Bitte aktivieren Sie autoplay in ihrem Browser!
-
- Podcasts
- Science unscripted
-
Author: DW
Language: enThe 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 :)
-
Are you a liar?Music can be really bad for you if it's forced on you (at work). Also, which people believe false headlines — and a study to help you spot a liar.Do 10.04.202530 : 00 min -
What causes a scientist to actually pack up and leave?A “climate of fear” has taken hold as US researchers face budget cuts, mass layoffs and free-speech restrictions. Are they actually leaving, though? DW reached out to Germany’s “four pillars” of science to find out.So 06.04.202530 : 00 min
-
A case of bullyingA DW investigative report, together with Der Spiegel, looks into troubling allegations of workplace misconduct at Germany's Max Planck Society. Also, come celebrate as we mark 5 years of Science unscripted.Do 27.03.202530 : 00 min
-
Borders & break-upsThe case of a French researcher denied US entry creates a jarring new crack between European scientists and their US peers. Also, if you're feeling lonely... but you're also in a relationship... well, what should you do?Do 20.03.202530 : 00 min
-
Why don't I like my audiobook?New research from Germany hints at what audiobooks of the future will sound like. Also, 'woolly mice' get blown out of proportion — and why you shouldn't get surgery on a Friday.Fr 07.03.202530 : 00 min
-
Why's that fish looking at me?An experiment off the coast of Corsica suggests fish can recognize specific people (sometimes). Also, put a dot in front a zebrafish and, amazingly, you'll be a step closer to understanding the concept of free will.Do 20.02.202530 : 00 min
-
What exactly is 'the ick'?A new study has categorized the (wildly different) stuff that makes men and women get instantly and permanently disgusted by a romantic partner. And it's not always the 'icky' person's fault.Do 13.02.202530 : 00 min
-
Eggs, AI & how to get people to have babiesWhy are birth rates falling? And do they ever go back up? Also, a study on eggs — and an email about two horses peeing.Do 06.02.202530 : 00 min
-
Should I give up on climate change?With the US pulling out of the Paris Agreement... and its president chanting "Drill, baby, drill!"... it is absolutely fair to ask if your own personal climate footprint even matters anymore.Do 30.01.202530 : 00 min
-
Is news bad for me? Science has an answer.Trump, pandemic, war... more Trump. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the news (or feeling burned out) — you may be consuming it wrong.Fr 17.01.202530 : 00 min
-
The end of social media fact checking?Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X — across platforms, fact checkers are being fired and replaced with... well, promises that regular people can do the job instead. They can't.Do 09.01.202530 : 00 min
-
Bird flu 2025 - Spread, symptoms, riskThe words 'next pandemic' are being thrown around by more and more experts watching the spread of avian influenza in North America. Why?So 05.01.202530 : 00 min
-
Crime & punishment in a "dangerous" worldJust how dangerous do you think the world is? Because that changes how you'd punish a violent criminal (if you're a woman). Also, if you're frustrated with your democratically elected government... what alternatives are you open to?Do 19.12.202430 : 00 min
-
What is FOMO? (And how do I get rid of it?)You know that stab of anxious envy when you see people having a good time (without you)? You can get rid of that. Also, Gabe and Conor are back — with an unfortunate story about a random act of violence.Fr 13.12.202430 : 00 min
-
Science unscripted: Is another pandemic brewing? The current bird flu situationNations are buying H5N1 bird flu vaccines amid the spread of the virus among livestock in the US. At least two children in North America have contracted the disease from unknown sources. How serious is the situation?Fr 06.12.202429 : 59 min
-
How your brain understands other people (sometimes WRONG!)Some people seem very good at guessing what you're thinking. And some of us might find that we think very deeply about what people are thinking or feeling. The reason appears linked to special connections between some the youngest parts of the brain, evolved 300 million years ago. We explored this with lead researcher Rodrigo Braga, a clinical neurologist, from Northwestern University.Fr 29.11.202416 : 16 min
-
A poo test for discrimination?Being discriminated against — due to your ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, age or anything else — is harmful and wrong. A new study shows it also... changes the bacteria in your stool?Fr 22.11.202413 : 19 min
-
A gossiper's friend & how to think about drinkingWomen drink less... if you ask them to visualize alcohol? Also, the yucky trick gossipers use to make you think they're kind — and why iron in red meat may be causing cancer (in your bottom).Do 07.11.202430 : 00 min
-
Why are people getting skinnier?Data from the US suggests we may have passed the point of 'peak obesity.' Have we? Also, spray testosterone in men's noses... and they'll emotionally dehumanize certain women.Do 31.10.202430 : 00 min
-
Don't text & drive (especially during a full moon)Quiz time: How could a full moon make roads more dangerous? (Email [email protected] with your guess before you listen.) Also, teens (like all of us) use their phones while driving — and a jarring new study tells us how much.Fr 25.10.202430 : 00 min
-
Can we hit ‘pause’ on a human embryo?Scientists in Berlin have shown you can stop the development of an embryo-like model - *NO HUMAN EMBYROS WERE USED IN THE EXPERIMENT* - and keep it alive to be developed later. The implications could be huge for IVF.So 20.10.202430 : 00 min
-
This is what a fake podcast sounds likeIf a show made by AI sounds as good as one made by humans... what happens next?Fr 11.10.202430 : 00 min
-
Want the job? Post a 'Duchenne' smileFake smiles aren't just bad for Instagram. They're bad for your reputation. That's the implication of a new study — with clear consequences for LinkedIn... and maybe your life? (Also, come with us to see Europe's 'answer to ChatGPT.')Fr 04.10.202430 : 00 min
-
Assert yourself (especially if your partner drinks)Alcohol? Bad for us. But a fascinating new study looks at what happens to the person who's watching the drinking happen. Also, college kids in Egypt saw their depression/anxiey/stress drop... by getting a crash course on 'assertiveness.'Mo 23.09.202430 : 00 min
-
Cat-eating conspiracies & a heartless bot to stop themFresh off the birth of a brand-new conspiracy, researchers have unveiled a 'soulless' new tool to stop us from becoming victims of half-truths and full-blown lies.Do 12.09.202430 : 00 min
-
Weekly roundup — Waves in the darkAn email from a miner, scary sounds in outer space, and a powerful magnet aimed at 50 human heads.So 08.09.202430 : 00 min
-
A dyslexia breakthroughWith the help of a powerful MRI, researchers in Germany have discovered where dyslexia appears to happen deep inside the human brain (in males). The peppercorn-sized structure may become the target of therapies for millions of people.Sa 07.09.202411 : 42 min
-
When you look in the mirror, does your face match your name?A new study suggests your appearance 'drifts' as you age — toward the name you were given at birth.Fr 06.09.202424 : 21 min
-
Weekly roundup — My phone can smell things?Ever take out your phone to identify a song that's playing near you? Pretty soon, you'll be able to do the same with smells. Also, fruit flies may have just given scientists the secret to happy hour.So 01.09.202430 : 00 min
-
Unhoused people & what police should(n't) do about itYou've lost your job, lost your home and go to sleep surrounded by strangers. You're scared. But what is it, exactly, you're scared of?Sa 31.08.202425 : 35 min
-
Are you symbiosexual?Demisexual, graysexual, pomosexual — it's hard to keep track of the (expanding) list of human sexualities. The Harvard Pleasure study just added another.Fr 30.08.202411 : 47 min
-
Weekly roundup — Together againIt's been a long, chaotic and somewhat dangerous summer for the hosts of Science unscripted. It's time to catch up on that — and on the beautiful emails you've sent along the way.So 25.08.202430 : 00 min
-
What is 'benevolent' sexism?All sexism is bad. But the kind you're probably most familiar with is called 'hostile' in science literature. So what is 'benevolent' sexism? And how's it connected to cheating on your partner?Sa 24.08.202417 : 56 min
-
Will mpox become the next pandemic?As mpox spreads to Europe and Asia — and the WHO declares a public health emergency — a leading German virologist explains what we know (and don't know) about the infectious disease.Do 22.08.202413 : 42 min
-
Weekly roundup — Oceans on Mars?The discovery of gigantic resevoirs of water deep under the surface of Mars has implications for whether life was — or might be — possible on our hideous red neighbor.So 18.08.202430 : 00 min
-
TikTok, misinformation, and the female pelvic floorWhy is it that content with the least credible information is often the most viewed and shared on social media?Sa 17.08.20248 : 54 min
-
Human Hobbits really existed?With the help of an astute Australian reporter (who incidentally has joined the DW Science team), let's travel back in time to an Indonesian island and meet the smallest hominids ever.Do 15.08.202414 : 09 min
-
Why do boys give better directions than girls?Give kids a map, and the boys will outperform the girls in giving accurate directions — that's according to a new study on children aged 3-10. Is it nature or nurture?Fr 09.08.202411 : 33 min
-
Gabe & Conor got burgled (true crime episode)When both hosts of Science unscripted see their homes burglarized within a span of weeks, they get help from a detective named Roland and come to a gut-wrenching realization.Do 01.08.202430 : 00 min
-
Weekly roundup — 20 billion clicks?With YouTube's commentary, who needs emails? Also, a new German study hits the rewind button on our promiscuity reporting.So 28.07.202430 : 00 min
-
Depressed after moving? You're not alone.Moving into a new apartment or house is pretty exciting. It's also associated with depression — especially if it happens at a certain age. Why?Sa 27.07.20249 : 56 min
-
Sexual double standards & better sleepWomen, not men, are viewed more favorably if they've had a few recent sexual partners... even if a German study appears to suggest the opposite. Also, if you're gonna do some late-night scrolling (because who doesn't), do it right.Do 25.07.202418 : 01 min
-
Young Germans are happier to be single (nowadays)"Are you okay with being single?" If you were to pose that question to a young German, you would get a different answer these days compared to 10 years ago. Why?Do 11.07.202411 : 43 min
-
Weekly roundup — Things just won't stop changingOn this week's show, we learn the first thing young people should do when they're struggling. Also, why exactly do our eyes get worse as we get older? Plus, a researcher gets in touch to thank us (DW) for teaching him German.So 07.07.202430 : 00 min
-
Can you sing? And if so, does it have anything to do with lemurs?Headlines implying human singing came from Madagascar... just aren't true. But lemurs are worth listening to.Sa 06.07.20248 : 35 min
-
Why do people ghost each other?Ever had someone just... vanish out of your life? Or maybe you did it to them? A new study shows why people 'ghost' — and who actually suffers most from it.Fr 05.07.202420 : 09 min
-
Weekly roundup — A cure for lower back pain (that might injure your legs)The number one cause of disabiliity worldwide is lower back pain. Great news, then, that a rigorous study says we can halve its recurrence by... walking. But there's a catch.So 30.06.202430 : 00 min
-
Losing your job is worse for your health if you live in a different countryWhy is it that migrants get physically unhealthier when they lose their jobs (compared to locals)? And can anything be done to stop it?Sa 29.06.20249 : 12 min
-
Granola poop & a deserving victimSadly, one of our recent episodes caused a listener to go outside and cover her jacket in human feces. Also, if you're trying to raise money for a good cause, remember the German word 'Schadenfreude.'Do 27.06.202420 : 01 min
-
Weekly roundup — Hold the door & filter your phoneDoes it make YOU happier to do a random act of kindness? Also, how to stop a smartphone from messing with your sleep, and a milkshake fathers can make for pregnant partners.So 23.06.202430 : 00 min
-
Your body might not survive a trip to MarsWhy would our kidneys (possibly) fail when we're inside a spacecraft? And why do women's bodies do better in space than men's?Sa 22.06.202412 : 48 min
-
Where should you look during a video call?Got an interview coming up? A study out of Japan has potentially life-changing advice for where to focus your gaze. Also, Gabe's back — and is recovering from an operation.Fr 21.06.202420 : 34 min
-
'Hunger games' in the jungles of PanamaDoes having a big brain make you better at finding food? It's a difficult question to answer ethically. Unless you have access to an island.Sa 15.06.202412 : 53 min
-
The vending machine experiment (or why you don't live in a tree)In a dream you see a vending machine. Instead of coins or cash, it has a square-shaped hole. That's it. No instructions. No one who walks past can explain it. At some point you shake it violently (still nothing) and see your own hands. They're furry.Di 11.06.202430 : 00 min
-
What to do when your hair falls outHormonal therapies? Hair transplant? Or just go bald? When a genetic test shows a Science unscripted host is bound to lose his hair, it leads to a shocking amount of bad science and (potentially) significant side effects.Do 30.05.202418 : 50 min
-
Weekly roundup — Make things & stay healthyIs it OK to pee on your feet to get rid of foot and nail fungus? Also, if you say 'hi' kinda differently to your boss than you would to a friend or family member, you have something in common with the biggest land mammal on earth.So 26.05.202430 : 00 min
-
Drugs don't make you more creativeIf you take drugs or drink alcohol and then write down your 'wildly creative,' chemically-inspired ravings... new research suggests you'll create a catalogue of useless garbage.Sa 25.05.202414 : 08 min
-
Scary microplastics news & how to eat during pregnancyWe all have microplastics inside our bodies. Until now, scientists weren't certain about the extent of the harm. Now they are.Fr 24.05.202418 : 53 min
-
Weekly roundup — Mea culpa!Science Unscripted got an email this week about orgasms. What's more, someone wrote to let us know why a dying countess in a classic German novel would rather spend her final moments with a chauvinist man than with Conor or Gabe. And finally, how your doctor's credentials might just save your life.So 19.05.202430 : 00 min
-
Nurses & teachers suffer when you call them 'heroes'When you applaud nurses, teachers, or member of military for being 'heroic,' you make it more OK for them to be exploited.Sa 18.05.202413 : 37 min
-
'Bigger penises' & learning from our mistakesAre male sex organs really 'getting bigger' over time? Also, a new study suggests we don't actually learn from all our mistakes.Fr 17.05.202417 : 48 min
-
Weekly roundup — Around the rimGabe's voice undergoes an unexpected transformation, and why two people have been running around a 'wall of death' in Italy. Also, send your favorite SAD SONG to [email protected] - and let us know why you listen to it?So 05.05.202430 : 00 min
-
Your body image, ice baths & sad musicUnhappy with your body? Deleting Instagram may help (if you're a woman). Also, forget 'cold tubs' if you want bigger muscles — and why do we consume content that makes us sad?Fr 03.05.202418 : 19 min
-
Avian flu, strangers & orgasmsHow concerning is the spread of H5N1 from cows to humans? Also, random people know you better than you think, new research on why people make sounds during sex, and a listener... doesn't like a song we played.Fr 26.04.202418 : 39 min
-
Weekly roundup — Let's talk (to a whale)If we wanted to talk to a gigantic underwater animal, how would we do that? Also, lose weight... by making friends!So 21.04.202430 : 00 min
-
Yes, songs are getting simpler, angrier & more about 'me'Dear elderly people, you were right. Today's music isn't what it used to be. The interesting part is why.Sa 20.04.202413 : 52 min
-
A (surprising) connection between bad eating & lonelinessIf you're home alone on a Friday night, you might stuff your face full of chips, chocolate or candy. (Gabe and Conor do.) A study on brain activity shows it's not entirely your fault, though — and that there may be a way to solve it.Fr 19.04.202416 : 10 min
-
Weekly roundup — In your head, your heart & your tummyAngry? New research shows you can 'export' it and then destroy it! Also, make yourself healthier and happier... by being touched... by something!Mo 15.04.202430 : 00 min
-
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.Sa 13.04.202412 : 34 min
-
Where do you feel music?A good song resonates inside you. But the question is... where? Well, it depends — on 'surprise' and 'uncertainty.'Fr 12.04.202417 : 17 min
-
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.Sa 30.03.202412 : 08 min
-
Weekly roundup — There's so much in this one we couldn't find a titleFrozen hands, subjective aging, understanding autism — this episode has a ton of science (and some angry YouTube comments).Sa 30.03.202430 : 00 min
-
A vaccine for... cocaine?Human trials are underway to stop cocaine addiction using vaccines. Do they work? And if so, how?Do 28.03.20247 : 02 min
-
Weekly roundup — Fat dogs & a new gender biasIf 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?So 24.03.202430 : 00 min
-
Angry? Don't run. Just breathe.We all have ways of dealing with anger. And most of them don't really work.Sa 23.03.202414 : 09 min
-
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.Fr 22.03.202417 : 57 min
-
Weekly roundup — Want the job? Be firstA 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.So 17.03.202430 : 00 min
-
A blood 'breathalyzer' for tired driversExhaustion is almost as dangerous as driving drunk. And researchers might have found a way to prove who's doing it.Sa 16.03.202417 : 43 min
-
Stop f***ing swearing & get some damn sleepDid you notice? How the curse words above jolted your brain awake? That effect is real. Don't abuse it.Do 14.03.202413 : 19 min
-
Weekly roundup — Make yourself do thingsYou 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.So 10.03.202430 : 00 min
-
How to stop people from playing loud music & videos on their phonesEver heard someone scrolling TikTok or YouTube Shorts ? It's really annoying — and there's a way to stop it.Sa 09.03.202413 : 14 min
-
The German man who got 200+ COVID vaccinationsYes, 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.Fr 08.03.202420 : 05 min
-
Weekly roundup — Dark watersA 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.So 03.03.202430 : 00 min
-
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.Sa 02.03.202416 : 20 min
-
Infectious empathy & a laptop with a noseIf 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.Fr 01.03.202411 : 42 min
-
Weekly roundup — Smell & anti-depressantsPowerful 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.So 18.02.202430 : 00 min
-
Scared of crime? Motion lights won't helpA 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.)Sa 17.02.202413 : 00 min
-
What is the Alaskapox virus?Deep in a remote forest, a sick, elderly man got scratched by a stray cat — and likely died as a result.Do 15.02.202415 : 38 min
-
Weekly roundup — Understanding climate deniers (a little better)Every third person thinks human-induced climate change — which is real and caused by us humans — is a fantasy. But if you think it's a psychological trick to drive SUVs or fly (guilt free), a new study suggests you're wrong.So 11.02.202430 : 00 min
-
(Psst. Telling secrets is good for you.)New research suggests we should divulge our secrets more often than we do. But how you do it matters. (Send secrets to [email protected])Sa 10.02.202413 : 10 min
-
Why is new music so terrible?Look, we know we sound like boomers — but there really is something wrong with mass-produced music today, and it's connected to the science of how humans perceive beats.Do 08.02.202418 : 43 min
-
Weekly roundup — A human was behind this episodeShould Science unscripted be using AI imagery for its shows? It's a real question, and we don't know how to answer it. Will you help us?So 04.02.202430 : 00 min
-
Which decisions are you OK with AI making?Imagine you got rejected by a university. Except a human didn't reject you — AI did. How do you feel now?Sa 03.02.202411 : 08 min
-
Alzheimer's 'infections' & walking around parking lotsWas Alzheimer's transferred to a handful of patients? Also, a new study shows what parking lots do to your brain.Do 01.02.202414 : 28 min
-
Suffering from stress at work? (Play video games.)Most of us employees only have a short time before going to bed to recover from the stress of the work day. Video games can help. But you have to be careful with how you use them.So 28.01.202429 : 59 min
-
Were we hunter-gatherers, or gatherer-hunters?Let's be honest: 'Gatherer-hunters' doesn't quite roll off the tongue. And a new study from up in the Andes doesn't prove we've been plant-based all along.Fr 26.01.202414 : 52 min
-
Weekly roundup — The moral law within meA new study suggests it's never a good idea to watch someone else eat raw broccoli. Also, what Job (from the Old Testament) got wrong about wind and wisdom, and the surprising side effect of phobia therapy.So 21.01.202430 : 00 min
-
Kids don’t need God to tell them what’s right or wrongBy asking children whether they should stomp on another kid’s foot, researchers have answered one of the core questions of our existence.Fr 19.01.202413 : 01 min
-
Why more women are doing 'Veganuary'Look, we're not trying to push a vegan lifestyle. But it’s worth figuring out why a diet that leads to better human health (and a cooler climate)… just isn't popular with men.Mi 17.01.202416 : 34 min
-
Weekly roundup — Buk, buk, buk, buk... ba-gawk!Chickens can communicate emotions (like exasperation), and we humans can understand it. Also, our listeners have a wild variety of new status symbols (and one of them is Science unscripted).So 14.01.202430 : 00 min
-
How do I become wise?We all have an image of what a 'wise person' looks and sounds like. New research shows we're wrong.Sa 13.01.202410 : 38 min
-
A cure for morning sickness?A new study on mice shows there may be an easy way to prevent — and treat — the debilitating nausea and vomiting that happens in 70% of pregnancies.Fr 12.01.202412 : 40 min