Science Quickly
Episodes
Why birds outlived T. rex
17 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Birds are the only dinosaurs who managed to survive the asteroid impact that wiped out 75 percent of all species 66 million years ago. But how did the...
When science meets Pokémon
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Curiosity about the natural world can start in unexpected places. In this episode of Science Quickly, host Kendra Pierre‑Louis talks with paleontolo...
Artemis II returned safely from the moon—but was it worth it?
13 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we unpack NASA’s Artemis II mission after its safe return from lunar orbit, asking what the long‑awaited comeb...
Alexis Hall turns Moby-Dick into a wild sci‑fi adventure
10 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, author Alexis Hall discusses Hell’s Heart, their sci‑fi reimagining of Moby-Dick. Hall dives into how a lockdo...
U.S. measles cases surge as vaccination rates drop
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we examine the surge in measles cases across the U.S., exploring how falling measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vacc...
Artemis II, endangered species and oil, snowpack crisis
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we give you a quick update on NASA’s Artemis II moon mission before digging into a move by the Trump administrat...
Why NASA is betting big on Artemis II moon mission
03 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we break down the successful launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission—the first crewed journey toward the moon in m...
We weren’t supposed to have chins
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Humans are the only species that has chins. How this unique trait evolved has always been somewhat of a mystery. In this episode of Science Quickly, h...
NASA’s nuclear spacecraft, Iran war climate fallout and a promising new Lyme shot
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we dig into NASA’s bold push toward a nuclear‑powered mission to Mars and plans for a long‑term lunar base, ...
You’ve been lied to about pain—here’s the truth
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, pain scientist Rachel Zoffness reveals why pain isn’t just a body problem but also a brain‑driven warning syst...
Can AI do math, or does it just act like a calculator?
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, Kendra Pierre-Louis and SciAm reporter Joe Howlett explore a new math challenge designed to test whether today’s...
Heat dome, legal win for vaccines, lead-tainted clothes
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, Andrea Thompson, senior desk editor for life sciences at Scientific American, joins host Kendra Pierre-Louis to di...
Andy Weir spills the space tea on Ryan Gosling and Project Hail Mary
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, author Andy Weir joins SciAm’s Bri Kane to talk all things Project Hail Mary—from working with Ryan Gosling on...
GLP-1 drugs are entering a new chapter
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American’s associate health editor Lauren Young joins host Kendra Pierre-Louis to talk about how the ...
Nuclear doubts, bigger hail, and new clues about aging brains
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we cover the record release of global emergency oil reserves amid escalating conflict, a breakdown of why nuclear ...
How RFK, Jr.’s beliefs echo a troubling ideology
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for protecting the health of the American people. But over the past year, it has taken...
The Traitors and the science of sneaky lies
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we dive into the psychology of deception through the deliciously twisty lens of The Traitors, exploring why humans...
Measles outbreak, AI in warfare, sped-up global warming
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we cover a few important updates on the measles outbreaks in the U.S. We also look at how governments are increasi...
Michael Pollan explores consciousness, AI and the brain
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, journalist Michael Pollan joins Scientific American’s Bri Kane to unpack why consciousness is so hard to define ...
A tech journalist, some hot dogs and an AI hoax
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In February the BBC’s Thomas Germain became the world’s “best tech journalist at eating hot dogs”—at least, that’s what ChatGPT and Google...
Women’s heart health, Artemis update, postbirthing vitamins for reindeer
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we’ll unpack a worrying prediction for women’s heart health that says nearly 60 percent of women in the U.S. w...
A teen, an algorithm and the race to stop poaching
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, freelance wildlife writer Melissa Hobson investigates how a 17‑year‑old’s breakthrough artificial-intelligen...
The science behind polyamory
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we explore what research reveals about polyamory, how multipartner relationships actually function and why communi...
New dino, vaccine shake-ups, dirty air risks
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this Science Quickly news roundup, we look at the Food and Drug Administration’s surprising change of heart on reviewing Moderna’s mRNA flu sho...
The surprising enigma of slippery ice
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Many of the events in the Winter Olympics involve some sort of sliding or slipping on ice—in a skillful, controlled way. Those moves often seem effo...
Can AI keep Alzheimer’s patients safe at home?
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, multimedia journalist Meghan McDonough explores how emerging artificial-intelligence‑powered “smart home” to...
Trump’s climate rollback, this wild winter and ‘Penisgate’
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we unpack the Trump administration’s move to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency’s “endangerment find...
The evolutionary riddle of the kiss
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, kissing may be on your mind. But why do we kiss? In this episode of Science Quickly, evolutionary biologist ...
How Heated Rivalry nailed its Russian
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, hosts Kendra Pierre-Louis and Allison Parshall dive into the surprising linguistics behind the hit TV series Heate...
Rhythm babies, rocket delays, solar fireworks
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we dive into NASA’s latest headaches as the Artemis II moon mission hits delays. We also take a look at a massiv...
Psychiatry’s playbook is about to get torn up
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we dig into a brewing shake-up inside psychiatry as the American Psychiatric Association considers sweeping change...
The curious case of the nonburpers
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Can you imagine not being able to burp at all? In this episode of Science Quickly, we dive into the little-known but surprisingly serious “no burp”...
A new AI tool to decode DNA, a medical marvel and a rebel lipstick vine
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we dive into Google DeepMind’s new artificial intelligence model AlphaGenome, which could help researchers bette...
The hidden genius behind nonreflective glass
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Kendra Pierre-Louis talks with Katie Hafner of the podcast Lost Women of Science about the remarkable but oft...
Want to smell more attractive? Try these foods
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Many people turn to expensive perfumes to elevate their natural scent and smell more pleasant to others. But what if you could achieve that just by sw...
A historic moon mission, AI that helps restore stroke patients’ voice and the oldest cave art ever found
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we look at the stakes behind Artemis II, NASA’s historic lunar flyby mission that’s preparing to launch soon. ...
The quest for Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Kendra Pierre-Louis speaks with forensic scientist Rhonda Roby about an ambitious effort to uncover traces of...
What is consciousness, really?
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we explore what consciousness is, how the brain creates it and what current science says about dreams, anesthesia, animals and even a...
EPA weakens air pollution rules, cancer survival soars, and NASA evacuates astronauts
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we unpack the Environmental Protection Agency’s controversial decision to change how it calculates health benefi...
How Venezuela’s Heavy Crude Shapes Climate Risks
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we dive into the climate stakes behind Venezuela’s vast but troubled oil reserves and the country’s mounting tensions with neighb...
The Great Seed Oil Panic
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Seed oils have become a target of wellness influencers and high-profile public officials. They say that these widely used and relatively inexpensive o...
Woodpeckers Rock the Lab, AI Steps Out of the Chat Box, and Flu Hits Hard
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered how woodpeckers pound away without breaking their neck? We’ve got the answer—plus, why this flu season has broken a record,...
Weighing the Good and Bad of Weight-Loss Drugs
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, colloquially called GLP-1 medications, have gone from relatively obscure diabetes treatments...
America’s Children Face a New Era of Health Risk
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Recent federal public health changes could affect children’s health, from vaccine access to essential medical care. In this episode, senior editor D...
How to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why do most New Year’s resolutions fail? And how can science help us stick to them? Behavioral economist Katy Milkman joins Science Quickly to expla...
ENCORE: Algorithmic Social Media Is Driving New Slang
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
From viral slang such as “skibidi” to the rise of so-called brain rot, linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic, aka the “Etymology Nerd,” an...
ENCORE: Understanding the Science of ‘Squirting’
31 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The human body is capable of some truly incredible things. One of the most mysterious and debated phenomena is a release of fluid during sex that is o...
ENCORE: Science’s Greatest 180s
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Science doesn’t always get it right the first time—and that’s part of the journey. In this anniversary special, we explore how ideas about nerve...
The Quest for Climate-Ready Christmas Trees
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Christmas trees may seem timeless, but growing them is becoming increasingly challenging in a warming world. In this episode, host Kendra Pierre-Louis...
2025: The Year Science Was Shaken
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this year-end roundup, Scientific American editors break down how 2025 reshaped science across the board—from sweeping federal upheavals that dis...
The Hidden Voices of Monk Seals
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, take a dive into the underwater vocalizations of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Scientists analyzing thousands of hours of underw...
Inside the Struggle to Save an Orca Community
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we present an inside look at one of the world’s most endangered whale populations: the southern resident orcas. ...
Hobbit Disappearance Explained, Second-Hottest Year Looms, New Mpox Variant Found
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, we dive into how the European Union’s latest Copernicus Climate Change Service bulletin shows that 2025 is on tr...
Karen Hao on Why AI Is Reshaping Society
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Generative artificial intelligence has transformed our inboxes, classrooms and even medical records—but at what cost? In this episode, journalist Ka...
Can NASA Deliver on Perseverance’s Promise to Reveal Life on Mars?
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
NASA’s Perseverance rover has spent nearly five years roaming the Martian surface in search of clues to ancient life. But the ambitious plan to retu...
CDC Vaccine Panel, Satellite Light Pollution, Puppy Power
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scientific American associate editor Lauren J. Young breaks down key vaccine recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s A...
New Hope for Treating Postpartum Depression?
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emerging research on the biology of postpartum depression is showing how little it resembles other severe mood disorders in the brain and body. Unders...
Scientific American Picks the Best Reads of the Year
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scientific American debuts its first-ever best fiction and nonfiction book lists, featuring stories that explore climate change, alien encounters and ...
Thanksgiving’s Iconic Bird Is Thriving Again in the Wild
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wild turkeys were once on the brink of disappearing from the U.S.’s forests, with populations dropping to just tens of thousands by the 1930s. Thank...
Tamer Raccoons, COP30 Recap, New Fluoride Research
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Zoya Teirstein, a senior staff writer at Grist, joins host Kendra Pierre-Louis to talk about this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference, o...
The Hidden Worlds of ‘Nanocosmos’
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In his new book, Nanocosmos: Journeys in Electron Space, artist and writer Michael Benson transforms scientific imaging into art, capturing intricate ...
Gut Health Tips for the Holidays
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Holiday meals can delight our taste buds while the food puts real strain on our digestion. Host Kendra Pierre-Louis talks with Northwestern University...
The Digital Time Capsule That Survived Two Decades
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our editor in chief David M. Ewalt revisits a remarkable 20-year experiment: an e-mail time capsule designed to deliver digital messages from the past...
Can Vaccines Help Defeat Cancer?
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Host Kendra Pierre-Louis speaks with reporter Rowan Moore Gerety about how mRNA vaccines, first successfully developed to protect against COVID, are n...
Can AI Ease the Pain of Loss?
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Griefbots—artificial-intelligence-powered chat tools that simulate conversations with the deceased—are helping some people navigate loss in unexpe...
Why Some Foods Gross Us Out
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, Rachel Feltman introduces interim host Kendra Pierre-Louis, a climate journalist with a strong aversion to mayonna...
The Science of Headaches
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Headaches are among the most common human experiences—yet science still struggles to explain them. Journalist Tom Zeller, Jr., joins host Rachel Fel...
Why Defiance Can Be a Virtue
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us are taught from a young age that being “good” means being obedient—but that conditioning can make it hard to speak up when it counts....
How Hurricane Melissa Became a Meteorologic Outlier
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hurricane Melissa stunned meteorologists with its rare intensity, reaching wind speeds that are more typical of Pacific supertyphoons and maintaining ...
How to Trick-or-Treat Your Gut
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Halloween might be a treat for your taste buds, but what about the trillions of microbes in your gut? Gastroenterologist Chris Damman joins host Rache...
How TikTok’s Algorithm Could Shift with a U.S. Spin-off
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
TikTok’s algorithm has become a cultural force, shaping what more than a billion users see and share, but its future may be shifting. As the platf...
Mosquitoes Invade Iceland, Earth Darkens, and Bird Flu Returns
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mosquitoes settle in Iceland for the first time as climate change reshapes the Arctic, and Earth’s darkening albedo may be accelerating global warmi...
Why Medication Safety in Pregnancy Is Still a Mystery
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When the U.S. president claimed that acetaminophen use during pregnancy could cause autism in a person’s offspring, it reignited a deeper conversati...
The Science of a Convincing Sorry
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What makes an apology sound sincere? Psychologist Shiri Lev-Ari joins host Rachel Feltman to explore how the effort we put into our words—especially...
Global Superbugs Surge, Chikungunya Hits Long Island, and Satellites Leak Data
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Science Quickly, we cover the global rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, a rare U.S. case of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus and...
The Meteorite That Vanished: El Ali’s Strange Journey
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A massive iron meteorite sat undisturbed in the Somali desert for generations—until armed men stole it in 2020. The El Ali meteorite contains at lea...
Why Is Lung Cancer Surging among Young Women?
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women, surpassing breast and ovarian cancer combined. Thoracic surgeon Jonathan Villena ex...
Nobel Prizes, COVID Vaccine Updates and Malnutrition in Gaza
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Science Quickly, we break down the 2025 Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine, Physics and Chemistry. We also unpack the Centers for Dis...
The Doctor behind the Commander in Chief
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Presidential physicians operate at the intersection of medicine, politics and national security. Former White House physician Jeffrey Kuhlman joins Sc...
Chris Hadfield’s Fictional Universe Is Rooted in Real Space History
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a real-life astronaut turns to fiction? In this episode, Chris Hadfield shares how decades of spaceflight and global diplomacy ins...
Enceladus’s Alien Ocean, Ancient Fungi and the Flavor of Influenza
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Saturn’s moon Enceladus reveals complex organic molecules that could hint at extraterrestrial life. Researchers also uncover fungi’s ancient reign...
Enter One of the World’s Quietest Rooms
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Inside one of the quietest rooms in the world, host Rachel Feltman meets artist-in-residence Seth Cluett at the historic anechoic chamber at Bell Labs...
What’s Driving Experts Away from the CDC?
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Several top public health experts have resigned from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, citing a troubling shift away from science-base...
Tylenol and Autism, a Shark Threesome and a Typhoon
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s roundup breaks down the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to revise the safety label for acetaminophen (Tylenol) following the T...
The Dead Composer Whose ‘Brain’ Still Makes Music
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In a hauntingly innovative exhibit, brain cells grown from the late composer Alvin Lucier’s blood generate sound. Set in a museum in Perth, Australi...
Mary Roach on the Science of Swapping Human Parts
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman explores the age-old quest to replace failing human body parts with science writer Mary Roach....
Vaccine Shakeups, Brain Injury Warnings and Boozy Chimps
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee has been reshaped, with new recommendations on the horizon. Meanwhile st...
Algorithmic Social Media Is Driving New Slang
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From viral slang such as “skibidi” to the rise of so-called brain rot, linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic, aka the “Etymology Nerd,” an...
The Role Our Microbiome Plays In Our ‘Gut Feelings’
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scientists are tuning in to a surprising conversation happening inside us—between our gut and our brain. Host Rachel Feltman chats with Maya Kaelber...
Kissing Bugs, Koalas and Clues to Life on Mars
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A paper published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention argues that Chagas disease is now endemic in the U.S. Koalas may finally be spared...
Unpacking the Brain’s Role in Inventing Your Perception
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Human brains don’t just perceive reality—they invent it. In this episode of Science Quickly, cognitive neuroscientist Daniel Yon speaks with host ...
How a Tick Bite Can Make You Allergic to Meat
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A tick bite can trigger a rare allergy to red meat and animal products, forcing major lifestyle changes. Scientist Lee Haines joins host Rachel Feltma...
Marsquakes, Vaccine Politics and Mammoth Microbiomes
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s roundup dives into Mars’s lumpy mantle, a nasal spray that may help prevent COVID and the growing confusion around vaccine access in t...
Inside the Turmoil at the CDC
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman is joined by associate editor for health and medicine Lauren J. Young to unpack the growing un...
Hurricane Forecasting 101
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Meteorologists have made big strides in predicting hurricane paths, but many people still misinterpret the forecast maps. In this episode, senior news...
Katrina Was Predicted: Revisiting Warning Signs 20 Years Later
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Scientific American revisits the storm’s tragic legacy and the scientific warnings that...
The Deep Sea’s Mysterious Oxygen Source
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Trillions of potato-sized rocks scattered across the deep ocean floor are rich in metals such as cobalt and copper—making them a target for mining c...
Science’s Greatest 180s
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Science doesn’t always get it right the first time—and that’s part of the journey. In this anniversary episode, we explore how ideas about nerve...
Could Peanut Allergies Be Cured?
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Peanut allergies have surged dramatically in recent decades, and scientists are still working to understand why. In this episode, journalist Maryn Mck...
Nature’s Sexual Spectrum Breaks the Binary
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Biologist Nathan Lents joins Science Quickly to explore the vast sexual diversity found across the animal kingdom. His new book, The Sexual Evolution:...