Rachel Feltman
@feltman.bsky.social
Podcast Host @ The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week + Science Quickly // Writer + Editor (science, history, sad gay ghosts) // Author of Been There Done That: A Rousing History of Sex // Past: WaPo, PopSci // Now: Working on my bog body (she/they)
I spoke to the endlessly fascinating @goastromo.bsky.social about her new book Mothers of Invention, which tells the story of human creativity from the perspective of the Muses. Listen to our chat on @sciam.bsky.social's Science Quickly now! www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/epis...
From reboots to AI: What happened to originality?
Moiya McTier explores what makes human creativity unique in the age of AI
scientificamerican.com
I spoke to the endlessly fascinating @goastromo.bsky.social about her new book Mothers of Invention, which tells the story of human creativity from the perspective of the Muses. Listen to our chat on @sciam.bsky.social's Science Quickly now! www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/epis...
From reboots to AI: What happened to originality?
Moiya McTier explores what makes human creativity unique in the age of AI
scientificamerican.com
This actually erases some even cooler food history! They're all one species, but a white button wouldn't actually look like a lusty brown bella if left to its own devices—the ubiquitous buttons are descended from all-white mutants. Listen to the ep to learn more! www.popsci.com/science/port...
We don’t actually know who pulled the greatest con in mushroom history
Plus dogs hunting spotted lanternflies and other weird things we learned this week.
popsci.com
The best part: button, crimini and portobello are all the same species, Agaricus bisporus, just picked at different stages — so the 'portobello' rebrand was essentially premium pricing for letting mushrooms get old. A marketing mystery hiding in plain sight in the produce aisle.
here, then, is what to tell people: rowling has decided to make eliminating trans people from public space her life’s work. as such, of every dollar you spend on wizarding world material, some portion will go toward that goal; this will not change. but whether you participate is up to you
You might know that the "portobello" mushroom is a marketing invention—it's the same species as the white button. But did you know that we've got no idea who started the con? This mystery is consuming my life. www.popsci.com/science/port...
We don’t actually know who pulled the greatest con in mushroom history
Plus dogs hunting spotted lanternflies and other weird things we learned this week.
popsci.com
Another great Weirdest Thing episode I didn't shout about in a timely manner: @emmalgometz.bsky.social talked about spooky nighttime radio phenomena while I dished on the importance of baby's spitting milk back into you when they nurse www.popsci.com/science/brea...
Nursing babies spit backwash into the breast—and that’s a good thing
Plus a WWII, dress-wearing squirrel and other weird things we learned this week.
popsci.com
I've been TERRIBLE about posting new Weirdest Thing episodes on social, which is a shame because we've had AMAZING guests like @gregjenner.bsky.social. He told us about King Tut, who packed as much underwear for the afterlife as I do for a week-long trip (145 pairs) www.popsci.com/science/king...
King Tut was buried with more than a hundred pairs of underwear—all tailored to fit his massive butt
Plus crusty white dogs and other weird things we learned this week.
popsci.com
Excited to make my debut on the @sciam.bsky.social Science Quickly podcast! Thanks to @feltman.bsky.social for having me on to talk about why protein maxxing may contribute to shaving years off your life. www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/epis...
The parasite outbreak everyone’s talking about, plus the truth about ‘protein maxxing’
An outbreak of Cyclospora infections tied to produce spreads across multiple states as new research challenges the protein maxxing craze
scientificamerican.com
I got to talk to Erini Lambrides about her journey from NYC theater kid to award-winning astrophysicist and this episode is charming as hell www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/epis...
She got a C– in her first college physics class. Today she studies black holes at NASA
This young researcher’s unlikely journey into academia will change the way you think about science, failure and belonging
scientificamerican.com
dolly parton famously said "find out who you are and do it on purpose" so I'm signing up for a three-day clowning intensive
I feel like a guy who studies philosophy and then goes to work for an AI company is @brennanleemulligan.bsky.social's wario
Katie Drummond@katie-drummond.bsky.social · 5mo agoAnthropic employs at least four philosophers. Google DeepMind employs at least TEN. When journalism fully implodes, at least my B.A. in philosophy will be put to good use. (Love this story from @joelkhalili.bsky.social about the murky motives of AI companies and their Aristotles)
This week on Weirdest Thing: There's more than one way to sterilize a cocaine hippo. Unfortunately, both ways suck. www.popsci.com/science/ster...
There’s more than one way to sterilize a cocaine hippo. Unfortunately, both ways suck.
Plus the history of Pilates and other weird things we learned this week.
popsci.com
so should we put a nuclear reactor up on the moon or www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/epis...
The surprising case for nuclear energy on the moon
Nuclear power could enable long-term lunar missions, but NASA’s timeline may be too ambitious
scientificamerican.com
counterpoint: bethany is a great podcast guest and this episode will tell you everything you need to know about the latest ~protein craze~ bonus: it also features me really luxuriating in the phrase "the singular taste of a Cool Ranch Dorito"
Bethany Brookshire@beebrookshire.bsky.social · 5mo agoGot to talk to @feltman.bsky.social about protein! Every time I see a transcript I feel bad about how much I just....laugh as a reflex. www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/epis...
happy to see @mattielubchansky.com illustrations put to good use at Defector. Hire illustrators for your research, #ScienceSky 🧪 You can find some skilled folks on the #SciArt feed as well.
Defector@defector.com · 5mo agoCan the jumper be hacked? Inside basketball's next arms race: defector.com/can-the-jump...
I for one am glad that we as a nation are finally addressing the fact that I'm under-babied! Looking forward to seeing how the government will ensure I'm given plenty of nutritious snacks (preferably dinosaur-shaped) and tucked in for nap time promptly each day at 2 pm
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 5mo agoDr Oz: "One in three Americans are under-babied"
Sat down with Science Quickly and @feltman.bsky.social to talk peptides! This was a fun conversation about the hype versus the science. www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/epis...
The truth about peptides that social media won’t tell you
As peptide “stacking” takes over social media feeds, we separate the science from the hype of the Internet’s latest wellness obsession
scientificamerican.com
If you've learned the phrase "Wolverine stack" stack against your will and want to know what science actually says about the peptide craze, check out my conversation with @vicmsong.bsky.social for Science Quickly @sciam.bsky.social www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/epis...
The truth about peptides that social media won’t tell you
As peptide “stacking” takes over social media feeds, we separate the science from the hype of the Internet’s latest wellness obsession
scientificamerican.com
Sabercats high on catnip Ancient monkeys adrift on a raft of plants Dozing mastodons in the autumn leaves Hungry sauropods browsing the Jurassic salad bar A Triassic tree’s transformation all this and more in When the Earth Was Green, out in paperback today! 🌱
When the Earth Was Green: Plants, Animals, and Evolution's Greatest Romance
Plants, Animals, and Evolution's Greatest Romance
bookshop.org
I got to sit down with @chanda.blacksky.app to discuss their latest book THE EDGE OF SPACE-TIME for @sciam.bsky.social Science Quickly podcast 🚀 We talked about queer quantum mechanics, Star Trek, and Missy Elliot lyrics 👽 Check out our full 25min convo on youtube www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlEu...
Chanda Prescod‑Weinstein on physics, poetry and pop culture | Science Quickly Podcast
YouTube video by Scientific American
youtube.com
restoring balance to my gut biome by reintroducing gray wolves
The SciAm Union is disappointed that @springernature.com dragged our colleagues into a last minute meeting this morning with the notorious union-busting law firm Littler Mendelson (the same one Starbucks and Amazon hire 👀)
I talked to @colincarlson.bsky.social about the global wildlife trade, which is fueling zoonotic disease transmission even faster than we thought (and which you are probably a far more frequent participant in than you assume) www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/epis...
Scientists warn the wildlife trade is accelerating dangerous pathogen spread
New research shows the global wildlife trade is rapidly accelerating the spread of animal pathogens that can jump to humans
scientificamerican.com
And our ace podcast team (welcome back @feltman.bsky.social!) spoke to @drkatemarvel.bsky.social, @billmckibben.bsky.social, and chemist Susan Solomon about past environmental wins:
Are you feeling hopeless about the environment? Listen to this
This Earth Day three environmental experts share stories about times when environmental action succeeded in saving the planet—and explain why this can be done again
scientificamerican.com
My first new Weirdest Thing episode of 2026 is out now! Featuring @chanda.blacksky.app and @laurenleffer.bsky.social and some very hungry caribou www.popsci.com/science/why-...
Why do female reindeer have antlers? Cannibalism, probably.
Plus wild neutrinos and other weird things we learned this week.
popsci.com
Hey Bluesky! 👋🦋 We’ve been reading your replies about our paywall, and we’re listening. We want to share why it’s there—and an easy, low-cost way to read more. TL;DR: You can unlock every Scientific American article for 90 days for just $1 spklr.io/6003EyRIR More context below 🧵 1/6
