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Unexplainable

Latest episodes

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Aug 18, 2021 • 31min

The mysteries of endometriosis

This common chronic condition — where tissue similar to what grows inside the uterus grows elsewhere in the body — is barely understood. So why is a condition so prevalent and painful still so unknown? It has a lot to do with who gets to ask research questions.Correction, August 18: An earlier version of this episode implied that the tissue involved in endometriosis is the same as the endometrium, which lines the uterus. It is similar tissue, but not identical.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcripts, and read more about the topics on our show.Also, email us! unexplainable@vox.comWe read every email.Support Unexplainable by making a financial contribution to bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Aug 11, 2021 • 31min

A 150-year-old human

Two scientists. A billion-dollar wager. One unanswered question: Is the first human who will live to 150 already alive? The technology to make that happen may already be in development. But if it works, there will be new, unsettling questions for humankind to answer.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcripts, and read more about the topics on our show.Also, email us! unexplainable@vox.comWe read every email.Support Unexplainable by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Aug 4, 2021 • 27min

How low can you go?

Earlier this year, Nicole Yamase explored the bottom of the Challenger Deep, the deepest place in the ocean, where few people have ever been. The rest of the seafloor is almost as mysterious — 80 percent remains unmapped — but the few glimpses scientists have gotten have completely revolutionized our understanding of the planet.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcripts, and read more about the topics on our show.Also, email us! unexplainable@vox.comWe read every email.Support Unexplainable by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jul 28, 2021 • 25min

The tornado problem

8 minutes, 24 seconds. That’s the average amount of warning time people get before a tornado touches down. To do better, and to understand tornadoes, scientists need to confront more of these storms, head on.For a clean version of this episode and more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcripts, and read more about the topics on our show.Also, email us! unexplainable@vox.comWe read every email.Support Unexplainable by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jul 21, 2021 • 25min

Moon poop

Astronauts left something on the moon that could help unlock the origins of life itself.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcripts, and read more about the topics on our show.Also, email us! unexplainable@vox.comWe read every email.We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes about five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: vox.com/surveySupport Unexplainable by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jul 14, 2021 • 31min

Hot pink flying squirrels

An accidental discovery on a nighttime walk led one scientist and his team to wonder: How many mammals glow under ultraviolet light? The list keeps growing, but scientists still aren’t sure why these furry creatures glow.For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcripts, and read more about the topics on our show.Email us at unexplainable@vox.com. We read every email!Also, we are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes about five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: vox.com/surveySupport Unexplainable by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jun 30, 2021 • 32min

Henrietta Leavitt and the end of the universe

The podcast explores how Henrietta Leavitt's discovery revolutionized astronomers' understanding of the universe, from measuring star distances to the universe's impending end. It highlights the enigmatic life of Leavitt and the role of women in early astronomy, leading to revelations about the universe's expansion and dark energy.
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Jun 23, 2021 • 29min

How do animals know where to go?

As part of a massive new global tracking project, scientists are monitoring animals from a receiver on the International Space Station, mapping the incredible, previously unknown journeys that animals undertake. They’re beginning to tackle questions like how far do animals actually move? And how in the world do they know where they’re going? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jun 16, 2021 • 25min

Invasion of the jumping worms

These worms are fast, they’re mysterious, and they’re quickly changing North American ecosystems. How worried should we be about global worming?For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainableIt’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcripts, and read more about the topics on our show.Also, email us! unexplainable@vox.comWe read every email.Support Unexplainable by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jun 9, 2021 • 30min

The many heights of Mount Everest

How tall is the world’s tallest mountain? The answer is surprisingly tricky, which means that Everest’s official height is constantly changing. In fact, depending on the type of measurement scientists use, Everest may not be the tallest mountain in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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