Are we breathing recycled air on airplanes?

What exactly is a swamp cooler, and why can it beat the heat in Arizona but leave you sweaty and betrayed in Houston? How can an air conditioner run on water, what does humidity have to do with its effectiveness, and could an icy new invention help prevent overloaded power grids? ...  Show more

Could a cheaper, more environmentally friendly refrigerant already exist, and could corporate lobbying be helping keep it out of American air conditioners? Why did the chemicals once hailed as safe alternatives become environmental villains, and are their replacements actually mu ...  Show more

People often complain they get sick when they fly on an airplane. And they claim the problem is the recirculated air passengers breathe. That’s actually not quite right. This episode begins with an explanation of what does cause people to get sick from air travel and why it is li ...  Show more

As we fly around with NASA pilots, we’ll explore Earth’s air space with scientists Annmarie Eldering and Armin Sorooshian -- from wispy clouds high above, to tiny particles that make up air pollution. 

Compared to the entirety of human existence, our history of flying in aeroplanes is very short indeed. So what does this fast form of travel do to bodies that have evolved for land-based living? That's what listener Sofia wants to know after working as a flight attendant for o ...

Daniel and Kelly dig into the surprisingly controversial question of why airplanes stay in the air.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.