A snake. A ray. A shark. They each got pregnant with no male involved. In fact, scientists are finding more and more species that can reproduce on their own. What’s going on?For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscriptsFor more, go to vo

Itch hunt

9 days ago 21m 13s

Itch used to be understood as a mild form of pain, but scientists are learning this sense is more than just skin deep. How deep does it go?For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscriptsFor more, go to vox.com/unexplainableAnd please emai

How did Earth get its water?

16 days ago 29m 53s

Life as we know it needs water, but scientists can’t figure out where Earth’s water came from. Answering that question is just one piece of an even bigger mystery: “Why are we here?” (Updated from 2023)For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtr

Is Earth alive?

23 days ago 28m 1s

A cell is alive. So is a leaf and so is a tree. But what about the forest they’re a part of? Is that forest alive? And what about the planet that forest grows on? Is Earth alive? Science writer Ferris Jabr says: Yes.For show transcripts, go to

The alpha myth

30 days ago 41m 25s

The researcher who popularized the idea of the alpha wolf has spent decades trying to take it back. Our friends over at Pablo Torre Finds Out try to uncover how science got it wrong.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great pla

The eclipse chasers

Apr 3rd, 2024 21m 31s

Solar storms can wreak havoc on power grids, satellites, even astronauts — but scientists still struggle to predict them. One possible way forward? Chasing eclipses.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show t

The Yips

Mar 27th, 2024 31m 33s

Think about the thing you’ve practiced more than anything else in the world. Maybe it’s painting. Or writing. Or playing the piano. Now imagine you wake up one day and you just can’t do it. You’re not sick. You’re not injured. But that one thin

The bleeding edge, part two

Mar 20th, 2024 25m 40s

Diagnosing diseases such as endometriosis can require difficult steps, like surgery. But researchers are hoping to use menstrual fluid to make detecting the condition much easier.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place

The bleeding edge

Mar 13th, 2024 25m 59s

Periods and menstrual fluid have long been overlooked by scientists. Now, researchers are starting to suspect they might be sources of medical treasure.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show transcripts an

Aliens from Earth?

Mar 6th, 2024 28m 46s

Was there a technologically advanced species living on Earth long before humans? And if one had existed, how would we know? (Updated from 2022)For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show transcripts and read mo

How scientists are searching for aliens

Feb 28th, 2024 17m 31s

They’re not looking for UFOs or decoding government secrets. They’re doing something much simpler.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

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

Why do we cry?

Feb 14th, 2024 24m 10s

Humans seem to be the only animals that cry from emotion. This Valentine’s Day, we’re wondering: What makes our tears so special? (Updated from 2022)For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show transcripts and r

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

The case for cursing

Jan 31st, 2024 26m 6s

Can swearing make you stronger?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! [email protected] read every email.Support Unexplainabl

The math problem that could break the internet

Jan 24th, 2024 40m 46s

Today's internet is built on a series of locks and keys that protect your private information as it travels through cyberspace. But could all these locks be broken? (Updated from 2022)For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great p

Garbage patch kids

Jan 17th, 2024 20m 18s

Scientists didn’t think it was possible for life to thrive in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Then, they found some anemones ... and some huge questions about entire new ecosystems built on plastic.If you want to hear more about plastic in th

A stethoscope for the rainforest

Jan 10th, 2024 26m 33s

Researchers planted microphones in a forest and walked away. Listening back could help heal rainforest ecosystems.For show transcripts, go to bit.ly/unx-transcriptsFor more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to view show t

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Jan 3rd, 2024 31m 20s

What’s up with the weird golden egg at the bottom of the ocean? How do eggs actually choose sperm? Hit sports podcast host Pablo Torre tries to guess which of these mysteries has actually been solved on our latest episode of Unexplainable or No

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 ice cream effect

Nov 15th, 2023 31m 25s

Decades of studies suggest that eating ice cream reduces diabetes risk. Could ice cream be ... good for you? And what does “good for you” mean?For show transcripts, go to bit.ly/unx-transcriptsFor more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s

The data vigilantes

Nov 8th, 2023 31m 53s

Data sleuths are working outside the system to keep science honest. But is there a better way to prevent scientific misconduct and fraud?For show transcripts, go to bit.ly/unx-transcriptsFor more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a gre