As scientists hunt for a vaccine, they confront a viral adversary that might not be alive. A philosophical debate poses the question: does the coronavirus meet one of the 100 different definitions of life? 

Click above to listen to part 1 of Vaccine, When?, featuring Nigel Brown, Emeritus Professor of Molecular Microbiology at the University of Edinburgh.

Vaccine, When?:
Part 1: Nigel Brown / Are Viruses Alive?
Part 2: Bonnie Maldonado / Vaccine Development
Part 3: Ian Haydon / Vaccine Trial
Part 4: Paul Offit / Coronavirus Vaccine

Podcast also available on PocketCasts, SoundCloud, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and RSS.

2026 Webby Award Nominee
for our three part series on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Big Picture Science is an immersive radio show and podcast that reveals the unexpected connections in science.

Our Skeptic Check episodes take a critical look at extraordinary science claims and pseudoscience.

Don’t settle for a science snapshot. Get the big picture. 

Hosted By

Molly Bentley Executive Producer and Co-Host, Big Picture Science  

Seth Shostak Producer and Co-Host, Big Picture Science
Senior Astronomer, SETI Institute

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