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Unexplainable

Vox
Ice Cream
Diabetes
Climate Change
Dairy
Nutrition Science
Eggs
Public Health
Health Studies
Hard-Shelled Eggs
Crying
Scientific Misconduct
Data Integrity
James Webb Space Telescope
Evolution
Golden Orb
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Pain Tolerance
Swearing
Aspartame
Emotions

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes272Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ScienceLife SciencesNatural Sciences

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Latest Episodes

Typically, the burden of birth control falls on whoever has a uterus, but it seems like that might change — and soon!

Guest: Annalisa Merelli, contributing writer at STAT.

For more, go to ⁠⁠http://vox.com/unexplainable⁠⁠

It’s a great place to sign... more

Host Julia Longoria signs off from Unexplainable with one final question: Why does her grandma love Vicks VapoRub so much? A version of this episode originally aired on WNYC’s ⁠Only Human⁠ podcast.

For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable

It’s ... more

Casey Harrell is a goofy, lighthearted chatterbox whose love for language helped him become an accomplished environmental activist. In 2020, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and slowly began losing the ability to speak. He sa... more

Oliver Sacks was once crowned “the poet laureate of medicine” — he's known as one of the greatest science writers of our time. But when New Yorker writer Rachel Aviv dug into his archives, she discovered that some details in his intimate portraits of... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Rachel Aviv
The New Yorker staff writer
The New Yorker
Episode: Oliver Sacks's not quite nonfiction
Axel Wollmer
Psychiatrist researching botulinum toxin applications
Independent researcher / psychiatrist
Episode: The accidental rise of Botox
Lawrence Principe
Historian of science, professor of chemistry at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: Who are we to fight the alchemy?
Jessica Lundquist
Professor of civil and environmental engineering
University of Washington
Episode: Snow day!
Josh May
Ethics professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Episode: My brain made me do it
Elizabeth Hénaff
An artist and biologist involved in studying extremophiles in the Gowanus Canal
GenSpace
Episode: The Amazing Extremophiles
Dr. Robert Bastian
A laryngologist in Illinois specializing in swallowing disorders
Episode: Everyone does it. Why can’t I?
Dory Gray
Patient who suffered from burping issues before diagnosis
Episode: Everyone does it. Why can’t I?
Tom Warner
A pilot with experience flying into storms
Episode: Cloud atlas

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 States5 days 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
    Canada7 days ago
  • Smart, reliable and always presented in an interesting and easy to understand manner

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Slightly_Stitious
    7 days 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 States14 days ago
  • Love this podcast

    Often really interesting and surprising details about subjects

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nallenc
    United States16 days 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.

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.
My brain made me do it
Q: Can brain imaging prove that someone was not in control of their actions?
The episode explains that while brain imaging can suggest a neurological basis for behavior, it does not definitively establish causation or responsibility, and courts must weigh competing expert opinions and other evidence.
My brain made me do it
Q: What is the role of neuroscience in the law?
The discussion highlights that the law is driven by questions of guilt and culpability, with standards like Frey and Doebert governing when brain imaging evidence is admissible, rather than relying solely on scientific certainty.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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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. Today, Explained
2. Science Vs
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 272 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. Rachel Aviv
2. Axel Wollmer
3. Lawrence Principe
4. Jessica Lundquist
5. Josh May
6. Elizabeth Hénaff
7. Dr. Robert Bastian
8. Dory Gray

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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