Believe it or not, scientists still don't know how the sense of smell works. But they're looking at how powerful it is - dogs can actually sniff out cancer and many other diseases - and they're trying to figure out how to reverse engineer it. I

Can we talk to animals?

1 Aug 16th, 2023 34m 21s

Two scientists explain how AI might help us translate animal communication, and what we might learn from their squawks, chirps, songs, and chatter. This episode was recorded live at the Aspen Ideas Festival.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexp

Skeleton Lake

1 Mar 24th, 2021 27m 21s

When scientists examined the DNA of ancient bones found near a Himalayan lake, they were forced to confront a seemingly impossible conclusion.*This episode has been updated. In the original version, we mixed up carbon isotopes with carbon isot

Journey Toward the Center of the Earth

2 Mar 17th, 2021 29m 22s

Sixty years ago, geologists tried to drill down through the Earth’s crust to pull up a piece of the Earth’s mantle. Their mission didn’t go exactly as planned. But it sowed the seeds for a new field of science that’s helped us rewrite not only

Cracking the Indus code

1 Jun 14th, 2023 22m 58s

The Indus Valley civilization was one of the largest, most advanced civilizations in the ancient world. But we barely know anything about them, in large part because we haven’t been able to decipher the cryptic symbols they left behind.For mor

Why is everyone getting food allergies?

1 Oct 19th, 2022 28m 17s

In the past few decades, the rate of food allergies in both children and adults has dramatically increased. What’s causing this rise, and what can we do about it?For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show tran

The viral ghosts of long Covid

Apr 14th, 2021 26m 19s

Scientists don’t understand why so many people suffer from Covid-19 symptoms for months, well after they stop testing positive. But that’s just the start of the mystery. There are other diseases that cast these long shadows, and they point to a

A universal virus-killer?

Feb 21st, 2024 27m 4s

Airborne diseases kill millions of people a year, despite available antibiotics and vaccines. But scientists think there might be another solution to fighting these diseases, one that harnesses the power of light.For more, go to http://vox.com

Should you quit Diet Coke?

Feb 7th, 2024 27m 1s

Safety questions have haunted aspartame — the no-calorie sweetener used in many diet soft drinks and other low-calorie products — since its invention. Some answers exist, but should we trust them if they were influenced by the beverage industry

Something weird near the beginning of time

Dec 20th, 2023 22m 25s

The James Webb Space Telescope launched two years ago, giving scientists a new view into the early universe. Now, it's revealed a big new cosmic mystery.For show transcripts, go to bit.ly/unx-transcriptsFor more, go to http://vox.com/unexplai

The tallest mountains on Earth are ... underground?

Dec 13th, 2023 22m 3s

An expedition to Antarctica. Strange seismic readings. Clues to uncover a hidden part of our planet.For show transcripts, go to bit.ly/unx-transcriptsFor more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show transcripts and

Weaponizing uncertainty

Dec 6th, 2023 27m 45s

Our show celebrates uncertainty. But as environmental reporter Amy Westervelt explains, the concept also has a dark side.For show transcripts, go to bit.ly/unx-transcriptsFor more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view

Can we live in space?

1 Nov 29th, 2023 32m 50s

NASA is planning for humans to live on the moon by 2040. But how much space can the human body handle? (Updated from 2022)For show transcripts, go to bit.ly/unx-transcriptsFor more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to vie

The Orcanizing

Oct 18th, 2023 21m 25s

Over the last few years, orcas have been targeting boats, often leaving them stranded at sea. Are these orcas trying to attack humans, or is there something more mysterious going on?For show transcripts, go to bit.ly/unx-transcriptsFor more,

Rogue waves

Sep 27th, 2023 28m 41s

Towering walls of water sometimes appear in the ocean without warning or apparent cause. What drives their terrifying power?For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show transcripts and read more about the topics

Does garlic break magnets?

1 Sep 20th, 2023 30m 40s

What would an episode of Unexplainable have sounded like if it had been made in 100 CE?For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show transcripts and read more about the topics on our show.Also, email us! unexpla

How to decode a thought

Sep 13th, 2023 32m 8s

Can researchers decipher what people are thinking about just by looking at brain scans? With AI, they're getting closer. How far can they go, and what does it mean for privacy?To buy tickets to our upcoming live show in New York, go to http://

It’s getting harder to see

Aug 30th, 2023 20m 5s

Something about modern life is leading to higher rates of nearsightedness across the world. What is it?To buy tickets to our upcoming live show in New York, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableliveFor more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt

The Black Box: In AI we trust?

Jul 19th, 2023 30m 46s

AI can often solve problems in unexpected, undesirable ways. So how can we make sure it does what we want, the way we want? And what happens if we can’t?This is the second episode of our new two-part series, The Black Box.For more, go to http

The Black Box: Even AI’s creators don’t understand it

Jul 12th, 2023 35m 22s

AI has the potential to impact our society in dramatic ways, but researchers can’t explain precisely how it works or how it might evolve. Will they ever understand it?This is the first episode of our new two-part series, The Black Box.For mor

Do animals grieve?

Jun 28th, 2023 27m 2s

A dog on its owner’s grave. A killer whale carrying around its dead calf. A goose that isolates when its mate dies. These behaviors in animals may look like human mourning, but should scientists call them "grief?"For more, go to http://vox.com

Your creepy, crawly roommates

Jan 25th, 2023 27m 21s

Our houses are homes to hidden worlds of bugs. And the more ecologists explore those worlds, the more they realize that some of our tiny roommates actually have a lot to teach us. For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place

Plants with eyes?

1 Jan 11th, 2023 27m 33s

In the temperate rainforests of Chile, there is a vine that can shapeshift to copy the look of other plants. But how? Can it... see them? Or is something weirder happening?For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view

Your gut's feelings

Dec 21st, 2022 29m

How we feel emotionally may be influenced by unseen troves of microbial life that live inside us. Is it possible to harness this gut power?For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show transcripts and read more

Basic instinct

Dec 7th, 2022 29m

How do animals know how to do things like spin a web or build a dam? A neuroscientist argues it's not “instinct.” Something bigger is going on.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show transcripts and read mo