Science unscripted

DW.COM | Deutsche Welle

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The science stories that will actually change your day — and maybe make you laugh. Science unscripted is a podcast, radio show & YouTube channel driven by listeners. Hello from Germany :)

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391 episodes

Weekly roundup — There's so much in this one we couldn't find a title

Frozen hands, subjective aging, understanding autism — this episode has a ton of science (and some angry YouTube comments).

30m
Mar 30, 2024
Solar eclipse? Drive carefully.

There's a 30% increase in car deaths due to solar eclipses, and it's important to know why that happens.

12m
Mar 30, 2024
A vaccine for... cocaine?

Human trials are underway to stop cocaine addiction using vaccines. Do they work? And if so, how?

7m
Mar 28, 2024
Weekly roundup — Fat dogs & a new gender bias

If you're tempted to blame dog owners for their chunky animals... think twice. Also, should Gabe and Conor be perfectly informed on every study they talk about?

30m
Mar 24, 2024
Angry? Don't run. Just breathe.

We all have ways of dealing with anger. And most of them don't really work.

14m
Mar 23, 2024
You probably prefer studies that make women look better (and that's a problem)

When new research makes women look good, we tend to like it. When it makes men look good, we don't.

17m
Mar 22, 2024
Weekly roundup — Want the job? Be first

A quirk in human psychology has a big impact on your chances of getting a job, a date or winning a talent show. Also, Conor puts 'social norms erosion' research to the test — twice.

30m
Mar 17, 2024
A blood 'breathalyzer' for tired drivers

Exhaustion is almost as dangerous as driving drunk. And researchers might have found a way to prove who's doing it.

17m
Mar 16, 2024
Stop f***ing swearing & get some damn sleep

Did you notice? How the curse words above jolted your brain awake? That effect is real. Don't abuse it.

13m
Mar 14, 2024
Weekly roundup — Make yourself do things

You a procrastinator? (We are.) New research suggests an unexpected cause of that. Also, if you have a tough time confronting rule breakers in public (because who doesn't), a new study shows there's a way to do it right.

30m
Mar 10, 2024
How to stop people from playing loud music & videos on their phones

Ever heard someone scrolling TikTok or YouTube Shorts ? It's really annoying — and there's a way to stop it.

13m
Mar 09, 2024
The German man who got 200+ COVID vaccinations

Yes, he's real. And he was doing it (in part) to make money. But when doctors found out, they asked him to get jabbed a few times more.

20m
Mar 08, 2024
Weekly roundup — Dark waters

A listener email sends us deep into the lakes of Latvia — and to honor victims of genocide, it's important to talk about what it is, how it happens and who it happens to.

30m
Mar 03, 2024
Is it possible to reintegrate people who committed genocide?

If a close neighbor had committed horrific murders 30 years ago and was released back into your community, could you accept that? That they'd been rehabilitated? Researchers are trying to answer that question in Rwanda.

16m
Mar 02, 2024
Infectious empathy & a laptop with a nose

If someone had become more empathetic... how would you know? Also, people are willing to pay more for products that look and talk like humans — but only some products.

11m
Mar 01, 2024
Weekly roundup — Smell & anti-depressants

Powerful smells may mitigate severe depression, and a new study suggests regular erections can help against ED. Also, the fascinating reason humans built a gigantic wall close to a lake roughly 10,000 years ago.

30m
Feb 18, 2024
Scared of crime? Motion lights won't help

A new study using VR suggests the things that make neighborhoods safer… don't necessarily make us FEEL safer. (And for God's sake, close the garage door.)

13m
Feb 17, 2024
What is the Alaskapox virus?

Deep in a remote forest, a sick, elderly man got scratched by a stray cat — and likely died as a result.

15m
Feb 15, 2024
Weekly roundup — Understanding climate deniers (a little better)

Every third person thinks human-induced climate change — which is real and caused by us humans — is a fantasy. But if you think it's a psychological trick to drive SUVs or fly (guilt free), a new study suggests you're wrong.

30m
Feb 11, 2024
(Psst. Telling secrets is good for you.)

New research suggests we should divulge our secrets more often than we do. But how you do it matters. (Send secrets to su@dw.com)

13m
Feb 10, 2024
Why is new music so terrible?

Look, we know we sound like boomers — but there really is something wrong with mass-produced music today, and it's connected to the science of how humans perceive beats.

18m
Feb 08, 2024
Weekly roundup — A human was behind this episode

Should Science unscripted be using AI imagery for its shows? It's a real question, and we don't know how to answer it. Will you help us?

30m
Feb 04, 2024
Which decisions are you OK with AI making?

Imagine you got rejected by a university. Except a human didn't reject you — AI did. How do you feel now?

11m
Feb 03, 2024
Alzheimer's 'infections' & walking around parking lots

Was Alzheimer's transferred to a handful of patients? Also, a new study shows what parking lots do to your brain.

14m
Feb 01, 2024
Suffering from stress at work? (Play video games.)

Most of us employees only have a short time before going to bed to recover from the stress of the work day. Video games can help. But you have to be careful with how you use them.

29m
Jan 28, 2024
Were we hunter-gatherers, or gatherer-hunters?

Let's be honest: 'Gatherer-hunters' doesn't quite roll off the tongue. And a new study from up in the Andes doesn't prove we've been plant-based all along.

14m
Jan 26, 2024
Weekly roundup — The moral law within me

A new study suggests it's never a good idea to watch someone else eat raw broccoli. Also, what Job (from the Old Testament) got wrong about wind and wisdom, and the surprising side effect of phobia therapy.

30m
Jan 21, 2024
Kids don’t need God to tell them what’s right or wrong

By asking children whether they should stomp on another kid’s foot, researchers have answered one of the core questions of our existence.

13m
Jan 19, 2024
Why more women are doing 'Veganuary'

Look, we're not trying to push a vegan lifestyle. But it’s worth figuring out why a diet that leads to better human health (and a cooler climate)… just isn't popular with men.

16m
Jan 17, 2024
Weekly roundup — Buk, buk, buk, buk... ba-gawk!

Chickens can communicate emotions (like exasperation), and we humans can understand it. Also, our listeners have a wild variety of new status symbols (and one of them is Science unscripted).

30m
Jan 14, 2024