Science Rules! with Bill Nye

Ending a pandemic is no small feat. In part one of our series, Leading epidemiologist Larry Brilliant, who helped eradicate smallpox, talks about what it takes to put an end to disease. Time is of the essence, but so is patience: There’s a long road ahead before we can conquer COVID-19.

With the CDC recommending all Americans wear face masks, scientists are in a race to understand how COVID-19 travels through the air. As an expert on the fluid dynamics of disease, MIT associate professor Lydia Bourouiba discusses the implications of airborne transmission.

Octopuses are clever, playful and full of surprises. They're also endangered in many places. Biodiversity scientist Dr Samantha Cheng explains why these creatures – often depicted in mythology and popular culture – are such a source of fascination. And, why they're worth protecting. You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Prem...

It's not just the development of a COVID-19 vaccine that the world needs. There are also huge manufacturing and delivery challenges to plan for. Until we can immunize against it, we need alternatives to fight the virus: drugs and therapies. President of global immunization at the Sabin Vaccine Institute, Dr Bruce Gellin, walks us through it all.

Shopping for food is one of the few reasons we can leave the house these days. But advice has been swirling online about the risks of shopping and bringing items back into your home. Associate Professor of Global Health at Boston University Christopher Gill helps us assess the real risks when shopping and bringing food home.

Are we in a recession? What does this stimulus package actually mean? Annie Lowrey, who writes about politics and economics for The Atlantic, talks about the government's response to this pandemic and what financial recovery could look like.

By reprogramming your body’s cells, medical engineers may soon be able to heal a diseased heart or kidney. Biologist and pioneer in the science of aging, Dr. Michael West, discusses the potential for regrowing lost limbs, and even reversing the aging process. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go to stitcherpremium.com and use promo code ‘SCIENCE.’

Who should wear masks? Do they even work? Epidemiologist Dr Celine Gounder returns to Science Rules to take questions from Bill Nye's listener mailbox, and to share her experience from the frontline at Bellevue Hospital in New York.

Hospitalization rates, exponential growth and flattening the curve – all these concepts are now part of our daily vocabulary. But understanding them properly takes some expertise. Bio-statistician Adam Kucharski joins Bill Nye to make sense of the data on COVID-19, and what to watch out for.

How we distinguish between real risks and fake fears is a complicated, but universal human challenge. Author David Ropeik gives listeners the tools to assess their own fears, and the risks they face. You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go to stitcherpremium.com and use promo code ‘SCIENCE.’

In the first Coronavirus Edition of Science Rules, Bill Nye takes on the topic of testing: the barriers, the breakthroughs and the big picture, with Harvard epidemiologist Dr Michael J Mina. Send Bill a voicemail about your experience in the pandemic, at (201) 472-0785.

This year's unprecedented Australian bushfires are barely out, but the news has moved on. Now is the time to take a serious look at how fires are related to climate change, and the warning they carry for California, and beyond. You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go to stitcherpremium.com and use promo code ‘SCIEN...

Science Rules explains where coronavirus came from, how it is spreading, who it will affect most, and what you can do about it. Infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist Dr Celine Gounder takes calls from listeners across the US who are trying to navigate conflicting advice and information on the pandemic. You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. Fo...

If you don't believe the government can prevent climate change, then maybe you hope the market can. Columbia economics professor and architect of the Kyoto Protocol's carbon market Dr Graciela Chichilnisky is working on a tech-based solution for climate change. Can her carbon capture and resale scheme save us all? You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. F...

Even geniuses have blind spots. This week, author of Proving Einstein Right, Dr Jim Gates, joins Bill and Corey to wrestle with Einstein’s work and legacy. Plus, the next frontier in understanding the mechanics of the universe: string theory. You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go to stitcherpremium.com and use pr...

We may think of ourselves as outside of nature, but humans are evolving just like everything else. Genetics and evolution expert Dr. Molly Przeworkski fields questions on whether humans are influencing our own evolution, and if the study of genetics might help reduce disease. You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go...

Microbial ecologist Peg Riley of University of Massachusetts Amherst returns to Science Rules to counsel listeners on their relationship with their microbiome. You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go to stitcherpremium.com and use promo code ‘SCIENCE.’

Memory expert and Professor of Psychology at Penn, Dr. Michael Kahana doesn’t think we forget anything. He thinks there are just some memories we can’t access. He joins us to talk about his memory research and take your questions about the mysteries of remembering. You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go to stitche...

Planetary Scientist Dr. Zibi Turtle is leading NASA’s Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan! She joins us to discuss how by 2034 the Dragonfly dual-quadcopter will explore Titan, and what clues the mission might give us about how life on our own planet came about. Plus, she takes your calls about space exploration! You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premiu...

As the world changes, we've got some big things to consider. But, where do we begin as individuals? Bioethicist Travis Rieder is confronting some big questions himself, including whether we should procreate in the age of climate change. He joins us to talk about that and takes your phone calls! Listen to ad-free episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Prem...

This week on Science Rules! Bill and Corey talk through why exploring space has created so much progress for many fields of science and for humanity at large. Plus, they take listener calls about, you guessed it...SPACE! You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go to stitcherpremium.com [stitcherpremium.com] and use pr...

When it comes to vitamins and health supplements, we’re often told that the more we take, the healthier we’ll be, but journalists Elah Feder & Annie Minoff find that the research tells a different story. This week, they join us to answer questions from callers like Olivia who asks, “Does hair, skin, and nail vitamins such as biotin actually do anything to make your hair, skin and nails healthier?”...

We’re constantly being sold the "latest" and "best" when it comes to food, but Dr. Marion Nestle doesn’t believe much has changed when it comes to what we need in our diets. She joins us to talk food production and public health, plus she answers some phone calls like this one from Samuel in Indianapolis who asks, “Is it more important to be cutting out the bad things, or introducing healthier thi...

We use energy in its various forms everyday. But what is it? This week, it’s back to basics. Bill and Corey teach us about the fundamentals of energy and answer caller questions including one from Renee from Kansas, who asks, "How much energy is being wasted when my kids leave the lights on?"You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stit...

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) often gets a bad rap, but farmers have been using them for decades to feed the world. Former CTO of Monsanto Dr. Robb Fraley who helped develop the very first genetically modified seeds joins us to discuss the science behind GMOs and he answers questions from listeners, including one from Emma who asks, “Do GMOs have the ability to alter the DNA of the organis...