SciShow Tangents - podcast cover

SciShow Tangents

SciShow Tangents is the lightly competitive knowledge showcase from the geniuses behind the YouTube series SciShow. Every other Tuesday, join Hank Green, Ceri Riley, and Sam Schultz as they try to one-up and amaze each other with weird and funny scientific research... while not getting distracted. There will be tangents about video games, music, weird smells, surprisingly deep insights about life, and of course, poop, but it always comes back to the science.

Episodes

Roller Coasters with Tom Scott!

Get ready for a stomach-turning, heart-pounding, gravity-defying thrill ride as we plummet down, up, and all around the amazing world of roller coasters! We're joined by legendary podcaster, YouTuber, and roller coaster fanatic Tom Scott who wows us with his encyclopedic knowledge of these engineering marvels. So take a deep breath, strap in, and keep all your limbs inside the ride until the episode comes to a complete stop! Oh, and have fun! SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com...

Sep 17, 202456 minSeason 5Ep. 39

Seeds

The knowledge of our couch of finely-honed scientific minds didn't pop out of the ground fully-formed - it had to be planted, tended, and grown lovingly over a long period of time to flower into the beautiful curiosity tree it is today. But like so much of life, it started as just a tiny, humble seed - which is super convenient for the topic of this episode! SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! H...

Sep 03, 202448 minSeason 5Ep. 38

Predators with Jaida Elcock!

Here in the remote vistas of the Tangents jungle, observe a group of mighty science communicators expertly stalking their primary prey: knowledge. Ever so tantalizing to behold, knowledge lounges in the shade of a fern, oblivious to the danger sneaking up behind it, ready to strike at a moment's notice! Truly, these must be the most fearsome of all predators! SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! ...

Aug 20, 202450 minSeason 5Ep. 37

Bake A Cake! | Compilation

For those who want a megadose of Tangents shenanigans, this compilation is for you! In the many seasons of Tangents we've covered lots of interconnected topics, and now you can listen to them back-to-back like the best podcast many-feature ever. This compilation has been handcrafted from premium ingredients, sifted and whisked together with care, and baked to podcast easy listening perfection. Bon Appetite! Original episodes: S1 E5 - Eggs, original airdate: December 11, 2018 S2 E18 - Sugar, orig...

Aug 15, 20242 hr 43 min

Why Do We Sweat?

From our episode on Sweat, here's Ceri's brilliant rendition of "Why Do We Sweat?" This song is a parody of Rusted Root's "Send Me On My Way." Lyrics: Ceri Riley Music: Joseph "Tuna" Metesh

Aug 09, 20243 min

Bug Bites

Some are itchy, some are painful, some go totally unnoticed by us every single day...bugs have such variety in the ways they chomp, some chomps aren't even from bug mouths, but from bug butts! Join us while we debate, query, and learn all we can about the wide world of bug bites. SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciS...

Aug 06, 202453 minSeason 5Ep. 36

Sweat

Woo boy! It's hot out there, why don't ya grab a nice glass of ice cold lemonade and listen in on everything you did and didn't want to learn about sweat. Are humans the sweatiest of them all? Do fish sweat? What lives in the ecosystem between two people holding hands for the first time? What is it all even for!?? SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to fin...

Jul 23, 202449 minSeason 5Ep. 35

Cicadas

This summer's hottest North American bug is without question, the cicada. They've got everything: neon-colored wing veins, bendy-straw-style exoskeletons, an insatiable thirst for tree goo, and after 17 years of napping, they're bursting out of the ground ready to par-tay! SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciShow Tan...

Jul 09, 202448 minSeason 5Ep. 34

Gay Animals with Field Guide to Gay Animals

It wouldn't be Pride at Tangents if we weren't getting into some science! We're joined by Owen Ever and Laine Kaplan-Levenson, the hosts of a new show from news outlet Canadaland called "Field Guide to Gay Animals." Our conversation ranged far and wide across a myriad of ways queerness is expressed in the animal world and the challenges and joys of studying it. SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces...

Jun 25, 202452 minSeason 5Ep. 33

Bananas with Answer in Progress

It's all right there on the tin - this episode is BANANAS. And not just because we have the most guests we've ever had in Tangents history. Not even just because one of them is a super special surprise RETURN friend of the pod. And not even because we check out some flowers that are way more uncomfortable to look at than you think. No, this episode is bananas because we're talking about (you guessed it) bananas! SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out t...

Jun 11, 202450 minSeason 5Ep. 32

Teaser: Turtles Cut For Time Question

Another wild teaser appears! This little snippet is from a bonus, cut-for-time question from our episode on Turtles! You can listen to the rest, and also a bunch more bonus content, on our Patreon. It's one of the best ways you can support the show and keep Tangents going and free for everyone. Head over to Patreon.com/scishowtangents and join in all the learning and shenanigans! Thank you so much to all our Patrons - we genuinely would not get to do this without you, and we really like doing th...

Jun 05, 20244 min

Cloning

It may seem like cloning really only shows up regularly in science fiction, but it turns out, it's been a sneaky, significant real-world process for a super long time! In this episode we learn about cloning found in nature, labs, and...this very podcast?? SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciShow Tangents, and see all...

May 28, 202450 minSeason 5Ep. 31

Glue

Humanity is bound together by so many qualities, and in this episode, we add Being Goopy to the list. What does that have to do with glue? A whole lot, it turns out - cue some ominous foreshadowing....Memento goopy! SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciShow Tangents, and see all the cool perks you’ll get in return, li...

May 14, 202447 minSeason 5Ep. 30

Introducing Crash Course Pods: The Universe

No, your eyes and ears don't deceive you - this is, in fact, a super special cross-feed treat from our friends over at Crash Course in the form of the first episode of their brand new show, "Crash Course Pods: The Universe." Hosted by novelist John Green and astrophysicist Dr. Katie Mack, "The Universe" is a podcast about the history of the entire universe, from its explosive beginnings to its mysterious, but inevitable, end. In this first episode Dr. Mack walks John through the Big Bang and the...

May 07, 202448 min

Machine Learning

We do a lot of learning on Tangents, so naturally, we've got questions about what learning looks like...for machines! AI and machine learning science communicator Jordan Harrod (https://www.youtube.com/@jordanharrod) lends her expertise to this episode as we definitely for sure learn all there is to know and will ever need to be known about machine learning, algorithms, and AI. Definitely we got all of it, everyone. SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check o...

Apr 30, 202448 minSeason 5Ep. 29

Teaser: Hygiene Patreon Bonus Episode

Another wild teaser appears! This little snippet is the first part of our revisit of Hygiene and answering even more questions that we didn't get to in the episode. You can listen to the rest, and also a bunch more bonus content, on our Patreon. It's one of the best ways you can support the show and keep Tangents going and free for everyone. Head over to Patreon.com/scishowtangents and join in all the learning and shenanigans! Thank you so much to all our Patrons - we genuinely would not get to ...

Apr 26, 20245 min

Turtles

Devotees of the testudines rejoice! Whether you have one as a pet, admire them at the zoo, or giggle with the rest of the internet when they rock each other off logs, chances are high, we think, that you like turtles. We like turtles! And conveniently for us, turtle science is also extremely cool, so this was basically an ideal episode to make. Enjoy! SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to ...

Apr 16, 202447 minSeason 5Ep. 28

Teaser: Big vs. Small Patreon Bonus Episode

A wild teaser appears! This little snippet is the first part of our revisit of Big vs. Small and answering even more questions that we didn't get to in the episode. You can listen to the rest, and also a bunch more bonus content, on our Patreon. It's one of the best ways you can support the show and keep Tangents going and free for everyone. Head over to Patreon.com/scishowtangents and join in all the learning and shenanigans! Thank you so much to all our Patrons - we genuinely would not get to ...

Apr 03, 20246 min

Textiles

From expressing ourselves through fashion to protecting ourselves from the elements, textiles seem to be self-evidently significant to the human experience. But it's our goal on Tangents to always poke holes in the obvious, tear through distraction, and weave humor with knowledge - and the facts this episode will blow your cotton-poly blend socks off. SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to ...

Apr 02, 202445 minSeason 5Ep. 27

Feathers

It may be well-known that hope is the thing with feathers, but how much is known about feathers themselves? Turns out, plenty! From shrub grouses to shuttlecocks and all the pea-babies (diminutive for peacocks, definitely for sure) in between, come soar on the delightfully complex wings of knowledge with us! SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out ...

Mar 19, 202444 minSeason 5Ep. 26

Garbage

Trash, rubbish, waste, refuse...we have a lot of words for the gunk that goes on the truck, because whether we like it or not, humans make a lot of garbage. Get comfy with some grossness as we root around in garbage's past, present, and future. We're all on a path, you guys! SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciShow T...

Mar 05, 202445 minSeason 5Ep. 25

Hormones

Oops, all science this episode! Erstwhile editorial assistant Deboki Chakravarti steps in for erstwhile everyman Sam Schultz as we parse through fundamental puzzles about humanity: what makes us, us, and if it is hormones, does that make us cocktails or cauldrons? SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciShow Tangents, an...

Feb 20, 202443 minSeason 5Ep. 24

Cheese

It's the long-awaited cheese-stravaganza! And it's every bit as melty, crumbly, stretchy, and stinky as hoped for. We dip into some fetamology, we stretch our nokkeledge of cheese applications, and we unwrap the shocking tartrutho about a cheese we thought we knew!* *The real cheese names I butchered into puns: feta, nokkelost, tartuffo. All delicious, go try some! SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our f...

Feb 06, 202448 minSeason 5Ep. 23

Darkness

The question plaguing us this episode is, how dark can it really get? Turns out (according to some), not that dark! Unless you're at the bottom of the ocean or floating in the all too-eerie void of deep space, you're always gonna have some photons hitting your face. (I'm pretty sure I accidentally stole this rhyme right out of Hank's poem, but you'll just have to listen to know for sure...) SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the a...

Jan 23, 202441 minSeason 5Ep. 22

Refrigeration

In this not-so-chill episode, everybody gets a little unsettled by the concepts around refrigeration. Quantum computers, thermoacoustics, molecular chemistry, elephants, the phantom letter "d" that gets added to the shortening of refrigeration...it's all just. So much. SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciShow Tangent...

Jan 09, 202445 minSeason 5Ep. 21

Quiet

Do you hear what I hear? Probably not, because in this episode, we're bringing things down several notches to learn about quiet. Does it have a scientific definition? Is it all just relative? Should crickets have podcasts? Join us as we (ok, maybe not so) quietly contemplate quiet. SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support Sc...

Dec 26, 202343 minSeason 5Ep. 20

Oil

Oil: it's a ubiquitous substance humans have been relying on for longer than you might think. We cook with it, we moisturize with it, we run machines with it - it keeps slipping into places we least expect to find it, for good and for ill... SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patreon.com/SciShowTangents to find out how you can help support SciShow Tangents, and see all the cool perk...

Dec 12, 202345 minSeason 5Ep. 19

Telescopes

What's that you spy on the horizon, just out of sight? If you have a telescope handy, you can hone your gaze on...more telescopes! From pocket spyglasses to Extremely Large (a real telescope name), join us and special guest Julian Huguet as we set our sights on the far-reaching world of these incredible devices. How we wonder what they are... SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to check out this episode with the added bonus of seeing our faces! Head to www.patre...

Nov 28, 202346 minSeason 5Ep. 18

Batteries

Click here to check out the limited-time-only Tangents t-shirt inspired by this episode! https://store.dftba.com/products/shirt-of-the-month-shrimp-battery Batteries are all around us, in things we use all the time, and in all different shapes and sizes, so of course we know exactly how they all work, right? Nope! Not even close! The bizarre breadth of our battery banter includes Ben Franklin, tiny computers, and...shrimp? SciShow Tangents is on YouTube! Go to www.youtube.com/scishowtangents to ...

Nov 14, 202349 minSeason 5Ep. 17

Trick or Treat Month: Slime with Alexis Nikole Nelson!

Trick or Treat Month returns... and this time it's personal! Join us for another month of spooky themes and special surprise guest apparitions! Try not to get too scared! And so we close the ancient, flesh-bound spell book on another Trick or Treat Month... but we're going out on top, baby! Alexis Nikole Nelson has appeared, as if by magic, to lead us into the deep, dark woods and point out all the slimy, sticky, gross stuff on the ground that she says we can eat. I guess I trust her! SciShow Ta...

Oct 31, 202342 minSeason 5Ep. 16
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