Science unscripted
668 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★ - 12 ratingsThe science stories that will actually change your day — and maybe make you laugh. Science unscripted is a podcast, radio show & YouTube channel driven by listeners. Hello from Germany :)
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Episodes
Weekly roundup — In your head, your heart & your tummy
April 15, 2024 08:40 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBAngry? New research shows you can 'export' it and then destroy it! Also, make yourself healthier and happier... by being touched... by something!
Please touch me (it's for my health)
April 13, 2024 03:05 - 12 minutes - 13.3 MBAre we touching each other less? Probably. Does it matter? Very much. If you're missing physical contact, new research will make you feel better.
Where do you feel music?
April 12, 2024 09:43 - 17 minutes - 17.7 MBA good song resonates inside you. But the question is... where? Well, it depends — on 'surprise' and 'uncertainty.'
Weekly roundup — There's so much in this one we couldn't find a title
March 30, 2024 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBFrozen hands, subjective aging, understanding autism — this episode has a ton of science (and some angry YouTube comments).
Solar eclipse? Drive carefully.
March 30, 2024 04:05 - 12 minutes - 12.9 MBThere's a 30% increase in car deaths due to solar eclipses, and it's important to know why that happens.
A vaccine for... cocaine?
March 28, 2024 13:13 - 7 minutes - 8.29 MBHuman trials are underway to stop cocaine addiction using vaccines. Do they work? And if so, how?
Weekly roundup — Fat dogs & a new gender bias
March 24, 2024 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBIf you're tempted to blame dog owners for their chunky animals... think twice. Also, should Gabe and Conor be perfectly informed on every study they talk about?
Angry? Don't run. Just breathe.
March 23, 2024 04:05 - 14 minutes - 14.8 MBWe all have ways of dealing with anger. And most of them don't really work.
You probably prefer studies that make women look better (and that's a problem)
March 22, 2024 15:58 - 17 minutes - 18.3 MBWhen new research makes women look good, we tend to like it. When it makes men look good, we don't.
Weekly roundup — Want the job? Be first
March 17, 2024 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBA quirk in human psychology has a big impact on your chances of getting a job, a date or winning a talent show. Also, Conor puts 'social norms erosion' research to the test — twice.
A blood 'breathalyzer' for tired drivers
March 16, 2024 04:05 - 17 minutes - 18 MBExhaustion is almost as dangerous as driving drunk. And researchers might have found a way to prove who's doing it.
Stop f***ing swearing & get some damn sleep
March 14, 2024 04:05 - 13 minutes - 14 MBDid you notice? How the curse words above jolted your brain awake? That effect is real. Don't abuse it.
Weekly roundup — Make yourself do things
March 10, 2024 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBYou a procrastinator? (We are.) New research suggests an unexpected cause of that. Also, if you have a tough time confronting rule breakers in public (because who doesn't), a new study shows there's a way to do it right.
How to stop people from playing loud music & videos on their phones
March 09, 2024 04:05 - 13 minutes - 13.9 MBEver heard someone scrolling TikTok or YouTube Shorts ? It's really annoying — and there's a way to stop it.
The German man who got 200+ COVID vaccinations
March 08, 2024 10:52 - 20 minutes - 20.2 MBYes, he's real. And he was doing it (in part) to make money. But when doctors found out, they asked him to get jabbed a few times more.
Weekly roundup — Dark waters
March 03, 2024 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBA listener email sends us deep into the lakes of Latvia — and to honor victims of genocide, it's important to talk about what it is, how it happens and who it happens to.
Is it possible to reintegrate people who committed genocide?
March 02, 2024 04:05 - 16 minutes - 16.8 MBIf a close neighbor had committed horrific murders 30 years ago and was released back into your community, could you accept that? That they'd been rehabilitated? Researchers are trying to answer that question in Rwanda.
Infectious empathy & a laptop with a nose
March 01, 2024 16:14 - 11 minutes - 12.5 MBIf someone had become more empathetic... how would you know? Also, people are willing to pay more for products that look and talk like humans — but only some products.
Weekly roundup — Smell & anti-depressants
February 18, 2024 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBPowerful smells may mitigate severe depression, and a new study suggests regular erections can help against ED. Also, the fascinating reason humans built a gigantic wall close to a lake roughly 10,000 years ago.
Scared of crime? Motion lights won't help
February 17, 2024 04:05 - 13 minutes - 13.7 MBA new study using VR suggests the things that make neighborhoods safer… don't necessarily make us FEEL safer. (And for God's sake, close the garage door.)
What is the Alaskapox virus?
February 15, 2024 12:02 - 15 minutes - 16.1 MBDeep in a remote forest, a sick, elderly man got scratched by a stray cat — and likely died as a result.
Weekly roundup — Understanding climate deniers (a little better)
February 11, 2024 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBEvery third person thinks human-induced climate change — which is real and caused by us humans — is a fantasy. But if you think it's a psychological trick to drive SUVs or fly (guilt free), a new study suggests you're wrong.
(Psst. Telling secrets is good for you.)
February 10, 2024 04:05 - 13 minutes - 13.9 MBNew research suggests we should divulge our secrets more often than we do. But how you do it matters. (Send secrets to [email protected])
Why is new music so terrible?
February 08, 2024 09:10 - 18 minutes - 19 MBLook, we know we sound like boomers — but there really is something wrong with mass-produced music today, and it's connected to the science of how humans perceive beats.
Weekly roundup — A human was behind this episode
February 04, 2024 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBShould Science unscripted be using AI imagery for its shows? It's a real question, and we don't know how to answer it. Will you help us?
Which decisions are you OK with AI making?
February 03, 2024 04:05 - 11 minutes - 12 MBImagine you got rejected by a university. Except a human didn't reject you — AI did. How do you feel now?
Alzheimer's 'infections' & walking around parking lots
February 01, 2024 14:01 - 14 minutes - 15.1 MBWas Alzheimer's transferred to a handful of patients? Also, a new study shows what parking lots do to your brain.
Suffering from stress at work? (Play video games.)
January 28, 2024 04:05 - 29 minutes - 29.3 MBMost of us employees only have a short time before going to bed to recover from the stress of the work day. Video games can help. But you have to be careful with how you use them.
Were we hunter-gatherers, or gatherer-hunters?
January 26, 2024 15:05 - 14 minutes - 15.4 MBLet's be honest: 'Gatherer-hunters' doesn't quite roll off the tongue. And a new study from up in the Andes doesn't prove we've been plant-based all along.
Weekly roundup — The moral law within me
January 21, 2024 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBA new study suggests it's never a good idea to watch someone else eat raw broccoli. Also, what Job (from the Old Testament) got wrong about wind and wisdom, and the surprising side effect of phobia therapy.
Kids don’t need God to tell them what’s right or wrong
January 19, 2024 04:05 - 13 minutes - 13.8 MBBy asking children whether they should stomp on another kid’s foot, researchers have answered one of the core questions of our existence.
Why more women are doing 'Veganuary'
January 17, 2024 14:31 - 16 minutes - 17 MBLook, we're not trying to push a vegan lifestyle. But it’s worth figuring out why a diet that leads to better human health (and a cooler climate)… just isn't popular with men.
Weekly roundup — Buk, buk, buk, buk... ba-gawk!
January 14, 2024 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBChickens can communicate emotions (like exasperation), and we humans can understand it. Also, our listeners have a wild variety of new status symbols (and one of them is Science unscripted).
How do I become wise?
January 13, 2024 04:05 - 10 minutes - 11.6 MBWe all have an image of what a 'wise person' looks and sounds like. New research shows we're wrong.
A cure for morning sickness?
January 12, 2024 04:05 - 12 minutes - 13.4 MBA new study on mice shows there may be an easy way to prevent — and treat — the debilitating nausea and vomiting that happens in 70% of pregnancies.
We're back!
January 11, 2024 10:45 - 7 minutes - 9.01 MBOnce in a while we have an episode that has nothing to do with science. This one's about how Gabe burned his hair off.
Happy New Year from Science unscripted!
December 31, 2023 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBThanks for listening to (or watching) our show this year. And please don't forget these quick tips on how to have a safe and fun party on December 31.
Why is it so hard to say no to an invitation?
December 17, 2023 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBSometimes we end up at social events because... it's just too awkward to say no. New research suggests you should feel better about declining (if you do it the right way).
Weekly roundup — You can't deepfake this
December 10, 2023 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBConor misplaces a telescope, our solar system is a ballerina, and how to protect your voice from being AI synthesized.
Why are kids getting worse at math?
December 09, 2023 04:05 - 15 minutes - 16 MBAcross the globe, 15-year-olds are doing worse on standardized tests than five years ago. And it may have nothing to do with the pandemic lockdowns.
What was it like when the Earth formed? (And how could we ever know?)
December 07, 2023 14:27 - 18 minutes - 19.1 MBDoes that seem like an impossible question to answer? It sure does. Because you'd have to go back in time to answer it. Or you'd need 30 hours on the planet's most powerful telescope (James Webb).
Weekly roundup — Keep an eye out for bad science
December 03, 2023 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBJust about every study we talk about in this episode has a pretty significant caveat. Also, an emailed warning from a poet who chopped too much firewood.
Do younger siblings make you stupider?
December 02, 2023 04:05 - 17 minutes - 18.1 MBA longitudinal US study shows that having a younger sibling will tend to lower your cognitive development. But the effect vanishes after child number three.
A proliferation of positive language is making science more confusing
December 01, 2023 16:17 - 10 minutes - 11.6 MBIn an unprecedented interview about a unique and novel study, an Austrian researcher explains why the first three adjectives you just read are part of a growing problem.
Fasting doesn't work as well when you're older. Why?
November 28, 2023 04:05 - 21 minutes - 21.1 MBAs you age, your body can get stuck in 'fasting mode,' leading to muscle loss and other problems. New research from Germany gives a clue at how to change that — and maybe live longer?
Weekly roundup — Let's increase our healthspan
November 26, 2023 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBOnce in a while there's a surfeit of positive news in the field of medicine. This week was one of 'em.
Is eye contact rude?
November 24, 2023 13:31 - 16 minutes - 17.3 MBA study on eye contact suggests it isn't aggressive, but actually improves conversation. So why don't we do it more?
Smartphone addiction, warring chimps & so little sulfur
November 18, 2023 04:05 - 16 minutes - 17.1 MBSometimes, improving pollution... makes global warming worse. Also, women are more addicted to their phones than men, chimpanzees use military strategy — and one of our new listeners didn't like us at first.
Climate change: We need cooler (genetically modified?) cows
November 17, 2023 17:35 - 17 minutes - 18.1 MBOne solution to unprecedented cattle die-offs: Modify cows so they can deal with record heat.
Weekly roundup — High temps & higher ground
November 17, 2023 04:05 - 30 minutes - 29.3 MBThe future of weather forecasting might have little to do with atmospheric physics. Also, our listeners had some really interesting things to say about a study on tattoos.