Science

Ologies with Alie Ward

1

Ologies with Alie Ward

Alie Ward
Radiolab

2

Radiolab

WNYC Studios
Hidden Brain

3

Hidden Brain

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
Quirks and Quarks

4

Quirks and Quarks

CBC
The Rest Is Science

5

The Rest Is Science

Goalhanger
White Coat, Black Art

6

White Coat, Black Art

CBC
StarTalk Radio

7

StarTalk Radio

Neil deGrasse Tyson

2D AGO

1

Moon Trees

In 1971, a red-headed, tree-loving astronaut named Stu ‘Smokey’ Roosa was asked to take something to the moon with him. Of all things, he chose to take a canister of 500 tree seeds. After orbiting the moon 34 times, the seeds made it back to Earth. NASA decided to plant the seeds all across the country and then… everyone forgot about them. Until one day, a third grader from Indiana stumbled on a tree with a strange plaque: "Moon Tree." This discovery set off a cascading search for all the trees that visited the moon across the United States. Science writer, and our very own factchecker, Natalie Middleton (https://www.nataliemiddleton.org/) tells us the tale. Read Lulu’s remembrance of Alice Wong for Transom.org: 13 questions I’ll never get to ask Alice Wong (https://transom.org/2026/13-questions-ill-never-get-to-ask-alice-wong/). Check out Natalie’s map to find your nearest moon tree on our show page (https://radiolab.org/podcast/moon-trees)! Help us hunt for more moon trees. If you know of an undocumented moon tree, contact Natalie at nataliemiddleton.org. Check out Natalie’s essay on Moon Trees (https://orionmagazine.org/article/moon-tree/) and Space Zinnias (https://orionmagazine.org/article/astronaut-scott-kelly-flower-experiment-space/) in Orion Magazine (https://orionmagazine.org/). Visit NASA’s official Moon Tree Page (https://science.nasa.gov/resource/apollo-moon-trees/) for a list of all the Apollo 14 Moon Trees in the world. To learn more about Stu Roosa or to learn more about acquiring your own half Moon Tree, check out the Moon Tree Foundation (https://www.moontreefoundation.com/), spearheaded by Stu’s daughter, Rosemary Roosa. A reminder that Terrestrials also makes original music! You can find ‘Tangled in the Roots’ and all other music from the show here (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab-kids/just-the-songs). EPISODE CREDITS: Terrestrials was created by Lulu Miller with WNYC Studios. This episode was produced by Tanya Chawla and sound-designed by Joe Plourde. Our Executive Producer is Sarah Sandbach. Our team includes Alan Goffinski, Ana González and Mira Burt-Wintonick. Fact checking was by Diane Kelly. Special thanks to Sumanth Prabhaker from Orion magazine, retired NASA Scientist Dr. Dave Williams, Joan Goble, Tre Corely and NASA scientist Dr. Marie Henderson. Our advisors for this show were Ana Luz Porzecanski, Nicole Depalma, Liza Demby and Carly Ciarrocchi. Support for Terrestrials also comes from the Simons Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, and the John Templeton Foundation. Signup for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)! Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org. Leadership support for Radiolab’s science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

2d ago

•

35 min
2D AGO

2

Dust? Tongues? Uranus? It’s our Holiday Question Show!

On this week’s episode of Quirks & Quarks, it's our ever-popular and always satisfying Holiday Listener Question Show that includes: Why did a Canadian astronaut's eyesight change when she went to space? How is the dust inside our homes changing? Why do some professional athletes stick out their tongues when they play? Why are most fruits round, but bananas and pineapple are not? What would have happened if the dino-killing asteroid never struck Earth? We'll satisfy all these scientific curiosities and many more!

2d ago

•

54 min
5D AGO

3

You 2.0: Stop Spiraling!

The start of a new year is a natural moment to set goals for ourselves. But doing so can also be a little daunting. Today, we kick off a series designed to help you understand and grapple with the mental obstacles that can keep you from charting a new path. We talk with psychologist Greg Walton, who studies how our minds get trapped in negative thought spirals — and how we can begin to break free. Then, in the latest installment of our segment "Your Questions Answered," psychologist and neuroscientist Abigail Marsh answers listener questions about the minds of extremely kind and generous people. If you enjoyed our conversation with Greg Walton, don't miss our companion conversation about the emotional tools we can use to help someone who's spiraling. You can listen to that episode with a free seven-day trial to our podcast subscription, Hidden Brain+. To sign up, go to support.hiddenbrain.org. Or if you're using an Apple device, you can go to apple.co/hiddenbrain. Thanks, and Happy New Year! Episode illustration by Getty Images for Unsplash+ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

5d ago

•

1h 33m
2D AGO

4

ENCORE: The true science behind living longer

Cardiologist, scientist and bestselling author Dr. Eric Topol's latest book "Super Agers" distills decades of research on how to make us healthier for longer. Topol says that humanity is on the cusp of developing treatments to help tame cancer, dementia and other chronic diseases… just as political forces in the U.S. are shutting down that research.

2d ago

•

27 min
4D AGO

5

Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) Part 2 Encore with How to ADHD, Black Girl Lost Keys, Jahla Osborne + more

Did Part 1 leave you informed and now you need a pep talk? Get ready for an absolute banger of an encore episode with 5 experts: René Brooks of BlackGirlLostKeys.com, TEDTalk speaker and How to ADHD YouTuber Jessica McCabe and neuroscientist Dr. Jahla Osborne of University of Michigan. What is it like to get diagnosed? How do you know which medication – if any – is right for you? Why is there such a spike in ADHD diagnoses during the pandemic? Autism and ADHD: what’s the deal? What accommodations should a person ask for? How can you have a strong relationship with one (or more) ADHD brains? What if your boyfriend juggles flaming swords for fun? Sure there are tips and tricks, but get ready for the pep talk and self-acceptance honestly everyone needs to hear. Plus: two cameos from past Ologists: Dr. Tiara Moore (Forensic Ecology) and Dr. Adam Becker (Quantum Ontology). Oh, and how this relates to Alie’s own Dadbrain. HERE WE GO. Start with Part 1 with Dr. Russell Barkley René Brooks of Black Girl Lost Keys on Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook Jessica McCabe of How to ADHD on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok Jahla Osborne on Google Scholar and Instagram And check out these previous episodes with our cameo guests: Forensic Ecology (NATURE DETECTIVE) with Dr. Tiara Moore, Quantum Ontology (WHAT IS REAL?) with Adam Becker More episode sources and links Other episodes you might enjoy: Obsessive-Compulsive Neurobiology (OCD), Bonus Episode: The OCD Experience, Somnology (SLEEP), Chronobiology (CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS), Volitional Psychology (PROCRASTINATION), Sports & Performance Psychology (ANXIETY & CONFIDENCE), Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES), Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS), Mnemonology (MEMORY), Traumatology (PTSD) 400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topic Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

4d ago

•

1h 37m
1D AGO

6

The Skeptics Guide #1069 - Jan 3 2026

Psychic Predictions for 2025 and Rogue Predictions; News Items: Psychology Intervention for ADHD, Biological vs Artificial Consciousness, Fentanyl Vaccine, Possibility of Orbital Disaster; Who's That Noisy; Science or Fiction

1d ago

•
20 HRS AGO

7

SC EP:1218 Three Strange Days

Preston writes "This experience happened during an autumn fishing trip for brook trout in one of the most isolated regions of the Adirondack Mountains. To reach this area is no small task. First, you have to cross a reservoir by boat an eight mile ride across water that itself lies nearly forty miles from the nearest town. Once across, you reach the trailhead. From there, the route winds past a series of ponds deeper into the wilderness. The first leg is a 1.2 mile hike to the first lake. From there, you can either hike around it or paddle straight across. My fishing partner and I use Kevlar/carbon-fiber canoes light enough to carry, so if weather allows, we paddle the lake instead. That lake is roughly two miles long. After taking out on the far side, the trail continues another 1.5 miles into the Five Ponds Wilderness. At the second lake, the trail turns north and becomes more of a bushwhack through old-growth timber, with mountains rising on both sides. That stretch is another two miles, heading deeper into the wilderness until you finally reach the destination lake. This area is considered one of the three most isolated locations in the entire Adirondack Park relative to civilization. It's an absolutely stunning place completely secluded, ringed by mountains, with water that looks glacial and holds trophy class brook trout. It's truly one of my favorite places on Earth. We arrived around mid-morning on the first day and immediately started fishing. We caught plenty of fish, and everything felt normal. As evening approached, we gathered firewood, set up our tents, cooked dinner, and sat around talking. At one point, I stood up and did a Bigfoot call followed by a loud tree knock. It was something we used to do as a joke in less remote areas to mess with other campers. My buddy laughed, and we turned in for the night. Sometime in the middle of the night, we were jolted awake by the sound of a large tree falling not far from camp. It scared the hell out of us. The night was completely calm no wind at all. What struck us immediately was the silence. No peeper frogs. No wood frogs. No loons on the lake. No breeze. Just absolute stillness. It felt wrong. We stayed in our tents until around 4:30 a.m., when we were awakened again this time by a rhythmic pounding, like something repeatedly striking a tree. The hits were forceful, evenly spaced, about every three seconds. It continued steadily until after sunrise, coming from the direction of the trailhead. We tried to rationalize it. I suggested a woodpecker, though I didn't believe it. Then I floated the idea that maybe two moose were sparring since it was close to the rut but neither of us bought that either. The consistency and power of the blows didn't feel natural. It also made us rethink the fallen tree from earlier. I wondered if it could've been a beaver, since they're nocturnal and nearby ponds were close but none of it fully added up. We eventually got moving, launched the canoes, and spent the day fishing. We practice catch and release unless a fish is mortally wounded, which unfortunately happened that day. We kept that fish, cooked it for dinner, then went back out on the water until dark. As we paddled back to camp at twilight, I noticed what looked like a dark shape partially concealed behind a massive old-growth pine that leaned out over the lake. It was nearly night, and the woods were pitch black but whatever this was appeared darker than the surrounding darkness. I chalked it up to my imagination and kept paddling. Later, as we were getting ready to crawl into our tents, I noticed lights hovering over the lake. I'd seen these before on a few occasions. There was one main light above the water, and smaller lights would split off from it, drifting away on either side. Eventually, the main light dimmed, and the smaller lights faded out entirely. I'll be honest I'm terrified of aliens, and having seen unexplained things before, I was already on edge. Lying in my tent, I suddenly felt heavy thuds on the ground. I yelled to Casey and grabbed my headlamp, assuming a black bear had wandered into camp. When I stepped out, I found a snowshoe hare at my feet. This was the largest hare I've ever seen and it showed absolutely no fear. It hopped right up to me and just sat there, right next to my boots. We couldn't understand why a wild animal would act that way. It was as if it was seeking shelter. The hare stayed by the fire with us like it was an old friend. Eventually, I went back to my tent and left it there by the fire. Later that night, another tree fell nearby. We lay in our tents talking quietly about it before eventually drifting off. Once again, near dawn, the tree pounding started same cadence, same duration continuing until the sun came up. That day, we headed to the north end of the lake, where a massive dome-shaped mountain rises with cliffs and sweeping views. That end of the lake acts like a natural amphitheater. Casey decided to hike the mountain to try to get cell service and check the weather for our departure. The climb is brutal you have to crawl on your hands and feet for much of it. The mountain rises about 3,000 feet, with sections that feel nearly vertical. On the back side is an exposed cliff overlooking other ponds, and that's where you can sometimes get fleeting reception. While Casey was climbing and calling his wife, I stayed behind fishing along the opposite shoreline, parallel to the mountain. At one point, I saw trees moving on the slope and assumed it was him. I yelled out his nickname. "Is that you, Poop?!" What answered me was one of the most nerve wracking sounds I've ever heard a blood-curdling scream that sounded like a woman being murdered, assaulted, and losing a child all at once. I know that sounds extreme, but it's the only way I can describe it. Worse still, whatever made that sound was moving fast crashing through trees and running across terrain so steep we'd had to crawl up it earlier. The scream shook me to my core. I was convinced Casey was dying. I gathered myself and paddled hard toward the sound, yelling his name. No response. Eventually, he came down the mountain. I confronted him, telling him not to mess around like that I thought he was in serious trouble. He looked at me completely confused and said, "What the hell are you talking about?" He told me he'd been on the far side of the mountain facing another pond. He heard something faint but assumed I'd hooked a big brook trout or was yelling in excitement. That night was deeply unsettling. The woods felt wrong unnaturally silent. It sounded like people talking at the far end of the pond, always just out of earshot, followed by faint, distant screams throughout the night. Morning couldn't come fast enough. We woke again to the same rhythmic tree pounding. This time, I decided to investigate. I headed toward the sound, crossing a creek and climbing a nearby hill. As soon as I reached the area where I believed it was coming from, it stopped instantly. That was it. I packed up my gear and canoe, and we got out of there. About a half mile down the trail on our way out, we passed through a muddy stretch between two hills. In the middle of the mud pit about twenty feet long and twelve feet wide was a single, distinct footprint. It looked as if something had stepped straight down into the mud from the hillside and climbed back out the other side. I took a video, which I later lost when I misplaced the SD card, but I did save a screenshot that I still have. Inside the print was a mature beech leaf typically three to five inches long placing the track somewhere between twelve and fifteen inches in length. I don't know what was going on out there. I've spent my entire life in the woods, often solo, and had been to that lake many times before without issue. I've only returned once since, in 2018. Other hardcore backcountry anglers I know have mentioned strange feelings in that area, though nothing as intense. This wasn't the only odd experience I've had in that wilderness either. Another incident occurred even deeper in the Five Ponds Wilderness among untouched old growth forest stranger still. You couldn't pay me to hike the one way, eleven plus miles back in there again. Something is going on in that section of the Adirondacks. I've heard stories from others that only reinforce that feeling. As a final oddity, on our way out that day, Casey and I ran into two armed military personnel carrying AR-style rifles. They were friendly, walked us back toward their camp, showed us around, and then escorted us partway before we continued to our vehicle. The whole experience was strange, start to finish and it's stayed with me ever since."

20 hrs ago

•

1h 3m
5D AGO

8

Things You Thought You Knew – The Color of the Sun

What’s the true color of the sun? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice discuss things you thought you knew about the color of the Sun, the sound of weather, and why friction is our friend. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://startalkmedia.com/show/things-you-thought-you-knew-the-color-of-the-sun/ Thanks to our Patrons Jorge Aguirre, C&C Angeli, Len Brandis, Alan Parker, Aaron Ivey, AA-ron or just "AI", MD Bartlett, Nox, Nicholas Crayford, Adam Collins, Deep Patel, RAHIM THERIOT, Dan Abrams, Dan Thomas, Tig, Gloria Michelle Shirley, Mike Horvath, Daniel Brannon, Tonieh Ellis, Camila Von Malice, Kat, Nickolas Madeo, Marcus Phelps, Daniela Eneva, AndyF, Paul Purington, Paul, Mark Fowler, Thomas Freridge, Corey Ferrell, Mo O, Jacob Johnson, Matt Newcomb, Vladimir Antonovich, Steffen Sommers, Joan Morrissey, yared ts, Danielle Seitz, Edmond Fondahn, Blythe Lucas, Richard Adam, Bryant McFayden, Nayah Sci Fi, Lissett Lamboy, John Lujan, Marie Mckenna, Kaustav Chakravarthy, Hannah Bradley, Joshua Jones, EVA, Gail Knapp, Gavin Dunagan, Decoy, Athena Ozanich, Dakota Barron, William Gibson, Eleanor Dewitt, Tru Shadow, MorningSong, Matt Delashaw, Angela Woods, Eric Gorohoff, Zakary Tackett, Carmen Fragapane, Kristián Žuffa, Michael Dunsavage, Mark Bradshaw, Kelsey Harkness-Jones, Mark Rose, Brent, Mohammed Hamdy, Baz, Andrew Stevens, Rachel Jacobsen, Rick Dawson, Tibor Szabo, Raven Knight, McMarklar, Chris Cummings, FromLongIsland, Wendy Parsons, Denise Asmus, Brad, JimPP, Lauren Cooper, Juan Jove, Brent Bailey, Watts Wire Extension Cords, Graham, sean aley, NotAnotherMike, Robert Currier, Steve Vanspall, Alex Nuss, Thomas PASCAL, Antonín Karásek, Mikayla Trousdale, MC, 22 Simulations, Kasey Marsland, and Stevie for supporting us this week. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of StarTalk Radio ad-free and a whole week early.Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

5d ago

•

48 min
2025-12-24

9

Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD) Part 1 Encore with Russell Barkley

Focus. Productivity. Relationships. Distraction. Neurodiversity. How do you know if you have ADHD? How can you get others to understand your ADHD brain? What are your treatment options and how can they help? In this encore of our wildly popular Part 1 episode, we talk racing thoughts, brilliant brains and the causes and effects of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with the world’s leading expert, Dr. Russell Barkley who is A BIG DEAL. Psychologist, retired professor of clinical psychiatry, author and speaker, Dr. Barkley has a personal connection to ADHD and has studied it for nearly 40 years. Is it all cute quirks? Nope. It’s serious business. But next week, we’ll hear about tips and tricks and self-love from 3 more experts — Jessica McCabe of How to ADHD, René Brooks of Black Girl Lost Keys and ADHD researcher Dr. Jahla Osborne. I’M TRYING NOT TO USE A BUNCH OF EXCLAMATION POINTS. It’s exciting. Dr. Russell Barkley’s website dedicated to education and research on ADHD Dr. Barkley’s book: Taking Charge of Adult ADHD Additional books and papers by Dr. Barkley Dr. Barkley’s seminar: 30 Essential Ideas you should know about ADHD Donations were made to CHADD and Partners in Health More episode sources and links Other episodes you might enjoy: Obsessive-Compulsive Neurobiology (OCD), Bonus Episode: The OCD Experience, Somnology (SLEEP), Chronobiology (CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS), Volitional Psychology (PROCRASTINATION), Sports & Performance Psychology (ANXIETY & CONFIDENCE), Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES), Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS), Mnemonology (MEMORY), Traumatology (PTSD) 400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topic Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes Sponsors of Ologies Transcripts and bleeped episodes Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes! Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee Managing Director: Susan Hale Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth Transcripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. Dwyer Theme song by Nick Thorburn Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2025-12-24

•

1h 40m
4D AGO

10

#451 — The One Resolution That Matters Most

As digital distraction increasingly fragments our attention, Sam explains why mindfulness is a practical skill for reclaiming clarity and presence. Begin a mindfulness practice using the Waking Up app, and make training your mind the foundation for everything else in the year ahead. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.

4d ago

•

9 min

Science

Science

Updated Biweekly
Health & Fitness

Health & Fitness

Updated Biweekly
Science

Science

Weekly Series
Nature

Nature

Series
Health & Fitness

Health & Fitness

Updated Weekly
Science

Science

Updated Weekly
Life Sciences

Life Sciences

Weekly Series

Astronomy

Astronomy

Updated Daily
Astronomy

Astronomy

Updated Semiweekly
Astronomy

Astronomy

Updated Biweekly
Astronomy

Astronomy

Updated Weekly
Astronomy

Astronomy

Updated Weekly
Astronomy

Astronomy

Updated Weekly
Astronomy

Astronomy

Updated Daily

Chemistry

Chemistry

Updated Weekly
Chemistry

Chemistry

Updated 2025-09-27
Chemistry

Chemistry

Weekly Series
Chemistry

Chemistry

Updated Biweekly
Chemistry

Chemistry

Updated Weekly
Chemistry

Chemistry

Updated 2018-01-22
Chemistry

Chemistry

Updated Biweekly

Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences

Updated Weekly
Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences

Updated Weekly
Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences

Updated Biweekly
Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences

Updated Weekly
Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences

Updated Weekly
Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences

Updated Biweekly
Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences

Updated Weekly

Life Sciences

Life Sciences

Updated Semiweekly
Life Sciences

Life Sciences

Updated Daily
Life Sciences

Life Sciences

Updated Semiweekly
Life Sciences

Life Sciences

Updated Daily
Life Sciences

Life Sciences

Updated Weekly
Life Sciences

Life Sciences

Weekly Series
Life Sciences

Life Sciences

Updated Weekly

Mathematics

Mathematics

Updated Jan 6
Mathematics

Mathematics

Updated 2025-07-15
Mathematics

Mathematics

Updated Weekly
Mathematics

Mathematics

Updated Semiweekly
Mathematics

Mathematics

Updated 2022-01-15
Mathematics

Mathematics

Updated Semiweekly
Mathematics

Mathematics

Updated Weekly

Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences

Updated Weekly
Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences

Updated Weekly
Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences

Updated Weekly
Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences

Updated 5d ago
Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences

Updated Semiweekly
Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences

Updated Weekly
Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences

Updated Weekly

Nature

Nature

Updated Weekly
Nature

Nature

Updated Weekly
Nature

Nature

Series
Nature

Nature

Updated Weekly
Nature

Nature

Updated Daily
Nature

Nature

Updated Monthly
Nature

Nature

Updated Biweekly

Physics

Physics

Updated Weekly
Physics

Physics

Updated Monthly
Physics

Physics

Updated Weekly
Physics

Physics

Updated Monthly
Physics

Physics

Updated Biweekly
Physics

Physics

Updated Weekly
Physics

Physics

Updated Weekly

Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Updated Weekly
Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Updated Daily
Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Updated Semiweekly
Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Updated Weekly
Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Updated Biweekly
Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Updated Biweekly
Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Updated Bimonthly