Entanglements, by Undark
Undark Magazine
After a two-year hiatus, the Undark podcast returns with a new format and a new name: Entanglements. Join science journalists Brooke Borel and Anna Rothschild as they invite guests with both expertise and divergent opinions on some of the most contentious and politicized areas of science today, from vaccines and GMOs to deep sea mining, AI, and the origins of Covid. Their goal: To see if they can break through the discord and find common ground. Far from an exercise in false balance, Entanglements, like Undark, seeks to bring civil discussion — and a bit of fun and wonder — back to the intersection of science and culture.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 3, 2025 • 25min
Should We Change Our Planet's Climate...On Purpose?
This week on Entanglements: Should we run outdoor geoengineering experiments? Our hosts dive into this fiercely debated topic with an atmospheric chemist from Harvard University and a planetary physicist from Oxford University.
Aug 27, 2025 • 36min
Should We Try to Prevent Autism?
This week on Entanglements: Should we try to prevent autism? Our hosts speak with Jill Escher, a philanthropist, president of the National Council on Severe Autism, and parent of two young adults with severe nonverbal autism, and Eric García, the Washington bureau chief at The Independent, who himself is autistic.
Aug 20, 2025 • 35min
Kicking Off Season 2: Should We Make Viruses More Dangerous – For Science?
We're back! This week on Entanglements: Should we make viruses more dangerous? Our hosts discuss this question, and its contentious history, with a microbiologist from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and a virologist from the Pasteur Institute in Paris.
Dec 30, 2024 • 21min
Wrapping Up Season 1
This week on Entanglements: What did we learn from our first season? What’s on deck for the future? Our hosts explore these questions and more in conversations with a special guest.
Dec 23, 2024 • 50min
Is Fluoride Toxic at Low Levels?
This week on Entanglements: Is fluoride toxic at low levels? Our hosts explore this question in conversations with a professor from the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry and a neuropsychologist and professor at York University.
Dec 16, 2024 • 32min
Should We Unleash GMO Mosquitoes?
This week on Entanglements: Should we unleash GMO mosquitoes? Our hosts explore this question in conversations with a molecular biologist from the University of California, San Diego, and a social scientist from North Carolina State University.
4 snips
Dec 9, 2024 • 31min
Is the Misinformation Crisis Overblown?
Sander Vanderlinden, a social psychology professor at the University of Cambridge, and Hugo Mercier, a cognitive scientist from the Institut Jean Nicod, dive deep into the misinformation crisis. They challenge the narrative of widespread vulnerability to misinformation, suggesting that humans may be more resilient than assumed. The duo also explores how misinformation interacts with personal beliefs and the complexities of vaccine hesitancy, emphasizing trust issues that complicate public health decisions. Their enlightening conversation reveals that the crisis might be more nuanced than it seems.
Dec 2, 2024 • 32min
Cannabis and Severe Mental Health Disorders
This week on Entanglements: Is cannabis safe for people with severe mental health disorders? Our hosts explore this question in conversations with a psychiatrist from Yale School of Medicine and a neuroscientist from the University of Calgary.
Nov 25, 2024 • 43min
Is It Likely that Covid-19 Came From a Lab?
John Moore, a microbiology professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, and Alina Chan, a scientific advisor at the Broad Institute, dive deep into the controversial lab leak theory of COVID-19's origins. They dissect the ongoing debate between natural zoonotic transmission and the lab leak hypothesis, highlighting key evidence and historical contexts. The conversation touches on the intricate practices of coronavirus research and raises critical questions about biosafety. Additionally, they reflect on the complexities faced by scientists amid misinformation and polarization in public discourse.
Nov 18, 2024 • 28min
Risky Science and Public Consent
This week on Entanglements: Should citizens decide on risky science? Our hosts talk to an Oxford political scientist and a former law and ethics professor about how democracy should play a role in high-stakes decisions.
