• Skeptic Check: Near Death Experiences

    Near death experiences can be profound and even life changing. People describe seeing bright lights, staring into the abyss, or meeting dead relatives. Many believe these experiences to be proof of an afterlife. But now, scientists are studying these strange events and gaining insights into the brain and consciousness itself. Will we uncover the scientific…

    Skeptic Check: Near Death Experiences
  • Sex: From Beginning to End

    We all know how sex begins: a dimly-lit room, a come-hither smile, and a surfeit of parasol-shaded cocktails. But long before all that, the gentle currents of the ancient sea floor set the mood. It was there, 570 million years ago, that two ropy sea creatures found each other and… Listen ⇢

    SexStartFinishMED_1
  • Nerds

    There are two kinds of people: those who are unstylish, socially inept, yet academically gifted, and those who tease them. Being a nerd is rough; it’s no fun to sit alone in the cafeteria or be forced to dine on beach sandwiches. But revenge is sweet: the world depends more… Listen ⇢

    NerdsMED_1
  • Science and Art: Worlds Apart?

    Leonardo da Vinci is considered a genius for combining art and science. But how usual is this for us mere mortals? Can science and art sucessfully inform each other? We’ll hear how the insights of French writer Marcel Proust anticipated modern neuroscience. Also, a debate over the evolutionary function of… Listen ⇢

    ArtScienceMED_1
  • Skeptical Sunday: Ghost of a Chance

    Half of all Americans believe in ghosts – despite any compelling evidence of their existence. Find out why we believe in what we can’t see, and why loneliness may increase our chances of a poltergeist experience. Hear the tale of the Toys R Us ghost, and scope out the latest… Listen ⇢

    GhostofaChanceMED_1
  • A Special Skeptical Sunday: Road Trip to Roswell Part I

    In 1947, aliens intent on visiting our planet are said to have crashed into the New Mexico desert near Roswell. According to several witnesses, the U.S. military not only recovered the saucer debris (together with some dead, extraterrestrial passengers), but secreted away the evidence. There are also claims that the… Listen ⇢

    RoadRoswellENLARGE_0
  • That’s Cosmic!

    What makes up the universe? Lots of tiny particles with strange names: bosons, leptons, quarks and neutrinos. But physicists think there are more members to be discovered in this particle zoo. From strange particles to dark matter to vibrating strings, find out why you have to think small to understand… Listen ⇢

    ThatsCosmicMED_1
  • Got Life?

    “Spore” is the ultimate game of life. Play it wisely and you can evolve from a single-celled organism, swimming in salt water, to an intelligent being rocketing through the galaxy. It’s survival of the cleverest – are you game? Join us as we attend the “Spore” launch party. Hear how… Listen ⇢

    GotLifeMED_1
  • First Contact!

    From human settlers to alien visitors – when one society meets another, the results can be messy. The Jamestown settlement may have kicked off the colonization of the New World. But, you’ll hear how it also left an indelible mark on its ecosystem and the human landscape. Plus, why the… Listen ⇢

    FirstContactMED_1

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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