Episodes

  • What exactly is Gonzo from the Muppets?

    What exactly is Gonzo from the Muppets?
    Nov 13 2026
    Everyone knows Gonzo, but have you ever stopped to wonder what exact Gonzo IS? PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief/Muppet Expert ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ talk through the opinions of actual evolutionary biologists and paleontologists to see if they can decode Gonzo's unique physiology. Plus, ⁠a special interview with the legendary Dave Goelz—the original and long-time performer of Gonzo—offering his take on what sort of life form Gonzo might be, and why the character is so special to so many people around the world. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/what-is-gonzo-muppet/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 mins
  • Why does candy taste different now?

    Why does candy taste different now?
    Oct 29 2026
    Just in time for Halloween, PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and News Editor ⁠⁠Laura Baisas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ unwrap the mystery of why candy tastes so... different these days. Plus, an expert-level discussion of what makes candy taste amazing with Jack Bishop from America's Test Kitchen. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/why-candy-tastes-different-now/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    24 mins
  • Why don't humans have tails?

    Why don't humans have tails?
    Oct 16 2026
    So many mammals have useful, interesting, or just plain CUTE tails–so why not humans? PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ sit down (without tails of course) to figure out just where our tails went over the course of human evolution. Plus, Flora Lichtman from NPR's Science Friday podcast stops by to talk about what makes for the best tail in nature, and to reveal her favorite tail from the animal kingdom. Read the Popular Science story that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/science/why-humans-dont-have-tails/ And make sure to check to the episode of Science Friday all about which tail is the best: https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/mammal-tails-balance/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    21 mins
  • What’s the best sleep position?

    What’s the best sleep position?
    Sep 30 2026
    Everyone knows that getting good sleep is the best thing you can do for your body, but... does it matter how you lay your head (and body)? PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ talk through their own sleep preferences before drifting off into the research on what's really the best way to position yourself for a good night's rest (hint: PILLOWS!) Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/health/best-sleep-position/ https://www.popsci.com/health/can-tracking-sleep-make-it-worse/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    19 mins
  • What's the most eco-friendly burial option? (ENCORE)

    What's the most eco-friendly burial option? (ENCORE)
    Sep 16 2026
    Note: Our show has grown a LOT recently and a ton of new listeners have joined us, so we decided it’d be fun to share one of our favorite episodes since we relaunched, which ALSO happens to be among the most-popular questions we’ve ever answered - ENJOY! After a lifetime of trying to put things in the right bin, we all eventually arrive at the ultimate recycling dilemma: what to do with our bodies after we die? PopSci Editors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Laura Baisas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ go on exploration to find out what is the most environmentally friendly option for handling human remains? Despite all the new ⁠technology⁠, experts say there’s one clear answer, and it’s surprisingly old-school. Read the full story that inspired this episode: https://www.popsci.com/technology/cremation-burial-most-eco-friendly/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    18 mins
  • Why do dogs tilt their heads?

    Why do dogs tilt their heads?
    Sep 2 2026
    Dog behavior exploration incoming! PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ talk through their personal dog experiences before lolling their heads through the scientific explanations for why dog's often look like they're REALLY trying to understand what we're trying to tell them Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/environment/why-dogs-tilt-their-heads/ https://www.popsci.com/science/how-to-test-pet-intelligence/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    18 mins
  • How scary is Yellowstone's supervolcano?

    How scary is Yellowstone's supervolcano?
    Aug 19 2026
    It's volcano time, as PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Editor-in-Chief ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Annie Colbert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ dig deep into the structure of the Yellowstone Caldera to figure out what's brewing beneath it, and just how much devastation it could unleash if it ever woke up.. Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode: https://www.popsci.com/environment/what-if-yellowstone-volcano-erupted/https://www.popsci.com/environment/yellowstone-supervolcano-bulge/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    20 mins
  • What are the most common sunscreen myths

    What are the most common sunscreen myths
    Aug 5 2026
    It's time to separate facts from fiction about sunscreen, as PopSci Editor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sarah Durn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and News Editor ⁠Laura Baisas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ take us through the four most common misconceptions people have about suncreen and how it should be used. Plus, did you know that e.coli bacteria has been created that can manufacture organic sunscreen???? Read the Popular Science stories that inspired the episode:https://www.popsci.com/health/do-i-need-sunscreen-every-day/https://www.popsci.com/science/sunscreen-made-from-e-coli/ If you have a question for a future episode, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://popsci.com/ask⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    18 mins