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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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes290Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ScienceLife SciencesNatural Sciences

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Artwork for Unexplainable

Latest Episodes

Periods and menstrual fluid have long been overlooked by scientists. Now, researchers are starting to suspect they might be sources of medical treasure. (Originally aired in 2024)

Guest: Jemma Evans, biologist

For show transcripts, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠... more

Two mysteries we can't stop thinking about: Is lightning actually caused by cosmic rays? And why don't birds play chess?

Articles featured: “What Causes Lightning?” by Charlie Wood (also featured on The Quanta Podcast) and “Empire of flight” by Anto... more

When an invasive bug landed on the East Coast, people embraced the order to squish it to death. But what has all that squishing done to us?

Guests: Julie Urban, professor in the entomology department at Penn State; Chelsea Batavia, community engagem... more

Sean Rameswaram, co-host of Today, Explained, recently went on a dairy adventure. Noam talks to Sean about what he learned, and about why raw milk is gaining popularity, even though there are significant health risks.

Guest: Sean Rameswaram, co-host... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Eloise Blondiau
Senior Producer at On the Media, producer of American Emergency
On the Media
Episode: The disaster problem
Garrett Graff
Journalist and author of Raven Rock
Episode: The disaster problem
James Lee Witt
Former FEMA Administrator
FEMA
Episode: The disaster problem
Leo Bosner
Longtime FEMA employee and whistleblower figure
FEMA
Episode: The disaster problem
Tim Manning
Emergency management official and later Georgetown professor
FEMA / Academia
Episode: The disaster problem
Vijay Sikand
Family physician in Lyme, Connecticut
Lyme, Connecticut medical community
Episode: The lost Lyme vaccine
Anne Byrd Platt
Mother of host Byrd Pinkerton
Guest on episode
Episode: The cells we share
Alex Wellerstein
Nuclear weapons historian, author, and game designer
Steven
Episode: The aftermath
Lily Shaw
Climate scientist at Rutgers
Rutgers University
Episode: The aftermath

Hosts

Noam Hassenfeld
Host of Unexplainable
Sally Helm
Host of Unexplainable
Byrd Pinkerton
Host of Unexplainable
Julia Longoria
Host of Unexplainable

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 9k ratings
  • 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 States25 days ago
  • Horrible

    Nothing but laughter give me a break please

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Hoagland56
    United Statesa month ago
  • A bit annoying

    It’s basically a middle school science class vibe where the teacher has been overdosing on stimulants.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    JimmyMonkeyBrains
    United Statesa month ago
  • Super awesome show

    My favorite podcast! I listen to every episode. I also really love the title music haha.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    raresnover
    United Statesa month ago
  • Is everything inflammation

    Difficult to listen to. Very hard to focus on issue at stake when the podcaster says “like” every other word. 1) if you are going to podcast, learn how to talk eloquently 2) if you refuse to do 1) either edit it out or find a new career

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    ABauthentic
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

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

Thoughtful, nuanced, accessible science reporting.
Deep science storytelling with human hooked narratives.
High-quality guests and strong production; some listeners note bias criticisms.

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 disaster problem
Q: Can you tell us the story of your very first meeting with Bill Clinton?
James Lee Witt recalls meeting with Clinton in 1974 and details how their collaboration began in local emergency management, which later evolved into Witt leading FEMA and implementing its reforms.
The aftermath
Q: How does the episode frame the longer-term risks after a nuclear exchange?
It emphasizes famine, collapsed infrastructure, and climate effects like nuclear winter as the dominant threats to long-term survival, rather than the immediate blast, highlighting the scale of adaptation required for a surviving population.
The aftermath
Q: What is the realistic purpose of fallout shelters according to the expert?
Shelters mainly serve to reduce radiation exposure and give people time to wait out the initial danger, but they are not a guarantee of safety for everyone or for long durations, especially given the complexity of fallout, radiation decay, and food/water logistics.
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.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Unexplainable

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

A science-focused program that probes mysteries, historical puzzles, and frontier topics with a strong emphasis on research-driven storytelling. Across episodes, the show blends expert interviews, archival context, and human-centered narratives to illuminate how science, history, and culture intersect in surprising ways. Noteworthy is the ability to weave complex ideas into accessible episodes, often featuring researchers, journalists, and thinkers who translate technical concepts into engaging stories. This makes the show particularly appealing to curious, well-educated listeners who enjoy rigorous explanation paired with vivid storytelling, and to potential guests aiming to share specialized knowledge with a curious audience.

Where can I find podcast stats for Unexplainable?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Unexplainable. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Unexplainable and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Unexplainable get?

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What are the audience demographics for Unexplainable?

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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. 99% Invisible

How many episodes of Unexplainable are there?

Unexplainable launched 5 years ago and published 290 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.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Unexplainable?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Unexplainable from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Unexplainable?

Recent guests on Unexplainable include:

1. Eloise Blondiau
2. Garrett Graff
3. James Lee Witt
4. Leo Bosner
5. Tim Manning
6. Vijay Sikand
7. Anne Byrd Platt
8. Alex Wellerstein

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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