How do things glow in the dark?

Birds… but chemistry. What does compost have to do with eggs? How are birds basically doing chemistry experiments to make their colors? Why would a bird eat dirt… or rub ants all over itself?? This episode is a grab bag of wild, fascinating bird facts that connect back to chemist ...  Show more

#053 Rebroadcast This week, Melissa and Jam revisit one of their fav episodes on the topic of mosquitos. What is DEET? What part does it play in repelling mosquitos? How do repellants repel mosquitos in the first place? Is it just straight witchcraft? Let's do it. Support this po ...  Show more

It’s our Halloween special from a rain-soaked Jodrell Bank in Cheshire. We find out what you can see in a dark, dark Halloween night sky with space-watcher and Professor of astrophysics Tim O’Brien. Also this week, we meet some blood-sucking leeches, the horrors of pumpkin waste ...  Show more

Love isn’t just about romance. This Valentine’s Day, we’re exploring the power of deep nonromantic bonds. Host Rachel Feltman sits down with Rhaina Cohen, a producer and editor for NPR’s podcast Embedded and author of The Other Significant Others, to discuss the history and psych ...  Show more

Griefbots—artificial-intelligence-powered chat tools that simulate conversations with the deceased—are helping some people navigate loss in unexpected ways. Science writer David Berreby shares his firsthand experience with these digital companions and explores what they reveal ab ...  Show more

In a hauntingly innovative exhibit, brain cells grown from the late composer Alvin Lucier’s blood generate sound. Set in a museum in Perth, Australia, the installation blurs the line between art and neuroscience. Host Rachel Feltman and associate editor Allison Parshall explore t ...  Show more