Tens of thousands of lives could be saved each year if hospitals had more blood. So scientists are racing to understand how this living fluid does what it does in order to one day grow it from scratch. Guest: Nicola Twilley, New Yorker contributor and host of Gastropod. For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vox.com/unex…

Have you ever pondered the fact that the universe is expanding? And not only that, it's expanding at an increasing speed - meaning everything around us is getting further and further away? If that isolating thought makes you feel slightly panicked, don't worry: this programme also contains wine! Brian Schmidt is a Distinguished Professor of Astroph…

He is risen! We're of course referring to Father Damien Karras (played by Jason Miller), who was controversially resurrected in William Peter Blatty's criminally underrated 1990 sequel The Exorcist III. Todd and Brogan are joined by Steve and Kevin Oyakawa (Todd's father- and brother-in-law, respectively) for a deep dive into the slasheriest entry …

We know life on Earth wouldn't be possible without the moon. Now scientists are finding the moon might even be influencing our biology on a molecular level. Guest: Rebecca Boyle, science journalist and author of Our Moon: How Earth's celestial companion transformed the planet, guided evolution, and made us who we are For show transcripts, go to vox…

How much information can you extract from a burnt fragment of human bone? Quite a lot, it turns out - not only about the individual, but also their broader lives and communities; and these are the stories unearthed by Jacqueline McKinley, a Principal Osteoarchaeologist with Wessex Archaeology. During her career, Jackie has analysed thousands of anc…

Listeners told us that eating baby carrots or telling lies can bring on the hiccups. Burping or kissing can make them stop. Um, what? (First published in 2023.) Guests: Tyler Cymet, chair of medicine at The Chicago School, and Ali Seifi, professor of neurosurgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio For show transcripts, go …

Surgeons often have to deal with the consequences of violent attacks - becoming all too familiar with patterns of public violence, and peaks around weekends, alcohol-infused events and occasions that bring together groups with conflicting ideals. Professor Jonathan Shepherd not only recognised the link between public violence and emergency hospital…

We have an exciting announcement! Vox Members now get access to ad-free podcasts. If you sign up, you’ll get unlimited access to reporting on vox.com, exclusive newsletters, and all of our podcasts — including Unexplainable — ad-free. Plus, you’ll be playing a crucial role helping our show get made. Check it out at vox.com/members. Learn more about…

Deep inside the mud at the bottom of the ocean, scientists have found life that is so unusual they’ve had to create new branches on the tree of life to put it on. These life forms are not extraterrestrials: They’re “aliens” from Earth. Guest: Karen Lloyd, microbiologist and author of Intraterrestrials: Discovering the Strangest Life on Earth For sh…

Doyne Farmer is something of a rebel. Back in the seventies, when he was a student, he walked into a casino in Las Vegas, sat down at a roulette table and beat the house. To anyone watching the wheel spin and the ball clatter to its final resting place, his choice of number would’ve looked like a lucky guess. But knowing the physics of the game and…

Scientists have been searching for aliens for decades. But if we ever do get a signal someday, how will we communicate back? And will anyone out there be able to understand us? Guests: Doug Vakoch, president of METI, and Sheri Wells-Jensen, linguist at Bowling Green State University For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to…

Elephants are the largest living land mammal and today our plant is home to three species: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. But a hundred thousand years ago, in the chilly depths of the Ice Age, multiple species of elephant roamed the earth: from dog-sized dwarf elephants to towering woolly mammoths. T…

What can we actually do as our world gets populated with more and more robots? How can we take control? Can we take control? This is the final episode of our four-part series about the stories shaping the future of AI. Good Robot was made in partnership with Vox’s Future Perfect team. For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go …

A simple parable about a drowning child sparks a moral revolution. Is building AI the way to do the most good in the world? This is the third episode of our new four-part series about the stories shaping the future of AI. Good Robot was made in partnership with Vox’s Future Perfect team. Episodes will be released on Wednesdays and Saturdays. For sh…

What does it take to earn the nickname, ‘The Leonardo da Vinci of heart surgery’? That's the moniker given to today's guest - a man who pioneered high-profile and often controversial procedures, but also helped drive huge medical progress; carrying out around 2,000 heart transplants and 400 dual heart-lung transplants during his 60-year career. Sir…

When a robot does bad things, who is responsible? A group of technologists sounds the alarm about the ways AI is already harming us today. Are their concerns being taken seriously? This is the second episode of our new four-part series about the stories shaping the future of AI. Good Robot was made in partnership with Vox’s Future Perfect team. Epi…

Before AI became a mainstream obsession, one thinker sounded the alarm about its catastrophic potential. So why are so many billionaires and tech leaders worried about… paper clips? This is the first episode of our new four-part series about the stories shaping the future of AI. Good Robot was made in partnership with Vox’s Future Perfect team. Epi…

This week on Unexplainable or Not, the newest member of our team, Julia Longoria, tries to figure out which of three scientific mysteries about the sea, the land, and the sky has actually been solved. Guest: Admir Masic, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at MIT. For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, g…

Dylan got malaria on purpose. And he thinks you should, too. Guest: Dylan Matthews, senior correspondent at Vox’s Future Perfect This episode was made in partnership with Vox’s Future Perfect team. For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable And please email us! [email protected] We read every email.…

A neuroscientist argues that the focus on dreams has held back the scientific understanding of sleep. So he took dreams out of the picture and uncovered a new potential connection between the mind and body. Guest: Mark Blumberg, behavioral neuroscientist at the University of Iowa For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vo…

It's Valentine's Day! So we're getting together to celebrate something we all love: fictional murder. Lindsay and director Christopher Bickel (Pater Noster and the Mission of Light) join us to talk about the 1981 Canucksploitation classic My Bloody Valentine. Season two (Saw) premieres this October, but we'll be celebrating plenty of holidays with …

Funding cuts and research censorship have shaken the foundations of America’s health and science agencies, leaving researchers shocked, confused, and afraid. What does this mean for the future of science? For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable And please email us! [email protected] We read every…

For thousands of years, there have been four basic tastes recognized across cultures. But thanks to Kumiko Ninomiya (a.k.a. the Umami Mama), scientists finally accepted a fifth. Could there be even more? (First published in 2022.) Guests: Kumiko Ninomiya, biochemist and former director of the Umami Information Center; Gary Beauchamp, former directo…

Some of the largest lakes in the world have been buried under miles of ice for millions of years. Is there life hiding down there? And if so, could life be found in even more extreme places … beyond our planet? Guest: John Priscu, microbiologist at Montana State University For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vox.com/u…

Genetic libraries are treasure troves of information about life from around the world. They’re helping researchers develop everything from vaccines to crops to cosmetics. But who actually benefits from the discoveries scientists make using all this DNA and RNA? Guests: Benji Jones, environmental correspondent at Vox’s Future Perfect; Deborah Fuller…

Some scientists think an explosion of AI awareness and feeling might be just around the corner. Others think it’s impossible for an AI to ever become conscious. How will we know? Guest: Oshan Jarow, staff writer at Vox’s Future Perfect This episode was made in partnership with Vox's Future Perfect team. For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtransc…

It’s that time of year again. If you’re changing things up, there’s a lot of diets out there that claim to help you live longer. Our friends at Today, Explained ask: How much of this is real and how much of it is nonsense? Guests: Anahad O’Connor, health columnist at the Washington Post; Saul Justin Newman, researcher at the University College Lond…

What's it like living underwater for two weeks? What's the trickiest part of training to be an astronaut? What are the most memorable sights you see from space?Several extreme questions, all of which can be answered by one man: Major Tim Peake. After a childhood packed with outdoor adventures, via the Cub Scouts and school Cadet Force, Tim joined t…

This holiday we're visiting one of the greatest Christmas gifts of all: a slasher film starring Mickey Rooney. Oso and Max join Todd and Brogan to talk about why this film is great even if most of it isn't very good. Thanks for joining us on the first year of this journey! See you soon. Follow Todd on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/juggernaut323 Follow…

The wildest stories that never made it into our episodes. Until now. Guests: Amy Boddy, anthropological scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara; Jayme Locke, transplant surgeon at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; Jonathan Jiang, research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtrans…

Dogs were the first domesticated animal in history, emerging from wolves some 20,000 years ago. But how did wolves become dogs? To find the answer, scientists have to play with a lot of puppies. (First published in 2023.) Guest: Kathryn Lord, evolutionary biology researcher at UMass Chan Medical School For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscr…

We know Neanderthals and early modern humans coupled up. But when did they meet, exactly? And where? Some fossilized smoke and a baby tooth might hold clues. Guest: Adam Cole of HowTown For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable And please email us! [email protected] We read every email. Support Une…

It’s not great to be a lab rat. And it turns out, lab rats might not be that great for science either. Could the future be little lab-grown brain clumps? Guests: Rachel Nuwer, science journalist; Lisa Genzel, professor of neuroscience at Radboud University This episode has been updated. An earlier version didn’t differentiate between two stages of …

This week on Unexplainable or Not, we’ve got three scientific mysteries all about left and right. Jonquilyn Hill, host of Vox’s new podcast Explain It to Me, is going to guess which of them has been solved and which ones are still unexplainable. Guest: S. Furkan Ozturk, researcher at Harvard University For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscr…

For decades, scientists thought that placebos only worked if patients didn’t know they were taking them. Not anymore: You can give patients placebos, tell them they’re on sugar pills, and they still might feel better. No one is sure how this works, but it raises a question: Should doctors embrace placebos in mainstream medicine? (First published in…

Todd and Brogan conclude the first season with a general discussion of the Child's Play franchise including a series ranking and lists of our favorite kills. We'll be back in October 2025 with Saw but there will be plenty of seasonal specials in the meantime! We'll see you at Christmas. Follow Todd on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/juggernaut323 Follow…

The actual end of an era! Today we're discussing the 2019 reboot that is (currently) the final film in the Child's Play franchise. Follow Todd on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/juggernaut323 Follow Brogan on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/roboteatsdino Follow Rachel Malstrom on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/teamboby Follow Amanda on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com…

The end of an era! But not the end of our era because we watch reboots. Today we're joined by some very special European guest to talk about the final film entry in the mainline Child's Play series. Follow Todd on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/juggernaut323 Follow Brogan on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/roboteatsdino Follow Q on Letterboxd: https://lette…

It makes sense that we run away from scary things. That’s a good way to stay alive. But why do some people also love scary things? Why do people gravitate toward horror? Guests: Mathias Clasen and Marc Andersen, co-directors of the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts For more, go to vox.com/…

What's Chucky's skincare routine? How many actors and actresses can Todd compare the Curse of Chucky cast to? And, most importantly, is it possible for guys who host film podcasts to end up in serious relationships? Find out on another episode of Franchise Fiends. Follow Todd on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/juggernaut323 Follow Brogan on Letterboxd: …

Was that really Britney Spears? What is there so much semen in this one? How is Don Mancini's name even pronounced? All these questions and more are answered in yet another excited episode of Franchise Fiends! Follow Todd on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/juggernaut323 Follow Brogan on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/roboteatsdino Follow Kate on Letterboxd:…

Drugs like ecstasy and mushrooms have shown promise as mental health treatments, but they’re also exposing some major cracks in how scientists study the brain. Guests: Jonathan Lambert, science journalist; Boris Heifets, professor at Stanford University of Medicine; Amy Mcguire, professor at Baylor College of Medicine For show transcripts, go to vo…

After the disappointing third entry that we still haven't forgiven, Todd and Brogan join Lindsay to discuss the significantly better fourth entry that ditched the Child's Play name and took the franchise in a campier direction Follow Todd on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/juggernaut323 Follow Brogan on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/roboteatsdino Follow Li…

It was the CEO! The night after we recorded this Brogan woke up in a cold sweat with the realization that Chucky first revealed himself to the CEO (not Tyler) and now the movie makes even less sense than it did before. Anyway, this movie is garbage. Follow Todd on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/juggernaut323 Follow Brogan on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/…

How we feel emotionally may be influenced by unseen troves of microbial life that live inside us. Is it possible to harness this gut power? (First published in 2022) Guests: Michael Gershon, professor of pathology at Columbia University; and Katerina Johnson, microbiome researcher at Oxford University For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscri…

Two guys named Matt join Todd and Brogan to break down the second entry in the Child's Play franchise, which is often considered the best and almost always thought of as the one with the coolest poster. Follow Todd on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/juggernaut323 Follow Brogan on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/roboteatsdino Follow Matt Rob on Letterboxd: ht…

It's here! It's here! The official first season is here! Todd and Brogan break down the Chucky franchise every Tuesday and Thursday until Halloween, starting with the original 1988 Tom Holland (not that one) classic Child's Play. Follow Todd on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/juggernaut323 Follow Brogan on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/roboteatsdino Follow…

As the world gets warmer and storms get worse, insurance companies are jacking up rates — or refusing to cover homeowners altogether. Is the future uninsurable? Guests: Umair Irfan, correspondent at Vox; Karen Clark, co-founder and CEO of Karen Clark & Company; Joe Skuba, VP at The Gray Insurance Company; and Carolyn Kousky, Associate VP at Environ…

Doctors have started transplanting animal organs into people, hoping this experimental procedure could one day solve an organ shortage crisis that kills 17 Americans every day. Is this really the solution? Guests: Muhammad Mohiuddin, professor of surgery at University of Maryland School of Medicine; L. Syd Johnson, professor of clinical bioethics a…

Scientists have lots of ways to try to answer that question, and lots of different predictions. So how do they figure out one set of numbers we can all work with? Guests: Umair Irfan, correspondent at Vox; Zeke Hausfather, climate scientist at The Breakthrough Institute; Neil Swart, research scientist at the Canadian Centre for Climate Modeling and…