Podcast

Science unscripted

From Deutsche Welle Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Natural Sciences, Science

The 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 :)

Natural Sciences chart
#200
Episodes
102
Releases
Weekly
Typical length
30 min
On air since
2024
Latest episode
4 days ago

Episodes

102 episodes, newest first

  1. How bad is the mental load gap?

    Show notes

    A new study sheds light on how people perceive their own mental load — and what that does to the relationship.

    30 min
  2. Smart women get punished at the workplace

    Show notes

    A new cross-cultural study points at a universal truth: Women who are intelligent pay for it at the office.

    30 min
  3. Muscle dysmorphia: a 'reverse anorexia' that mostly affects men

    Show notes

    Ripped. Jacked. Swole. And... limp? When does wanting bigger muscles turn toxic? And how's that linked to unhappiness in the bedroom?

    30 min
  4. The politics of disgust

    Show notes

    Ever feel disgusted by other groups of people? That makes it more likely you're conservative. Unless you're 'interoceptive.'

    30 min
  5. Have you seen my wallet?

    Show notes

    Tylenol is not causally connected to pregnancies and autistic children, according to a meta-meta study. Also, if you lost your wallet in a 'diverse' neighborhood, is it more (or less) likely to come back?

    30 min
  6. Is AI going to kill us?

    Show notes

    Who can actually say what AI can (or can't) do? Maybe the guy who developed the 'box' it escaped from.

    30 min
  7. Is your life meaningful? (pt. 2)

    Show notes

    Ever freaked out about finding 'meaning' in your life? A new study might help you understand where that (uniquely human) feeling comes from. (Note: We published part 1 on June 15, 2025)

    30 min
  8. Pathological cringe & a pill to 'delete' trauma

    Show notes

    A single drug undid the damage in mice who'd suffered early-life trauma. Also, a contagious form of 'cringe avoidance' is spreading — and listen in to the soft sounds of Jurassic crickets.

    30 min
  9. Can a dog understand these facial expressions?

    Show notes

    If dogs could understand our faces... how could we prove that, scientifically? Also, AI gets banned from the classroom and a study that put heavy metal festival fans through.... some serious pain.

    30 min
  10. How to speak without saying anything

    Show notes

    Gabe and Conor are back to talk about a science museum you should never visit, a cosmic event you shouldn't miss... and a well-researched communications strategy used by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

    30 min
  11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

    Show notes

    If you could put on VR goggles and talk to your future self... would that help you become who you want to be? Or would it harm you?

    30 min
  12. SpaceX & a low-g baby?

    Show notes

    When Elon Musk talks about a human 'civilization' on Mars, he's suggesting we'll have babies there. Should we?

    30 min
  13. The 'Google maps' inside a pigeon's liver

    Show notes

    A new experiment shows pigeons use immune cells to navigate our planet. The discovery redefines our understanding of how an animal can 'feel' Earth's magnetic field.

    30 min
  14. Do you want to have kids?

    Show notes

    There are plenty of reasons NOT to have kids. But a new paper suggests having them may be the only way to protect gender equality over the long term.

    30 min
  15. The testosterone age (or Honey, I shrunk my testes)

    Show notes

    Influencers, billionaires, even the US health secretary. Proponents of testosterone — as a hormonal therapy or barometer of "masculinity" — are causing men to self-medicate. With nasty consequences.

    30 min
  16. Hantavirus: What to expect from here

    Show notes

    This ship phase is over. But the nature of this virus means cases may rise — even as officials contain it.

    30 min
  17. Is the hantavirus the next pandemic?

    Show notes

    If you want to understand why the Andes variant of the hantavirus is different than COVID-19, this episode's for you.

    30 min
  18. The ad that makes you drink more

    Show notes

    We know advertising works. (It's why the industry exists.) But a new study on beer ads in Germany shows how. Causally.

    30 min
  19. How can I tell if someone's smart?

    Show notes

    Some people seem to know if others are intelligent. Others... don't. A new study suggests why.

    30 min
  20. There's almost no way to make us like AI art. Why?

    Show notes

    A new study tried just about everything to get people to have a more positive reaction to AI poetry and prose. It failed. Almost always. And it's worth talking about why. (NOTE: A human wrote this.)

    30 min