Scientific American

Science Quickly

About the show

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

Newest episodes

Could this be the strongest El Niño in 1,000 years?

Nov 11, 2026 13 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, senior Earth and environment editor Andrea Thompson explains why this year’s El Niño is one of the strongest ever recorded and what that could mean for weather around the world. From hurricanes, droughts and flooding to rising global temperatures, we unpack what the science behind this record-breaking climate event is, why it has scientists stunned and how its impacts could linger long after peak ocean temperatures fade. Recommended Reading: El Niño will push temperatures above 1.5 degrees C. Will we ever come back down? The Super El Niño is already soaking the U.S. Expect more flooding to come This year’s El Niño just broke another sobering record The polar vortex is about to go haywire E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Farm Myths to Modern Agriculture [Sponsored]

Nov 10, 2026 12 min

Social media is full of claims about how farmers raise and grow food, but how much of it holds up? Michelle Miller, a former Iowa corn and soybean farmer known online as Farm Babe, talks about common agriculture myths, regenerative practices and the data, genetics and autonomous tools shaping farms today. 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

Mystery cat farts, measles and malicious cyberattacks

Nov 9, 2026 12 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, we cover a tragic measles death that highlights the dangers of declining vaccination rates, examine a wave of cyberattacks that are turning supermarket freezers into heaters and investigate one of science’s most important questions: Do cats fart? From public health threats to cybersecurity risks to feline flatulence, it’s a week of science news that’s equal parts alarming and absurd. Recommended Reading: New York’s first measles death in 30 years is an omen of worse to come Hackers are turning supermarket freezers into heaters Do cats fart? An investigation into the mysteries of feline flatulence E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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All episodes

The newest 50 of 1,998 episodes

Could this be the strongest El Niño in 1,000 years?

Nov 11, 2026 13 min

From Farm Myths to Modern Agriculture [Sponsored]

Nov 10, 2026 12 min

Mystery cat farts, measles and malicious cyberattacks

Nov 9, 2026 12 min

What scares the people making AI

Nov 6, 2026 27 min

As artificial intelligence becomes woven into daily life, the race to build increasingly powerful systems is only accelerating. In this episode of Science Quickly, tech journalist Kevin Roose discusses the rise of artificial general intelligence and explains why some of the people developing AI are among its most vocal worriers and what the technology's rapid evolution could mean for society, safety and the future of humanity. Recommended Reading: The AGI Chronicles: The Inside Story of the Race to Create an Artificial Superintelligence. Kevin Roose. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2026 E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could ultrasound interrupt the brain’s addiction loop? [Sponsored]

Nov 5, 2026 15 min

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

From tofu to biodiesel: How soybeans dominate America

Nov 4, 2026 15 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, Rachel Feltman speaks with environmental historian Edward Melillo about the tiny soybean, which has come to dominate America’s diet. When you think of soy, you may only picture a block of yummy tofu or soy milk, but this crop has quietly made its way into 60 percent of processed foods. In fact, 2026 is on track to become a record soybean harvest for the U.S. And soy doesn’t just show up on our plates: as an oil, it can power trucks, buses and even planes. Tune in to hear how this plant took over the American food system. Recommended Reading: How Seed Oils Became Controversial—And What the Science Really Says Why corn isn’t entirely to blame for ‘corn sweat’ E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ebola surge, AI math shocker and daylight saving time

Nov 2, 2026 12 min

In this week’s news roundup, we take a look at what’s happening with the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa. Later SciAm editorial fellow Peter Hall joins host Rachel Feltman to discuss recent claims by OpenAI and Anthropic that their models have solved some of the world’s toughest math and physics problems. Plus, we dive into new research that suggests making daylight saving time permanent could put schoolchildren at risk. Recommended Reading: Dueling proofs from OpenAI and Anthropic astound scientists OpenAI just scooped mathematicians’ work on another million-dollar problem E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why we’re still obsessed with vampires

Oct 30, 2026 20 min

In this Halloween special episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman explores why our fascination with vampires refuses to die. We dive into the spooky history of vampires—from tuberculosis outbreaks in the 18th and 19th centuries to sexy pop culture icons—and examine what our collective obsession with them says about us. Recommended Reading: Exhumed: Unearthing the History of the American Vampire. Aaron Mahnke. Running Press Adult, 2026 Recreational Fear Lab, co-directed by Mathias Clasen, at Aarhus University in Denmark “Monsters and Posttraumatic Stress: An Experiential-Processing Model of Monster Imagery in Psychological Therapy, Film and Television,” by Jenny Hamilton, in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Vol. 7, Article No. 142. Published online November 5, 2020 E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reducing Treatment Burden While Preserving Sight [Sponsored]

Oct 29, 2026 12 min

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

Why science is on the ballot in the midterms

Oct 28, 2026 14 min

What does science have to do with the midterms? In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman speaks with Scientific American breaking news reporter Adam Kovac about candidates with science backgrounds, the future of Medicare for All, the role of evidence in policymaking and the election’s consequences for the broader scientific community. Recommended Reading: Abdul El-Sayed explains how science influences his politics Tom Stalcup on climate change, a science-based approach to politics and misinformation E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finding Nutrition Truth in a World of Myths [Sponsored]

Oct 27, 2026 20 min

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

Cartwheeling snakes, vocal vultures and a mysterious Martian moon

Oct 26, 2026 11 min

On this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman discusses Japan’s half-billion-dollar mission to land on Mars’s lumpy little moon Phobos and catches up on animal behavior, both big and small—from newly discovered cartwheeling snakes to the surprisingly complex vocal repertoire of social vultures. We also explore how Japanese macaques developed food caution after surviving a disease outbreak and why adults are actually more creative than preschoolers (they just need more confidence). See the cartwheeling snakes here! Recommended Reading: How did Mars get its moons? Japan’s MMX mission is about to find out The Primal Pull of People Watching E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Emily Makowski, Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why your brain hates uncertainty

Oct 23, 2026 22 min

Our brains are constantly trying to predict what comes next, but in an increasingly unpredictable world, that mental workload can fuel stress, anxiety and even depression. In this episode of Science Quickly, author Maia Szalavitz explains how the brain processes uncertainty, why some people are better equipped to handle it than others and how we can build resilience by learning to embrace the unknown. Recommended Reading: How uncertainty breaks the brain E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slime molds, Pompeii and alien consciousness with Annalee Newitz

Oct 21, 2026 20 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, science journalist and science-fiction author Annalee Newitz discusses their novel A Wall Is Also a Road, a story about a graduate student who also happens to be a conscious slime mold alien. The slime mold, named Gardenpath, has decided to study an alien civilization, and her fieldwork has taken her to Pompeii, where she befriends a local sex worker named Murtis. Newitz and Science Quickly host Rachel Feltman talk about the compelling nature of slime molds, the value of looking at human civilization from the outside and the ordinary people of Pompeii. Recommended Reading: Ancient Roman scrolls destroyed by Mount Vesuvius digitally unrolled in full for first time Tom Hiddleston on Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius and the human stories frozen in time Slime Mold Helps to Map the Universe’s Tendrils of Dark Matter How Slime Molds Remember Where They Ate E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cover Story: Escaping the Infinite Scroll

Oct 20, 2026 29 min

How much screen time is too much? In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American associate editor Allison Parshall reads her November cover story, “Escaping the Infinite Scroll.” In the story, she explores the growing debate over screen addiction and problematic social media use. From landmark lawsuits against tech companies to the psychology behind endless scrolling, she explains what researchers know about digital dependence, why social platforms are designed to keep us engaged and how some people are turning to addiction-style recovery programs for help. Recommended Reading: Meta to pay $18 billion and make sweeping app changes to settle social media harms lawsuit E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Allison Rodgers. The article was fact-checked by Wudan Yan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bee stingers, plastic risks and ovarian surprises

Oct 19, 2026 9 min

In this episode of Science Quickly: a surprising discovery about postmenopausal ovaries, new evidence that microplastics may harm cells through their physical structure, the secret mechanics of honeybee stingers and a cyberattack that spoiled food in hundreds of supermarkets. Catch up on the latest science and tech news. Recommended Reading: Do women hit a biological ‘cliff’ at menopause? Microplastics are linked to inflammation—scientists might have finally worked out why Honeybees deemphasize potential ‘misinformation’ in their waggle dances E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What science says about endless phone scrolling

Oct 16, 2026 23 min

How much screen time is too much? In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American associate editor Allison Parshall explores the growing debate over screen addiction and problematic social media use. From landmark lawsuits against tech companies to the psychology behind endless scrolling, she explains what researchers know about digital dependence, why social platforms are designed to keep us engaged and how some people are turning to addiction-style recovery programs for help. Recommended Reading: Meta to pay $18 billion and make sweeping app changes to settle social media harms lawsuit E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are Blue Zones real?

Oct 14, 2026 16 min

Longevity research has fueled books, documentaries and billion-dollar industries, but how much of it stands up to scrutiny? In this episode, researcher Saul Justin Newman explains why he believes that the evidence behind Blue Zones, antiaging interventions and some of the biggest claims in longevity science may be far weaker than advertised and what the debate reveals about our enduring quest to live longer. Recommended Reading: Morbid. Saul Justin Newman. MIT Press, 2026 ‘Universal’ aging clocks offer new clues to longevity E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fighting Fear with Facts: Navigating Infectious Disease Information [Sponsored]

Oct 13, 2026 23 min

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

Nobel winners, neutrino detectors and nature’s longest-living tortoise

Oct 12, 2026 11 min

This week’s science news roundup unpacks the 2026 Nobel Prizes—from controlling brain cells with flashes of light to catching ghostly neutrinos from distant galaxies in Antarctic ice to building mirror-image molecules one at a time. Plus, we meet Jonathan, a 194-year-old tortoise whose DNA might hold the secret to a longer life. Recommended Reading: 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to pioneers in ‘mirror’ chemistry 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to Francis Halzen, pioneer of high-energy neutrinos 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded to scientists behind optogenetics The oldest known land animal is 194. How did he get so ancient? E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck fact-checked our show. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The doctor fighting for pain-free IUDs

Oct 9, 2026 18 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, Rachel Feltman speaks with Helena Kopp Kallner, an ob-gyn and a professor, about her promising new study that shows local anesthetic can reduce pain during placements of intrauterine devices (IUDs). These devices are one of the most effective and convenient forms of birth control, but the pain of insertion keeps many patients away. Kopp Kallner explains why IUD insertion pain has long been ignored, how existing pain-relief options fall short and why patients themselves may be the key to driving adoption of this evidence-based approach. Recommended Reading: What Is Long-Acting Reversible Birth Control? Misinformation around Birth Control Online Is a Form of Contraception Coercion E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who’s accountable when AI goes wrong?

Oct 7, 2026 14 min

When news broke that OpenAI agents had breached the AI platform Hugging Face, many headlines framed it as a case of “rogue” artificial intelligence acting on its own. But how much of that narrative was reality, and how much was hype? In this episode, Rachel Feltman speaks with AI researcher and artist Eryk Salvaggio about what really happened, why human design choices played a central role and what the incident reveals about accountability in an age of increasingly powerful AI systems. Recommended Reading: “Rogue AI didn’t breach Hugging Face, human decisions did,” by Eryk Salvaggio, in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Published online September 11, 2026 The real danger in OpenAI’s Hugging Face hack Eryk Salvaggio’s Cybernetic Forests newsletter Eryk Salvaggio’s Critical Vocabulary for Artificial Intelligence E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

El Niño flood threats, measles risks and a risky viral trend

Oct 5, 2026 14 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, we explore how an El Niño–driven Kelvin wave could increase coastal flooding risks in California, why researchers say a plan to weaken vaccine requirements could leave Florida vulnerable to major measles outbreaks and what experts want people to know about the dangers of a garlic-and-honey remedy that’s gone viral on TikTok. Recommended Reading: Why this El Niño will be the largest in living memory The Atlantic hurricane season has been so quiet it’s unprecedented This TikTok home remedy could cause botulism—here’s what to know E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck fact-checked our show. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’re probably walking past edible plants every day

Oct 2, 2026 19 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, Rachel Feltman speaks with Alexis Nikole Nelson, better known as Black Forager, about her new book Happy Snacking, Don’t Die! Nelson shares how a childhood fascination with edible plants grew into a passion for foraging, conservation and science communication. From city sidewalk snacks and serviceberries to ocean-water pickles, she explains how foraging can deepen our connection to nature while encouraging responsible stewardship of the ecosystems that sustain us. Recommended Reading: Happy Snacking, Don’t Die! Alexis Nikole Nelson. S&S/Simon Element, 2026 E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you spot a romance scam?

Sep 30, 2026 18 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, Rachel Feltman speaks with criminologist Fangzhou Wang about how romance scams have evolved from simple online deception into sophisticated, artificial-intelligence-powered fraud operations. They discuss how scammers use dating apps, fake identities, deepfakes and cryptocurrency schemes to build trust and steal money and what researchers are learning about helping people recognize and resist manipulation before they become victims. Recommended Reading: “Daejon Love Case Highlights Online Romance Scams: Research Reveals Scammers’ Tactics—And How to Defend against Them,” by Fangzhou Wang, in the Conversation. Published online September 2, 2026 Fangzhou Wang’s profile at the University of Texas at Arlington “A Crime Script Analysis of Pao Fen Operations and the Construction of Prevention Strategies,” by Fangzhou Wang, in Crime & Delinquency. Published online August 14, 2025 “The Prevention of Online Romance Scams Using a Crime Script Analysis from the Victim’s Perspective,” by Fangzhou Wang and James D. Kelsay, in International Review of Victimology, Vol. 32, No. 2; May 2026 E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Navigating Science and Health Misinformation [Sponsored]

Sep 29, 2026 20 min

As health misinformation surges online, Morgan McSweeney—known online as Dr. Noc, a science communicator and immunology expert whose videos reach millions each month across TikTok, Instagram, and X—explores why facts alone might not be enough to earn public trust, and what science communicators can do differently. 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

Fire amoebas, fossilized vomit and AI energy demands

Sep 28, 2026 10 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, we cover discoveries both big and small, from the supersized particle collider needed to find the next subatomic specimen to tropical sea turtles that found new nesting grounds to a recently discovered eukaryote surprising scientists by surviving hellish temperatures and the ever growing energy needed to power artificial intelligence data centers. Recommended Reading: What’s the Smallest Particle in the Universe? Physicists trace particles back to the quantum vacuum AI’s Power Needs Will Destroy the Renewable Energy Revolution AI Will Drive Doubling of Data Center Energy Demand by 2030 E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unexplainable: Dark matter and the end of answers

Sep 25, 2026 34 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, we share part two of our crossover with Vox’s Unexplainable in which we explore one of the universe’s biggest mysteries: dark matter. Host Noam Hassenfeld talks with Scientific American senior reporter Joseph Howlett, a former physicist who spent years searching for dark matter deep beneath an Italian mountain. Their conversation traces the decades-long hunt for the invisible substance thought to make up most of the universe’s matter and explores an even deeper question: What if some mysteries are beyond science’s reach? Recommended Reading: What if we never find dark matter? Listen to Unexplainable Unexplainable on Spotify E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rethinking Age-Related Vision Loss [Sponsored]

Sep 24, 2026 20 min

Treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration has advanced significantly with anti-VEGF therapies, but the need for frequent injections remains a challenge. A new, longer-lasting treatment now in development aims to reduce treatment burden while helping preserve vision. 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

Should you be ‘poop maxxing’?

Sep 23, 2026 16 min

As colon cancer rates rise in younger adults, more and more people are paying attention to their poop and talking about it on social media, where such “poop maxxing” has become a hashtag. But what’s considered normal, and how can we measure our number twos? Board-certified gastroenterologist Wendi LeBrett joins Rachel Feltman to talk about what’s going on with the poop maxxing trend on social media, what a healthy stool should look and feel like, what common misconceptions around gut health people have, when to see a doctor, and more. Recommended Reading: Colon cancer is killing more young people in the U.S. than any other cancer Scientists gave the same sample to seven at-home microbiome tests. The results were dramatically different A pair of gut bacteria may cause constipation E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura. Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck fact-check our show. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Space weapons are here, and AI experts are sounding alarms

Sep 21, 2026 15 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, we discuss newly revealed U.S. space weapons, growing artificial intelligence safety concerns and the Environmental Protection Agency’s rollback of power plant emissions limits before we end with a look at the tiny sand hoppers reshaping California’s beaches. Recommended Reading: It’s official: The U.S. has weapons in space Trump repeals emissions regulations of fossil-fuel power plants The real danger in OpenAI’s Hugging Face hack E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you hear a forest disappear?

Sep 18, 2026 19 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, filmmaker and journalist Leah Varjacques takes us to a Bornean rainforest area, where centuries-old patterns of human and wildlife behavior are being disrupted by the construction of a new capital city. In the midst of all this change, Varjacques documents the work of Wendy Erb, a primatologist and bioacoustic scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Erb’s team, working with members of the local Balik population, placed audio recorders around the forest to capture the sounds of this diverse ecosystem before it changes forever. Recommended Reading: Can you hear a forest disappearing? Scientists are trying to find out E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. This episode was reported and narrated by Leah Varjacques, with additional voiceover work by Rizky Rahad. This story was made possible by a grant from the Pulitzer Center and published in partnership with Project Multatuli. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unexplainable: What happened before the big bang?

Sep 16, 2026 26 min

In this special crossover episode, Science Quickly shares an appearance by host Rachel Feltman on Vox’s Unexplainable. Together with host Noam Hassenfeld, she explores Scientific American’s special issue on impossible questions, diving into some of science’s biggest mysteries, from how common medications can work without scientists fully understanding them to whether there’s a limit to what humans can ever know. The conversation also ventures to the edge of cosmology, examining competing theories about what may have come before the big bang and why some questions might remain forever unanswered. Recommended Reading: Finding meaning in the impossible The questions science may never answer Listen to Unexplainable Unexplainable on Spotify E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From 9/11’s lasting legacy to AI’s disruptive future

Sep 14, 2026 12 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, we explore newly released 9/11 records and their revelations about the attacks’ lasting health impacts, unpack a controversial artificial intelligence breakthrough that solved one of mathematics’ biggest problems and examine the growing backlash to a massive AI data center as communities grapple with the costs of powering the AI boom. Recommended Reading: 25 years after 9/11, survivors are still getting sick—here are the numbers AI may have just solved a million-dollar math problem. The field will never be the same The data center backlash comes for SpaceXAI’s Colossus E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is AI making us less human?

Sep 11, 2026 26 min

Can an artificial intelligence really be a friend? In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American books and culture lead Bri Kane sits down with Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher Sherry Turkle to discuss the rise of AI chatbots and their effect on human connection. Turkle explains why she believes AI can imitate intimacy, from empathy and companionship to friendship and love, without truly caring and what we risk losing as machines play a bigger role in our emotional lives. Recommended Reading: Artificial Intimacy. Sherry Turkle. Little, Brown and Company, 2026 E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Emily Makowski, Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The surprising science of friendship

Sep 9, 2026 17 min

Friendships are key to our well-being, but what kind of friendships do we really want? Despite being such a foundational part of the human experience, the science of friendship is still mysterious. Assistant professor of psychology Jessica Ayers is trying to fill in the blanks. While it’s long been assumed that people want either a few close friends or a large network of friendships, her recent research shows that many people need a mix of both friendship types to feel connected. Her research points to new ways we can understand our own friendship styles and gives insight to the loneliness epidemic. Recommended Reading: A lot of casual friends, or only a few you’re really close with? New research questions that trade‑off Love Isn’t Just about Romance. Here’s How Nonromantic Bonds Shape Our Lives The Evolutionary Origins of Friendship How Nostalgia Keeps Friendships Alive E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Emily Makowski, Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if a dating app matched you with a dead body?

Sep 4, 2026 15 min

What if a dating app could optimize human connection, even after death? In this episode of Science Quickly, books and culture editor Bri Kane speaks with author Sarah Pierce about her debut novel For Human Use, a darkly comic thriller centered on a dating app that matches users with dead bodies. Pierce discusses dating apps, human behavior and the search for meaningful connection. Together, they explore what modern dating technology can and can’t offer and what our reactions to a truly bizarre innovation reveal about human behavior. Recommended Reading: For Human Use. Sarah G. Pierce. Run for It, 2026 E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hackers fighting to keep our water safe

Sep 2, 2026 15 min

Across the U.S., the digital infrastructure that runs our utilities is quickly aging, becoming more vulnerable to cyber attacks. Recently at least a dozen states reported attacks on their water systems. Stepping up to defend these utilities is DEF CON Franklin, an organization that pairs expert volunteers with infrastructure operators who want to step up their cyberdefense. To learn about how the program works, Science Quickly host Rachel Feltman talks with Eric Geller, a senior reporter at Cybersecurity Dive. They talk about why so many water treatment plants need a cybersecurity glow-up, how DEF CON Franklin came into being, how cybersecurity volunteers are helping protect rural communities and what the future of cybersecurity might look like. Recommended Reading: Hackers Could Use Electric Vehicle Chargers to Attack the Power Grid Massive CrowdStrike Tech Outage Highlights Global Vulnerabilities Scientists just built a powerful AI computer worm that learns as it spreads E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope launches

Aug 31, 2026 14 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope begins its mission to probe dark energy, hunt for distant worlds and map the cosmos in unprecedented detail. The mission’s senior project scientist Julie McEnery explains why astronomers are so excited about what Roman might discover. Recommended Reading: NASA’s newest telescope is about to rewrite how we study the universe Can NASA’s Roman Space Telescope solve the biggest problem in the universe? E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Trump abandoning endangered species?

Aug 28, 2026 19 min

In July the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced changes to how key parts of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) will be implemented, including a new definition of what it means to “harm” an endangered species. To discuss the history of the ESA, the impact its made on at-risk wildlife and the importance of habitat preservation, Science Quickly host Rachel Feltman talks to marine biologist Lynne Barre, who recently left the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after a 25-year career at the agency. They talk about the gray whale comeback that the ESA helped bring about, the earlier Supreme Court dissent that the current administration is using to define “harm” and the government workforce problem that could put animals at risk. Recommended Reading: Protecting Plants and Animals at Risk Must Start before They Need the Endangered Species Act Can We Save Every Species from Extinction? E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Allison Rodgers and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could damaged sperm be causing miscarriages?

Aug 26, 2026 12 min

Miscarriage is often treated as a problem rooted in the pregnant partner, but emerging research suggests sperm may play a bigger role than many people realize. Science journalist Sarah Elizabeth Richards joins Science Quickly to discuss how growing evidence links sperm DNA damage to recurrent pregnancy loss, why decades-old tests for such damage are only now gaining wider recognition and how lifestyle changes may help improve sperm health and pregnancy outcomes. Recommended Reading: Damaged sperm might be the true cause of repeated miscarriages E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when Arctic ice melts and forests lose protection?

Aug 24, 2026 11 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, we examine a proposal to roll back protections for millions of acres of U.S. roadless forests, explore how climate change is opening a new Arctic shipping route and discuss new research suggesting that extreme weather can shape how Americans view their future. Plus, scientists uncover the secrets of shrew noses and narwhal tusks. Recommended Reading: How melting Arctic ice has created a new Silk Road Trump moves to end protections for 44 million acres of U.S. forests Extreme weather is making Americans feel powerless E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can magic mushrooms help treat anorexia?

Aug 21, 2026 24 min

A small clinical trial suggests that psilocybin, the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, may help some people with anorexia when combined with intensive therapy. Science Quickly host Rachel Feltman speaks with health journalist Alexandra Pattillo about what early research has found, why scientists think psychedelics could help loosen the rigid thought patterns associated with eating disorders, and why experts say larger studies are needed before the treatment can be considered a proven option Recommended Reading: Could psilocybin be the key to treating anorexia? Americans are increasingly open to using psychedelics for medical reasons Trump’s psychedelics executive order could accelerate new treatments—including for children E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is AI making the creativity crisis worse?

Aug 19, 2026 15 min

Astrophysicist, folklorist and author Moiya McTier joins Science Quickly to discuss her new book Mothers of Invention, a sweeping look at the history of human creativity. From the Greek muses and the invention of writing to the rise of generative artificial intelligence, McTier explores how people create, innovate and tell stories and what today’s “creativity crisis” might mean for the future of art and originality. Recommended Reading: Mothers of Invention. Moiya McTier. Grand Central Publishing, 2026 Join our Summer Reading Challenge E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A stunning solar eclipse, a vaccine shake-up and coffee’s big win

Aug 17, 2026 12 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, we explore the awe of a rare total solar eclipse, examine renewed controversy around childhood vaccines, look at the aftermath of Colombia’s major earthquake and unpack the latest evidence on coffee’s health benefits. Recommended Reading: The 2026 Solar Eclipse Colombia rocked by 7.4 magnitude earthquake—its largest in the past decade Trump issues executive order aimed at rewriting childhood vaccine schedule RFK, Jr., Is Wrong about Cause of Rising Autism Rates, Scientists Say Science may finally have made up its mind about coffee’s health benefits Join our Summer Reading Challenge E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How AI helped a nonspeaking opera star find his voice

Aug 14, 2026 24 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, we meet Jakob Jordan, an autistic performer with apraxia, who stars in the groundbreaking opera Sensorium Ex. Host Rachel Feltman talks with Jordan, composer Paola Prestini and New York University researcher Luke DuBois about the custom artificial intelligence voice technology that helped Jordan express himself in a way traditional speech devices can’t. Together, they explore how AI can enhance, rather than replace, human creativity and communication. Recommended Reading: More about Sensorium Ex Join our Summer Reading Challenge E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could humans learn to speak in music?

Aug 12, 2026 23 min

What would it take to create a language made entirely of music? In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American’s Allison Parshall explores the science and linguistics behind musical languages, from real-world constructed languages to the intricate note-based communication system created for the alien Rocky in Project Hail Mary. Learn how linguists transformed rhythm and pitch into a fully functional language and what these imaginative experiments reveal about the nature of communication itself. Recommended Reading: Andy Weir on Ryan Gosling, alien contact and the wild science of Project Hail Mary Ryan Gosling says Project Hail Mary is ‘a reminder of what we’re capable of’ How did humans evolve language? It may be far more ancient than scientists realized Join our Summer Reading Challenge E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was reported by Allison Parshall and edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A moon crash, water hacks and a new mRNA flu shot

Aug 10, 2026 14 min

A wayward SpaceX rocket crashes into the moon, offering scientists a rare chance to study a lunar impact, while cyberattacks targeting U.S. water utilities raise concerns about critical infrastructure security. We also unpack the record-breaking Cyclospora outbreak driving shoppers to farmers markets and explore the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the first mRNA-based flu vaccine. Recommended Reading: A SpaceX rocket is about to crash into the moon—scientists will be watching Elon Musk reveals SpaceX plans to build satellite factories on the moon In a first, U.S. approves powerful new mRNA vaccine for flu Cyclospora outbreak tied to two deaths as parasite-borne illness continues to rage Join our Summer Reading Challenge E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Gen Z making smoking cool again?

Aug 7, 2026 13 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American’s Adam Kovac joins host Rachel Feltman to explore why some experts worry cigarettes may be making a comeback among Generation Z. They discuss how social media, celebrity influence and growing anxiety among young people may have roles in the possible trend and why public health researchers are watching it closely. Recommended Reading: Is Gen Z actually smoking more? An investigation Antinicotine advocates and lawmakers criticize the FDA’s decision to approve flavored vapes A smoking ban for people born after 2008 may be on the cusp of becoming law in the U.K. Here’s what to know Join our Summer Reading Challenge E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Getting to YouTube science stardom by building $#!%ty robots

Aug 5, 2026 24 min

In this episode of Science Quickly, we talk with Simone Giertz, YouTube maker extraordinaire, about her life in science and the influencer spotlight. She started making, in her words, “s****y robots” and has evolved into a maker and product designer. But while she makes things to solve ordinary problems, her designs are anything but. Simone’s ethos is all about questioning why we use certain objects the way we do—and realizing that anyone can make up a new thing to make their lives a little better. Recommended Watching: Simone Giertz’s YouTube Join our Summer Reading Challenge http://sciam.com/readingchallenge E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Jeff DelViscio, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Podcast details

Created by: Scientific American
Status: Active
Latest episode: Nov 11, 2026
Episodes: 1,998
Release period: Daily
Avg. episode length: 16 min
Explicit: No
Language: English

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