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Unexplainable

Unexplainable

Vox

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.
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Top 10 Unexplainable Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Unexplainable episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Unexplainable for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Unexplainable episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Unexplainable - Intraterrestrials

Intraterrestrials

Unexplainable

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04/02/25 • 26 min

Deep inside the mud at the bottom of the ocean, scientists have found life that is so unusual they’ve had to create new branches on the tree of life to put it on. These life forms are not extraterrestrials: They’re “aliens” from Earth.

Guest: Karen Lloyd, microbiologist and author of Intraterrestrials: Discovering the Strangest Life on Earth

For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts

For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable

And please email us! [email protected]

We read every email.

Support Unexplainable by becoming a Vox Member today: vox.com/members

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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5 Listeners

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1 Comment

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Unexplainable - Good Robot #1: The magic intelligence in the sky
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03/12/25 • 53 min

Before AI became a mainstream obsession, one thinker sounded the alarm about its catastrophic potential. So why are so many billionaires and tech leaders worried about... paper clips?

This is the first episode of our new four-part series about the stories shaping the future of AI.

Good Robot was made in partnership with Vox’s Future Perfect team. Episodes will be released on Wednesdays and Saturdays over the next two weeks.

For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts

For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable

And please email us! [email protected]

We read every email.

Support Unexplainable by becoming a Vox Member today: vox.com/members

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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3 Listeners

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Unexplainable - Are we sure about fluoride?
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05/21/25 • 31 min

Florida just became the second state to ban fluoride from its water system, which has made some public health experts pretty angry. Just how risky is fluoride really, and why is it so hard for us to get on the same page?

Guest: Emily Oster, professor of economics at Brown University and CEO of ParentData

For show transcripts, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unxtranscripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unexplainable⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

And please email us! ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

We read every email.

Support Unexplainable (and get ad-free episodes) by becoming a Vox Member today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/members⁠

Help us plan for the future of Unexplainable by filling out a brief survey: ⁠⁠⁠voxmedia.com/survey⁠⁠⁠. Thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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3 Listeners

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1 Comment

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Unexplainable - Good Robot #2: Everything is not awesome
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03/15/25 • 57 min

When a robot does bad things, who is responsible? A group of technologists sounds the alarm about the ways AI is already harming us today. Are their concerns being taken seriously?

This is the second episode of our new four-part series about the stories shaping the future of AI.

Good Robot was made in partnership with Vox’s Future Perfect team. Episodes will be released on Wednesdays and Saturdays over the next two weeks.

For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts

For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable

And please email us! [email protected]

We read every email.

Support Unexplainable by becoming a Vox Member today: vox.com/members

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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2 Listeners

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Unexplainable - The problem with dreams
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02/19/25 • 28 min

A neuroscientist argues that the focus on dreams has held back the scientific understanding of sleep. So he took dreams out of the picture and uncovered a new potential connection between the mind and body.

Guest: Mark Blumberg, behavioral neuroscientist at the University of Iowa

For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts

For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable

And please email us! [email protected]

We read every email.

Support Unexplainable by becoming a Vox Member today: vox.com/members

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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2 Listeners

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Unexplainable - Is a ton of psychology just ... wrong?
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04/07/21 • 30 min

A decade ago, psychologists realized much of their science was fatally flawed, calling untold numbers of studies into question. Now, some young psychologists are trying to rebuild the foundations of their field. Can they succeed?

For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable

It’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! [email protected]

We 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

2 Listeners

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Unexplainable - The quest to build a star
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01/05/22 • 29 min

Scientists are closer than ever to harnessing fusion power — the same process that powers the sun — by essentially making a small star here on Earth. Fusion could give humanity its best shot at solving the climate crisis, but the technology has yet to be perfected and would require billions more in investments. Is it worth the bet?

For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable

It’s a great place to view show transcripts and read more about the topics on our show.

Also, email us! [email protected]

We 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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2 Listeners

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Unexplainable - Most of the universe is missing
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03/10/21 • 34 min

Scientists all over the world are searching for dark matter: an invisible, untouchable substance that holds our universe together. But they haven't found it. Are they chasing a ghost?

For further reading, sign up for our newsletter here: http://vox.com/unexplainable-newsletter

Show transcript and articles (including one about why we made this show now): http://vox.com/unexplainable

Email us! [email protected]

We read every email.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Unexplainable - The deepest spot in the ocean
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06/12/24 • 28 min

Seventy-five percent of the seafloor remains unmapped and unexplored, but the first few glimpses scientists have gotten of the ocean’s depths have completely revolutionized our understanding of the planet.

For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts

For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable

And please email us! [email protected]

We read every email.

Support Unexplainable by becoming a Vox Member today: vox.com/members

Please take a second to help us learn more about you! vox.com/podcastsurvey

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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2 Listeners

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Unexplainable - Good Robot #4: Who, me?
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03/22/25 • 53 min

What can we actually do as our world gets populated with more and more robots? How can we take control? Can we take control?

This is the final episode of our four-part series about the stories shaping the future of AI.

Good Robot was made in partnership with Vox’s Future Perfect team.

For show transcripts, go to vox.com/unxtranscripts

For more, go to vox.com/unexplainable

And please email us! [email protected]

We read every email.

Support Unexplainable by becoming a Vox Member today: vox.com/members

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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FAQ

How many episodes does Unexplainable have?

Unexplainable currently has 207 episodes available.

What topics does Unexplainable cover?

The podcast is about Life Sciences, Natural Sciences, Podcasts and Science.

What is the most popular episode on Unexplainable?

The episode title 'Intraterrestrials' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Unexplainable?

The average episode length on Unexplainable is 29 minutes.

How often are episodes of Unexplainable released?

Episodes of Unexplainable are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of Unexplainable?

The first episode of Unexplainable was released on Feb 19, 2021.

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