Science Quickly

In this episode of Science Quickly, we explore Colombia’s controversial plan to cull invasive “cocaine hippos” and the discovery of millions of underground bees in a New York State cemetery. And we dive into new research on how HIV may accelerate biological aging and how chronic inflammation is reshaping scientists’ understanding of heart disease.Recommended Reading:Today in Science newsletterColombia will euthanize Pablo Escobar’s invasive ‘cocaine hippos’The hidden cause of heart disease is inflammationScientists just discovered 5.6 million bees under a New York State cemeteryE-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Birds are the only dinosaurs who managed to survive the asteroid impact that wiped out 75 percent of all species 66 million years ago. But how did they pull it off? To get some answers, host Kendra Pierre-Louis speaks to paleontologist Steve Brusatte, author of the upcoming book The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present. Their conversation traces the incredible evolutionary journey of modern birds and explores what these animals’ survival story can teach us today.Recommended Reading:How birds survived the dinosaurs’ doomsdayThe Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present, by Steve Brusatte. Mariner Books, April 28, 2026E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.Science Quickly is produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Curiosity about the natural world can start in unexpected places. In this episode of Science Quickly, host Kendra Pierre‑Louis talks with paleontologist Arjan Mann and entomologist Spencer Monckton about how Pokémon—the beloved Japanese franchise, which turned 30 this year—helped spark their interest in taxonomy and fossils. The conversation explores how the fictional world of Pokémon mirrors real scientific concepts, why pop culture and natural history shape each other and how that inspiration has come full circle.Recommended Reading:The Pokémon universe goes hard on ecology and climate sciencePokémon Fossil Museum. Special exhibition at the Field Museum, Chicago, May 22, 2026–April 11, 2027E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.Science Quickly is produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Science Quickly, we unpack NASA’s Artemis II mission after its safe return from lunar orbit, asking what the long‑awaited comeback to the moon actually achieved and whether it was worth the cost. Scientific American journalists debate the promise of future lunar missions alongside concerns about money and climate effects and the question of what space exploration should mean at a time of global strain.Recommended Reading:NASA’s Artemis II moon mission splashes downNASA’s Artemis II mission’s return to Earth, hour by hourNASA’s Artemis moon missions are a game changer for astronomyNASA’s Artemis II astronauts celebrate epic lunar flyby with stunning new imagesE-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.Science Quickly is produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Science Quickly, author Alexis Hall discusses Hell’s Heart, their sci‑fi reimagining of Moby-Dick. Hall dives into how a lockdown reread of Herman Melville’s novel sparked a vision of space whales, artificial intelligence navigators, and Jupiter’s wild physics and explains the blend of real science, irreverent humor and queer storytelling that powers the novel. Recommended Reading:Hell’s Heart. Alexis Hall. Tor Books, 2026E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.Science Quickly is produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was co-hosted by Bri Kane and edited by Alex Sugiura. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check our show. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices