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.

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299 episodes
Updated Wednesday

Episodes299

Newest first

Jun 30, 2021 · 31 min
Henrietta Leavitt and the end of the universe
In the early 1900s, Henrietta Leavitt made one of the most important discoveries in the history of astronomy: a yardstick to measure distances to faraway stars.
Jun 23, 2021 · 27 min
How do animals know where to go?
As part of a massive new global tracking project, scientists are monitoring animals from a receiver on the International Space Station, mapping the incredible, previously unknown journeys that animals undertake. They’re beginning to tackle questions like how far do animals actually move? And how in the world do they know where they’re going? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 16, 2021 · 25 min
Invasion of the jumping worms
These worms are fast, they’re mysterious, and they’re quickly changing North American ecosystems.
Jun 9, 2021 · 28 min
The many heights of Mount Everest
How tall is the world’s tallest mountain?
Jun 2, 2021 · 32 min
Unexplainable Flying Objects
UFOs are real, but that doesn’t mean they’re aliens.
May 26, 2021 · 32 min
The hunt for a new Pluto
Something strange is going on at the outer reaches of the solar system.
May 19, 2021 · 28 min
Cloudy with a chance of chaos
It’s surprisingly hard to predict how clouds form, move, and change.
May 12, 2021 · 24 min
A new force of nature?
Last month, physicists at Fermilab in Illinois found that tiny subatomic particles called muons were wobbling strangely.
May 5, 2021 · 25 min
Placebos work. Why?
For decades, scientists thought that placebos only worked if patients didn’t know they were taking them.
Apr 28, 2021 · 23 min
A virus that could heal people
In 2016, the UN declared antibiotic-resistant bacteria the “greatest and most urgent global risk.” Our best hope just might be phages,
Apr 21, 2021 · 26 min
The Twilight Zone of the ocean
A dive into its mysterious depths
Apr 14, 2021 · 25 min
The viral ghosts of long Covid
Scientists don’t understand why so many people suffer from Covid-19 symptoms for months, long after they stop testing positive.
Apr 7, 2021 · 29 min
Is a ton of psychology just ... wrong?
Psych!
Mar 31, 2021 · 26 min
It’s ball lightning!
A perfect sphere of crackling light
Mar 24, 2021 · 27 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.
Mar 17, 2021 · 28 min
Journey Toward the Center of the Earth
What lies beneath our feet?
Mar 10, 2021 · 29 min
No one nose
Believe it or not, scientists still don't know how the sense of smell works.
Mar 10, 2021 · 33 min
Most of the universe is missing
Scientists all over the world are searching for dark matter: an invisible, untouchable substance that holds our universe together.
Feb 19, 2021 · 2 min
Introducing Unexplainable
Scientists don’t know what 95% of the universe is made of. They don’t know how a bike stays up. They don’t even really know how the nose works. Join us every Wednesday on Unexplainable for deep dives into the unknown, because what we don’t know is awesome. New episodes March 10th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unexplainable

Henrietta Leavitt and the end of the universe

How do animals know where to go?

Invasion of the jumping worms

The many heights of Mount Everest

Unexplainable Flying Objects

The hunt for a new Pluto

Cloudy with a chance of chaos

A new force of nature?

Placebos work. Why?

A virus that could heal people

The Twilight Zone of the ocean

The viral ghosts of long Covid

Is a ton of psychology just ... wrong?

It’s ball lightning!

Skeleton Lake

Journey Toward the Center of the Earth

No one nose

Most of the universe is missing

Introducing Unexplainable