Who let the wolves in?
Dogs were the first domesticated animal in history, emerging from wolves some 20,000 years ago. But how did wolves become dogs? To find the answer, scientists have to play with a lot of puppies. (Firs...
11 Dec 202424min
Where to meet a Neanderthal
We know Neanderthals and early modern humans coupled up. But when did they meet, exactly? And where? Some fossilized smoke and a baby tooth might hold clues. Guest: Adam Cole of HowTown For show trans...
4 Dec 202429min
Pinky and the (lab-grown) Brain
It’s not great to be a lab rat. And it turns out, lab rats might not be that great for science either. Could the future be little lab-grown brain clumps? Guests: Rachel Nuwer, science journalist; Lisa...
20 Nov 202420min
Why are there lefties and righties?
This week on Unexplainable or Not, we’ve got three scientific mysteries all about left and right. Jonquilyn Hill, host of Vox’s new podcast Explain It to Me, is going to guess which of them has been s...
13 Nov 202427min
Placebos work. Why?
For decades, scientists thought that placebos only worked if patients didn’t know they were taking them. Not anymore: You can give patients placebos, tell them they’re on sugar pills, and they still m...
6 Nov 202425min
Why is horror so fun?
It makes sense that we run away from scary things. That’s a good way to stay alive. But why do some people also love scary things? Why do people gravitate toward horror? Guests: Mathias Clasen and Mar...
30 Okt 202419min
Are psychedelics breaking science?
Drugs like ecstasy and mushrooms have shown promise as mental health treatments, but they’re also exposing some major cracks in how scientists study the brain. Guests: Jonathan Lambert, science journa...
23 Okt 202424min
Your gut’s feelings
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? (First published in 2022) Guests: Michael Gershon, professor...
16 Okt 202428min
