Since sexual contact can transmit disease, why don't any diseases increase our sex drive? Why is Wednesday pronounced differently than it's spelled? Why do British lawyers and judges still wear powdered wigs? The answers, plus a fond farewell.

Reheated Coffee, More Comfortable Mammograms, and the Chemist Who Created Home Ec

May 23rd, 2017 17m 11s

There's science behind why reheated coffee is terrible. In the incredible future, we may have better ways to mammogram. Plus, the woman who founded home economics was all kinds of amazing.

Missing Limbs, Naked Mole Rats, and a Blood-Red Waterfall

May 16th, 2017 12m 59s

Research into missing limbs indicates that our brains control function differently than we thought. Underground mole rats can live without oxygen. Plus, the mysteries of Blood Falls have been solved.

Gender Bias in the Supreme Court, Stair Climbing vs. Caffeine, and Teens Are OK, Really

May 9th, 2017 13m 32s

Female Supreme Court justices get interrupted three times as often as male justices. Climbing stairs may be as effective as caffeine at perking you up. Plus, today's teens are doing pretty OK. Really.

Cannibalism Nutrition, a Border Wall Hyperloop, and the FBI's Facial Recognition

May 1st, 2017 14m 27s

Are humans nutritous enough to make cannibalism feasible? Could Trump's proposed border wall be improved with a Hyperloop?. Plus: Should the FBI be able to use everyone's photos in their crime-solving facial recognition program?

Thought Experiment: Transhumanism and Space Exploration

Apr 25th, 2017 13m 20s

Humans are ill-suited to the rigors of space, but augmenting ourselves with technology may create opportunities to explore and colonize worlds beyond our own. In this episode, we experiment in such a future.

A U.S. Space Force, Why the Weather's Getting Stuck, and Maple Syrup Medicine

Apr 18th, 2017 17m 17s

Is it time for the United States to have a military Space Force? Weather patterns are getting stuck in place - climate change is to blame. Plus, research shows that a substance in maple syrup has some incredible medicinal properties.

Scattering Ashes, Circular Airport Runways, and the TSA's Power Over Electronics

Apr 10th, 2017 15m 5s

Is scattering ashes technically littering? Will circular runways be the future of airports? Can the TSA search the data in your electronic devices? In this episode, these questions are answered and only two bad puns are made.

Bird Poop Politics, Double Pregnancies, and How 'Citizens' Became 'Consumers'

Apr 3rd, 2017 17m 30s

Bird excrement was once so valuable to farmers that the U.S. government tried to claim all of it. It's possible to get pregnant a second time when you're already pregnant. Plus: When did we start calling citizens consumers?

The Psychology of Picky Eating, the Secret Service's Services, and a Self-Driving Car Kit

Mar 27th, 2017 16m 2s

Researchers are working to improve the lives of adult picky eaters. We break down who the Secret Service protects, and at what costs to taxpayers. Plus, there's a $700 kit that turns certain cars into self-driving cars -- and it works.

What Happens When You Swallow a Leech?

Mar 20th, 2017 16m 9s

Although cases are rare, a non-zero number of patients have gone to doctors with a leech stuck in their throat over the years. In this special episode, we explore this gross but fascinating circumstance.Music by Eric Matyaswww.soundimage.or

Stealing Sand, Communicating via Poop, and Clinical Trial Participation

Mar 13th, 2017 20m 47s

and is in such high demand that tons of it are being stolen from beaches. White rhinos use middens as a complex communal message board. Plus, clinical trials need more volunteers -- we explain why.

Hallucinogenic Honey, Squid Brains, and Why Hot Food Is So Satisfying

Mar 6th, 2017 16m 49s

Ancient armies sometimes used hallucinogenic honey as a bioweapon. New research shows how different squid brains are from human brains. Plus, we break down why hot food seems more satisfying than cold food.

Face Punching Legality, Misophonia, and Ties Between Honesty and Profanity

Feb 28th, 2017 13m 41s

Morality aside, is it ever legal to punch someone in the face? Unrelated: Researchers have identified the brain bits responsible for finding certain sounds incredibly annoying. Plus, highly profane people may be more honest.

The Danger Episode: Solar Flares, Cosmic Rays, and App Terms of Service

Feb 21st, 2017 14m 28s

Solar flares may be responsible for deadly whale beachings. New research clarifies cosmic radiation exposure for frequent fliers. Plus, purposefully complex terms of service let apps harvest our personal data.

Virgin Shark Births, Weighted Anxiety Blankets, and a Border Wall's Impact on Wildlife

Feb 14th, 2017 12m 31s

A zebra shark has given birth to viable babies without a mate. Weighted blankets may help people battle anxiety and insomnia. Plus: How much damage would a U.S. boarder wall do to local wildlife?

The Blood of the Young, Crustacean Bioweapons, and Our Oldest Ancestor

Feb 6th, 2017 13m 32s

A proposed anti-aging treatment transfuses young people's plasma into old people's blood. A species of boxer crab clones and carries sea anemones as weapons. Plus, the oldest known ancestor of all vertebrates was a wee sack of teeth.

Tornadoes Demystified, Global Medicine, and Why the President's First 100 Days Matter

Jan 31st, 2017 14m 49s

Tornadoes' centers leave you cold and breathless; now we know how. Underuse and overuse of particular medical treatments is a global problem. Plus, the history and politics behind the importance of a president's first 100 days.

Wonder Woman's Creator, School Suspensions' Effects, and Charging in Airplane Mode

Jan 23rd, 2017 15m 26s

Wonder Woman's iconic themes of truth, matriarchy, and bondage reflect on her fascinating creator. Schools are suspending more students than ever, with lasting effects. Plus: Do smartphones really charge faster in airplane mode?

Gun Violence Contagion, Pregnancy Brain, and Dirty Towels

Jan 17th, 2017 12m 39s

Research indicates that gun violence is contagious like a disease. Pregnancy causes measurable changes in the brain. Plus, science tells us how frequently we should wash our bath towels.

Lunar Lava Caves, Letting Kids Lose, and Air-Seat Shrinkage

Jan 9th, 2017 11m 47s

Future moon settlers could live in caves carved by ancient lunar lava flows. Letting kids lose games can actually help them in the long run. Plus, your fellow airplane passengers are closer to you than ever.

Asparagus Pee Science, Tardigrades' Weird Mating Habits, and Criminal Software

Jan 2nd, 2017 11m 29s

You have some specific genes to thank if you can smell asparagus in urine. Tardigrades were finally observed mating and it's suitably strange. Plus, a software glitch is sending innocent people to prison.

The Bees of the Sea, Tasting Garlic Via Skin, and Probing Alpha Centauri

Dec 26th, 2016 11m 45s

Tiny invertebrates pollinate underwater flowers like bees. Fun party trick: How to taste garlic through your feet. Plus, Stephen Hawking is helping send a probe the size of a cherry tomato to explore another solar system.

When Christmas Was Illegal, and Why 2016 Will Be One Second Longer

Dec 19th, 2016 12m 50s

christmas, puritans, history, culture, holidays, celebration, 2016, leap second, timekeeping, new years eve, time

Space Poop, Contact Congress and Elf on the Shelf

Dec 12th, 2016 16m 38s

How can we better deal with waste in space? Should we rise up against the panopticonic Elf on the Shelf? Plus: Is the internet actually an effective way to contact our elected officials?