Origin story and symbolism are two of the most important ingredients of any superhero universe. But what happens when both of those pieces of a universe get flipped on their head?
When Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt were promoting The 99% Invisible City in late 2020, one question came up over and over again in conversations and interviews about our built environment: in what way...Show More
In this hour, fasting, feasting, and traveling salmon; stories about foods that nourish the body as well as the soul. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Med...Show More
Growing up, Justine’s father always told her unbelievable stories about his life: that he was a big winner on Jeopardy; an outlaw who robbed banks armed only with flowers. But now, as an adult, Justin...Show More
After a drunken slip of the tongue, Steve Marsh and his siblings discover a secret their mother has been keeping for almost 40 years. Now, Steve wants to help his mom take action. Credits Heavyweight ...Show More
In 2017, researchers published an explosive finding: Sperm counts may be declining in some countries around the world. Media outlets began worrying about a potential Spermageddon, but other researcher...Show More
Every year, thousands of marine mammals end up trapped on beaches, but it’s often hard to figure out why. It’s even harder to figure out how much humans are to blame. For more, go to http://vox.com/un...Show More
A recent study of tens of thousands of birds has shown that birds are growing smaller over time. It could be due to climate change, and if so, we ought to consider: How else might humans be altering t...Show More
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 m...Show More
A decade ago, psychologists realized much of their science was fatally flawed, calling untold numbers of studies into question. Now, some young psychologists are trying to rebuild the foundations of t...Show More
Believe it or not, scientists still don't know how the sense of smell works. But they're looking at how powerful it is - dogs can actually sniff out cancer and many other diseases - and they're trying...Show More
Until 1993, many researchers excluded women from clinical drug trials, leaving doctors in the dark about how new treatments work in more than half the population. This is the story of why that happene...Show More
Once upon a time, there were no anuses. These ingenious organs allowed our primordial ancestors to grow bigger and more complex, but scientists still don’t understand how they evolved. And they’re sti...Show More
An accidental discovery on a nighttime walk led one scientist and his team to wonder: How many mammals glow under ultraviolet light? The list keeps growing, but scientists still aren’t sure why these ...Show More
Sixty years ago, geologists tried to drill down through the Earth’s crust to pull up a piece of the Earth’s mantle. Their mission didn’t go exactly as planned. But it sowed the seeds for a new field o...Show More
In this episode, we discuss the role that white women play in killing yoga. We cover topics like spiritual bypassing, white fragility, cultural appropriation, power dynamics and the cultural character...Show More
But somehow it got very scary. Today’s show was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Trans...Show More
A new investigation reveals what you may have suspected: dating apps can be very dangerous. But there are safer ways to look for love online.(Transcript here.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...Show More
A Los Angeles magician struck gold with a glorified Zoom meeting. Some are asking if he’s figured out how to save theater. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...Show More
Russia has kept its military at Ukraine’s doorstep for almost a decade. But a recent escalation on the border is creating fears of a full-blown invasion. Today’s show was produced by Victoria Chamberl...Show More
The omicron variant is very transmissible, but it might make Covid-19 less miserable. Today’s show was produced by Miles Bryan with help from Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim...Show More
Millions of people are sending off their DNA to companies like Ancestry.com and 23andme to find out where they come from, and what diseases they might get. But how much can you trust these DNA kits? T...Show More
People are going bonkers for organic, but what are you really getting when you buy them? Better taste? Fewer toxic chemicals? A cleaner environment? Farmers Mark, Andy, and Brian Reeves, nutritional e...Show More
This week we’ve got a spicy treat for you: a show called Gastropod. Hosts Nicola Twilley and Cynthia Graber dig into the world of food and serve up a forkful of science, plus a dash of history. In thi...Show More
Could our dreams for a real Jurassic Park come true? Headlines say scientists are closer than ever to resurrecting prehistoric animals like the woolly mammoth. But is this for real!? Can we really bri...Show More
[REBROADCAST] Asteroids! In just two weeks, NASA plans to launch a first-of-its-kind mission to try to move an asteroid off its path. If it works, this could be a huge breakthrough in protecting us fr...Show More
We join forces with Sarah Marshall from You’re Wrong About to dive into a question for the ages: Blue balls — are they real? We’ve heard that for people with balls, if you get aroused but don’t ejacul...Show More
Plants aren’t just sitting around looking cute; they’re doing all sorts of stuff, like defending themselves, and even warning other plants about danger. Today, we’re talking all about the weird and wi...Show More
Childbirth seems to be getting more and more medicalized, with C-sections and other interventions out the wazoo. But childbirth isn’t a disease! So is all this medical meddling really necessary, or ar...Show More
There are soooo many options for what to feed your dog or cat, from the cheap stuff at the supermarket to fresh food delivered straight to your door. So what’s the best option? And just how fancy do w...Show More
We’re heading into a big summer, with more places and — ahem — people opening up. So we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes about feeling good. Maybe you’ve heard about this magic button in the...Show More
John Green reviews humanity’s capacity for wonder and sunsets.
John Green reviews the QWERTY keyboard layout and a bird species called the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō.
John Green reviews the Notes app and the strange phenomenon of sports rivalries.
John Green reviews a kart racing video game series and a vast expanse of salt-encrusted earth located in the desert of northwestern Utah. Thanks to Backblaze for sponsoring this episode: http://backb...Show More
John Green reviews a pineapple and ham yeasted flatbread and an inflammation of the membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord. Thanks to Dashlane for sponsoring this episode: https://www.dashlan...Show More
John Green reviews a plant species with no relationship to Kentucky and the contemporary practice of searching for the lives of people you don't know. Thanks to this episode's sponsors. Audible: au...Show More
John Green reviews a 17,000-year-old painting and the Taco Bell breakfast menu. Thanks to Simple Contacts for sponsoring this episode: simplecontacts.com/anthro
John Green reviews Canada Geese (a bird species that was not too long ago on the brink of extinction) and Diet Dr Pepper (a zero-calorie soda popularized by a man named Foots). Thanks to Audible for s...Show More