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Unexplainable

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

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes277Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Life SciencesNatural SciencesScience

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Latest Episodes

Today on the show: a double feature — two mysteries in one episode. First, it seems like all living things emit a faint glow that disappears when they die. Then, is the International Space Station ... too clean?

Guests: Daniel Oblak, professor of ph... more

To hear some people tell it — especially people on TikTok — inflammation is the root of all disease. It's... not that simple. But inflammation does have a lot to teach us about why modern life can make us feel so bad, and even what we might be able t... more

A few months ago, we put out an episode about what silence sounds like, and it caught the attention of Rob Rosenthal, who hosts a podcast called Sound School about the craft of audio storytelling. So he called up host Noam Hassenfeld to ask him a que... more

Can microbes travel through space on meteorites? It’s an idea called “lithopanspermia,” and to work out if it’s even feasible, some researchers decided to shoot microbes — with a gun.

Guests: K.T. Ramesh, professor of science and engineering at John... more

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Recent Guests

Dylan Scott
Health reporter for Vox, guest on this episode
Vox
Episode: Is everything inflammation?
Erin Westgate
Researcher and former optimist who studied well-being interventions
University research
Episode: A show about nothing
Raja Goh
Ph.D. student studying psychology and philosophy
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: A show about nothing
Lily Zhao
Grad student involved in the experiment
University lab
Episode: The Hitchhiking Microbe’s Guide to the Galaxy
Jocelyn De Ruggero
Collaborator who suggested using a tougher bacterium
Johns Hopkins (collaborator)
Episode: The Hitchhiking Microbe’s Guide to the Galaxy
Rebecca Boyle
Science writer
Space/Science media
Episode: Why did we go back to the moon?
Anne McClain
Astronaut
NASA
Episode: Why did we go back to the moon?
Jonathan Jiang
NASA astrophysicist
NASA
Episode: Why did we go back to the moon?
Scott Kelly
Astronaut
NASA
Episode: Why did we go back to the moon?

Hosts

Byrd Pinkerton
Host with a background in scientific storytelling and a knack for engaging, human-centered narration.
Noam Hassenfeld
Co-host known for exploring science topics with rigor and curiosity.
Sally Helm
Co-host and researcher-focused host with a background in Vox Media Podcast Network.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 8.9k ratings
  • Unscientific would be a better name.

    Unscientific would be a better name for this podcast. Birth control episode was comically bad and furthers my observation that this show is unreliable and unscientific.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    JT123@@
    United Statesa month ago
  • Woman with Uterus

    Queer Ideological language is offensive. People with uteruses are called women. If o could give you ZERO rating, I would.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    LadyMellm
    Canadaa month ago
  • Smart, reliable and always presented in an interesting and easy to understand manner

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Slightly_Stitious
    a month ago
  • Ineffable beauty of understanding

    The episode “Casey gets his voice back” moved me to tears and is a wonderful encapsulation of why Unexplainable has been my favorite podcast for the last three years: Deeply thoughtful reporting, a profoundly human curiosity, and thoroughly engaging production values that immerse listeners. Thank you to the entire team for sparking our minds twice each week!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jeff Brock Studio
    United Statesa month ago
  • Love this podcast

    Often really interesting and surprising details about subjects

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nallenc
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

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

Episodes are described as informative and accessible, with guests who provide credible expertise.
Some listeners note occasional criticism of pacing or stylistic quirks but generally view content as valuable and thought-provoking.
Listeners praise the show's engaging, thoughtful science storytelling and consistently high production quality.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A show about nothing
Q: What makes silence feel uncomfortable for people, and how does the episode approach it for listeners?
Silence feels uncomfortable because it is unstructured and requires the listener to construct meaning from the lack of external cues; the episode tackles this by gradually incorporating silence, using ambient room sounds, and guiding listeners to reflect on their own environment.
Is everything inflammation?
Q: What is inflammation?
Inflammation is your immune system's response to an invader or injury, involving immune cells and chemicals to fight infection or heal a wound; there are acute forms that are necessary for healing and chronic, low-grade forms that may contribute to health problems, and scientists are still working to establish baselines and understand when inflammation is beneficial versus harmful.
Who are we to fight the alchemy?
Q: Did the alchemical texts ever reveal real, repeatable procedures or were they mostly metaphorical?
Principe and colleagues show that some early steps in these texts describe doable experiments, and through modern recreation, historians found that certain procedures could produce real, observable results, even if the later steps were more hypothetical or metaphorical.
Who are we to fight the alchemy?
Q: Okay, let's start with some basics, like what actually is alchemy?
Alchemy is a long history where early practices mixed with medieval chemistry, including attempts to make gold, but also to craft medicines, dyes, and everyday substances; it used coded language and metaphorical descriptions that sometimes concealed practical experimental work.
Oliver Sacks's not quite nonfiction
Q: A hundred years from now, how would you like to be remembered?
Sacks hoped to be remembered as someone who listened carefully, bore witness to patients, and tried to convey what it was like to be with them in moments of suffering, a balance of presence and storytelling.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Unexplainable

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

A science-forward show that explores mysteries at the edge of established knowledge, often featuring researchers, journalists, and other experts who illuminate complex topics with accessible storytelling. Episodes blend rigorous science with human-centered anecdotes, from snow science and climate topics to neuroscience, extremophiles, astronomy, and environmental issues. The program tends to attract curious, analytically minded listeners who enjoy deep dives, nuanced discussion, and guests who can translate technical concepts for a broad audience. A standout trait is its willingness to tackle controversial or ethically charged topics (e.g., geoengineering, reproductive genetics) with thoughtful moderation and multiple viewpoints, making it ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Unexplainable?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Unexplainable:

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

How many episodes of Unexplainable are there?

Unexplainable launched 5 years ago and published 277 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Unexplainable?

Recent guests on Unexplainable include:

1. Dylan Scott
2. Erin Westgate
3. Raja Goh
4. Lily Zhao
5. Jocelyn De Ruggero
6. Rebecca Boyle
7. Anne McClain
8. Jonathan Jiang

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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