There are a lot of fads, blogs and strong opinions, but then there’s SCIENCE. Season 10 starts March 4! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Butterflies flit through life as the pride and joy of the insect world. But when we saw photos of butterflies swarming the eyes of turtles, we wondered if there was a dark side lurking behind all those flashy colors. Assistant Professor of Biology Chandreyee Mitra lets us in on these butterfly secrets.Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/36osuwx This episode was produced by Nick DelRose with help from Wendy Zukerman, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, Rose Rimler, and Taylor White. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard. And special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Explore the search for new diseases in the Congo rainforests and the link between rainforests, zoonotic diseases, and Disease X. Learn about the successful containment of the Ebola outbreak and the possibility of unknown diseases emerging. Discover the importance of identifying emerging diseases and the impact of human-wildlife interactions. Finally, explore the research conducted in the DRC to prevent the spread of coronaviruses.

Join the podcast as they explore the therapeutic potential of magic mushrooms for mental health, featuring personal stories, scientific research, and discussions on psychedelic experiences. Dive into the mysteries of how psychedelics affect the brain, their safety profile, and the dichotomy between magic mushrooms and science.

MINI EPISODE! Tons of new science means fresh answers on a few things that really freaked us out at the start of the pandemic: coronavirus on surfaces; ibuprofen and Covid-19; and getting Covid twice. Link to transcript: https://bit.ly/3lXu6CaThis episode was produced by Rose Rimler, Nick DelRose, and Wendy Zukerman with help from Michelle Dang and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell with help from Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. Thanks to everyone we got in touch with for this episode, and special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a ton of hoopla over these new coronavirus vaccines. But given that they’ve been produced at warp speed — can we trust them? We also find out what’s going on with “long haulers.” How common is it to be sick for months from Covid-19? Plus, fresh new science about why some young people land in the hospital. We talk to Dr. Katy Stephenson, Dr. Alexander Hoischen, Dr. Jeffrey Siegelman, and Prof. Tim Spector. Link to transcript: https://bit.ly/37vYvT3This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, NickDelRose, and Wendy Zukerman with help from Michelle Dang, and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell with help from Caitlin Kenney. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. Thanks to everyone we got in touch with for this episode including Dr. Cleo Anastassopoulou, Dr. Cas van der Made, Prof. Joel Ray, Dr. Nicholas Tatonetti, Michael Zietz, Prof. Torben Barrington, Dr. Emma Pierson, Professor Peter Wark, Dr. Jennifer Dan, Dr. Natalie Lambert, Dr. Benjamin Abramoff and others. And special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When a deadly pig virus hit Cuba in 1971, some claimed the CIA was behind it all. But could it be true? In part two of our investigation into the outbreak, we finally hear directly from the CIA — and get to the bottom of what happened. In this episode: ex-CIA Brian Latell, journalist Drew Fetherston, Professor Mary-Louise Penrith and Professor José Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno. Please fill out our Science Vs survey! Link here: https://blythet.typeform.com/to/Z7YOM2QM New to the show? Some of our fave episodes are ...Hunting an Invisible Killer: https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/brhv724 The Mystery of the Man Who Died Twice: https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/brhod5  Placebo: Can the Mind Cure You? https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/5whgzd 5G: Welcome to the Revolution? https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs/j4h39x Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/2Kn0iSvA huge thanks to Dan Guillemette, Rebecca Ibarra and the team at WNYC's Scattered. This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Nick DelRose, Mathilde Urfalino, Hannah Harris Green, Rose Rimler and Michelle Dang. It was edited by Blythe Terrell and Caitlin Kenney, with help from PJ Vogt. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord and Marcus Bagala. Interpreting by Carmen Graterol and Julia Kaplan. Translation by Silvina Baldermann. Thanks to everyone we got in touch with for this episode including Peter Kornbluh, Professor Piero Gleijeses, Professor Armanda Bastos, Dr. Alexis Albion, Dr. David Williams, Professor Hugh Wilford, Dr. James Lockhart, Professor Louis A. Pérez, Dr. Megan Niederwerder, Steven Aftergood, and Vicki J. Huddleston. And thank you to the Cuban exiles and those who fought in the bay of pigs for speaking to us. A special thanks to the Zukerman family, and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the Cuban government rounded up and killed thousands of pigs in 1971, people were angry and confused. Castro claimed they were trying to stop an outbreak. But then rumours started spreading that something much bigger was behind it all. The CIA. To find out more, we speak to Professor Virgil Suarez, journalist Drew Fetherston, Professor Mary Louise Penrith, ex-CIA Carol "Rollie" Flynn and Professor Loch Johnson.Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/3ksSP0oA huge thanks to Dan Guillemette, Rebeca Ibarra and the team at WNYC's Scattered. This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Nick DelRose, Mathilde Urfalino, Hannah Harris Green, Rose Rimler and Michelle Dang. It was edited by Blythe Terrell and Caitlin Kenney, with help from PJ Vogt. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord and Marcus Bagala. Interpreting by Carmen Graterol and Julia Kaplan. Translation by Silvina Baldermann. Thanks to everyone we got in touch with for this episode including Peter Kornbluh, Professor Piero Gleijeses, Professor Armanda Bastos, Dr. Alexis Albion, Dr David Williams, Professor Hugh Wilford, Professor Jose Sánchez-Vizcaíno, Dr James Lockhart, Professor Louis A. Pérez, Dr Megan Niederwerder,Steven Aftergood, and Vicki J. Huddleston. And thank you to the Cuban exiles and those who fought in the bay of pigs for speaking to us. A special thanks to the Zukerman family, and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The eccentric platypus has always turned heads, and now it’s got something else up its sleeve. We talked with mammalogist Dr. Paula Anich to get the scoop.Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/34YfHR4This episode was produced by Nick DelRose with help from Wendy Zukerman, Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Peter Leonard. And special thanks to the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The idea of paying Black Americans reparations for slavery has been around for a long time, but it’s starting to get more support than ever. So we ask: If the country does agree to pay up, how do you calculate the bill? And how could the U.S. come up with that kind of cash? To find out, we talk to historian and farmer Leah Penniman, economist Prof. William Darity Jr., public policy scholar Assistant Prof. Naomi Zewde, and Ebony Pickett. UPDATE 10/30/20: An earlier version of this episode said that the average White person who didn't finish high school makes more money than the average Black person who graduated from college. The actual statistic is about net worth, rather than income, so we removed this reference. We’ve updated the episode.Check out the transcript here: https://bit.ly/3kSFe3qSelected resources: Leah’s book, Farming While Black Sandy’s book, From Here to Equality This Time article about Rosewood This episode was produced by Rose Rimler and Anoa Changa with help from Wendy Zukerman, Hannah Harris Green, Michelle Dang, and Nick DelRose. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Sam Bair. Music written by Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, Bobby Lord and Marcus Bagala. Baby sounds provided by Hunter and Lyric. Thanks to everyone we got in touch with for this episode including Sophia Clark, Dr. Dania Francis, Dr. Dionissi Alliprantis, Prof. Kristen Broady, Prof. Rashawn Ray, Dr. Rhonda Vonshay Sharpe, Prof. Henry Thompson, Prof. Richard Edwards, and Prof. Steve Greenlaw. A special thanks to the Zukerman family, Walter Rimler, and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices