Episodes 272
Avg. Duration 28m
Activity Active
Since Feb 2021
Latest Episode Apr 2026

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Publishing Details

Schedule
Every Few Days
Format
Episodic
Consistency
32%
Hosting
feeds.redcircle.com

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About This Podcast

Unexplainable takes listeners right up to the edge of what we know…and then keeps on going. The Unexplainable team — Noam Hassenfeld, Julia Longoria, Byrd Pinkerton, and Meradith Hoddinott — tackles scientific mysteries, unanswered questions, and everything we learn diving into the unknown. New episodes Mondays and Wednesdays. From Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Recent Episodes

Is male birth control finally here?

Apr 01, 2026 27m

Typically, the burden of birth control falls on whoever has a uterus, but it seems like that might change — and soon! Guest: Annalisa Merelli, contributing writer at STAT. For more, go to…

Mi Vickicito

Mar 30, 2026 19m

Host Julia Longoria signs off from Unexplainable with one final question: Why does her grandma love Vicks VapoRub so much? A version of this episode originally aired on WNYC’s ⁠Only Human⁠…

Casey gets his voice back

Mar 25, 2026 37m

Casey Harrell is a goofy, lighthearted chatterbox whose love for language helped him become an accomplished environmental activist. In 2020, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)…

Oliver Sacks's not quite nonfiction

Mar 23, 2026 30m

Oliver Sacks was once crowned “the poet laureate of medicine” — he's known as one of the greatest science writers of our time. But when New Yorker writer Rachel Aviv dug into his archives, she…

The accidental rise of Botox

Mar 18, 2026 29m

One of the deadliest poisons known to man is now used to treat wrinkles, migraines, and even, maybe, depression. How did that happen? Guests: Jean Carruthers, ophthalmologist and “godmother” of…

Who are we to fight the alchemy?

Mar 16, 2026 31m

Many alchemical texts are full of bizarre, metaphorical language. But what if there's interesting science hiding behind some of those metaphors? Guest: Lawrence Principe, professor of the history of…

Snow day!

Mar 11, 2026 28m

Grab some hot cocoa and a warm blanket and let’s talk about the tiny crystals that fall from the sky. Guest: Jessica Lundquist, professor of civil & environmental engineering at the University of…

My brain made me do it

Mar 09, 2026 27m

A man committed a crime. He admitted it. Then something alarming showed up on an image of his brain. The criminal case that followed in 1991 brought neuroscience into the courtroom for good. How does…

The Codfather

Feb 25, 2026 39m

How many fish are in the sea? It's a question that has had enormous consequences for the fishing community in New Bedford, Massachusetts. But one man managed to find a way around it. That man? The…

Stress ages us on a cellular level

Feb 23, 2026 14m

It's no secret that stress isn't good for you… But just how bad is it? NPR's Short Wave podcast gets some answers. Host: Regina G. Barber, host of NPR’s Short Wave podcast Guest: Diana Kwon,…

The Amazing Extremophiles

Feb 11, 2026 26m

In the dark depths of the Gowanus Canal, strange lifeforms lurk... Guests: Brad Vogel, volunteer at the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club; Elizabeth Hénaff, computational biologist and artist at New York…

Everyone does it. Why can’t I?

Feb 09, 2026 39m

I’m about to burst. Guests: Laryngologist Dr. Robert Bastian and Noel King, co-host and editorial director of the Vox daily news podcast Today, Explained For more, go to…

Mysterious objects near the beginning of time

Feb 04, 2026 26m

Astronomers are putting together a new picture of the early universe. It involves a lot of very weird black holes, and it could help us understand how our own galaxy formed. Guest: Caitlin Casey,…

Cloud atlas

Feb 02, 2026 29m

It’s surprisingly hard to predict how clouds form, move, and change, but it’s essential to try. Because how clouds react to a warming world helps determine how hot our future will be. Guests: Vox…

What's good sound?

Jan 28, 2026 26m

Every hand-crafted instrument from violin maker Michael Doran holds its own unexplainable questions. Guest: Michael Doran of Doran’s Violin’s For show transcripts, go to…

No data, just vibes

Jan 26, 2026 23m

There's been a real rollback of one of the US government's most fundamental tasks: gathering data. Vox correspondents Dylan Scott and Umair Irfan take a look at what a future with less data means for…

It's not all bad

Jan 14, 2026 25m

Things in the news have been feeling kind of…bleak, so we called in some reinforcements. Vox's senior editorial director and resident good news expert Bryan Walsh joins editor Joanna Solotaroff to…

Superbabies?

Jan 12, 2026 25m

Parents are supposed to provide the best life possible for their kids, right? But what does that mean when genetic testing for the baby enters the picture? And how far should they go? Vox senior…

The G-word

Jan 07, 2026 26m

Is geoengineering the answer to the climate crisis? Or is it too dangerous to even discuss? It’s been theoretical so far, but now, one startup says their technology could soon shield the Earth from…

Who's afraid of big, bad Yellowstone?

Jan 05, 2026 23m

Yellowstone can be a deadly place... but not for the reasons you might think. Guest: Mike Poland, scientist in charge at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory For show transcripts, go to…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Unexplainable have?

Unexplainable has published 272 episodes since February 2021, covering topics in Life Sciences, Natural Sciences.

Is Unexplainable still active?

Unexplainable is currently active with new episodes every few days. Average episode length is 28m.

How do I contact Unexplainable for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Unexplainable, including email and social media links.

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