Exploring bleeding edge experiments, oddities, new and bizarre dicoveries, and fact-checking conspiracy theories since 2008. No question is out of bounds and no topic is too strange for a deep dive.
# science
Far too many of us tend to accept the idea that smartphones are addictive and actively ruining the brains of heavy users. But studies into the idea find little to prove this notion.
# space
Looking for dying civilizations huddling around a cooling ember of a star isn't just a depressing idea, it's shortsighted science that dismisses life's ability to invent and innovate.
# science
We often think anti-intellectualism and ignorance are the same thing. They're not. Anti-intellectualism is a lot eviler and more corrosive, and a lot more dangerous.
# tech
Coders and those fed up with major social media platforms are trying to create peer to peer alternatives to Twitter and Facebook. But can they really succeed in swaying users?
# science
We know that teenagers think differently from adults because their brains aren't finished forming. But how does an adolescent brain transform into an adult one?
# science
If you start studying the waste from gas and oil wells, and measure the emissions from coal ash, the fossil fuel industry is more dangerous than any nuclear plant.
# tech
Our factories crank out tsunamis of cheap consumer goods and online shopping is getting them around the world faster. But are we hitting a point of diminishing returns?
# tech
According to a growing number of architects and urban planners, cities need more greenery and easier access to food. But will their solution cause more problems than it solves?
# tech
From abusing your data, to refusing to deal with dangerous hoaxes and fake news, to undermining brands and limiting their reach, Facebook is the worst of social media.
# podcast
Empathy is the most important trait for human cohesion and civil politics. So, where does empathy comes from, how does it break down, and how can it be stimulated?