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Science Quickly

Scientific Americanwww.sciencequickly.com
Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.

Episodes

Dominatrices Are Showing People How to Have Rough Sex Safely

Research shows rough sex is becoming more common. Dominatrices are helping the general public catch up. Hosted by Meghan McDonough, this is part two of a four-part series on the science of pleasure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 16, 202414 min

You Can't Fix Burnout With Self-Care

Individual interventions for burnout don’t work. Researchers explain why. Hosted by Shayla Love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 12, 202411 min

How April’s Eclipse Will Solve Solar Mysteries

On April 8, we’re in for a treat. A total solar eclipse will be visible across a broad swath of North America, giving us a view of the edges of the sun as the moon passes in front of its face. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 09, 202411 min

How Is This Ancient Cattle Breed Fighting Wildfires in Portugal?

Portugal is one of the most vulnerable countries in Europe to climate change. Straddling the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic regions, it’s part of a climate change hot spot. Some of the biggest fuels are shrubs. One study found that shrubland covers 1.6 million hectares in Portugal—about 18 percent of the nation’s land area. And those shrubs are gaining ground. That’s because, for decades, people have been moving out of rural communities such as the one Tommy Ferreira lives in. Most leave to ...

Feb 05, 202414 min

The Government's Former UFO Hunter Has a Lot to Say

For the last decade, reports of UFO sightings have filled headlines and news broadcasts, and some of these have from a surprising place—the Pentagon. Former defense officials have made a number of claims about, and released videos of, strange sightings made by military pilots. These days, the objects are officially called “UAPs”—unidentified anomalous phenomena. But regardless of the new branding, Congress has demanded answers on them, especially after one former official this summer claimed tha...

Feb 05, 202415 min

New IVF Test Could Increase Chances of Pregnancy Success

Today’s episode covers a topic that many parents-to-be have struggled with: fertility. In vitro fertilization offers a path to pregnancy for people fortunate enough to be able to access it. But predicting the success of an implanted embryo is hard. Now researchers are developing a test that could make it easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 29, 202410 min

How to Save Indigenous Languages

From Papua New Guinea to the Andaman Islands, Indigenous languages are under threat. An Indian linguist helped preserve one language family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 27, 202412 min

Can AI Predict When You Die?

A new study used machine learning on 6 million Danish people to "autocomplete" their life trajectories –— and when they might kick the bucket. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 23, 202411 min

The Best Way to Use Home COVID Tests Right Now

In today’s episode, we want to talk about some of the current challenges with using home COVID tests. When you first have symptoms, a change in how your body reacts to the virus could lead to a test result showing you’re negative when you’re actually infected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 19, 202410 min

From Drunken Stupor to Sober with One (Hormone) Shot

We all have our tricks for sobering up after a night of drunken revelry: maybe a pot of black coffee or an ice-cold shower. But for mice in a certain lab in Texas, all it takes is a shot. No, not more alcohol—it’s an injection of a hormone called fibroblast growth factor 21, or FGF21. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 17, 202411 min

How Does the World’s Largest Seabird Know Where to Fly?

Imagine for a moment that you’re a very hungry bird soaring over 30-foot ocean swells in high winds, with no land for thousands of miles. How do you know where you’re going? If you’re a wandering albatross, you listen. But listen to what, exactly? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 12, 202410 min

Without the Moon, You Wouldn't Exist (Probably)

The moon has guided our movements and cultures, and though we may think we know it well, it still guards some of its deepest secrets from us. A new book from Rebecca Boyle take us on a deep dive into our sister celestial orb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 08, 202415 min

The Strange and Beautiful Science Of Our Lives

Nell Greenfieldboyce discusses her new book Transient and Strange, the intimacy of the essays and the science that inspired them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 05, 202416 min

Podcasts of the Year: Cleo, the Mysterious Math Menace

In 2013 a new user named Cleo took an online math forum by storm with unproved answers. Today she’s an urban legend. But who was she? 2023 editor's pick. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 29, 202314 min

How to Avoid Holiday Hangovers

The holidays are a time for indulgence, but there are ways to drink alcohol without suffering the painful effects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 22, 202310 min

Are Orca Whales Friends or Foes?

The stories we tell about orcas might say more about us than about them Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 18, 202316 min

AI Can Now Read Your Cat's Pain

Thanks to researchers, new AI tech is delving into feline feelings to see when cats could need medical help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 08, 202310 min

Is Too Little Play Hurting Our Kids?

A long-term decline in unsupervised activity may be contributing to mental health declines in children and adolescents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 04, 202316 min

How Misinformation Spreads through Conflict

Three experts break down how misinformation and propaganda spread through conflict and how to debunk it yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 01, 202326 min