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After a two-year hiatus, the Undark podcast returns with a new format and a new name: Entanglements. Join science journalists Brooke Borel and Anna Rothschild as they invite guests with both expertise and divergent opinions on some of the most contentious and politicized areas of science today, from vaccines and GMOs to deep sea mining, AI, and the origins of Covid. Their goal: To see if they can break through the discord and find common ground. Far from an exercise in false balance, Entanglements, like Undark, seeks to bring civil discussion — and a bit of fun and wonder — back to the intersection of science and culture.
Episodes
3 days ago
Risky Science and Public Consent
3 days ago
3 days ago
This week on Entanglements: Should citizens decide on risky science? Our hosts talk to an Oxford political scientist and a former law and ethics professor about how democracy should play a role in high-stakes decisions.
Monday Nov 11, 2024
Will Artificial Intelligence Kill Us All?
Monday Nov 11, 2024
Monday Nov 11, 2024
This week on Entanglements, hosts Brooke Borel and Anna Rothschild talk to a former OpenAI employee and a Princeton professor about AI and doom. Could AI really become an existential threat to humanity? Or is the possibility — highlighted by some 300 AI experts in an open letter last year — overhyped?
Friday Nov 01, 2024
The Undark Podcast Returns — as "Entanglements"
Friday Nov 01, 2024
Friday Nov 01, 2024
The Undark podcast is back with a new format and a new name: Entanglements. Tune in as our hosts explore some of the most contentious topics in science today. Our first 8-episode season will launch November 11, with new episodes dropping every Monday through the end of the year.
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
Ep. 63: For Deep Ocean Mining, Questions Abound
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
This month: Some regions of the deep ocean contain vast amounts of key minerals, like cobalt and nickel, that are needed to power clean energy technologies. But some scientists warn that mining them could have tremendous consequences, not just for underwater ecosystems, but for the planet as a whole.
Wednesday Jun 29, 2022
Ep. 62: Restoring Landscapes and Livelihoods in Western Bosnia
Wednesday Jun 29, 2022
Wednesday Jun 29, 2022
This month: Twenty-six years after the end of the Bosnian War, farmers in Livno are once again making cheese the traditional way, grazing herds of sheep on the wide-open plains. The animals' return is restoring natural wetlands, leading to cascading impacts on the environment and the economy.
Tuesday May 31, 2022
Ep. 61: When Accents Speak Louder Than Words
Tuesday May 31, 2022
Tuesday May 31, 2022
For scientists who come from abroad to live and work in America, accents can be personal. It's discouraging to be misunderstood, even when they think they’re speaking clearly. Sometimes, it could even be a career liability. Is the problem the accent, or those on the receiving end?
Thursday Apr 28, 2022
Ep. 60: Cascading Effects of Pollution in Lebanon’s Litani River
Thursday Apr 28, 2022
Thursday Apr 28, 2022
Residents of Lebanon's Beqaa Valley say pollution in the Litani River is responsible for a host of chronic health problems. While a causal link is hard to prove, cleanup efforts are precarious amid the country's economic crisis and shifting blame between refugees and government inaction.
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Ep. 59: Water Cremation Ignites Debate Over Dignified Death
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Alkaline hydrolysis is an end-of-life option that’s gaining popularity in Canada and the U.S. It’s marketed as a greener form of cremation — a way to still end up with ashes, but without sending harmful emissions into the air. But getting the technology approved by lawmakers has proven difficult.
Monday Jan 31, 2022
Ep. 58: When an Intellectual Disability Means Life or Death
Monday Jan 31, 2022
Monday Jan 31, 2022
When Pervis Payne was sentenced to death more than three decades ago, it was permissible to execute someone with an intellectual disability. A Supreme Court decision changed that in 2002, but Payne's disability was acknowledged only last year. Why did it take so long to remove him from The Row?
Monday Dec 06, 2021
Ep. 57: In Lagos, Vulnerable Communities Buried by Urbanization
Monday Dec 06, 2021
Monday Dec 06, 2021
Urbanization in Lagos, Nigeria, is moving at a rapid clip — burying mangrove forests and wetlands under mounds of sand to make way for wealthy subdivisions. Without strong regulations around how that sand is harvested, the social, economic, and environmental consequences are vast.