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Unexplainable

Vox
Climate Change
Silence
Global Warming
Evolution
Tinnitus
Public Health
Biodiversity
Mental Health
Phages
Artificial Intelligence
Rogue Waves
Vox
Devonian Period
Mass Extinction
Nutrition Science
NASA
Climate Models
Trees
Tuberculosis
Neanderthals

Unexplainable takes listeners right up to the edge of what we know…and then keeps on going. The Unexplainable team — Noam Hassenfeld, Julia Longoria, Byrd Pinkerton, and Meradith Hoddinott — tackles scientific mysteries, unanswered questions, and everything we learn diving into the unknown. New episodes Mondays and Wednesdays. From Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes306Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Life SciencesNatural SciencesScience

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Artwork for Unexplainable

Latest Episodes

Scientists stripped a cell down to its most essential genes in order to find out what makes life...alive. What they found was more bizarre than they could have imagined.

This is the first episode of our new three-part series, Life from Scratch.

Gue... more

A few hundred milliseconds are often all you need to recognize a song, but a lot of recent hits have moved away from intros. Our friends at ⁠Switched on Pop⁠ (along with the National's Aaron Dessner) break down how song intros can shape our perceptio... more

And if babies forget their earliest experiences, do they still matter?

This episode is a collaboration with Vox's Explain It to Me podcast

Guests: Kristin Ohlson, writer; Tristan Yates, cognitive psychologist at Columbia University; Dana Suskind, p... more

Warming waters are an existential threat to coral reefs, and for people who want to restore them. But in the Republic of Palau, researchers are testing out an approach to help restored reefs survive hotter temperatures — before it's too late.

To wat... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Grace Bellman
Music writer and professional playlist maker
Independent / Grace Bellman
Episode: The idea of a song
Aaron Dessner
Producer and musician known for work with Taylor Swift and The National
The National / Taylor Swift collaborations
Episode: The idea of a song
Dana Suskind
Professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Chicago, childhood development researcher
University of Chicago
Episode: Why can’t I remember being a baby?
Tristan Yates
Cognitive psychologist at Columbia University
Columbia University
Episode: Why can’t I remember being a baby?
Benji Jones
Reporter covering coral reefs and related science for Vox
Vox
Episode: Can these corals take the heat?
Hank Green
Science communicator and YouTube educator known for SciShow and Crash Course
SciShow, Crash Course
Episode: Why Hank Green takes pseudoscience seriously
Ed Yong
Pulitzer Prize–winning science writer, author of An Immense World
Penguin Press / Author
Episode: The hidden world that birds see
David Wallace-Wells
New York Times climate reporter
New York Times
Episode: The Godzilla El Niño
Rowan Jacobsen
Author of In Defense of Sunlight
Author, In Defense of Sunlight
Episode: An argument for the sun

Hosts

Byrd Pinkerton
Host of Unexplainable
Noam Hassenfeld
Host of the show

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 9.1k ratings
  • Great interview and I loved the book, "An Immense World." I greatly appreciate the approach to spark the imagination and not just state the author's theory/answer. With the vast expanse of other or broadened senses, if we were to create a 'translator', it would need to understand the additional depth of experience in order to start to evaluate the expression being conveyed. Clever, informative and thought provoking. Great job. 👍

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Darin
    25 days ago
  • Regarding the episode on inflammation, like good like information like and nice like story like you know but like have you like ever liked listened like you know to like your like own like podcast like?

    Podchaser
    3
    rkdelisle
    2 months ago
  • I have listened to every episode, and I highly reccomend it!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Mcla
    2 months ago
  • I've been listening to Unexplainable for quite a few years now, and it has never disappointed! Hands down one of my favorite podcasts. I always look forward to new episodes. Each one is fascinating, well-researched, and the passion behind it shines like a beacon. Keep up the incredible work!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    ruby
    3 months ago
  • Amazing podcast, one suggestion :)

    As one of the younger audiences listening to this I prefer some of the more fun and less mature episodes like the Dinosaur ones. I absolutely love this podcast and most of its episodes but I wish more of them were about animals, or Earth, or episodes like the roulette one. I love combing physics with betting games ;). Overall great podcast but could be a little more friendly for younger ages. Thanks!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    horsegall2013
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A few reviewers mention production style or pacing as a point of critique, but overall sentiment is highly positive and loyal.
Listeners praise engaging storytelling and accessible science yet note some episodes feel less suitable for younger audiences.
Many appreciate the mix of expert guests and practical, real-world examples that connect research to everyday life.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The idea of a song
Q: What is the role of the intro in a song according to your discussion?
The intro should grab attention, set the sonic world and emotional direction, be memorable and evolving, and not overstay its welcome, while sometimes serving as a bridge to the chorus or foreshadowing the song's main hook.
Can these corals take the heat?
Q: Why is Palau chosen as a focal point for restoration stories?
Palau has a high coral abundance and live tens of thousands of corals, plus a marine lab and a local community eager to restore reefs, making it a practical site to test and showcase new restoration approaches.
Can these corals take the heat?
Q: What does Steve Palumby's quick heat test involve?
He uses picnic coolers with seawater, pumps, and heaters to gradually heat small coral samples over four days, then identifies which corals remain colorful as a proxy for heat tolerance, aiming to accelerate selection for restoration.
Why Hank Green takes pseudoscience seriously
Q: Why do you like science?
Science is a curious, ongoing process where people explore, test, and challenge ideas, and the joy comes from rabbit holes and the hard work of many people collectively building knowledge.
The hidden world that birds see
Q: What does Umwelt mean in the context of animal senses?
Umwelt is the world as perceived by a particular animal, shaped by that species' sensory abilities, so different animals experience radically different perceptual worlds.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Unexplainable

What is Unexplainable about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show surveys curiosity-driven science, blending deep-dive interviews with accessible explanations across topics like music theory in songwriting, infant memory, coral restoration, science communication, and climate risk. Episodes frequently pair expert guests with thoughtful storytelling, offering practical takeaways for listeners ranging from parents and teachers to scientists and policy professionals. A notable strength is its ability to translate complex ideas into engaging, human-centered narratives, often anchored by hands-on field reporting and vivid real-world examples. A recurring edge is the mix of rigorous science with pop-cultural touchpoints, making questions about how the world works feel both urgent and approachable.

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How many listeners does Unexplainable get?

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How many subscribers and views does Unexplainable have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Unexplainable has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Unexplainable?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Unexplainable:

1. Science Vs
2. Explain It to Me
3. Today, Explained
4. Radiolab
5. The Gray Area with Sean Illing

How many episodes of Unexplainable are there?

Unexplainable launched 6 years ago and published 306 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Unexplainable?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Unexplainable?

Recent guests on Unexplainable include:

1. Grace Bellman
2. Aaron Dessner
3. Dana Suskind
4. Tristan Yates
5. Benji Jones
6. Hank Green
7. Ed Yong
8. David Wallace-Wells

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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