Science Unscripted
From advances that will change our lives to offbeat oddities, Spectrum keeps you abreast of developments in the realm of European science and technology news.
Weekly roundup — In your head, your heart & your tummy
Angry? New research shows you can 'export' it and then destroy it! Also, make yourself healthier and happier... by being touched... by something!
Please touch me (it's for my health)
Are we touching each other less? Probably. Does it matter? Very much. If you're missing physical contact, new research will make you feel better.
Where do you feel music?
A good song resonates inside you. But the question is... where? Well, it depends — on 'surprise' and 'uncertainty.'
Solar eclipse? Drive carefully.
There's a 30% increase in car deaths due to solar eclipses, and it's important to know why that happens.
Weekly roundup — There's so much in this one we couldn't find a title
Frozen hands, subjective aging, understanding autism — this episode has a ton of science (and some angry YouTube comments).
A vaccine for... cocaine?
Human trials are underway to stop cocaine addiction using vaccines. Do they work? And if so, how?
Weekly roundup — Fat dogs & a new gender bias
If you're tempted to blame dog owners for their chunky animals... think twice. Also, should Gabe and Conor be perfectly informed on every study they talk about?
Angry? Don't run. Just breathe.
We all have ways of dealing with anger. And most of them don't really work.
You probably prefer studies that make women look better (and that's a problem)
When new research makes women look good, we tend to like it. When it makes men look good, we don't.
Weekly roundup — Want the job? Be first
A quirk in human psychology has a big impact on your chances of getting a job, a date or winning a talent show. Also, Conor puts 'social norms erosion' research to the test — twice.
A blood 'breathalyzer' for tired drivers
Exhaustion is almost as dangerous as driving drunk. And researchers might have found a way to prove who's doing it.
Stop f***ing swearing & get some damn sleep
Did you notice? How the curse words above jolted your brain awake? That effect is real. Don't abuse it.
Weekly roundup — Make yourself do things
You a procrastinator? (We are.) New research suggests an unexpected cause of that. Also, if you have a tough time confronting rule breakers in public (because who doesn't), a new study shows there's a way to do it right.
How to stop people from playing loud music & videos on their phones
Ever heard someone scrolling TikTok or YouTube Shorts ? It's really annoying — and there's a way to stop it.
The German man who got 200+ COVID vaccinations
Yes, he's real. And he was doing it (in part) to make money. But when doctors found out, they asked him to get jabbed a few times more.
Weekly roundup — Dark waters
A listener email sends us deep into the lakes of Latvia — and to honor victims of genocide, it's important to talk about what it is, how it happens and who it happens to.
Is it possible to reintegrate people who committed genocide?
If a close neighbor had committed horrific murders 30 years ago and was released back into your community, could you accept that? That they'd been rehabilitated? Researchers are trying to answer that question in Rwanda.
Infectious empathy & a laptop with a nose
If someone had become more empathetic... how would you know? Also, people are willing to pay more for products that look and talk like humans — but only some products.
Weekly roundup — Smell & anti-depressants
Powerful smells may mitigate severe depression, and a new study suggests regular erections can help against ED. Also, the fascinating reason humans built a gigantic wall close to a lake roughly 10,000 years ago.
Scared of crime? Motion lights won't help
A new study using VR suggests the things that make neighborhoods safer… don't necessarily make us FEEL safer. (And for God's sake, close the garage door.)