Science unscripted
- Episodes
- 100
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 6, 2026
About the podcast
The science stories that will actually change your day — and maybe make you laugh. Science unscripted is a podcast, radio show & YouTube channel driven by listeners. Hello from Germany :)
Episodes 100
Underwear & pregnancy
Boxer briefs? Tighty whities? Strings? All seem to influence sperm quality. Also, a study on miscarriages in primates shows they happen more often when raising a small (demanding) child.
How bad is the mental load gap?
A new study sheds light on how people perceive their own mental load — and what that does to the relationship.
Smart women get punished at the workplace
A new cross-cultural study points at a universal truth: Women who are intelligent pay for it at the office.
Muscle dysmorphia: a 'reverse anorexia' that mostly affects men
Ripped. Jacked. Swole. And... limp? When does wanting bigger muscles turn toxic? And how's that linked to unhappiness in the bedroom?
The politics of disgust
Ever feel disgusted by other groups of people? That makes it more likely you're conservative. Unless you're 'interoceptive.'
Have you seen my wallet?
Tylenol is not causally connected to pregnancies and autistic children, according to a meta-meta study. Also, if you lost your wallet in a 'diverse' neighborhood, is it more (or less) likely to come back?
Is AI going to kill us?
Who can actually say what AI can (or can't) do? Maybe the guy who developed the 'box' it escaped from.
Is your life meaningful? (pt. 2)
Ever freaked out about finding 'meaning' in your life? A new study might help you understand where that (uniquely human) feeling comes from. (Note: We published part 1 on June 15, 2025)
Pathological cringe & a pill to 'delete' trauma
A single drug undid the damage in mice who'd suffered early-life trauma. Also, a contagious form of 'cringe avoidance' is spreading — and listen in to the soft sounds of Jurassic crickets.
Can a dog understand these facial expressions?
If dogs could understand our faces... how could we prove that, scientifically? Also, AI gets banned from the classroom and a study that put heavy metal festival fans through.... some serious pain.
How to speak without saying anything
Gabe and Conor are back to talk about a science museum you should never visit, a cosmic event you shouldn't miss... and a well-researched communications strategy used by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
If you could put on VR goggles and talk to your future self... would that help you become who you want to be? Or would it harm you?
SpaceX & a low-g baby?
When Elon Musk talks about a human 'civilization' on Mars, he's suggesting we'll have babies there. Should we?
The 'Google maps' inside a pigeon's liver
A new experiment shows pigeons use immune cells to navigate our planet. The discovery redefines our understanding of how an animal can 'feel' Earth's magnetic field.
Do you want to have kids?
There are plenty of reasons NOT to have kids. But a new paper suggests having them may be the only way to protect gender equality over the long term.
The testosterone age (or Honey, I shrunk my testes)
Influencers, billionaires, even the US health secretary. Proponents of testosterone — as a hormonal therapy or barometer of "masculinity" — are causing men to self-medicate. With nasty consequences.
Hantavirus: What to expect from here
This ship phase is over. But the nature of this virus means cases may rise — even as officials contain it.
Is the hantavirus the next pandemic?
If you want to understand why the Andes variant of the hantavirus is different than COVID-19, this episode's for you.
The ad that makes you drink more
We know advertising works. (It's why the industry exists.) But a new study on beer ads in Germany shows how. Causally.
How can I tell if someone's smart?
Some people seem to know if others are intelligent. Others... don't. A new study suggests why.
There's almost no way to make us like AI art. Why?
A new study tried just about everything to get people to have a more positive reaction to AI poetry and prose. It failed. Almost always. And it's worth talking about why. (NOTE: A human wrote this.)
Deepfake nudes & why men make them
Lust? Humiliation? Control? If you think you know why men and boys make fake AI nudes of women and girls... first-of-its-kind research suggests a motivation that's almost more troubling. (Note: If you or anyone …
Show notes
Lust? Humiliation? Control? If you think you know why men and boys make fake AI nudes of women and girls... first-of-its-kind research suggests a motivation that's almost more troubling. (Note: If you or anyone you know is the victim of non-consensual intimate imagery, the global non-profit StopNCII.org provides step-by-step support in 38 languages.)When do you think the world will end?
A shockingly high number of people believe a global calamity will happen in their lifetime. Are you one of them?
The war on phone blasting
A viral TikTok of a woman kicked off a plane is a good time to talk about how to (productively) confront loud people.
Why do I get goosebumps when I listen to music?
Some of us get chills from music, movies or art. And others... never do. Why is that?
Wait — who's friendzoning who here?!
It's usually guys who complain about being 'friendzoned.' But new research says it definitely happens to women, too — sometimes.
How different are the brains of boys and girls?
A new study shows a sex difference in the early growth of the human brain. Does it matter?
When a pet’s death really hurts
The loss of a pet can affect you more than losing a loved one, a new study shows. With one exception.
Why do humans have (relatively) large penises?
Compared to chimps or gorillas, human males are unusually well endowed. A new study suggests it's partly because men 'size each other up' before a fight.
How casual hookups are good (and healthy) for singles
You really do benefit from 'friends with benefits,' a new study suggests. Also, a forgotten birthday can tank employee morale and a look at how the Autobahn lead to more support for the Nazi party.
These are the latest 40 of 100 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
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