Episodes

  • Hantavirus: How Scary Is It??

    Hantavirus: How Scary Is It??
    May 13 2026
    A weird virus has popped up on a cruise ship, and it’s making a bunch of us nervous. It’s a type of hantavirus called Andes virus, and scientists think that it’s infected almost a dozen people so far — three of them have died. And now people are getting off the boat, some of them going into government quarantine, but some of them traveling home. And people are like, wait … this all sounds VERY familiar … from the early days of Covid. So — how scary is this? Could this hantavirus be the next pandemic?? We talk to Prof. Michelle Harkins, Prof. Ann Sheehy and Dr. Neil Vora to find out. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsHantavirus In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Hantavirus shows up on a cruise ship (03:11) What happens if you get sick with hantavirus? (09:32) How does hantavirus spread? (14:05) How good is this hantavirus at spreading? (26:08) Is this hantavirus going to cause the next pandemic? This episode was produced by Michelle Dang, with help from Blythe Terrell, Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys and Wendy Zukerman. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is the executive producer. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Special thanks to the other researchers we spoke to about this, including Prof. Glenn Marsh. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • Tattoos: Are They Toxic?

    Tattoos: Are They Toxic?
    May 7 2026
    Tons of us are inked — one in three American adults has a tattoo — but lately, we’ve been hearing that tattoos are actually bad for us. We’re told that they mess with our immune system and could even lead to cancer. Can that be true?! Plus, are there any upsides to having a tattoo? We talk to immunologist Dr. Santiago González, epidemiologist Dr. Christel Nielsen, and psychologist Prof. Viren Swami. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsTattoos (00:00) Tattoos Under Attack (02:03) Getting Under Our Skin (11:38) Do Tattoos Cause Cancer? (18:50) Should You Get Them Lasered Off? (20:53) The Benefits of Tattoos This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Blythe Terrell, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Meryl Horn, and Michelle Dang. Wendy Zukerman is our executive producer. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Special thanks to all the experts we spoke with for this episode, including Dr. Signe Clemmensen, Prof. David Kriebel, Dr. John Swierk, Natacha Cingotti, Dr. Sandrine Henri, Prof. Chris Lynn, and Tricia Allen. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • Boredom: Is It Good For You?

    Boredom: Is It Good For You?
    Apr 30 2026
    We keep hearing that we need to be BORED more, with people online swearing that boredom can work magic — restoring your mind, and even supercharging your creativity. So, is boredom secretly good for us? We talk to cognitive neuroscientist Prof. James Danckert and organizational psychologist Prof. Guihyun Park to find out. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsBoredom In this episode, we cover: (00:00) They say we need more boredom (02:06) This is your brain on boredom (12:30) Does boredom push us into creativity? (22:08) Should you try to be more bored? (23:53) When you give your brain time to rest This episode was produced by Michelle Dang, with help from Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. Wendy Zukerman is our executive producer. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • Vaping: Does It Really Cause Cancer?

    Vaping: Does It Really Cause Cancer?
    Apr 23 2026
    Headlines have been screaming about a new study suggesting that vaping could cause cancer — and that vaping could be just as dangerous as cigarettes. And if this were true, it would be a HUGE deal. We’ve been hearing for years that vaping is a safer option — and can help you quit ciggies. But the new paper has run up against angry criticisms from other scientists, with some calling the paper "misleading" and "problematic." So what’s going on?? Do scientists still think vaping is safer than cigarettes? How well do vapes actually help people quit smoking? And could Big Tobacco be behind the scenes, clouding the truth about all of this?? We get help sorting it out from Professor Bernard Stewart, Professor Lion Shahab and Professor Becky Freeman. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsVapingCancer In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Vaping world set alight by new study (02:50) Why Some Scientists Have Linked Vaping to Cancer (07:45) Why Some Scientists Pushed Back Against Vaping-Cancer Claims (17:51) Is Vaping as Dangerous as Smoking? (25:15) Do Vapes Help People Quit Smoking? (30:52) Big Tobacco Is Funding Vaping Research This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman and Rose Rimler, with help from Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Meryl Horn and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is our executive producer. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Additional music from Parry Music Library / BMGPM. Thanks so much to the Australian science media centre and all the scientists who responded to our emails on this — we asked a lot of you!. A big thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman family. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    43 mins
  • Running: Will It Wreck Your Body?

    Running: Will It Wreck Your Body?
    Apr 16 2026
    Lots of us love — or love to hate — running. And we do it because it’s supposed to be healthy, right?! But then we hear tons of stories about runners getting hurt — sometimes so badly that they have to hang up their sneakers. And there are people on social media going even further, claiming it’s one of the worst things we can do for our bodies. So IS running secretly bad for us? And could too much of it actually bring you closer to a heart attack? We’ll explore the science on all of that, and we’ll also dig into runner’s high: What is going on in the brain to cause this feeling? With help from Dr. Rasmus Østergaard Nielsen, Professor Duck-Chul Lee, and Dr. Michael Siebers, we look at the science to find out if running is the key to a healthy life or if there are peer-reviewed reasons to be a hater. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/sciencevsrunning In this episode, we cover: (01:48) What’s the deal with running injuries? (10:51) How to get hurt less (15:03) The secret to a longer life (19:34) What is the runner’s high? (28:58) How to get runner’s high This episode was produced by Ekedi Fausther-Keeys with help from Blythe Terrell, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn and Wendy Zukerman. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is our executive producer. Fact checking by Taylor White. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Dr. Anita Eberl, Dr. Johannes Fuss, Professor Robert Otto, Dr. Hirofumi Tanaka, Dr. Peter Kokkinos, Dr. Marilyn Moffat, and Director Brian Farr. A big thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman family. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    31 mins
  • Artemis: Why Are We Really Going Back to the Moon?

    Artemis: Why Are We Really Going Back to the Moon?
    Apr 9 2026
    The moon race is back! NASA’s Artemis II mission just sent four astronauts around the moon. And other countries — and billionaires — are lining up to take a crack at returning to the moon too. But why are we really going? Some say this is a lunar gold rush, that countries want to mine the moon for resources. Others are saying the real reason to go to the moon today is that it’ll help us get to Mars. To find out, we talk to engineer Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid, physicist Prof. Nicolle Zellner, and astronomer Prof. Gregg Hallinan. [REBROADCAST] Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsGoingBackToMoon UPDATE 4/9/26: We updated this episode with information about more recent efforts to mine Helium-3 from the moon. This episode was produced by Meryl Horn and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Thanks to the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Dr. Tom Simko, Professor Jack Burns, Dr. Paul Byrne, Dr. Martin Elvis, Dr. John Mather, Dr. Jennifer Whitten, Dr. Ian Crawford, Dr. Simon J Lock, and Dr. Greg De Temmerman. Special thanks to Chris Suter, Jack Weinstein, the Zukerman family, the Fausther-Keeys family, and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. In this episode, we cover: (00:00) We’re going back to the moon! (06:23) Should we dig up rare earth elements on the moon? (10:05) Should we go back to the moon for Helium-3?(14:54) The moon as a training ground for Mars (19:55) The FARSIDE telescope: a portal into the universe’s history (27:12) So is it worth returning to the moon? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    35 mins
  • How To Stop Scrolling

    How To Stop Scrolling
    Apr 2 2026
    The apps on our phones do an amazing job of sucking us in. In fact, a big court case just found that some of these companies should be held responsible for basically designing products to be addictive. And that might not be shocking for lots of us, who feel the pull of these algorithms every day. So, is there anything we can do to help us put down our phones?? Tons of solutions are bandied about: Buy this special device to stay off your phone! What we really need to do is up the friction! Or go hardcore — just get a flip phone! But what actually works to stop scrolling? We dive into the science to find out, with help from computer science and engineering researcher Dr. Jaejeung Kim and psychologist Dr. Lea-Christin Wickord. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsStopScrolling In this episode, we cover: (00:00) The Apps Got Us Trapped (04:21) Yes, it’s the scrolling that’s to blame (06:18) The Hardcore Approach (11:45) The Gentle Nudge (14:09) What if we up the friction? (19:59) Is greyscale the solution? (28:50) If we stop scrolling, do we feel better? (30:37) Final tips to stop scrolling This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. Wendy Zukerman is our executive producer. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Erica Akiko-Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, So Wylie, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Thanks so much to the researchers we spoke to, including Dr. Kai Lukoff, Hyunsung Cho, Dr. Alex Holte, Dr. Jan Ole Rixen, Dr. Jay Olson, and Dr. Noah Castelo. A big thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman family. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    37 mins
  • The Great Mysteries of Sex with Mary Roach

    The Great Mysteries of Sex with Mary Roach
    Mar 26 2026
    Today, best-selling author and nerd Mary Roach joins us to talk all about sex. We’ll uncover the secrets of the female orgasm (does “upsuck” exist?), detail the bizarre methods of pioneering sex researchers like Masters and Johnson (including a famous penis camera), and get into the nitty-gritty of how to sexually stimulate a pig in Denmark. Plus, Mary tells us what it's like to have sex while getting an ultrasound — all in the name of science. Mary’s new book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy, is out now. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsMaryRoach In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Meet Mary Roach, one of our favorite nerds (22:31) The masturbating fetus (27:53) Mary bonks in the lab (47:31) Oddball questions This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Meryl Horn, Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Michelle Dang, and Rose Rimler. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Video editing and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Emma Munger, So Wylie, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka and Bobby Lord. Thanks to Skyline Studios and Humdinger Studios. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    54 mins