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News, Analysis and Service from Germany and Europe - in 30 Languages

DW.COM | Deutsche Welle


    • Jun 1, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 17m AVG DURATION
    • 678 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Spectrum | Deutsche Welle

    Yes, men find female breasts attractive. But why?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 30:00


    This week on Science unscripted, what event(s) led to racoons setting foot in Germany? Why do our fingers prune up after a long bath? And a study conducted in Papua has bold claims about female breasts.

    Cuddle much (in bed)?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2025 30:00


    The way you and your partner fall asleep says a lot about what's going on in your life. Also, a surprising new study suggests being healthy (heart-wise) isn't as beneficial as we thought for living a longer life.

    Want to quit smoking or vaping? Play chess & run hard.

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2025 30:00


    When you're trying to quit an addiction... what happens in that moment or two just before you fail? Researchers in Germany are trying to solve that. Gabe took part (sort of).

    Be happier! (Play music!)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2025 30:00


    Doesn't matter how old you are — learning a new instrument (or trying) has all sorts of side benefits. Also, it's about time we understand the 'most misunderstood serious illness.'

    How much sex makes you happiest?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 30:00


    Sex is good for your mental and physical health — and now scientists know how much makes you happiest. Also, how many relationships are sexless... but both partners are OK with it?

    You already have a 'moral compass' (with or without a pope)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 30:00


    On the day you were born, you already had the framework of your own personal morality inside you. And we know that because of a study on young children who were asked to do something really bad — because God 'told them to.'

    Are you a liar?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 30:00


    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.

    What causes a scientist to actually pack up and leave?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 30:00


    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.

    A case of bullying

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2025 30:00


    A 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.

    Borders & break-ups

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2025 30:00


    The 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?

    Why don't I like my audiobook?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 30:00


    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.

    Why's that fish looking at me?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2025 30:00


    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.

    What exactly is 'the ick'?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2025 30:00


    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.

    Eggs, AI & how to get people to have babies

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2025 30:00


    Why are birth rates falling? And do they ever go back up? Also, a study on eggs — and an email about two horses peeing.

    Should I give up on climate change?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 30:00


    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.

    Is news bad for me? Science has an answer.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 30:00


    Trump, pandemic, war... more Trump. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the news (or feeling burned out) — you may be consuming it wrong.

    The end of social media fact checking?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2025 30:00


    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.

    Bird flu 2025 - Spread, symptoms, risk

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025 30:00


    The words 'next pandemic' are being thrown around by more and more experts watching the spread of avian influenza in North America. Why?

    Crime & punishment in a "dangerous" world

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 30:00


    Just 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?

    What is FOMO? (And how do I get rid of it?)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 30:00


    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.

    Science unscripted: Is another pandemic brewing? The current bird flu situation

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 29:59


    Nations 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?

    How your brain understands other people (sometimes WRONG!)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2024 16:16


    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.

    A poo test for discrimination?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 13:19


    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?

    A gossiper's friend & how to think about drinking

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2024 30:00


    Women 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).

    Why are people getting skinnier?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2024 30:00


    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.

    Don't text & drive (especially during a full moon)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 30:00


    Quiz time: How could a full moon make roads more dangerous? (Email su@dw.com 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.

    Can we hit ‘pause' on a human embryo?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 30:00


    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.

    This is what a fake podcast sounds like

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 30:00


    If a show made by AI sounds as good as one made by humans... what happens next?

    Want the job? Post a 'Duchenne' smile

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 30:00


    Fake 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.')

    Assert yourself (especially if your partner drinks)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 30:00


    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.'

    Cat-eating conspiracies & a heartless bot to stop them

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2024 30:00


    Fresh 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.

    Weekly roundup — Waves in the dark

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 30:00


    An email from a miner, scary sounds in outer space, and a powerful magnet aimed at 50 human heads.

    A dyslexia breakthrough

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2024 11:42


    With 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.

    When you look in the mirror, does your face match your name?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 24:21


    A new study suggests your appearance 'drifts' as you age — toward the name you were given at birth.

    Weekly roundup — My phone can smell things?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024 30:00


    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.

    Unhoused people & what police should(n't) do about it

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2024 25:35


    You'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?

    Are you symbiosexual?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 11:47


    Demisexual, graysexual, pomosexual — it's hard to keep track of the (expanding) list of human sexualities. The Harvard Pleasure study just added another.

    Weekly roundup — Together again

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2024 30:00


    It'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.

    What is 'benevolent' sexism?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2024 17:56


    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?

    Will mpox become the next pandemic?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2024 13:42


    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.

    Weekly roundup — Oceans on Mars?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2024 30:00


    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.

    TikTok, misinformation, and the female pelvic floor

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2024 8:54


    Why is it that content with the least credible information is often the most viewed and shared on social media?

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