Science Quickly

Apr 09 2025 1762 ep. 5 mins 8.3k
Science Quickly Podcast artwork

Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.

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Treating Bacterial Vaginosis as an STI Could Improve Outcomes

Apr 09 2025 19 mins  
Bacterial vaginosis (BV), an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria in the vagina, affects nearly one in three people with a vagina. While you can get BV without ever having sex, a new study has found that, in some cases, it could be functioning more like a sexually transmitted infection. That’s in part because of the increased risk of BV after sex with a new partner and a high recurr

How the Science of Safety Helps Tackle Global Risks [Sponsored]

Apr 08 2025 16 mins  
We're surrounded by risks of all sizes, every day. Some people might be risk-takers, while others do whatever they can to avoid them. But how can we tackle the risks that impact society on a global scale, like those linked to sustainable energy, societal health and digital technology? Science journalist Izzie Clarke explores this question in the latest podcast from Scientific Ameri

Yodeling Monkeys, Increasing Measles Cases and Stressed Out Americans

Apr 07 2025 8 mins  
The Trump administration continues to make cuts to U.S. science and health agencies. Now some states are fighting back, suing the Department of Health and Human Services for slashing $11 billion in public health funds. A study finds that Americans live shorter lives than Europeans with the same income—stress and other systemic issues could be to blame. While much-hyped asteroid 2

Cutting USAID Threatens Public Health around the World

Apr 04 2025 11 mins  
The U.S. Department of State recently announced plans to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID. While some of USAID’s functions will continue under the Department of State, there is real concern that the cuts will jeopardize public health efforts across the world, including immunization programs and other efforts that have saved the lives of millions o

Understanding the Science of ‘Squirting’

Apr 02 2025 17 mins  
The human body is capable of some truly incredible things. One of the most mysterious and debated phenomena is a release of fluid during sex that is often referred to as “squirting.” What’s actually happening, and why does it stir so much speculation? Wendy Zukerman, host of the hit podcast Science Vs, breaks down the science behind this fascinating topic, exploring what we k

Shark Sounds, Molecules on Mars and Continued Federal Cuts

Mar 31 2025 9 mins  
Long-chain alkanes discovered by NASA’s Curiosity rover point to the possibility that there may have been fatty acids on Mars—and that they could have come from past microbial life. Paleontologists have found a huge dinosaur claw that was probably made for foraging, not fighting. Researchers studying ocean life have recorded the sounds of sharks and the tricks of cuttlefish. Pl

Go Inside M.I.T.'s 50,000 Square Foot Clean Room

Mar 28 2025 20 mins  
The cutting edge of research is very small—and very clean. In this episode, host Rachel Feltman joins Vladimir Bulović, director of MIT.nano, on a tour of this facility’s nanoscale capabilities. Its tightly controlled clean room hosts research across several fields, from microelectronics to medical nanotechnology. You can see Bulović’s tour of the lab at: https://youtu.be/

Are These Plants Out of Place? A New Look at Invasive Species

Mar 26 2025 16 mins  
When you hear “invasive plant,” you might picture an aggressive species taking over and harming the environment. But what if the way we think about invasive plants is part of the problem? Host Rachel Feltman chats with Mason Heberling, associate curator of botany at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, about why these plants are more complicated than we think. He’s one of

NASA Astronauts Finally Return, Seals Hold Their Breath, and Penguin Poop Stresses Out Krill

Mar 24 2025 10 mins  
Two NASA astronauts are finally back on Earth after an unexpected nine-month stay in space. What kept them up there so long? Meanwhile scientists have discovered that gray seals have a built-in oxygen gauge that helps them hold their breath for more than an hour. And in the Antarctic, researchers found that penguin poop seriously stresses out krill. Catch up on these stories and mo

Severance’s Consulting Neurosurgeon Explains the Science behind the Show’s Brain Procedure

Mar 21 2025 17 mins  
What if you could completely separate your work and personal life—with the help of a brain implant? That’s the unsettling premise of Severance, the hit Apple TV+ show that just wrapped its second season. To make the science fiction feel as real as possible, the creators brought in an actual neurosurgeon, Vijay Agarwal, chief of the Skull-Base Tumor Center at Montefiore Einstein