The wildest stories that never made it into our episodes. Until now. Guests: Amy Boddy, anthropological scientist at the University of... more

Dogs were the first domesticated animal in history, emerging from wolves some 20,000 years ago. But how did wolves become... more

We know Neanderthals and early modern humans coupled up. But when did they meet, exactly? And where? Some fossilized smoke... more

It’s not great to be a lab rat. And it turns out, lab rats might not be that great for... more

This week on Unexplainable or Not, we’ve got three scientific mysteries all about left and right. Jonquilyn Hill, host of... more

For decades, scientists thought that placebos only worked if patients didn’t know they were taking them. Not anymore: You can... more

It makes sense that we run away from scary things. That’s a good way to stay alive. But why do... more

Drugs like ecstasy and mushrooms have shown promise as mental health treatments, but they’re also exposing some major cracks in... more

How we feel emotionally may be influenced by unseen troves of microbial life that live inside us. Is it possible... more

As the world gets warmer and storms get worse, insurance companies are jacking up rates — or refusing to cover... more

Doctors have started transplanting animal organs into people, hoping this experimental procedure could one day solve an organ shortage crisis... more

Scientists have lots of ways to try to answer that question, and lots of different predictions. So how do they... more

Probably not. But Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz decided to try anyway, putting his body — and specifically his... more

Scientists just discovered oxygen being produced without sunlight — without photosynthesis — at the bottom of the ocean. This “dark... more

For decades, search and rescue teams followed an accepted playbook. Now, scientists are helping them reimagine how to find lost... more

With antibiotic resistance on the rise, some scientists are turning to viruses as a medical tool. But we barely know... more

Our bodies are teeming with viruses. But some of them, called phages, might play a really important role in keeping... more

The FDA is about to announce whether it’s going to approve MDMA as a treatment for PTSD. Our friends at... more

They probably didn’t roar like lions. Their real voices were likely much, much weirder. We asked scientists to help us... more

It’s possible that the entire observable universe is inside a black hole. All we need to do to find out... more

Send this episode to the person who constantly hounds you not to slouch. Guest: Beth Linker, author of “Slouch: Posture Panic... more

People yawn when they’re bored, right? So then why do athletes yawn before races? And why do so many animals... more

Can a physicist predict our messy economy by building an enormous simulation of the entire world? For show transcripts, go to... more

Inflation is one of the most significant issues shaping the 2024 election. But how much can we actually do to... more

It’s hard to figure out the economic value of a wild bat or any other part of the natural world,... more

Seventy-five percent of the seafloor remains unmapped and unexplored, but the first few glimpses scientists have gotten of the ocean’s... more

If you just stood up and shouted, “It’s Mount Everest, duh!” then take a seat. Not only is Everest’s official... more

Way back when forests first evolved on Earth … they might have triggered one of the biggest mass extinctions in... more

From blood transfusions to enzyme boosters, our friends at Science Vs dive into the latest research on the search for... more

A snake. A shark. They got pregnant with no male involved. In fact, scientists are finding more and more species... more

Itch used to be understood as a mild form of pain, but scientists are learning this sense is more than... more

Life as we know it needs water, but scientists can’t figure out where Earth’s water came from. Answering that question... more

A cell is alive. So is a leaf and so is a tree. But what about the forest they’re a... more

The researcher who popularized the idea of the alpha wolf has spent decades trying to take it back. Our friends... more

Solar storms can wreak havoc on power grids, satellites, even astronauts — but scientists still struggle to predict them. One... more

Think about the thing you’ve practiced more than anything else in the world. Maybe it’s painting. Or writing. Or playing... more

Diagnosing diseases such as endometriosis can require difficult steps, like surgery. But researchers are hoping to use menstrual fluid to... more

Periods and menstrual fluid have long been overlooked by scientists. Now, researchers are starting to suspect they might be sources... more

Was there a technologically advanced species living on Earth long before humans? And if one had existed, how would we... more

They’re not looking for UFOs or decoding government secrets. They’re doing something much simpler. For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s a great... more

Airborne diseases kill millions of people a year, despite available antibiotics and vaccines. But scientists think there might be another... more

Humans seem to be the only animals that cry from emotion. This Valentine’s Day, we’re wondering: What makes our tears... more

Safety questions have haunted aspartame — the no-calorie sweetener used in many diet soft drinks and other low-calorie products —... more

Can swearing make you stronger? For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s a great place to view show transcripts and read more about... more

Today's internet is built on a series of locks and keys that protect your private information as it travels through... more

Scientists didn’t think it was possible for life to thrive in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Then, they found some... more

Researchers planted microphones in a forest and walked away. Listening back could help heal rainforest ecosystems. For show transcripts, go to... more

What’s up with the weird golden egg at the bottom of the ocean? How do eggs actually choose sperm? Hit... more

The James Webb Space Telescope launched two years ago, giving scientists a new view into the early universe. Now, it's... more

An expedition to Antarctica. Strange seismic readings. Clues to uncover a hidden part of our planet. For show transcripts, go to... more

Our show celebrates uncertainty. But as environmental reporter Amy Westervelt explains, the concept also has a dark side. For show transcripts,... more

NASA is planning for humans to live on the moon by 2040. But how much space can the human body... more

Decades of studies suggest that eating ice cream reduces diabetes risk. Could ice cream be ... good for you? And... more

Data sleuths are working outside the system to keep science honest. But is there a better way to prevent scientific... more

Coral reefs are an essential ecosystem undeniably threatened by climate change. Can scientists breed a stronger coral for the future? For... more

This Halloween, we look at how technology is forcing us to ask: When is someone actually dead? And we look... more

Over the last few years, orcas have been targeting boats, often leaving them stranded at sea. Are these orcas trying... more

Our game show is back! This time, comedian Wyatt Cenac is in the hot seat in front of a live... more

Towering walls of water sometimes appear in the ocean without warning or apparent cause. What drives their terrifying power? For more,... more

What would an episode of Unexplainable have sounded like if it had been made in 100 CE? For more, go to... more

Can researchers decipher what people are thinking about just by looking at brain scans? With AI, they're getting closer. How... more

Something about modern life is leading to higher rates of nearsightedness across the world. What is it? To buy tickets to... more

At last year’s World Athletics Championships, sprinter TyNia Gaither was disqualified for false starting... after the gun went off. Officials... more

Two scientists explain how AI might help us translate animal communication, and what we might learn from their squawks, chirps,... more

Sam Sanders, host of Vulture’s Into It podcast, is in the hot seat for a new episode of our game... more

Dogs were the first domesticated animal in history, emerging from wolves some 20,000 years ago. But how did wolves become... more

In all our searching of the universe, we’ve never seen another moon like ours. It's big, it's weird, and it... more

AI can often solve problems in unexpected, undesirable ways. So how can we make sure it does what we want,... more

AI has the potential to impact our society in dramatic ways, but researchers can’t explain precisely how it works or... more

A dog on its owner’s grave. A killer whale carrying around its dead calf. A goose that isolates when its... more

Dreams are weird, but can they be a scientific tool? Can they teach us anything about humanity? About ourselves? This episode... more

The Indus Valley civilization was one of the largest, most advanced civilizations in the ancient world. But we barely know... more

Awe is what takes our breath away when we face a sky full of stars or listen to a moving... more

Many states have extremely punitive policies around cannabis and pregnancy. But researchers don't actually have great data on cannabis's harms. For... more

Caring for a child seems to change parents’ brains. But what does that actually mean for how parents think and... more

Fetuses leave cells behind in their parents' bodies, where they braid themselves into tissues, and remain, for years. What are... more

2023 has been a record-setting year for tornadoes, and these storms came with barely any warning. So to better understand... more

Scientists are hard at work trying to bring back woolly mammoths (and dodos). But should they? And what would they... more

We did a live show! We talked about how one of our favorite episodes came together and how we went... more

Studies suggesting trees communicate through an elaborate underground fungal network have captured imaginations. It’s a beautiful idea, but the fantasy... more

This week, we tackle three listener questions — on sleepwalking, deja vu, and Earth’s magnetic field. Next time, we could... more

Scientists are digging into what makes something funny. We compare their notes with comedians — including Atsuko Okatsuka, Josh Johnson,... more

For every definition of life, there’s a creature that sends us right back to the drawing board. This is the third... more

How did life on Earth start? To help answer that, researchers are trying to create some life for themselves. This is... more

Life as we know it needs water, but scientists can’t figure out where Earth’s water came from. Answering that question... more

Can science help us predict whether a relationship will succeed? Or is it all just chaos? This episode originally ran on... more

Listeners told us that eating baby carrots or telling lies can bring on the hiccups. Burping or kissing can make... more

Last fall, a NASA spacecraft slammed into an asteroid to test a way to avert a disaster on Earth. So... more

Our houses are homes to hidden worlds of bugs. And the more ecologists explore those worlds, the more they realize... more

In the early 1900s, Henrietta Leavitt made one of the most important discoveries in the history of astronomy: a yardstick... more

In the temperate rainforests of Chile, there is a vine that can shapeshift to copy the look of other plants.... more

Our game show is back! This week, Avery Trufelman, host of the Articles of Interest podcast, tries to guess which... more

How we feel emotionally may be influenced by unseen troves of microbial life that live inside us. Is it possible... more

Back in January, we spoke to a scientist at the National Ignition Facility about how close they were to achieving... more

How do animals know how to do things like spin a web or build a dam? A neuroscientist argues it's... more

Humans seem to be the only animals that cry from emotion. What makes our tears so special? For more, go to... more

NASA just launched the Artemis program, a series of missions that will eventually take humans back to the moon, and... more

A mountain, a tower, a thermos full of molten salt: These are the batteries that could power our renewable future. For... more

Death used to be fairly self-evident, but new technologies have forced us to ask: When is someone actually dead? And... more

Why do so many people think they can see and hear ghosts, and what does that say about our conscious... more

In the past few decades, the rate of food allergies in both children and adults has dramatically increased. What’s causing... more

On the first episode of Vox’s new podcast, The Gray Area, host Sean Illing talks with Neil deGrasse Tyson about... more

For the first time, we get some answers. For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s a great place to view show transcripts and... more

Today's internet is built on a series of locks and keys that protect your private information as it travels through... more

At the 2022 World Athletics Championships, sprinter TyNia Gaither was disqualified for false starting ... after the gun went off.... more

This past July, a bombshell report in Science magazine suggested that a key Alzheimer’s study might have contained manipulated evidence.... more

One of the world’s most biodiverse aquifers is full of strange, blind creatures that have evolved in isolation for millions... more

They probably didn’t roar like lions. Their real voices were likely much, much weirder. We asked scientists to help us... more

There's an old story scientists tell about human ovaries: that they are ticking clocks that only lose eggs, never gain... more

Where eels come from is a surprisingly difficult question to answer, in large part because scientists have never actually seen... more

People yawn when they’re bored, right? So then why do athletes yawn before races? And why do so many animals... more

A lava planet, life on other worlds, the very first starlight in the universe — the most powerful space telescope... more

Millions of Americans take dietary supplements — everything from vitamins and minerals to weight loss pills and probiotics. But because... more

Venus is the hottest, scariest planet in the solar system, but billions of years ago it may have been a... more

Mars was once a very different planet, with rivers, lakes, and — potentially — life. NASA’s latest Mars rover is... more

In all our searching of the universe, we’ve never seen another moon like ours. It's big, it's weird, it's played... more

Was there a technologically advanced species living on Earth long before humans? And if one had existed, how would we... more

Insect populations are shrinking all over the world, and entomologists are buzzing with questions: Why is this happening? How quickly?... more

A groundbreaking study claims to have found a way for a fully paralyzed person to communicate entirely via thought. Today,... more

Dreams are weird, but can they be a scientific tool? Can they teach us anything about humanity? About ourselves? For more,... more

What are the scientific, family, and privacy implications? For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s a great place to view show transcripts and... more

Octopuses are largely solitary animals, but there have been rare times — notably in the movie My Octopus Teacher —... more

Most deep-water creatures are bioluminescent. Marine biologist Edie Widder has spent the last 40 years trying to figure out why. For... more

In the 1920s, the scientist Werner Heisenberg came up with a wild idea that broke reality as Western science knew... more

Why stop at five senses? Just how much of the world can we perceive? And how much is out there... more

Close your eyes and try to imagine an apple. Can you see anything? Aphantasia is the inability to see with... more

For thousands of years, there have been four basic tastes recognized across cultures. But thanks to Kumiko Ninomiya (a.k.a. the... more

Dogs can smell cancer, Covid-19, and many other health problems in humans. Now, scientists are trying to duplicate these powers... more

Doctors can save the lives of premature infants, but the process is often painful. Luckily, a solution might be as... more

In the same way optical illusions trick our eyes, audio illusions can trick our ears. This raises a fundamental question:... more

Methane traps more than 80 times as much heat as CO2 over the short term. So we could make a... more

Can science help us predict whether a relationship will succeed? Or is it all just chaos? For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s... more

What does it sound like on Mars? On Jupiter? Titan? This collaboration between the podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz and the... more

Scientists are constantly searching for asteroids that could crash into Earth. But if they find one, will they be able... more

When scientists examined the DNA of ancient bones found near a Himalayan lake, they were forced to confront a seemingly... more

In 2017, researchers published an explosive finding: Sperm counts may be declining in some countries around the world. Media outlets... more

Scientists are closer than ever to harnessing fusion power — the same process that powers the sun — by essentially... more

Noam wrote an end-of-year song with Today, Explained host Sean Rameswaram, so we thought to drop it here as a... more

Most of the matter in the universe is dark matter, an invisible, untouchable, mysterious substance. Scientists don’t know what exactly... more

How can we solve the problem of ocean plastic if we don’t know where most of the plastic is? For more,... more

Until 1993, many researchers excluded women from clinical drug trials, leaving doctors in the dark about how new treatments work... more

Venus is the hottest, scariest planet in the solar system, but billions of years ago it may have been a... more

Will scientists ever fully understand the human brain? In their quest for knowledge, they’ve tried knives, magnets, computers, blood, and... more

Slime molds can navigate mazes, control robots, and make complicated decisions, all without a central nervous system. If this weird... more

Every year, thousands of marine mammals end up trapped on beaches, but it’s often hard to figure out why. It’s... more

Why do so many people think they can see and hear ghosts, and what does that say about our conscious... more

A recent study of tens of thousands of birds has shown that birds are growing smaller over time. It could... more

The Nobel Prize has rewarded some amazing discoveries. It’s also contributed to scientific tunnel vision. This week, how the Nobel... more

To look into deep space is to look back in time. With the upcoming launch of the James Webb Space... more

After decades of planning, NASA is finally (finally!) set to launch the successor to the Hubble. The new Webb telescope... more

For decades, Alzheimer’s researchers have been stubbornly pursuing a single theory, but they’re starting to wonder: is this narrow focus... more

Several years after US diplomats in Cuba claimed they were attacked by an invisible weapon, similar incidents continue to be... more

Once upon a time, there were no anuses. These ingenious organs allowed our primordial ancestors to grow bigger and more... more

This common chronic condition — where tissue similar to what grows inside the uterus grows elsewhere in the body —... more

Two scientists. A billion-dollar wager. One unanswered question: Is the first human who will live to 150 already alive? The... more

Earlier this year, Nicole Yamase explored the bottom of the Challenger Deep, the deepest place in the ocean, where few... more

8 minutes, 24 seconds. That’s the average amount of warning time people get before a tornado touches down. To do... more

Astronauts left something on the moon that could help unlock the origins of life itself. For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s a... more

An accidental discovery on a nighttime walk led one scientist and his team to wonder: How many mammals glow under... more

In the early 1900s, Henrietta Leavitt made one of the most important discoveries in the history of astronomy: a yardstick... more

As part of a massive new global tracking project, scientists are monitoring animals from a receiver on the International Space... more

These worms are fast, they’re mysterious, and they’re quickly changing North American ecosystems. How worried should we be about global... more

How tall is the world’s tallest mountain? The answer is surprisingly tricky, which means that Everest’s official height is constantly... more

UFOs are real, but that doesn’t mean they’re aliens. Today, Explained, Vox's daily news podcast, tells the story of America's... more

Something strange is going on at the outer reaches of the solar system. One astronomer thinks it might be a... more

It’s surprisingly hard to predict how clouds form, move, and change, but it’s essential to try. Because how clouds react... more

Last month, physicists at Fermilab in Illinois found that tiny subatomic particles called muons were wobbling strangely. This small observation... more

For decades, scientists thought that placebos only worked if patients didn’t know they were taking them. Not anymore: You can... more

In 2016, the UN declared antibiotic-resistant bacteria the “greatest and most urgent global risk.” Our best hope just might be... more

Every day, untold numbers of strange organisms rise from the middle of the ocean to its surface. They may be... more