DW Science Unscripted

Does that seem like an impossible question to answer? It sure does. Because you'd have to go back in time to answer it. Or you'd need 30 hours on the planet's most powerful telescope (James Webb).

Just about every study we talk about in this episode has a pretty significant caveat. Also, an emailed warning from a poet who chopped too much firewood.

A longitudinal US study shows that having a younger sibling will tend to lower your cognitive development. But the effect vanishes after child number three.

In an unprecedented interview about a unique and novel study, an Austrian researcher explains why the first three adjectives you just read are part of a growing problem.

As you age, your body can get stuck in 'fasting mode,' leading to muscle loss and other problems. New research from Germany gives a clue at how to change that — and maybe live longer?

Once in a while there's a surfeit of positive news in the field of medicine. This week was one of 'em.

A study on eye contact suggests it isn't aggressive, but actually improves conversation. So why don't we do it more?

Sometimes, improving pollution... makes global warming worse. Also, women are more addicted to their phones than men, chimpanzees use military strategy — and one of our new listeners didn't like us at first.

One solution to unprecedented cattle die-offs: Modify cows so they can deal with record heat.

The future of weather forecasting might have little to do with atmospheric physics. Also, our listeners had some really interesting things to say about a study on tattoos.

As expected, you had things to say about our interview with a masculinity influencer. Also, when a dozen parakeets are squawking, how do they know who's speaking?

If you're honest, you probably have an opinion on people with tattoos. And that makes you a lot like the police (and judges and juries).

A large, longitudinal study has some surprising conclusions about when we're most satisfied with our lives — and it's connected to how we humans tend to fill out questionnaires.

A novel study out of Switzerland and Germany shows that human beings, under certain conditions, can end up synchronizing biologically — like a metronome.

A few episodes back we did a deep dive into the science behind a toxically masculine mind. At that point not one of the influencers we'd reached out to had agreed to be interviewed — and it seemed they never would. Then we got an unexpected email.

Conor gets an email from a German island about his accent, Gabe does his best to make his mom 'proud,' and an in-studio experiment takes all of us to India.

You probably have an opinion on which language is the 'most beautiful.' And you're probably (objectively) wrong.

As we age, we become slower at connecting words with the imagery that represents them. The interesting part is why.

A breakthrough in brain science for alcoholics (but not just them), a shoe tech revolution is underfoot, and the startling fact that living in a city means you're far more likely to suffer from depression.

By delivering a gene to the brain, scientists appear to have 'cured' alcoholic primates of their booze lust. Also, why did the woman who shattered the marathon world record kiss her shoe as soon as she finished?

Why is it that people who live in an urban environment are 30%+ more likely to suffer depression than those in rural areas? And why does that rule just... absolutely not apply in developing countries?

In the wake of natural catastrophes, the forensic work to identify the dead is critically important for loved ones' closure. But mistakes can be made.

Humility, which is great to have, is also connected to whether you trust scientists (or people like Gabe and Conor). Also, what a tooth can tell us after a tragedy, and a fun study on what people do when they get a big lump sum of money.

It sounds like a thereotical question. But for 200 lucky participants in a pretty novel study, it became very real.

You'd think that the less someone knows, the more likely it is they'll buy in to misinformation. Right? Surprisingly, a new study suggests that, up to a point, it's actually worse to know more.

Anxiety about the climate crisis actually drops as you learn more about it. Also, to avoid dying unnecessarily early, you may need to get a new job.

Want to live longer? Sure, there's exercise and nutrition. But a new study makes a convincing case that a less 'precarious' work environment is the answer.

What pops into your head when you hear the term toxic masculinity? You probably feel a strong response, but can you put it into words?

On this week's show, we invite you to ponder roundworms in the human brain, a carbon tax that actually might have a chance and a way to inject insulin that uses music instead of a needle.

Recent data from the United States shows unequivocally that the rich are (by far) most responsible for CO2 emissions. Private jets, yachts...this is probably not new information. What might be new for you, however, is the role that investments play in all of this.