Unexplainable

Vox

Unexplainable takes listeners right up to the edge of what we know…and then keeps on going. The Unexplainable team — Noam Hassenfeld, Julia Longoria, Byrd Pinkerton, and Meradith Hoddinott — tackles scientific mysteries, unanswered questions, and everything we learn diving into the unknown. New episodes Mondays and Wednesdays.

From Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Listen in podnod RSS feed

299 episodes
Updated Wednesday

Episodes299

Newest first

May 11, 2022 · 23 min
Why do we dream?
Dreams are weird, but can they be a scientific tool?
May 4, 2022 · 28 min
Should I take a DNA ancestry test?
What are the scientific, family, and privacy implications?
Apr 27, 2022 · 24 min
My octopus friend?
Octopuses are largely solitary animals, but there have been rare times — notably in the movie My Octopus Teacher — where they seem to have become comfortable around humans
Apr 20, 2022 · 30 min
Glow in the dark ocean
Most deep-water creatures are bioluminescent. Marine biologist Edie Widder has spent the last 40 years trying to figure out why.
Apr 13, 2022 · 25 min
When reality broke
In the 1920s, the scientist Werner Heisenberg came up with a wild idea that broke reality as Western science knew it.
Apr 6, 2022 · 26 min
Making Sense: The sixth sense
Why stop at five senses?
Mar 30, 2022 · 24 min
Making Sense: Sight unseen
Close your eyes and try to imagine an apple. Can you see anything?
Mar 23, 2022 · 37 min
Making Sense: The Umami Mama
For thousands of years, there have been four basic tastes recognized across cultures.
Mar 16, 2022 · 29 min
Making Sense: No one nose
Dogs can smell cancer, Covid-19, and many other health problems in humans. Now, scientists are trying to duplicate these powers in robotic sniffers. But there’s a big challenge here: Scientists don’t really understand how smell works. This is the third episode of our six-part series, Making Sense, and it originally ran on March 10, 2021. For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s a great place to view show transcripts and read more about the topics on our show. Also, email us! unexplainable@vox.com We read every email. Support Unexplainable by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 9, 2022 · 28 min
Making Sense: The healing power of touch
Doctors can save the lives of premature infants, but the process is often painful. Luckily, a solution might be as simple as a parent’s loving touch.
Mar 2, 2022 · 40 min
Making Sense: How sound becomes hearing
In the same way optical illusions trick our eyes, audio illusions can trick our ears.
Feb 16, 2022 · 22 min
The methane hunters
Methane traps more than 80 times as much heat as CO2 over the short term.
Feb 9, 2022 · 32 min
What is love?
Can science help us predict whether a relationship will succeed? Or is it all just chaos?
Feb 2, 2022 · 21 min
A sonic tour of the solar system
What does it sound like on Mars? On Jupiter? Titan?
Jan 26, 2022 · 30 min
Finding asteroids before they find us
Scientists are constantly searching for asteroids that could crash into Earth.
Jan 19, 2022 · 28 min
Skeleton Lake
When scientists examined the DNA of ancient bones found near a Himalayan lake, they were forced to confront a seemingly impossible conclusion.
Jan 12, 2022 · 27 min
Are humans running out of sperm?
In 2017, researchers published an explosive finding: Sperm counts may be declining in some countries around the world.
Jan 5, 2022 · 28 min
The quest to build a star
Scientists are closer than ever to harnessing fusion power — the same process that powers the sun — by essentially making a small star here on Earth.
Dec 31, 2021 · 5 min
BONUS: The 2021 song
Noam wrote an end-of-year song with Today, Explained host Sean Rameswaram, so we thought to drop it here as a little end-of-year surprise.
Dec 22, 2021 · 53 min
The building blocks of the universe
Most of the matter in the universe is dark matter, an invisible, untouchable, mysterious substance. Scientists don’t know what exactly dark matter is, despite decades of searching. But recently, they got a new clue in the form of an extremely tiny dancer.

Unexplainable

Why do we dream?

Should I take a DNA ancestry test?

My octopus friend?

Glow in the dark ocean

When reality broke

Making Sense: The sixth sense

Making Sense: Sight unseen

Making Sense: The Umami Mama

Making Sense: No one nose

Making Sense: The healing power of touch

Making Sense: How sound becomes hearing

The methane hunters

What is love?

A sonic tour of the solar system

Finding asteroids before they find us

Skeleton Lake

Are humans running out of sperm?

The quest to build a star

BONUS: The 2021 song

The building blocks of the universe