Health & Science

Chances are you've never given jellyfish a second thought. The science writer Juli Berwald gets it, but she loves them. She's written a book about how complicated and beautiful they are.

The writer Daniel Pink says that timing is a science. Knowing how it works can make us better at our jobs and more creative. It’s not just about doing, but knowing when to do it.

Thursday, we’re going to try to give A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived. It’s actually the title of geneticist Adam Rutherford’s new book. It describes the history of humankind through genetics.

A lot of people hate bugs, but even most bug haters have a soft spot for bees. The biologist Thor Hanson has written a new book that explores the natural history of bees. It's about where they come from, how they work and how we can help them. (Rebroadcast)

What does it mean to be dopesick? When you're addicted and have run out of pills, it means misery and desperation. Journalist Beth Macy joins us with chilling stories from America's opioid crisis. (Rebroadcast)

In about 30 years there will be 10 billion people on the planet. Most of them will probably be middle class and want things like cars, homes, and Toblerone bars. How do you provide for that many people? Well, there are basically two answers.

Wednesday, we’re talking to scholar Eugenia Cheng about how logical reasoning – complemented by our emotions – can transform the way we think about our shared challenges.

Around our 40s, there's a feeling of malaise and discontentment that can hit us all, even when we're at the top of our game. It turns out it is part of a natural cycle and life gets better after 50. (Rebroadcast)

Plastics. They’ve changed medicine, transportation, and food and water safety. But they've also become a global headache. There's more than six billion tons of plastic trash in the world. What can be done about the problem of plastics?

Friday, we’re talking about some of the weirdest ways we’ve tried to cure our bodies and minds through the ages. Doctor and author Lydia Kang is our guide and she says we still need to be saved from quacks.