Women, 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.

"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?

On 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.

Headlines implying human singing came from Madagascar... just aren't true. But lemurs are worth listening to.

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.

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.

Why is it that migrants get physically unhealthier when they lose their jobs (compared to locals)? And can anything be done to stop it?

Sadly, 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.'

Does 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.

Why would our kidneys (possibly) fail when we're inside a spacecraft? And why do women's bodies do better in space than men's?

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.

Does 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.

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.

Hormonal 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.

Is 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.

If 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.

We all have microplastics inside our bodies. Until now, scientists weren't certain about the extent of the harm. Now they are.

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.

When you applaud nurses, teachers, or member of military for being 'heroic,' you make it more OK for them to be exploited.

Are male sex organs really 'getting bigger' over time? Also, a new study suggests we don't actually learn from all our mistakes.

Gabe'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?

Unhappy 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?

How 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.

If we wanted to talk to a gigantic underwater animal, how would we do that? Also, lose weight... by making friends!

Dear elderly people, you were right. Today's music isn't what it used to be. The interesting part is why.

If 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.

Angry? New research shows you can 'export' it and then destroy it! Also, make yourself healthier and happier... by being touched... by something!

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.

A good song resonates inside you. But the question is... where? Well, it depends — on 'surprise' and 'uncertainty.'

There's a 30% increase in car deaths due to solar eclipses, and it's important to know why that happens.

Frozen hands, subjective aging, understanding autism — this episode has a ton of science (and some angry YouTube comments).

Human trials are underway to stop cocaine addiction using vaccines. Do they work? And if so, how?

If 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?

We all have ways of dealing with anger. And most of them don't really work.

When new research makes women look good, we tend to like it. When it makes men look good, we don't.

A 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.

Exhaustion is almost as dangerous as driving drunk. And researchers might have found a way to prove who's doing it.

Did you notice? How the curse words above jolted your brain awake? That effect is real. Don't abuse it.

You 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.

Ever heard someone scrolling TikTok or YouTube Shorts ? It's really annoying — and there's a way to stop it.

Yes, 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.

A 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.

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.

If 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.

Powerful 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.

A 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.)

Deep in a remote forest, a sick, elderly man got scratched by a stray cat — and likely died as a result.

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.

New research suggests we should divulge our secrets more often than we do. But how you do it matters. (Send secrets to [email protected])

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.

Should 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?

Imagine you got rejected by a university. Except a human didn't reject you — AI did. How do you feel now?

Was Alzheimer's transferred to a handful of patients? Also, a new study shows what parking lots do to your brain.

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.

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.

A 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.

By asking children whether they should stomp on another kid’s foot, researchers have answered one of the core questions of our existence.

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.

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).

We all have an image of what a 'wise person' looks and sounds like. New research shows we're wrong.

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.

Once in a while we have an episode that has nothing to do with science. This one's about how Gabe burned his hair off.

An expensive car, a shiny watch, a hot body, video game skins, a vegan diet — regardless of how different they can be, status symbols will always be a part of the human experience. Why do we need them so deeply?

Thanks for listening to (or watching) our show this year. And please don't forget these quick tips on how to have a safe and fun party on December 31.

Pain might rob your Christmas cheer - And drag you through depressing muck - But don't you worry, and don't you fear - For you, my friend are in grand old luck - Ho! There lies a simple remedy - The balls of ho-me-o-pathy.

Sometimes we end up at social events because... it's just too awkward to say no. New research suggests you should feel better about declining (if you do it the right way).

Conor misplaces a telescope, our solar system is a ballerina, and how to protect your voice from being AI synthesized.

Across the globe, 15-year-olds are doing worse on standardized tests than five years ago. And it may have nothing to do with the pandemic lockdowns.

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.

The worms that live inside pythons (and that can wriggle their way into a human brain) are a healthy reminder for all of us to — please — handle our food better.

It is possible to 'download' a song clip directly from human brains — and that's good news for 'brain-to-speech' technologies of the future. Also, SU listeners (and others) have weighed in on the debate about intimate cosmetic surgery.

Do you wear Crocs? Because that's the material Italian researchers used to see if the Prince of Walachia (aka 'Vlad the Impaler') was plagued by a rare condition called hemolacria.

A dog in Iceland, Australians in Italy, and Gabe back in studio. Once in a while we have an episode that's not about science. This is one of them.

How could a country that just put a lander on the moon's south pole decide to rob its students of fundamental science?

A small German study on scrotum aesthetics has raised big questions: Does talking about 'beauty' in the context of genitalia lead to medically unnecessary surgeries? (Like some labiaplasties.) And do attempts to even define those standards contribute to the problem?

How could a character that's supposed to make us laugh cause 50% of people to feel terror?

When a DW co-investigation uncovers a path that leads from a German physics department to the Chinese military — and it involves technologies that could change the outcome of a war — it's time to ask uncomfortable questions.

Yes, scientists really do create 'enhanced viruses' inside labs around the world. Should they?

Three people. Ever. That's how many have been cured of HIV. We visited one of them to learn about the extraordinarily rare (and risky) treatment — and to find out if it can, even indirectly, lead to a true cure for 40 million more.

Do you have a purpose in life? Would it matter if you didn't? Also, Gabe learns why it's wrong to say 'victims of sexual harassment.'

Ever wonder why, after encountering sexual harassment, so many people don't report it? There's a good reason for that. We talked to women about their encounters with harassment — and asked social psychologist Manuela Barreto, author of a new study, to explain.

The better your body is at sucking oxygen out of the atmosphere and pumping it toward your cells, the lower your risk of getting two kinds of cancer (and dying from three).

A German urologist answers a listener email about fainting after urination, and why a prominent doctor thinks taurine won't extend human lives (like it did for mice and monkeys).

Mosquito haters, rejoice: Researchers in Israel have created an insect repellant made of cellulose (plant compounds) that could save lives and make summer nights way more enjoyable.

How would it make you feel to know a virtual reality forest could make you as happy as a real one?

'Comparison is the thief of joy,' a listener reminds us — and also, a researcher explains why people are feeling younger than ever.

Forget your birth date. How old do you actually feel? That gap, or 'age bias,' is a real phenomenon — and for some reason it's getting wider.

A staggering amount data suggests our mental health goes down — not up — when we try to solve our loneliness by socializing.

We love the emails. [email protected] — keep them coming! But there's one more way you can help shape this show: https://surveys.dw.com/c/su?maca=en-podcast_spectrum-31485-xml-mrss

We learn this week that Conor truly is a Celtic music-making machine. All it took was a c# from some busted toilet pipes. Also, thanks for all the emails about seated urination.

Two people in the same neighborhood stub their toes. Whose hurts more? Unbelievably, it kind of depends on the size of their house.

An excellent study shows that animals live substantially longer lives after daily doses of a natural amino acid. But please don't start chugging taurine-enhanced energy drinks (like Gabe does).

Seemingly inexplicable seated urination, a wildflower meadow amidst the immaculate lawns of Cambridge University, birds singing soothing songs on the eastern bank of the River Rhine, and an oddly beautiful sound that emanates from a DW bathroom — this one's got it all.

Birdsong is apparently so good for human wellbeing all it takes is an audio recording to bring down anxiety levels — and paranoia. This show goes out to our listener Brent.

The results of a recent survey indicate that males in Germany — compared to 11 other nations involved — are leaders when it comes to seated urination. Any ideas why that could be?

Sometimes the most interesting research isn't about us, but about the creatures we share this planet with. This episode is dedicated to them — and to the fascinating (and sometimes comical) ways homo sapiens try to understand them.

You, the person reading this, say about 1,000 unique words every day. Our closest primate relatives? Far fewer. To learn more, researchers went to the Ugandan jungle — and pranked the living daylights out of them.

Do you second-guess yourself? Even when you know you've made a good decision? That might be connected to having a "good memory" — in a bad way.

The four-day workweek can work for making airplanes, and how a dusty political treatise could save your life in a hospital.

We reached out to DeepMind to find out how their experiment on tree harvesting could possibly lead to equitable AI. Lead researcher Laura Weidinger says it really is possible — but only through a "veil of ignorance."

Was your hospital birth a pleasant one? New data suggests that, despite increased risk to babies, home or "community" births are more enjoyable for mothers — especially women of color.

Most of us assume women are judged more harshly for promiscuous behavior. A study from Norway suggests the opposite is now true.

Two studies show, in different ways, how the health of our urinary/digestive systems is intertwined with our brains. (Note: This episode mentions suicidal ideations. If you have suicidal thoughts, call a suicide hotline.)

This podcast is full of practical tips. We hope it shortens your work week, improves your mood and changes the way you see the world (or think you see it).

We assume reality to be objective. But what if the way you perceive it is off — because of your imagination?

A German survey, a (huge) British study, research from Australia — all make a strong case for the four-day work week. So what's the hang-up?

It’s not usually fun to be in a room with 1,000 high schoolers, but it is if they've all made robots. Also, a counterintuitive experiment shows you can eat healthier… by sitting longer.

In a controlled experiment, researchers in Germany figured out a surprisingly easy way to get children to eat the food they're supposed to.

What would you do with an AI system that could read your thoughts — and then translate them into sentences and paragraphs for you (and others) to read?

Aliens. Demons. The afterlife. The soul. Believing in the paranormal has many root causes. One appears to be bad sleep.

Sometimes it's not 'big' science stories, but the small ones, that will actually change your life.

It might sound spooky. But is computer-generated medicine any different from the stuff we human beings come up with?

We all need time to ourselves. But a new study shows social isolation, when done incorrectly, can lead to a spiral of fatigue.

There was a bombshell study published a few years back about flying insects disappearing near German farm fields. This latest entomological work might have similar repercussions.

If you look purely at the math, a lot of human beings are going to be living a lot longer. Is that a good thing?

Siberian tigers are known as some of the fiercest predators in the animal kingdom. Less is known about their character traits — until now.

Yes, some plants really do 'scream' when you cut them — and it sounds… perplexing. Also, why is a tropical viral disease named after a German city?

Is Marburg virus the 'next pandemic'? History says not — which is also why we don't yet have a vaccine.

Your image of autism may be totally wrong, but you can reeducate (and even entertain) yourself from the comfort of your own sofa.

Turns out we have a lot of listeners who know things about rye grass, and another who had a spontaneous one-week romantic liason that started with an empty stomach.

A new experiment shows managers treat loyal workers worse than others — and forces us to wonder whether loyalty really is a virtue.

It might sound like a gimmicky new 'instant' product. (We thought so!) But there are compelling reasons to consider powdered beer.

A pre-print supports the idea of targeting microclots in long COVID patients. Also, hormonal diet drugs are the new big thing (thanks Elon and Kim Kardashian!), but a study on mice shows hormonal appetite suppressants… can have unintended sexual consequences.

You're hungry, and you're standing in front of a buffet — when an attractive person starts flirting with you. Do you flirt back? Or go for the food?

A response from Jim, an important update on a potential long COVID treatment, and the question that keeps Gabe awake at night.

Has our show gotten worse? A guy named Jim thinks so. We don't know if he's right, but his email sent us to outer space.

Trillions of pieces of plastic, trillions of pieces of metal. It's easy to think the space above our planet could become a 'tragedy of the commons' like our oceans. It doesn't have to.

According to a study on binge-drinking mice, there's a quicker way to make boozed up mammals (like us) regain their sense of balance.

For people suffering from depression and anxiety who have tried antidepressant medication without success, a study out of Amsterdam could have important information for alternative therapy.

From a purely economic perspective, should companies provide paid sick leave? Is it good for business? Turns out science the answer.

Science says couples who take on life together, as a team, using the first person plural, are closer than those who don't.

Have you heard people talking about how amazing these new AI chat bots are? About how much immaculate text they can generate in a split second? It's time to talk about what they can't do.

A libido-enhancing therapy did different things to the women and men who watched erotic videos in an fMRI machine, while a promising birth control drug for men ticks all the right boxes (and none of the scary ones).

An earlier episode helped one of our listeners realize she suffers from premenstrual dysmorphic disorder... while another calls Gabe and Conor 'Luddites.'

The perfect male contraceptive would be fast acting, 100% effective, temporary and painless — without affecting performance or libido. A new trial appears to have done that.

A massively underreported premenstrual disorder (PMDD) leads to bouts of depression — but may have a treatment. Also, why aren't rescue workers equipped with the high-tech tools they need to save (more) lives?

If the days before your period are REALLY bad – especially with mental health – you may have PMDD. The condition affects 3-8% of women worldwide, and research from Germany hints at how it can be treated.

If people can post videos from inside collapsed buildings, how do we not have more available (and advanced) technologies to locate and rescue them?

Electricity, telephones, the internet. Some technologies are so world-altering they create a 'before and after' divide. We're experiencing one of those moments right now.

We've talked a lot about AI on this show. It's time to let AI talk to you.

The AI text & essay generator ChatGPT has altered the idea of 'becoming educated,' or even 'critical thinking,' in a way we don't fully understand yet.

Two ways to boost your mood (daily), a skill that’ll up your dating game, and a cannabis investment you shouldn't make.

A man's face literally becomes more attractive to a woman if she knows he can play an instrument. But the other way around... the effect is different. Why?

It’s a seemingly silly phrase — “wow factor.” But it conveys a real human emotion, and a new study shows you can get two doses every day.

What if a brain scan could tell your true political beliefs? And what if the whole thing was a cleverly crafted lie?

Do you remember when, or where, you learned what a 'healthy' relationship was? Neither do we.