Why are viruses so good at what they do?

The climate is changing. So are we. On What On Earth, you’ll explore a world of solutions with host Laura Lynch and our team of journalists. In 1970, 20 million people showed up to fight for the environment on the first Earth Day. More than five decades later, is it time for this ...  Show more

Tai tries to do his part by recycling whenever he can. But it turns out just tossing stuff into the blue bin doesn't do a whole lot: less than 10 percent of our plastic waste actually gets recycled, with the rest either ending up in landfill, burned or shipped overseas! How did w ...  Show more

Cold and flu season is well and truly upon us, and whilst most of us are busy bemoaning the pesky viruses behind our sniffles and chesty coughs – one of our listeners has other ideas. Elizabeth wants to know whether we’re too hard on these oft-maligned microbes? We’ve all heard t ...  Show more

Viruses are big jerks that invade regular cells and hold them hostage, making you sick while they're doing it. Learn everything you ever needed to know about viruses, including how the common cold works, in this classic episode.

How do animals get viruses to pass on to humans? That’s what listener Ian wanted to know. To find out, we’re exploring the science of virology - the study of viruses. Virologist Dr. Jasdave Chahal explains how coronavirus jumped through two species into humans, and where they cam ...  Show more

Our bodies are teeming with viruses. But some of them, called phages, might play a really important role in keeping us healthy. Guest: Tom Ireland, author of The Good Virus For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable And please email u ...  Show more