Best That S Not How Science Works Podcasts (2025)

1
Audio long read: How to speak to a vaccine sceptic — research reveals what works 16:13

7h ago16:13

16:13

Questions and doubts about vaccines are on the rise worldwide and public-health specialists worry that these trends could worsen. But while the shift in public attitudes towards immunizations can leave scientists, physicians and many others feeling disheartened, a surge of research on vaccine hesitancy is starting to offer ways to address the issue…

1
3D-printed fake wasps help explain bad animal mimicry 27:19

2d ago27:19

27:19

In this episode: 00:45 Why animals evolve to be imperfect mimics Many harmless animals mimic dangerous ones to avoid being eaten, but often this fakery is inaccurate. To help explain why evolution sometimes favours imperfect mimicry, a team 3D printed a range of imaginary insects. The novel creatures were designed to mimic wasps with varying degree…

1
Interview: 1 simple question that could improve women's health | Meryam Sugulle 34:47

2d ago34:47

34:47

There's a reliable indicator of a woman's future likelihood of cardiovascular disease — but it rarely gets asked about, says obstetrician and researcher Meryam Sugulle. She delves into the role of the placenta in pregnancy, how it can predict health outcomes and the single question that should be worked into routine health screenings. After the tal…

1
Is AI watching you? The hidden links between research and surveillance 31:30

9d ago31:30

31:30

We’d like to learn more about our listeners, please help us out by filling in this short survey. In this episode: 00:45 Is AI-research being co-opted to keep track of people? A significant amount of research in the AI field of computer vision is being used to analyse humans in ways that support the development of surveillance technologies, accordin…

1
Why do some bodies respond differently to disease? | Erika Moore 5:42

10d ago5:42

5:42

TED Fellow and equity bioengineer Erika Moore investigates how cells controlling inflammation behave differently depending on a patient's background. By focusing on the "who" behind the disease, Moore is uncovering why certain diseases disproportionately affect certain ethnicities, paving the way for more inclusive and effective health care. Want t…

1
Sahil Bloom: Building A (Truly) Happy Life 33:46

12d ago33:46

33:46

Sahil Bloom spent years working in the financial industry, putting in long hours and cashing big paychecks. But even though he’d found career success, he started to question whether the life he was building was actually what he wanted. On today’s show: hitting pause on the rat race and defining success on your own terms. See omnystudio.com/listener…

1
How Anthony Robles Built Unstoppable Confidence (With One Leg and No Excuses) 25:36

12d ago25:36

25:36

#507 How Anthony Robles Built Unstoppable Confidence (With One Leg and No Excuses) ----- Action Plan: https://jimharshawjr.com/ACTION Free Clarity Call: https://jimharshawjr.com/APPLY They saw a disability. Anthony Robles saw an opportunity– .and he’s got the medals (and scars) to show for it. He was born without a right leg. Doctors had no answers…

1
Flight simulator for moths reveals they navigate by starlight 30:37

16d ago30:37

30:37

We’d like to learn more about our listeners, please help us out by filling in this short survey. In this episode: 00:45 The tiny moths that use the stars to navigate Bogong moths use the stars to help them navigate during their enormous migration across Australia, according to new research. Every year, billions of these nocturnal moths travel up to…

1
Information Inoculation: Defending Against Medical Myths: The real reason polio is so dangerous | Dan Kwartler 34:45

17d ago34:45

34:45

In 1952, polio was everywhere: killing or paralyzing roughly half a million people annually. Yet just 10 years later, paralytic polio cases in the US dropped by 96% and we were on track to get rid of polio for good. But in recent years, the virus started striking back. So, what’s behind these recent spikes? Explore the dangers of poliovirus and the…

1
One Trauma, Two Different Paths 37:30

19d ago37:30

37:30

Tommy Caldwell’s experience being held captive in Kyrgyzstan unlocks a new state of mind that propels him to become the greatest big wall climber of all time. This conversation first aired in 2021. It is a companion episode to the one we ran last week about Beth Rodden’s experience of the same trip: “A Climber Loses Her Grip.” Same “Slight Change o…

1
Hundreds of physicists on a remote island: we visit the ultimate quantum party 9:07

21d ago9:07

9:07

According to legend, physicist Werner Heisenberg formulated the mathematics behind quantum mechanics in 1925 while on a restorative trip to the remote North Sea island of Heligoland. To celebrate the centenary of this event, several hundred researchers have descended on the island to take part in a conference on all things quantum physics. Nature r…

1
This stretchy neural implant grows with an axolotl's brain 36:55

23d ago36:55

36:55

00:45 A flexible neural-implant that grows with the brain Researchers have developed a soft electronic implant that can measure brain activity of amphibian embryos as they develop. Understanding the neural activity of developing brains is a key aim for neuroscientists, but conventional, rigid probes can damage growing brains. To overcome this, a te…

1
Information Inoculation: Defending Against Medical Myths: Why do you need to get a flu shot every year? | Melvin Sanicas 30:33

24d ago30:33

30:33

All year long, researchers at hospitals around the world collect samples from flu patients and send them to top virology experts with one goal: to design the vaccine for the next flu season. But why do we need a new one every year? Vaccines for diseases like mumps and rubella offer a lifetime of protection with two shots early in life; what’s so sp…

1
13 Lessons from the Pathfinder Retreat That Will Transform Your Next 30 Days 21:08

25d ago21:08

21:08

#506 13 Lessons from the Pathfinder Retreat That Will Transform Your Next 30 Days ----- Action Plan: https://jimharshawjr.com/ACTION Free Clarity Call: https://jimharshawjr.com/APPLY 22 men walked into the Pathfinder Retreat. What they left with wasn’t what they expected. What happens when a room full of high-performing men— entrepreneurs, executiv…

1
A Climber Loses Her Grip 44:20

26d ago44:20

44:20

As a professional rock climber, Beth Rodden was taught to see pain as weakness. Fear and discomfort—mental and physical—were just things to be tolerated along the path to one record-breaking climbing feat after another. But when Beth was kidnapped on a climbing expedition in Kyrgyzstan, she had to confront the limits of that approach. On today's sh…

1
Trump wants to put humans on Mars: what scientists think of the plan 11:47

28d ago11:47

11:47

In this Podcast Extra, we examine President Donald Trump's calls for NASA to land humans on Mars. Although the White House has proposed spending some US$1 billion in 2026 on Mars plans, critics say the final cost will likely be hundreds of billions of dollars spread over a number of years. This call comes amidst plans to drastically reduce NASA's f…

1
Male mice can grow female organs — if their mothers lack iron 30:08

1M ago30:08

30:08

00:45 Iron’s role in mice sex determination Iron deficiency in mice mothers can sometimes result in their offspring developing female sex organs despite having male sex genes, according to new research. While genetics has been thought to be the primary factor in determining offspring sex in mammals, the new work shows that a lack of iron disrupts a…

1
Information Inoculation: Defending Against Medical Myths: Why we need to fight misinformation about vaccines | Ethan Lindenberger 44:23

1M ago44:23

44:23

Ethan Lindenberger never got vaccinated as a kid. So one day, he went on Reddit and asked a simple question: "Where do I go to get vaccinated?" The post went viral, landing Lindenberger in the middle of a heated debate about vaccination and, ultimately, in front of a US Senate committee. Less than a year later, the high school senior reports back o…

1
Audio long read: Three ways to cool Earth by pulling carbon from the sky 15:59

1M ago15:59

15:59

With the world looking likely to blow past the temperature targets laid out in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, a growing number of voices are saying that carbon removal technologies will be necessary if humanity is to achieve its long-term climate goals. If these approaches succeed, they could help nations and corporations to meet their climate c…

1
AI linked to boom in biomedical papers, infrared contact lenses, and is Earth's core leaking? 20:11

1M ago20:11

20:11

00:33 Was a boom in papers driven by AI? A spike in papers formulaically analysing a public data set has sparked worries that AI is being used to generate low quality and potentially misleading analyses. Nature: AI linked to explosion of low-quality biomedical research papers 08:07 Lenses that give humans infrared vision Researchers in China have c…

1
What happens as we die? | Kathryn Mannix (re-release) 23:19

1M ago23:19

23:19

Have we lost the practical wisdom of what happens as people die? With lessons from a career witnessing thousands of people's final breaths, palliative care expert Kathryn Mannix urges us to demystify the experience of death, sharing how a better understanding of what actually happens can reduce fear in the final days, for you and your loved ones. A…

1
Alcohol Is Killing Your ROI: The Science Behind How One Drink Costs You $684 with James Swanwick 38:49

1M ago38:49

38:49

#505 Alcohol Is Killing Your ROI: The Science Behind How One Drink Costs You $684 with James Swanwick ----- Action Plan: https://jimharshawjr.com/ACTION Free Clarity Call: https://jimharshawjr.com/APPLY What if your next drink is quietly costing you $684? Could quitting alcohol be the simplest, most underrated high-performance move of your life? Yo…

1
BONUS: Boost Your Resilience At Work 12:21

1M ago12:21

12:21

What can we do to cultivate more resilience at work? Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business and host of The Unshakeables podcast, thinks about this question a lot. In today’s mini episode, Ben joins Maya to talk about the unique challenges faced by America’s small business owners—and the insights he shares can help anyone who wants to improve their …

1
These malaria drugs treat the mosquitos — not the people 31:40

1M ago31:40

31:40

00:45 Treating mosquitoes for malaria Researchers have developed two compounds that can kill malaria-causing parasites within mosquitoes, an approach they hope could help reduce transmission of the disease. The team showed that these compounds can be embedded into the plastics used to make bed nets, providing an alternative to insecticide-based mal…

1
Why smell matters more than you think | Paule Joseph 6:56

2M ago6:56

6:56

TED Fellow and chemosensory researcher Paule Joseph unveils the hidden power of a sense that's too often overlooked: smell. She delves into the science behind smell — from how it evokes memory and emotion to its potential for early disease detection — and advocates for the creation of a baseline test for taste and smell that could open the door to …

1
How to transport antimatter — stick it on the back of a van 30:31

2M ago30:31

30:31

00:46 An antimatter delivery van takes its first road trip Researchers have developed a portable antimatter containment device and tested it by putting it in a truck and driving it around CERN. Their system could represent a big step forward in efforts to take particles made at CERN’s ‘antimatter factory’ and transport them to other labs, something…

1
Interview: Aging, menopause, and rethinking fashion for comfort in midlife | Stacy London 52:11

2M ago52:11

52:11

“My lens around style doesn’t have anything to do with style anymore — it’s about physicality,” says stylist and fashion consultant Stacy London. “What do I want to be able to do? How do I keep myself strong?” Stacy’s message has resonated for many women, and for this episode, she joins Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, host of TED Health, at TED2025 for a…

1
NSF terminates huge number of grants and stops awarding new ones 11:15

2M ago11:15

11:15

In this Podcast Extra, we examine recent developments US National Science Foundation, which has seen significant numbers of research grants terminated. In addition, there have been freezes on funding for new grants and any additional money to existing ones. We also discuss US President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026, which call…

1
The 9-Step Framework for Rapid, Lasting Change 22:31

2M ago22:31

22:31

#504 The 9-Step Framework for Rapid, Lasting Change ----- Action Plan: https://jimharshawjr.com/ACTION Free Clarity Call: https://jimharshawjr.com/APPLY Rapid change isn’t magic— it’s a system. Here are the 9 ways to make it work… Reading more books or listening to more podcasts won’t change your life. But this 9-step framework will… and fast. In t…

1
Glennon Doyle on How to Be Broken 41:38

2M ago41:38

41:38

For as long as writer Glennon Doyle can remember, she’s felt that something inside her was broken. 'Who am I really? What am I meant to do? And why does it feel so bad to be in this body?' These are the messy questions that Glennon has been grappling with for years. On today’s episode, Glennon, who hosts the wildly popular podcast We Can Do Hard Th…

1
Herring population loses migration 'memory' after heavy fishing 37:34

2M ago37:34

37:34

00:46 How fishing activity altered the migration pattern of Herring Selective fishing of older herring has resulted in a large shift in the migration pattern of these fish, according to new research. For years, herring have visited sites on the south coast of Norway to spawn, but in 2020 a rapid shift was seen, with the fish instead visiting areas …

1
Hacking Happiness: The Hard Science Behind Happiness at Work and in Life 42:34

2M ago42:34

42:34

Ready to hack your happiness? In this episode of Geeks, Geezers, and Googlization, neuroscientist Dr. Paul J Zak (aka Dr. Love) sits down with host Ira S Wolfe to shatter the myths of happiness. Forget everything you thought you knew—happiness isn’t just luck or “soft skill” fluff. It’s hardwired biology, measurable in real time, and absolutely ess…

1
Interview: Why you shouldn't trust boredom | Kevin H. Gary (re-release) 27:16

2M ago27:16

27:16

Are you actually bored, or is something else going on? Educator Kevin H. Gary shares three practical takeaways to deal with the doldrums, so you can take control of your attention, figure out which feelings to trust and name the real problem. After the talk, join Shoshana for a sweeping conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Harstad on the relationship be…

1
The dismantling of US science: can it survive Trump 2.0? 27:52

2M ago27:52

27:52

In this episode: 00:46 What will be left of US science after Trump 2.0? 100 days into his term, President Donald Trump and his administration have already caused the biggest shakeup in modern scientific history, slashing funding, bringing large swathes of US research to a standstill and halting many clinical trials. But many fear these actions are …

1
Interview: 3 reasons why medications are so expensive in the US | Kiah Williams 28:56

2M ago28:56

28:56

A century after its discovery, insulin remain essential in treating diabetes, and has a relatively low production cost, with a vial generally costing less than $6 to make. But those in the US pay on average 10 times more than those in other countries— leading some patients to take less than prescribed. Kiah Williams takes a look at the US supply ch…

1
Anthony Trucks on the Identity Gap: Why You’re Not Getting the Results You Want 39:37

2M ago39:37

39:37

#503 Anthony Trucks on the Identity Gap: Why You’re Not Getting the Results You Want ----- Action Plan: https://jimharshawjr.com/ACTION Free Clarity Call: https://jimharshawjr.com/APPLY You’ll never outperform the man you believe you are. Anthony Trucks breaks down the real reason why you're stuck. What if the biggest reason you're stuck… is you? I…

1
The Two Words That Saved Mel Robbins 36:51

2M ago36:51

36:51

If you've ever found yourself bending over backwards to meet other people’s expectations, or trying to control your loved ones’ emotions and behaviors, you are not alone. Bestselling author and podcast host Mel Robbins says the key is to stop micromanaging and start relaxing your grip. This conversation was an unexpected lesson in owning what’s you…

1
Audio long read: Do smartphones and social media really harm teens’ mental health? 17:33

2M ago17:33

17:33

Research shows that, over the past two decades, rates of mental illness have been increasing in adolescents in many countries. While some scientists point to soaring use of smartphones and social media as a key driver for this trend, others say the evidence does not show a large effect of these technologies on teenagers’ psychological health. At th…

1
A brand-new colour created by lasers, a pig-liver transplant trial gets the green light, and a nugget-sized chunk of lab-grown meat 20:27

2M ago20:27

20:27

00:27 Five people see ‘olo’, a brand-new colour Using a laser system to activate specific eye cells, a team has allowed five study participants to perceive a vibrant blue-greenish hue well outside the natural range of colours seen by humans. Although the setup required to accomplish this feat is currently complicated, this finding could provide mor…

1
‘Dark matter’, 'Big Bang' and ‘spin’: how physics terms can confuse researchers 33:11

2M ago33:11

33:11

Categorizing things is central to science. And there are dozens of systems scientists have created to name everything from the trenches on the sea bed to the stars in the sky. But names have consequences. What’s in a name is a series exploring naming in science and how names impact the world. We look at whether the system of naming species remains …

1
The Power of Mattering: Why No One Feels Like They Matter Anymore 42:49

2M ago42:49

42:49

Forget what you’ve been told about what’s driving division, disengagement, and dysfunction. It’s not woke and DEI. It’s not remote work. It’s not Gen Z or political affiliations. According to Dr. Zach Mercurio, it’s something far more primal: the deep, unmet need to matter. In this gut-punch of an episode, Zach and host Ira S Wolfe rip into why bel…

1
A hospital in the cloud bringing health care anywhere in the world | Mohamed Aburawi 6:57

2M ago6:57

6:57

What if AI could help connect you with the right medical care, exactly when you need it? Health systems entrepreneur, surgeon and TED Fellow Mohamed Aburawi explores how his digital health platform, Speetar, uses AI to bridge the healthcare gap in underserved regions, like his native Libya, by connecting patients with doctors who truly understand t…

1
Maya’s Exciting Announcement! 3:09

3M ago3:09

3:09

I’ve been dying to share this news with you for quite some time, and I'm so happy that today I finally can. Pre-order “The Other Side of Change” now at changewithmaya.com/book. Read more about my journey to writing “The Other Side of Change” in People: https://people.com/maya-shankar-the-other-side-of-change-cover-reveal-exclusive-11716505 See omn…

1
What a trove of potato genomes reveals about the humble spud 32:41

3M ago32:41

32:41

In this episode: 00:46 A potato pangenome Researchers have created a ‘pangenome’ containing the genomes of multiple potato types, something they believe can help make it easier to breed and sequence new varieties. The potato's complicated genetics has made it difficult to sequence the plant's genome, but improvements in technology have allowed the …

1
Why Change is So Damn Hard: Riding the River of Peanut Butter 13:56

3M ago13:56

13:56

Yep! Change often feels like swimming upstream against sticky currents. Even if the status quo is a mess, we cling to it like a life raft. Why? Because the familiar feels like less work for our brain, even when it’s failing us. In this episode, guest co-hosts Eli and Casey unravel the complex web of emotions and instincts that make embracing change…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

That S Not How Science Works Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide