
60-Second Science
Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.
Latest episodes

Jun 24, 2024 • 10min
Your Penis Might Be Full of Microplastics, and The Seine is Definitely Full of Bacteria
Microplastics are everywhere—and we mean everywhere. These pesky plastic pollutants have been found in penis tissue, testicles, breast milk and blood. They’ve turned up in Antarctic snow, in the clouds above Mount Fuji, inside deep-sea creatures and near the top of Mount Everest. In Paris Olympic ambitions for the Seine’s are being complicated by bacteria. Far above Earth, the Starliner spacecraft faced a rocky road to the International Space Station (ISS). Starliner’s return to Earth is being delayed as Boeing and NASA officials take a look at the leaks and thruster failures that occurred during its journey to the ISS.Recommended reading:Microplastics Linked to Heart Attack, Stroke and DeathThe Physics of Breakdancing, a New Olympic Sport E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 21, 2024 • 20min
On Thin Ice: Penguins in Paradise (Part 2)
It’s important that researchers get samples of Antarctic sea ice before melting takes the opportunity away. But fieldwork is never straightforward, and in part two of our Friday Fascination series about Antarctica, journalist Sofia Moutinho and the scientists on the Nathaniel B. Palmer take a break to enjoy some adorable Adélie penguins, the smallest penguin species in the Antarctic.Stay tuned for next Friday’s episode, when we’ll learn what it’s like to live and work onboard an icebreaker in Antarctica.E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by journalist Sofia Moutinho. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 19, 2024 • 15min
What Happens if a Nuclear Weapon Goes Off in Space?
The U.S. Department of Defense has sounded the alarm on a worrying hypothetical program from Russia aimed at putting a nuclear weapon into orbit. Associate news editor Allison Parshall explains what we know about nukes in space from a satellite accident and a series of ill-advised low-orbit tests during the cold war.E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Carin Leong, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman with guest Allison Parshall. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 17, 2024 • 12min
‘Flying’ Joro Spiders Are No Big Deal, and Starlink Satellites Are Not So Great for The Ozone Layer
This week’s news roundup features spiders, space and the Supreme Court. “Flying” Joro spiders are making headlines, but are they really taking over the East Coast? Extreme heat leads Greece to close the Acropolis and worry about what the rest of the summer will bring. Levels of ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbons are on the decline. Plus, satellite reentry releases ozone-damaging aluminum oxide, and access to medication abortion is preserved. Recommended viewing: The Ozone Hole Showed Humans Could Damage Earth and That We Could Heal ItE-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for our daily Today in Science newsletter.Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Carin Leong, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 14, 2024 • 21min
On Thin Ice: Supercharged Phytoplankton (Part 1)
All aboard the Nathaniel B. Palmer, a research vessel making its way through the waters of West Antarctica. Journalist Sofia Moutinho is joining a team of chemists trying to find out how glacial melting is changing ocean chemistry—and what those changes might mean for the global climate.The researchers want to know whether a negative feedback loop could take shape in Antarctica’s seas. Carbon dioxide contributes to the rise in warming that is melting the glaciers. As glacial melting releases iron, phytoplankton feast. Phytoplankton in turn remove carbon from the air, potentially causing a cooling effect.Stay tuned for next Friday’s episode, where Moutinho will embark on a hunt for sea ice and hear about the researchers’ special encounter with Adélie penguins.E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Carin Leong, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by journalist Sofia Moutinho. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 12, 2024 • 18min
What’s Actually In Your Tattoo Ink? No One Really Knows
Nearly a third of U.S. adults have tattoos, but how many people know what's really in the ink? Despite new regulations, researchers have found many commercial inks contain unlisted and potentially harmful ingredients. John Swierk, an assistant professor of chemistry at Binghamton University, and his team are trying to figure out exactly what goes into each vial of tattoo ink—and how tattoos actually work—to help make body art safer.Email us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman, with guest John Swierk, assistant professor of chemistry at Binghamton University. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 10, 2024 • 10min
Rock Samples Taken from Far Side of the Moon and a ‘Morning-After Pill’ for STIs
In this week’s news roundup, we present the latest from the skies and the pillbox. The Hubble Space Telescope is limping along, operating with just one gyroscope to preserve its research capabilities. China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe is sending back the first ever samples from the far side of the moon. Plus, there are exciting advancements in the world of pharmaceuticals, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsing a “morning-after pill” for STIs and artificial intelligence discovering potential novel antibiotics.E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for our daily Today in Science newsletter.Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Kelso Harper, Carin Leong, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Kelso Harper. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 7, 2024 • 24min
Do Plants ‘Think’? We Might Not Know Enough about Consciousness to be Certain
Can plants “think?" Do they “talk” to one another? These are questions that scientists are asking—and the answers might surprise you. Zoë Schlanger, climate reporter at The Atlantic, sits down with Science Quickly host Rachel Feltman to discuss her new book The Light Eaters, which explores the surprising science of plant intelligence. Related Reading:Brains Are Not Required When It Comes to Thinking and Solving Problems—Simple Cells Can Do ItHow Plant Intelligence Can Soothe Climate AnxietyEmail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Kelso Harper, Carin Leong Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman with guest Zoë Schlanger from The Atlantic. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 5, 2024 • 21min
Snacking on Cicadas Is Nutritious, Sustainable, and—Yes—Delicious
A “double brood” of cicadas is taking over much of the eastern half of the U.S. They’re loud and abundant. Have you considered–eating them? Chef Joseph Yoon, founder of Brooklyn Bugs, explains how to harvest and feast upon this year’s “double brood” and the many benefits of adding insects to our diet. Related Reading:– Periodical Cicadas Emerge Every 13 or 17 Years. How Do They Keep Track of Time?– Can You Eat Cicadas? Can Your Dog Do So? E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Kelso Harper, Carin Leong, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman, with guest Joseph Yoon of Brooklyn Bugs. Our show is edited by Elah Feder, Alexa Lim, Madison Goldberg and Anaissa Ruiz Tejada, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 3, 2024 • 9min
Auroras Are on the Horizon, and Bird Flu Is on the Menu
Adolescent smartphone use improves moods, vaccine hesitancy linked to misleading social media stories. Updates on rising COVID-19 cases and ongoing bird flu outbreak. Anticipated return of stunning auroral displays due to upcoming solar activity.