Radiolab is on a curiosity bender. We ask deep questions and use investigative journalism to get the answers. A given episode might whirl you through science, legal history, and into the home of someone halfway across the world. The show is known for innovative sound design, smashing information into music. It is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser.
This episode explores the concept of song, both in the animal kingdom and in human experience, focusing on themes of change, loss, and adaptation. It begins with the origins of sound and the first animal songs, specifically those of crickets, and transitions to a personal narrative about karaoke and the author's experi...
This episode explores the unexpected evolutionary history of camels, challenging the common perception of them as solely desert animals. Against the backdrop of a paleobiologist's discovery of three-and-a-half-million-year-old camel bones in the Canadian Arctic, the hosts delve into the surprising fact that camels ori...
This episode explores the unexpected journey of a seemingly insignificant scientific discovery and its profound impact on various fields. The story begins with Hudson Freeze's early research in Yellowstone National Park, where he and his team discovered Thermus aquaticus, a bacterium thriving in extremely hot water, d...
This episode explores the complex question of assigning economic value to natural processes and ecosystems. Against the backdrop of Earth Day, the discussion begins with a segment on the unseen battles between phytoplankton and viruses in the ocean, highlighting their crucial role in oxygen production. More significan...
This episode explores the fascinating cross-continental collaboration between an entomologist, Martha Weiss, and a young Japanese boy, Joe Nagai, both passionate about insect memory. Against the backdrop of Weiss's groundbreaking research on moth memory persistence through metamorphosis, a letter from Joe, a second-gr...
This episode explores the immersive nature of Radiolab storytelling and its unexpected consequences. The podcast features an interview with Paul Tucker, a carpenter who, fifteen years prior, wrote to Radiolab detailing how the show's captivating narratives led to him injuring himself with power tools. Against this ba...
This episode explores the concept of the "Malthusian Swerve," a phenomenon where humanity seemingly avoids resource depletion through last-minute innovations. Against the backdrop of an astrophysicist's prediction of resource exhaustion within a few thousand years due to exponential economic growth, the conversation p...
This Radiolab episode explores the placenta, revealing its surprising role in pregnancy. The hosts and guests discuss the placenta's development, its aggressive nutrient acquisition from the mother's body (sometimes leading to preeclampsia), and its eventual expulsion after birth. The discussion highlights the often-...
This Radiolab episode explores the theme of growth through three distinct stories. First, a firsthand account details the surprising regrowth of a fingertip, leading to a discussion of regenerative capabilities in various organisms. Second, the episode examines the Fibonacci sequence, revealing its origins in ancient...
This Radiolab episode recounts how a Radiolab podcast about hands-only CPR unexpectedly saved a listener's wife's life. The episode begins with a producer sharing the listener's story, highlighting the immediate action taken based on the podcast's instructions. It then transitions to a discussion about the "chain of ...
This Radiolab episode interviews science writer Carl Zimmer about his book "Airborne," exploring the history of understanding airborne diseases. The discussion traces beliefs about disease transmission from the ancient Greek concept of "miasma" (bad air) through the rise of germ theory, highlighting how the latter ini...
This Radiolab episode recounts the largely unknown story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells) were unknowingly harvested and became crucial to medical research. The podcast features interviews with researchers, family members, and Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. ...
This Radiolab episode explores how birds navigate during migration, focusing on the recently confirmed theory of magnetoreception. The interview follows producer Annie McEwen's journey to observe owl tagging, which sparks her interest in the topic. The discussion details the history of the theory, from its initial re...
This Radiolab episode explores instances where the brain malfunctions, causing a disconnect between intention and action. It features an interview with Liza Schoenfeld, a researcher who experienced acute dystonia—a side effect of medication—that mimicked the effects of her lab's experiments on mice, temporarily paraly...
This Radiolab interview podcast explores the surprising history and technology behind keeping food fresh, focusing on the journey from farm to table. The conversation begins with a discussion of refrigeration's impact on food preservation, highlighting how it slows down biological processes, acting as a "time machine....
This Radiolab episode is an interview-based podcast exploring the question of presidential control over nuclear launch codes. The podcast begins by introducing Harold Herring, a former military officer who questioned the lack of checks and balances on presidential authority to launch a nuclear strike during his traini...
This Radiolab interview podcast explores the extreme blackness of certain deep-sea fish, specifically anglerfish and dragonfish. The discussion begins with the host's experience of darkness at sea, leading into an interview with biologist Sanka Johnson about his research on these unusually dark creatures. Johnson det...
This episode of Radiolab delves into the unexpected intelligence of plants, challenging the notion that they are mere passive life forms. It highlights three fascinating experiments by plant biologist Monica Gagliano. The first experiment demonstrates how plants can find water sources. The second reveals their ability ...
In this captivating Radiolab episode, we explore the extraordinary bond between Jennell Jenney, an atheist, and Jim Munroe, a Christian magician, created through a life-saving bone marrow donation. The story begins in 2009 when Jennell decides to become a bone marrow donor and ultimately matches with Jim, who is battli...
In this Radiolab episode, you'll find two intriguing holiday bonus segments. The first focuses on NASA's Parker Solar Probe, which is set to make the closest approach to the sun ever recorded on Christmas Eve 2024. Using cutting-edge carbon foam heat shielding and just a gallon of water, this mission promises to push t...
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