Science Quickly

Latest Episodes:

Name a Quasi-Moon with Radiolab Host Latif Nasser Jul 17, 2024

Show notes

Science journalist and Radiolab host Latif Nasser found himself at the center of a space mystery. A space poster in his child’s room showed Zoozve, a moon circling Venus. Only Nasser had never heard of Zoozve—and neither had anyone else. Nasser brings us the story of Zoozve the quasi-moon and brings listeners the opportunity to name a quasi-moon of their own.

Recommended listening

Zoozve

Name a Quasi-Moon with Radiolab

Quasi-Moon Contest

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, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman with special guest Latif Nasser, Radiolab host. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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The Kavli Prize Presents: Building Materials From The Bottom Up [Sponsored] Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

Chad Mirkin, recipient of the 2024 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience, has spent his career exploring the possibilities of creating and inventing materials at the nanoscale.

This podcast was produced for The Kavli Prize by Scientific American Custom Media, a division separate from the magazine’s board of editors.

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Astronauts Can Drink More Recycled Pee Than Ever, and You Can Still Catch the Plague Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

We commemorate the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, dive into NASA’s groundbreaking Mars habitat simulation and discuss the innovative “stillsuits” designed to recycle astronaut pee and how they could enhance spacewalks. Plus, we discuss the record-breaking Hurricane Beryl and its implications for climate change policies, and a surprising case of the plague in Colorado.

Recommended reading:

– One Small Step Back in Time: Relive the Wonder of Apollo 11

– Why Hurricane Beryl Underwent Unprecedented Rapid Intensification

Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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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On Thin Ice: Contemplating Our Climate Future in Antarctica (Part 4) Jul 12, 2024

Show notes

We’re at the end of the Nathaniel B. Palmer’s Antarctic expedition. The researchers onboard are returning sea ice and thousands of gallons of seawater. These samples will allow them to examine biogeochemical processes, some of which are linked to climate change. As the research vessel makes its way back to port, the scientists reflect on the future of our planet and the question of whether the ice in Antarctica will always be around for sampling.

Listen to the first three episodes of this series:

– Glacial Melting Could Change the Chemistry of Antarctic Seawater

– Penguins and Ice Samples Make This Research Vessel Paradice

– Life for Researchers on This Icebreaker Is Cold and Fulfilling

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, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by journalist Sofia Moutinho. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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Saving the Last Truly Wild Horse Jul 10, 2024

Show notes

Przewalski’s horses are truly wild horses, even the ones held in captivity. They traditionally roamed the Central Asian steppes, so you can imagine everyone’s surprise when two separate accounts on TikTok claimed to have found a Przewalski’s horse here in the U.S. But as guest and Scientific American associate news editor Allison Parshall will tell you, the real story is the remarkable conservation efforts that led to a resurgence for this horse, which was once considered extinct in the wild.

The Last Wild Horses Are Finally Returning to Their Natural Habitat

How a Cloned Ferret Inspired a DNA Bank for Endangered Species

Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman with guest and associate news editor Allison Parshall. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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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A Blast from Our Past and Plans for a Petrochemical-Free Future Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

We’re looking at our reporting—from 100 years ago. In 1924 Scientific American’s pages were bemoaning traffic, waste management and pests. They were also praising the by-products of coal tar and those substances’ use in household items. While the record is clear on the toxicity of fossil fuels to our environment and our health, demand for fossil-fuel-based “petrochemical” products such as plastic is only increasing. Host Rachel Feltman advises on how to avoid petrochemicals in our everyday products. Plus, we take a lighthearted look at a telepathy study also featured in one of our 1924 issues.

Recommended reading:

The Gas Industry Is Gaslighting the Public about Climate Change

Renewable Power Set to Surpass Coal Globally by 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.

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The Supreme Court Plays Hot Potato with Idaho’s Abortion Restrictions, and NASA Plays It Safe with Starliner Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

The Supreme Court dismissed a case about Idaho’s abortion ban, preserving a lower court ruling that allows for emergency access to abortion in the state. NASA pushed back a return flight for two Starliner astronauts so that Boeing and the agency can better understand the helium leaks and thruster failures that plagued the spacecraft’s launch.

Infectious disease experts are still tracking the transmission of bird flu in the U.S., while Finland is set to offer preemptive vaccines to farmworkers. Higher temperatures are contributing to a spike in dengue fever. A new strain of mpox is spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We’re taking the holiday week off, so there won’t be an episode on Wednesday or Friday. Enjoy your Fourth of July, stay safe around fireworks and listen to our back catalog of episodes when you need a break from backyard barbecues.

Recommended reading:

Supreme Court Allows Emergency Abortions in Idaho—For Now

Mosquitoes Carry Nasty Diseases. Here’s How to Protect Yourself

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

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On Thin Ice: Life Onboard an Antarctic Icebreaker (Part 3) Jun 28, 2024

Show notes

Life onboard the Nathaniel B. Palmer can be cramped and cold. Chaotic work schedules and changing time zones can be disorienting, and the isolation of Antarctica is hard to handle. Research, routine and a mock trial with the god of the sea help these scientists stay grounded.

Stay tuned for the fourth and final episode of this Friday Fascination: researchers reflect on the emotional toll of witnessing climate change’s impact on Antarctica.

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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How to Stay Cool during Record-Breaking Heat Waves Jun 26, 2024

Show notes

Summers are getting hotter, with heat waves that last longer and occur more often. That makes it even more important to communicate the risks of heat to vulnerable groups and keep communities and individuals cool. Sustainability editor Andrea Thompson explains why it feels hotter than ever and how to keep yourself and your community safe in the summer heat.

Recommended reading:

This Isn’t Your Grandparents’ Summer Heat

How Some Common Medications Can Make People More Vulnerable to Heat

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, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman, with special guest Andrea Thompson. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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Your Penis Might Be Full of Microplastics, and The Seine is Definitely Full of Bacteria Jun 24, 2024

Show notes

Microplastics are everywhere—and we mean everywhere. These pesky plastic pollutants have been found in penis tissue, testicles, breast milk and blood. They’ve turned up in Antarctic snow, in the clouds above Mount Fuji, inside deep-sea creatures and near the top of Mount Everest. In Paris Olympic ambitions for the Seine’s are being complicated by bacteria. Far above Earth, the Starliner spacecraft faced a rocky road to the International Space Station (ISS). Starliner’s return to Earth is being delayed as Boeing and NASA officials take a look at the leaks and thruster failures that occurred during its journey to the ISS.

Recommended reading:

Microplastics Linked to Heart Attack, Stroke and Death

The Physics of Breakdancing, a New Olympic Sport

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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