would it harm you?

When Elon Musk talks about a human 'civilization' on Mars, he's suggesting we'll have babies there. Should we?

A new experiment shows pigeons use immune cells to navigate our planet. The discovery redefines our understanding of how an animal can 'feel' Earth's magnetic field.

There are plenty of reasons NOT to have kids. But a new paper suggests having them may be the only way to protect gender equality over the long term.

Influencers, billionaires, even the US health secretary. Proponents of testosterone — as a hormonal therapy or barometer of "masculinity" — are causing men to self-medicate. With nasty consequences.

This ship phase is over. But the nature of this virus means cases may rise — even as officials contain it.

If you want to understand why the Andes variant of the hantavirus is different than COVID-19, this episode's for you.

We know advertising works. (It's why the industry exists.) But a new study on beer ads in Germany shows how. Causally.

Some people seem to know if others are intelligent. Others... don't. A new study suggests why.

A new study tried just about everything to get people to have a more positive reaction to AI poetry and prose. It failed. Almost always. And it's worth talking about why. (NOTE: A human wrote this.)

Lust? Humiliation? Control? If you think you know why men and boys make fake AI nudes of women and girls... first-of-its-kind research suggests a motivation that's almost more troubling. (Note: If you or anyone you know is the victim of non-consensual intimate imagery, the global non-profit StopNCII.org provides step-by-step support in 38 languages.)

A shockingly high number of people believe a global calamity will happen in their lifetime. Are you one of them?

A viral TikTok of a woman kicked off a plane is a good time to talk about how to (productively) confront loud people.

Some of us get chills from music, movies or art. And others... never do. Why is that?

It's usually guys who complain about being 'friendzoned.' But new research says it definitely happens to women, too — sometimes.

A new study shows a sex difference in the early growth of the human brain. Does it matter?