SETI: Science and Skepticism Podcast
Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute, and guests, ponder the nature and prevalence of life in the Universe…and other topics.
40 Years After Chernobyl
27 Apr 2026 at 7:05amOn April 26th, 1986, an explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Soviet Union blasted a plume of radioactive debris a half mile into the sky, blanketing Europe. Witnesses described a laser of blue light eerily shooting up from the reactor core. Built to represent the bright future of... Read more...
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Skeptic Check: Feeling Risky
20 Apr 2026 at 4:05amIt’s not just facts that inform our decisions. They’re also guided by how those facts feel. From deciding whether to buckle our seat belts to addressing climate change, how we regard risk is subjective. In this extended conversation with an expert on the psychology of risk, find out about our exa... Read more...
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Old School
13 Apr 2026 at 4:05amGreat news! We've been nominated for a Webby Award! Our three-part Katrina series is a finalist for Best News & Politics limited series podcast. Now, we need your help. Voting ends Thursday, April 16! Cast your vote at bit.ly/webbybipisci Antarctic scientists have long known the region’s... Read more...
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Amazing Arctic
6 Apr 2026 at 4:05amWhat’s it like to live on a block of ice, especially when it thaws? An environment writer shares his forty-year experience in the Arctic, including the time a paddling polar bear tracked him on a river. He describes the stunning beauty of America’s last truly wild place and the dramatic changes t... Read more...
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Flower Power
30 Mar 2026 at 4:05amBefore everything could come up roses, there had to be a primordial flower – the mother, and father, of all flowers. Now scientists are on the hunt for it. The eFlower project aims to explain the sudden appearance of flowering plants in the fossil record, what Darwin called an “abominable mystery... Read more...
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Fantastic-er Voyage
23 Mar 2026 at 4:05amThinking small can sometimes achieve big things. A new generation of diminutive robots can enter our bodies and deal with medical problems such as intestinal blockages. But do we really want them swimming inside us, even if they’re promising to help? You might change your mind when you hear what ... Read more...
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Skeptic Check: Project Hail Mary
16 Mar 2026 at 4:05amAs protagonist Ryland Grace fights to save Earth - and possibly the universe - in Project Hail Mary, author Andy Weir discusses the science behind his sci-fi story and what it’s like to see it adapted for the big screen. From a diversity of aliens thriving in extreme environments, to our sun’s sh... Read more...
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Skeptic Check: Moon Conspiracy
9 Mar 2026 at 4:05amAs NASA’s Artemis program promises to take us back to the moon for the first time in fifty years, we consider what it means that as many as 10% of Americans don’t believe we went there in the first place. Why, despite all the evidence, has the faked moon landing conspiracy persisted? We explore w... Read more...
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Chasing an Asteroid
2 Mar 2026 at 5:05amEveryone knows that a big rock wiped out the dinosaurs. But the danger from an asteroid hitting Earth is not limited to ancient history. To deal with this threat, scientists recently ran an experiment to deflect a potential “city killer.” We’ll hear the results of that experiment, and about a vis... Read more...
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Birds of a Feather
23 Feb 2026 at 5:05amWith only a microscope and a collection of birds, taxidermist Roxie Laybourne became the world’s first forensic ornithologist. The “feather detective” was on the case, examining pieces of plumage to solve mysteries. From bird strikes that caused plane accidents to homicide investigations, no case... Read more...
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