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Popular Science

Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Join our editors as they explain it all, with new episodes every other Wednesday.

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S6 · E6
Today · 18 min
What’s the best sleep position?
Everyone knows that getting good sleep is the best thing you can do for your body, but... does it matter how you lay your head (and body)? PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ talk through their own sleep preferences before drifting off into the research on what's really the best way to position yourself for a good night's rest (hint: PILLOWS!) Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/health/best-sleep-position/ https://www.popsci.com/health/can-tracking-sleep-make-it-worse/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S6 · E5
September 16 · 18 min
What's the most eco-friendly burial option? (ENCORE)
Note: Our show has grown a LOT recently and a ton of new listeners have joined us, so we decided it’d be fun to share one of our favorite episodes since we relaunched, which ALSO happens to be among the most-popular questions we’ve ever answered - ENJOY! After a lifetime of trying to put things in the right bin, we all eventually arrive at the ultimate recycling dilemma: what to do with our bodies after we die? PopSci Editors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Laura Baisas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ go on exploration to find out what is the most environmentally friendly option for handling human remains? Despite all the new ⁠technology⁠, experts say there’s one clear answer, and it’s surprisingly old-school. Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/technology/cremation-burial-most-eco-friendly/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S6 · E4
September 2 · 18 min
Why do dogs tilt their heads?
Dog behavior exploration incoming! PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ talk through their personal dog experiences before lolling their heads through the scientific explanations for why dog's often look like they're REALLY trying to understand what we're trying to tell them Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/environment/why-dogs-tilt-their-heads/ https://www.popsci.com/science/how-to-test-pet-intelligence/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S6 · E3
August 19 · 19 min
How scary is Yellowstone's supervolcano?
It's volcano time, as PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ dig deep into the structure of the Yellowstone Caldera to figure out what's brewing beneath it, and just how much devastation it could unleash if it ever woke up.. Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/environment/what-if-yellowstone-volcano-erupted/ https://www.popsci.com/environment/yellowstone-supervolcano-bulge/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S6 · E2
August 5 · 17 min
What are the most common sunscreen myths
It's time to separate facts from fiction about sunscreen, as PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and News Editor ⁠Laura Baisas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ take us through the four most common misconceptions people have about suncreen and how it should be used. Plus, did you know that e.coli bacteria has been created that can manufacture organic sunscreen???? Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/health/do-i-need-sunscreen-every-day/ https://www.popsci.com/science/sunscreen-made-from-e-coli/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S6 · E1
July 22 · 18 min
How did airplane seats get SO small?
Welcome back to our show! PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ had a little time off, but they return to figure out just how passengers ended up with barely enough room on airplanes for bodies to fit, and what it might mean for passenger safety. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: ⁠https://www.popsci.com/science/why-are-airline-seats-so-small/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E17
June 25 · 16 min
Why are most people right handed?
We're talking hands, and that's no jive, as PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ gesture wildly through a conversation about why roughly 90% of humans have right-hand dominance. Also a special conversation with archaeologist Dr. Anna Goldfield about right and left-handedness in humanity's ancient ancestors. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/why-are-most-people-right-handed/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E16
June 10 · 17 min
What makes childhood summers last forever?
It's summer and the days are just packed, as PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ dig deep through their memories to figure out why summers stretched seemingly forever as kids, but go by in a flash as adults. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/why-childhood-summers-felt-longer/ Learn all about cognitive offloading, the good and the bad: https://www.popsci.com/health/how-documenting-everything-changes-your-brain-cognitive-offloading/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E15
May 28 · 21 min
Is real-life storm chasing like the movies?
You've seen Twister AND Twisters, now let PopSci Editors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Laura Baisas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ clue you into what storm chasing is life in the real world, through an eye-opening conversation with meteorologist, storm chaser and author Cyrena Arnold, who's also host of the Storm Front Freaks Podcast. Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/real-storm-chasers-tornadoes/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E14
May 13 · 15 min
How do airplane toilets work?
There's more than a little bathroom talk in this episode, as PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and News Editor Laura Baisas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ laugh and learn all the ins, outs, and ugly secrets of airplane toilets. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: ⁠https://www.popsci.com/science/how-do-airplane-toilets-work/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E13
April 30 · 15 min
How come some birds talk like people?
So many shouting and singing birds in this episode, as PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ flap their way to an explanation for why birds learn to mimic human speech. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: ⁠https://www.popsci.com/environment/why-birds-talk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about how parrots use names to talk to each other: ⁠https://www.popsci.com/environment/parrots-using-names/⁠ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E12
April 16 · 18 min
Why can't we remember being babies?
Plumbing the depths of their childhood memories, PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ explain why almost no humans remember infancy or early childhood. Read the Popular Science story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/why-dont-i-remember-being-a-baby-study/⁠⁠ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E11
March 31 · 17 min
How come only modern humans need braces?
Chomping right through the history of orthodontics and human bone development, PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ investigate why human ancestors never needed braces, but so many modern humans do. Read the Popular Science story that inspired this episode: ⁠https://www.popsci.com/science/why-need-braces/⁠ And make sure you check out our guests Erin & Erin on their show This Podcast Will Kill You: ⁠https://thispodcastwillkillyou.com⁠ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E10
March 18 · 18 min
Did any dinosaurs actually spit venom?
Digging deep into the fossil record, PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ investigate whether there really were venomous dinosaurs, like the Dilophosaurus depicted in the first Jurassic Park movie. Read the Popular Science story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/venomous-dinosaurs/ And make sure you check out the I Know Dino podcast, co-hosted by our special guest Garret Kruger: https://iknowdino.com/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E9
March 4 · 16 min
What's the most eco-friendly burial option?
After a lifetime of trying to put things in the right bin, we all eventually arrive at the ultimate recycling dilemma: what to do with our bodies after we die? PopSci Editors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠Laura Baisas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ go on exploration to find out what is the most environmentally friendly option for handling human remains? Despite all the new technology, experts say there’s one clear answer, and it’s surprisingly old-school. Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/technology/cremation-burial-most-eco-friendly/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E8
February 18 · 15 min
Why do (most) cats hate water?
From ancient deserts to kittenhood lessons, PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (PLUS SPECIAL FELINE GUESTS) dive into why most cats are so averse to water. Read Sarah's story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/why-cats-hate-water/ And make sure you read all about Simon the cat, heroic member of the British Navy: https://www.popsci.com/environment/navy-cat-simon/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E7
February 5 · 14 min
Surviving freezing temperatures: How low can humans go?
Humans are homeotherms, meaning that our core body temperature stays roughly constant, but what happens when conditions drive that body temp down? PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ bundle up to get to the bottom of just how cold humans can get and still survive. Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/coldest-temperature-humans-can-survive/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E6
January 21 · 14 min
Decoding wintery precipitation: What causes snow, sleet and freezing rain?
Are you as tired as we are of winter weather? Well, at least it helps to know how it works! PopSci Editors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Laura Baisas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ go on a wintry expedition through all our least favorite types of precipitation. Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/environment/chance-of-precipitation-explained/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E5
January 8 · 20 min
How fast would NYC crumble without people? Featuring 'Survivorman' Les Stroud
In a world without people, how fast would NYC fall apart and nature take over? PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠ go through the timeline for re-wilding America's densest city. Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/environment/abandoned-nyc-what-would-happen/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S5 · E4
Dec 17, 2025 · 16 min
How do squirrels find their buried nuts in winter?
Every fall, squirrels hide thousands of acorns—but how do they find them again in the winter? PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠ get a little nutty to find the answer. Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/how-squirrels-find-nuts/ To learn more about Tommy Tucker, visit: https://www.popsci.com/environment/famous-ww2-squirrel-tommy-tucker/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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