Episode notes
What would it take to create a language made entirely of music? In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American’s Allison Parshall explores the science and linguistics behind musical languages, from real-world constructed languages to the intricate note-based communication system created for the alien Rocky in Project Hail Mary. Learn how linguists transformed rhythm and pitch into a fully functional language and what these imaginative experiments reveal about the nature of communication itself. Recommended Reading: Andy Weir on Ryan Gosling, alien contact and the wild science of…
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.
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19 Aug 2026 · 16 min
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Astrophysicist, folklorist and author Moiya McTier joins Science Quickly to discuss her new book Mothers of Invention, a sweeping look at the history of human creativity. From the Greek muses and the invention of writing to the rise of generative artificial intelligence, McTier explores how people create, innovate and tell stories and what today’s “creativity crisis” might mean for the future of art and originality. Recommended Reading: Mothers of Invention. Moiya McTier. Grand Central Publishing, 2026 Join our Summer Reading Challenge E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any…
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17 Aug 2026 · 12 min
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14 Aug 2026 · 25 min
How AI helped a nonspeaking opera star find his voice
In this episode of Science Quickly, we meet Jakob Jordan, an autistic performer with apraxia, who stars in the groundbreaking opera Sensorium Ex. Host Rachel Feltman talks with Jordan, composer Paola Prestini and New York University researcher Luke DuBois about the custom artificial intelligence voice technology that helped Jordan express himself in a way traditional speech devices can’t. Together, they explore how AI can enhance, rather than replace, human creativity and communication. Recommended Reading: More about Sensorium Ex Join our Summer Reading Challenge E-mail us at…
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10 Aug 2026 · 14 min
A moon crash, water hacks and a new mRNA flu shot
A wayward SpaceX rocket crashes into the moon, offering scientists a rare chance to study a lunar impact, while cyberattacks targeting U.S. water utilities raise concerns about critical infrastructure security. We also unpack the record-breaking Cyclospora outbreak driving shoppers to farmers markets and explore the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the first mRNA-based flu vaccine. Recommended Reading: A SpaceX rocket is about to crash into the moon—scientists will be watching Elon Musk reveals SpaceX plans to build satellite factories on the moon In a first, U.S. approves powerful…
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7 Aug 2026 · 14 min
Is Gen Z making smoking cool again?
In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American’s Adam Kovac joins host Rachel Feltman to explore why some experts worry cigarettes may be making a comeback among Generation Z. They discuss how social media, celebrity influence and growing anxiety among young people may have roles in the possible trend and why public health researchers are watching it closely. Recommended Reading: Is Gen Z actually smoking more? An investigation Antinicotine advocates and lawmakers criticize the FDA’s decision to approve flavored vapes A smoking ban for people born after 2008 may be on the cusp of…
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5 Aug 2026 · 25 min
Getting to YouTube science stardom by building $#!%ty robots
In this episode of Science Quickly, we talk with Simone Giertz, YouTube maker extraordinaire, about her life in science and the influencer spotlight. She started making, in her words, “shitty robots” and has evolved into a maker and product designer. But while she makes things to solve ordinary problems, her designs are anything but. Simone’s ethos is all about questioning why we use certain objects the way we do—and realizing that anyone can make up a new thing to make their lives a little better. Recommended Watching: Simone Giertz’s YouTube Join our Summer Reading Challenge…
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9 Oct 2026 · 19 minNew
The doctor fighting for pain-free IUDs
In this episode of Science Quickly, Rachel Feltman speaks with Helena Kopp Kallner, an ob-gyn and a professor, about her promising new study that shows local anesthetic can reduce pain during placements of intrauterine devices (IUDs). These devices are one of the most effective and convenient forms of birth control, but the pain of insertion keeps many patients away. Kopp Kallner explains why IUD insertion pain has long been ignored, how existing pain-relief options fall short and why patients themselves may be the key to driving adoption of this evidence-based approach. Recommended Reading:…
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7 Oct 2026 · 15 min
Who’s accountable when AI goes wrong?
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…
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5 Oct 2026 · 15 min
El Niño flood threats, measles risks and a risky viral trend
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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…
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