Science Quickly

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How TikTok’s Algorithm Could Shift with a U.S. Spin-off Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

TikTok’s algorithm has become a cultural force, shaping what more than a billion users see and share, but its future may be shifting. As the platform prepares for a U.S.-only spin-off, Kelley Cotter, an assistant professor in the department of human-centered computing and social informatics at Pennsylvania State University, joins Science Quickly to explore how changes in ownership could affect the algorithm’s influence and transparency and the kinds of content we consume.

Recommended Reading

“TikTok Sale Puts App’s Algorithm in the Spotlight—A Social Media Expert Explains How the For You Page Works and What Changes Are in Store,” by Kelley Cotter, in the Conversation. Published online September 22, 2025

E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.

Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check the show. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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Mosquitoes Invade Iceland, Earth Darkens, and Bird Flu Returns Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

Mosquitoes settle in Iceland for the first time as climate change reshapes the Arctic, and Earth’s darkening albedo may be accelerating global warming. Host Rachel Feltman also dives into rising bird flu cases, foodborne urinary tract infections linked to contaminated meat and a potential shift in mpox transmission. Plus, we discuss some hopeful news: peanut allergies are declining in toddlers, and North Atlantic right whales show signs of recovery.

Recommended Reading

Bird Flu Is Back. Here’s What to Know

How Bird Flu Became a Human Pandemic Threat

Earth Is Getting Darker, Which Could Accelerate Global Warming

The Mystery of America’s Peanut Allergy Surge—And the Promising Science behind New Treatments

Can Peanut Allergies Be Cured?

E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

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Why Medication Safety in Pregnancy Is Still a Mystery Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

When the U.S. president claimed that acetaminophen use during pregnancy could cause autism in a person’s offspring, it reignited a deeper conversation about how little we know about medication safety for pregnant people. In this episode, Scientific American senior health editor Tanya Lewis explains why pregnant individuals are routinely excluded from clinical trials—and how that gap in research puts millions at risk.

Recommended Reading

Nobody Knows How Tylenol Really Works

Is Tylenol Safe for Children?

Does Tylenol Use during Pregnancy Cause Autism? What the Research Shows

E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

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The Science of a Convincing Sorry Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

What makes an apology sound sincere? Psychologist Shiri Lev-Ari joins host Rachel Feltman to explore how the effort we put into our words—especially through longer, easier-to-understand language—can signal genuine remorse. New research reveals that even subtle linguistic choices shape how apologies are received and judged.

Recommended Reading

“Sorries Seem to Have the Harder Words,” by Shiri Lev-Ari, in British Journal of Psychology, Vol. 116; published online May 7, 2025

E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

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Global Superbugs Surge, Chikungunya Hits Long Island, and Satellites Leak Data Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

This week on Science Quickly, we cover the global rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, a rare U.S. case of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus and new research on anti-inflammatory supplements. Plus, scientists warn of satellite vulnerabilities—from Earth’s weakening magnetic shield to unencrypted data leaks—and uncover a surprising fungal nursery hidden in stink bug legs.

Recommended Reading

Which Anti-Inflammatory Supplements Actually Work?

How the New Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in China Could Reach the U.S.

Dangerous ‘Superbugs’ Are on the Rise. What Can Stop Them?

E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

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The Meteorite That Vanished: El Ali’s Strange Journey Oct 17, 2025

Show notes

A massive iron meteorite sat undisturbed in the Somali desert for generations—until armed men stole it in 2020. The El Ali meteorite contains at least three minerals never before seen on Earth, making it scientifically priceless. But its journey from landmark to black market raises thorny questions about the role of researchers in legitimizing stolen artifacts.

Recommended Reading

The Sordid Mystery of a Somalian Meteorite Smuggled into China

E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

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Why Is Lung Cancer Surging among Young Women? Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women, surpassing breast and ovarian cancer combined. Thoracic surgeon Jonathan Villena explains why younger nonsmoking women are increasingly affected—and how early screening could save lives.

Recommended Reading

Most People at Risk for Lung Cancer Never Get Screened: Here’s How to Fix That

Jonathan Villena’s profile at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center

E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.
Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura and Kylie Murphy. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check the show. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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Nobel Prizes, COVID Vaccine Updates and Malnutrition in Gaza Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

This week on Science Quickly, we break down the 2025 Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine, Physics and Chemistry. We also unpack the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s shifting COVID vaccine guidance, a controversial call to split the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot and a new study on child malnutrition in Gaza.

Recommended Reading

2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Awarded for Discoveries of How the Body Puts the Brakes on the Immune System

2025 Chemistry Nobel Goes to Molecular Sponges That Purify Water, Store Energy and Clean Up the Environment

How the Physics Nobel Recognized Quantum Weirdness and Avoided Hype

Annual COVID Vaccines Protect People against Severe Disease, Even with Prior Immunity

E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.

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The Doctor behind the Commander in Chief Oct 10, 2025

Show notes

Presidential physicians operate at the intersection of medicine, politics and national security. Former White House physician Jeffrey Kuhlman joins Scientific American associate editor Lauren Young to discuss the unique medical demands of presidential care—from preparing for emergencies such as gunshot wounds to navigating the delicate balance between transparency and privacy. His insights offer a rare glimpse into the high-stakes world of White House health care.

Recommended Reading

Transforming Presidential Healthcare. Jeffrey Kuhlman. Ballast Books, 2024

E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.

Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was co-hosted by Lauren Young and edited by Alex Sugiura. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check the show. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Hadfield’s Fictional Universe Is Rooted in Real Space History Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

What happens when a real-life astronaut turns to fiction? In this episode, Chris Hadfield shares how decades of spaceflight and global diplomacy inspired his latest novel, Final Orbit, a cold war thriller packed with historical intrigue and technical precision. Host Rachel Feltman dives into Hadfield’s creative process and the eerie parallels between past and present geopolitics.

Recommended Reading

Final Orbit, by Chris Hadfield. Mulholland Books, 2025

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E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.

Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura and Kylie Murphy. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check the show. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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