Is A.I. Going to Kill Us All?
How do you make sure A.I. has humanity's best interest at heart? Jorge explores humanity's future with two "A.I. Alignment" experts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 15, 2026•43 min
ScienceStuff
Ever wonder if your pet is lying to you, what's inside a black hole, or whether you'd survive being cryogenically frozen? With infectious curiosity, cartoonist and former roboticist Jorge Cham makes science fun and accessible as he answers your biggest questions on the ScienceStuff podcast.
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Episodes
What Makes Traffic So Bad?
Stuck in traffic? There's someone to blame, but it's not who you think it is. Jorge cruises to an answer with two traffic science experts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 07, 2026•38 min
Can We Talk to Dolphins?
They're some of the smartest animals on Earth. Could we ever have a conversation with them? Jorge takes the plunge with two dolphin experts to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 02, 2026•34 min
Can A.I. Be Funny?
Can computers crack jokes? Are comedians in trouble? Jorge talks to an AI expert to find the punchline. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 22, 2026•35 min
What Makes Someone Left-Handed?
Is it genetic or random? And why do we have a preferred hand anyway? Jorge gets the right answers from some left-handed experts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 15, 2026•37 min
Is Math Ruining Sports?
Math is a key player in every major sport these days. Is it helping teams win, or is it making games boring to watch? Jorge talks to a "Moneyball" expert to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 09, 2026•37 min
Why Are We Going Back to the Moon?
Jorge talks to three scientists involved in the Artemis Moon Program to find out why we're going back there after 50 years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 31, 2026•34 min
Should We Mine the Asteroid Belt? (feat. Phil Plait)
Do asteroids have precious metals we can mine? Or is one of them going to hit us and make us go extinct first? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 25, 2026•35 min
BONUS: The Bob Ross Effect
Can watching someone paint make you feel better? Scientists have proof that watching Bob Ross can significantly improve your mood. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 20, 2026•9 min
What Did People Eat 3000 Years Ago?
3000 years is a long time. How do we know what was on the menu? And would we eat it today? Jorge talks to an archaeologist about ancient foods. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 18, 2026•31 min
Why Do Our Knuckles Crack?
Why do our joints snap, crackle and pop? And why can't we stop doing it? Jorge investigates the evolution, psychology and physics of this annoying habit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 11, 2026•38 min
Why Do People Forget Memories?
What happens to the things we remember when we can't remember them anymore? Jorge talks to two psychologists about the science of forgetting and the fascinating world of amnesia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 04, 2026•36 min
What Is Super Memory (And How Do You Get It)?
Some people can remember 100,000 digits of pi, or everything that's ever happened to them. How do they do it? And can anyone learn this skill? Jorge goes down memory lane to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 25, 2026•36 min
Do Animals Have a Sense of Humor?
Do chihuahuas chuckle? Or jaguars joke? Jorge kids around with animal experts to find out if animals can be funny (on purpose). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 18, 2026•29 min
Why Is the Moon So Big?
NASA is sending astronauts back to the moon. But why? What deep mysteries still hide on the far side of the moon? Jorge jumps over the moon to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 11, 2026•36 min
What Is AI Slop Doing to Us?
AI is everywhere these days. What happened to make it so powerful all of a sudden? And what is all this AI content doing to our brains? Jorge talks to three experts to find the answers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 04, 2026•40 min
BONUS: How to Stop Procrastinating
Is there hope for the eternal procrastinator? Jorge gets some tips for living with procrastination from three expert psychologists. Learn more about our experts' work: procrastinus.com (Dr. Piers Steel) fuschiasirois.com (Dr. Fuschia Sirois) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jan 30, 2026•8 min
Why Do We Procrastinate?
We finally got around to it: an episode about procrastination. Why do we do it? Is it really bad? And is there such as a thing as productive procrastination? Jorge talks to three psychologists about the science of putting things off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 28, 2026•33 min
Why Do We Go Bald?
What's the skinny on why we lose our hair? Is it genetic or avoidable? Or do we need to comb over society's stigma about it? Jorge gets to the hairy truth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 21, 2026•32 min
Do Supersenses Exist?
Can we hear echoes like bats, or see x-rays like Superman? Believe it or not, scientists think the answer is yes. Jorge talks to three experts involved in extending human senses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 15, 2026•34 min
The Science of Imagination
What's happening in your brain when you're being imaginative? And can it affect your mental health? Jorge talks to two neuroscientists to imagine the possibilities. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 07, 2026•33 min
ScienceStuff Classic: What is a Quantum Computer?
What is this mysterious technology, and how is it going to affect our lives? Jorge talks to a Quantum scientist and visits their lab to see and hear these machines in action. This episode originally aired March 17, 2025. We will be back with a new episode next week! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 31, 2025•40 min
Why Does the Year Have 365 Days in It?
Happy New Year! To celebrate, we're digging into the science of the year: Why is it 365 days, is it changing, and will we always celebrate New Year's the same way? Plus, we recap our favorite episodes of the year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 24, 2025•33 min
Why Is the North Pole Moving?
Santa better pack his bags because the North Pole is on the move. Jorge talks to planetary scientist Matt Siegler to find out what's causing this magnetic shift. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 17, 2025•29 min
BONUS: Can a Dog Talk to a Cat?
Jorge catches up with science fiction author Mary Robinette Kowal to learn what her cat and dog have to say. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 12, 2025•11 min
Can We Communicate with Animals?
Can you chat with your cat? Or dialogue with your dog? Jorge talks to Christina Hunger and Federico Rossano about the global movement to teach pets to talk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 10, 2025•36 min
The Nobel Winning Trick Behind All Your Devices
It won the Nobel Prize in 2025, but what is it and what can you do with it? Jorge talks to one of the Nobel Prize winners to get the inside scoop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 03, 2025•29 min
Is Love an Addiction?
Why are we so hooked on love? Jorge and neuroscientist Dwayne Godwin take a deep dive into the loving brain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 26, 2025•36 min
Is It Safe to Edit Your DNA?
Want to upgrade yourself and be taller, fitter or smarter? You could do it by editing your genes. But is it safe, or ethical? Jorge talks with two gene experts to get the answers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 19, 2025•32 min
How to Build a Real Lightsaber
Wrrraaohhh! Is it possible to make a REAL lightsaber that can glow, cut, and feel solid? Jorge duels with four physicists (or is it physi-Siths?) to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 12, 2025•42 min
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