Episode notes
When news broke that OpenAI agents had breached the AI platform Hugging Face, many headlines framed it as a case of “rogue” artificial intelligence acting on its own. But how much of that narrative was reality, and how much was hype? In this episode, Rachel Feltman speaks with AI researcher and artist Eryk Salvaggio about what really happened, why human design choices played a central role and what the incident reveals about accountability in an age of increasingly powerful AI systems. Recommended Reading: “Rogue AI didn’t breach Hugging Face, human decisions did,” by Eryk Salvaggio, in the…
Science Quickly
by Scientific American · English · Tech & Science
Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.
More from Science Quickly
-
5 Oct 2026 · 15 min
El Niño flood threats, measles risks and a risky viral trend
In this episode of Science Quickly, we explore how an El Niño–driven Kelvin wave could increase coastal flooding risks in California, why researchers say a plan to weaken vaccine requirements could leave Florida vulnerable to major measles outbreaks and what experts want people to know about the dangers of a garlic-and-honey remedy that’s gone viral on TikTok. Recommended Reading: Why this El Niño will be the largest in living memory The Atlantic hurricane season has been so quiet it’s unprecedented This TikTok home remedy could cause botulism—here’s what to know E-mail us at…
-
2 Oct 2026 · 19 min
You’re probably walking past edible plants every day
In this episode of Science Quickly, Rachel Feltman speaks with Alexis Nikole Nelson, better known as Black Forager, about her new book Happy Snacking, Don’t Die! Nelson shares how a childhood fascination with edible plants grew into a passion for foraging, conservation and science communication. From city sidewalk snacks and serviceberries to ocean-water pickles, she explains how foraging can deepen our connection to nature while encouraging responsible stewardship of the ecosystems that sustain us. Recommended Reading: Happy Snacking, Don’t Die! Alexis Nikole Nelson. S&S/Simon Element, 2026…
-
30 Sep 2026 · 18 min
Can you spot a romance scam?
In this episode of Science Quickly, Rachel Feltman speaks with criminologist Fangzhou Wang about how romance scams have evolved from simple online deception into sophisticated, artificial-intelligence-powered fraud operations. They discuss how scammers use dating apps, fake identities, deepfakes and cryptocurrency schemes to build trust and steal money and what researchers are learning about helping people recognize and resist manipulation before they become victims. Recommended Reading: “Daejon Love Case Highlights Online Romance Scams: Research Reveals Scammers’ Tactics—And How to Defend…
-
29 Sep 2026 · 20 min
Navigating Science and Health Misinformation [Sponsored]
As health misinformation surges online, Morgan McSweeney—known online as Dr. Noc, a science communicator and immunology expert whose videos reach millions each month across TikTok, Instagram, and X—explores why facts alone might not be enough to earn public trust, and what science communicators can do differently. This podcast was produced for Bayer by Scientific American Custom Media, a division separate from the magazine's board of editors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
28 Sep 2026 · 11 min
Fire amoebas, fossilized vomit and AI energy demands
In this episode of Science Quickly, we cover discoveries both big and small, from the supersized particle collider needed to find the next subatomic specimen to tropical sea turtles that found new nesting grounds to a recently discovered eukaryote surprising scientists by surviving hellish temperatures and the ever growing energy needed to power artificial intelligence data centers. Recommended Reading: What’s the Smallest Particle in the Universe? Physicists trace particles back to the quantum vacuum AI’s Power Needs Will Destroy the Renewable Energy Revolution AI Will Drive Doubling of…
-
25 Sep 2026 · 34 min
Unexplainable: Dark matter and the end of answers
In this episode of Science Quickly, we share part two of our crossover with Vox’s Unexplainable in which we explore one of the universe’s biggest mysteries: dark matter. Host Noam Hassenfeld talks with Scientific American senior reporter Joseph Howlett, a former physicist who spent years searching for dark matter deep beneath an Italian mountain. Their conversation traces the decades-long hunt for the invisible substance thought to make up most of the universe’s matter and explores an even deeper question: What if some mysteries are beyond science’s reach? Recommended Reading: What if we…
-
24 Sep 2026 · 20 min
Rethinking Age-Related Vision Loss [Sponsored]
Treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration has advanced significantly with anti-VEGF therapies, but the need for frequent injections remains a challenge. A new, longer-lasting treatment now in development aims to reduce treatment burden while helping preserve vision. This podcast was produced for Ocular Therapeutix by Scientific American Custom Media, a division separate from the magazine’s board of editors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
23 Sep 2026 · 16 min
Should you be ‘poop maxxing’?
As colon cancer rates rise in younger adults, more and more people are paying attention to their poop and talking about it on social media, where such “poop maxxing” has become a hashtag. But what’s considered normal, and how can we measure our number twos? Board-certified gastroenterologist Wendi LeBrett joins Rachel Feltman to talk about what’s going on with the poop maxxing trend on social media, what a healthy stool should look and feel like, what common misconceptions around gut health people have, when to see a doctor, and more. Recommended Reading: Colon cancer is killing more young…
-
21 Sep 2026 · 15 min
Space weapons are here, and AI experts are sounding alarms
In this episode of Science Quickly, we discuss newly revealed U.S. space weapons, growing artificial intelligence safety concerns and the Environmental Protection Agency’s rollback of power plant emissions limits before we end with a look at the tiny sand hoppers reshaping California’s beaches. Recommended Reading: It’s official: The U.S. has weapons in space Trump repeals emissions regulations of fossil-fuel power plants The real danger in OpenAI’s Hugging Face hack E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover…
-
18 Sep 2026 · 20 min
Can you hear a forest disappear?
In this episode of Science Quickly, filmmaker and journalist Leah Varjacques takes us to a Bornean rainforest area, where centuries-old patterns of human and wildlife behavior are being disrupted by the construction of a new capital city. In the midst of all this change, Varjacques documents the work of Wendy Erb, a primatologist and bioacoustic scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Erb’s team, working with members of the local Balik population, placed audio recorders around the forest to capture the sounds of this diverse ecosystem before it changes forever. Recommended Reading: Can…
Take it with you
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
