Popular Science Podcasts

Popular Science podcasts unearth the universe’s strangest histories. They answer your most mind-burning questions. They tell spin yarns about scam artists and celebrity diets and video games and poodle haircuts. PopSci’s shows are simply the best science and tech podcasting: shamelessly entertaining, painfully smart, and fiercely fascinating.

Looking for a visual we mentioned on Weirdest Thing? Every single one of our episodes has a corresponding write-up published on the same day—that’s where you’ll find photos, videos, cited sources, and more. Check them out here!

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is where PopSci editors go to unleash the most bizarre stories they can find. You’ll be shocked, delighted, and ready to fill awkward silences for the rest of your life.

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Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions—from what the universe is made of to why not everyone can touch their toes. Join Popular Science staff as they work through questions big and small.

Latest Articles

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Upgrade your home espresso game with these holiday deals on Breville machines

Whether you want a basic model or a fully equipped espresso rig, just about all of Breville’s models are discounted for the holiday season.

By Stan Horaczek

An illustration depicting a fierce naval battle, identified as the Battle of Sluys. Two large, wooden medieval ships are shown locked together, full of soldiers fighting hand-to-hand. The decks are crowded with men in armour, many wearing bascinet-style helmets and some carrying shields, engaged in close combat with swords, axes, and spears. On the right ship, several English archers are prominently shown drawing their longbows, firing towards the opposing vessel. Men in brightly coloured tunics (blue, red, green, yellow) are falling or being pushed overboard into the water between the ships. In the background, beyond the battle, is a walled port city with large buildings and towers. The flags visible include the English royal standard (three gold fleurs-de-lis on a blue background, and three gold lions on a red background, quarterly) and a red banner with a gold lion.

Archaeology

We built a database of 290,000 English medieval soldiers–here’s what it reveals

A newly expanded database reveals how everyday soldiers lived and fought in medieval England.

By Adrian R. Bell, Anne Curry, and Jason Sadler / The Conversation

a dead sperm whale floats among ice while a polar bear floats on the whale

Conservation

5 captivating images from National Geographic’s Pictures of the Year

‘Individually, these photographs speak to beauty, fragility, and wonder.’

By Popular Science Team

Endangered Species

German hairy snails are disappearing from London’s River Thames

Londoners are scouring riverbanks to save the endangered mollusk.

By Margherita Bassi

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A pocket-sized IP protector — this portable VPN is 26% off

Safe, secure, and speedy browsing that can fit in your pocket — now on sale.

By Stack Commerce

A close-up, colorized photograph of a middle-aged man with a stern expression and a thick, reddish-brown beard. He is superimposed over a faded, beige background of densely printed, historical text, suggesting he is a figure related to the document's content, which appears to discuss Cattalo or Beefalo (a cow and buffalo hybrid), based on the filename.

Wildlife

The strange Wild West tale of the first cow-buffalo hybrid

Inside cowboy Charles Jesse “Buffalo” Jones’s get-rich-quick scheme to restore the plains 100 years ago.

By Bill Gourgey

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Get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more for life for under $20

A one-time purchase delivers Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, and Access for your Windows PC.

By Stack Commerce

Gear

2025 holiday gift guide: 35+ editor-approved presents for everyone on your list

Whether you’re shopping for your closest friend who has everything or a grumpy family member who criticizes every gift you’ve ever given, we have the best suggestions for you.

By Stan Horaczek, Tony Ware