Science Quickly

Scientific American

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

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67 episodes
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Avg 17 min
English

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Yesterday · 27 min
What scares the people making AI
What happens when a technology becomes more powerful than its creators can fully understand?
Thursday · 15 min
Could ultrasound interrupt the brain’s addiction loop? [Sponsored]
Addiction hijacks the brain’s reward circuitry, and current treatments often struggle to break its grip. In this episode, neuroscientist and neurosurgeon Ali Rezai of the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute explains how an experimental, noninvasive focused-ultrasound treatment aimed at the nucleus accumbens could quiet cravings so that therapy and medication work better. He also describes how wearables and AI might flag people at risk of relapse before it happens. This podcast was produced for WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute by Scientific American Custom Media, a division separate from the magazine’s board of editors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Wednesday · 15 min
From tofu to biodiesel: How soybeans dominate America
How soybeans became the hidden ingredient powering the U.S.
Monday · 12 min
Ebola surge, AI math shocker and daylight saving time
Ebola outbreak crosses grim milestone, artificial intelligence solves major math problems, and scientists caution against making daylight saving time permanent
October 30 · 20 min
Why we’re still obsessed with vampires
What vampire stories reveal about changing fears, identities and human nature
October 29 · 12 min
Reducing Treatment Burden While Preserving Sight [Sponsored]
New approaches aim to extend treatment durability and improve long-term vision outcomes in wet AMD. Scientific American Custom Media recently sat down with Dr. Nadia Waheed, Ocular Therapeutix’s chief medical officer, to discuss the real-world burden behind the standard of care and how emerging approaches, including sustained-delivery therapies under investigation, aim to reduce it. This podcast was produced for Ocular Therapeutix by Scientific American Custom Media, a division separate from the magazine’s board of editors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 28 · 14 min
Why science is on the ballot in the midterms
Science-driven issues are playing a role in the midterm elections
October 27 · 20 min
Finding Nutrition Truth in a World of Myths [Sponsored]
From fearmongering about ingredients to misleading dietary trends, nutrition misinformation is everywhere. In this podcast, nutrition scientist Jessica Knurick explores why food myths spread, how to recognize unreliable health claims and distinguish credible research from pseudoscience, and what decades of scientific evidence reveal about making healthier food choices. This podcast was produced for Bayer by Scientific American Custom Media, a division separate from the magazine’s board of editors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 26 · 11 min
Cartwheeling snakes, vocal vultures and a mysterious Martian moon
This week in science we check out gymnastic snakes, chatty vultures and missions to faraway moons
October 23 · 22 min
Why your brain hates uncertainty
The science of handling uncertainty, anxiety and stress
October 21 · 20 min
Slime molds, Pompeii and alien consciousness with Annalee Newitz
Slime mold aliens explore Pompeii—and humanity—in a new book by Annalee Newitz
October 20 · 29 min
Cover Story: Escaping the Infinite Scroll
Listen to Scientific American’s November cover story as read by the author
October 19 · 9 min
Bee stingers, plastic risks and ovarian surprises
New research reveals how bee stingers work
October 16 · 23 min
What science says about endless phone scrolling
The science of screen addiction and how to build a healthier relationship with technology
October 14 · 16 min
Are Blue Zones real?
The data behind Blue Zones might not be that strong
October 13 · 23 min
Fighting Fear with Facts: Navigating Infectious Disease Information [Sponsored]
From sensationalized health claims to AI-generated misinformation, misleading content can distort how people understand infectious disease. Epidemiologist and science communicator Jessica Malaty Rivera explores why fear spreads, how science evolves and what individuals can do to evaluate sources, recognize emotional manipulation and build trust in evidence. This podcast was produced for Bayer by Scientific American Custom Media, a division separate from the magazine’s board of editors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 12 · 11 min
Nobel winners, neutrino detectors and nature’s longest-living tortoise
Breaking down this year’s Nobel Prize–winning science, from switching brain cells on and off with light to catching cosmic neutrinos in Antarctic ice to building mirror-image molecules. Plus, a 194-year-old tortoise’s DNA might hold the key to a longer life.
October 9 · 18 min
The doctor fighting for pain-free IUDs
A new study shows promising results in lowering pain during IUD placements
October 7 · 14 min
Who’s accountable when AI goes wrong?
A deeper debate over accountability, safety and control.
October 5 · 14 min
El Niño flood threats, measles risks and a risky viral trend
The flood threat, measles risk and TikTok trend to know about

Showing 1–20 of 67 episodes