Our minds can adapt to comfort, says author Stan Cox. He makes the case for moderating our use of air conditioners and leaning on our natural adaptation to the heat in this week's episode, "Cold Comfort". bigpicturescience.org/episodes/col...

Air conditioning drove population growth in areas like Florida, explains author Stan Cox, where residents now depend on it to survive hot summer months. But the more we depend on air conditioners, the more we contribute to heating the planet. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/col...

We enjoy cooling off on a hot day by turning the AC on inside our homes. It may surprise you that air conditioners weren't originally invented for human comfort, but for machines! We delve into the origins of air conditioning on this week's episode. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/col...

Refrigeration has given us many benefits, but there are costs as well, explains author Nicola Twilley. Are we over dependent on cooling machines? It's "Cold Comfort" bit.ly/4erdezy

From a farm to your table, your food travels through a long chain of refrigerated spaces. And your fridge is just the tip of the iceberg. How the "cold chain" affects everything from the type of food we eat to the environment we grow it in. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/col...

As global temperatures rise, we depend on air conditioning and refrigeration to keep things cool. But the more we use them, the more we contribute to climate change. Is there a way out of this cycle? bigpicturescience.org/episodes/col...

How long can we keep our planet artificially cool? Find out how AC and refrigeration contribute to hotter summers and our further dependence on them. This week, t's "Cold Comfort" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/col...

Humans have been stricken with incurable blood diseases and cancers that mean a lifetime of pain or even death. Is gene editing the key to a cure? bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cri...

Victoria Gray stood before a crowd of scientists last month to say her lifelong struggle with sickle cell anemia appeared to be over thanks to gene editing. The astounding procedure was the first of its kind, but she may soon by joined by others. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cri...

Bioethics lawyer Hank Greely has raised some big questions in his book about gene editing and CRISPR. We talked with him about how a gene tinkering future might look, and why it probably isn’t as scary as you might think. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cri...

Some people believe it is playing god to edit genes. Others see it as a natural evolution of humanity. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, the technology to do so has arrived. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cri...

From the crops we eat to the way we raise our children, humans have been tinkering and experimenting with genomes since before we knew they existed. Now, scientists are altering DNA with an exactness and ease never seen before. Should we be worried? bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cri...

For years, the devastating effects of malaria, dengue fever and zika virus, all transmitted via mosquitos, have plagued parts of the world. Have scientists finally found the solution through gene editing? bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cri...

Who doesn’t like the idea of eliminating mosquitos? This week, we are exploring how scientists are tinkering with genes to rid our picnics of those pesky insects. It’s CRISPR Mosquitos: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cri...

Humans are now using CRISPR technology to alter DNA. Is this "directed evolution" something that all advanced species will use? This week, it's "CRISPR Mosquitoes". bigpicturescience.org/episodes/cri...

Almost every living thing has a form of a circadian clock, including fungi. We're looking at the molecular rhythms of everything from people to mushrooms in this week's episode. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

Our biggest source of blue light comes from a surprisingly low-tech source - the sun. We're putting a spotlight on blue light in this week's episode: Skeptic Check: Blue Light Special bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

When the blue LED was invented in the 1990s, it revolutionized electronics and made our screens more vibrant. But how has this transformative invention transformed our sleep? This week, it's Skeptic Check: Blue Light Special bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

Research from around the world shows that the quality and quantity of sleep is declining. But what exactly is the culprit? This week, it's Skeptic Check: Blue Light Special bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

What if instead of putting our phones down at night, we needed to go for a sunny morning walk instead? Hear why experts recommend that, and more, in Skeptic Check: Blue Light Special bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

It turns out we may have been thinking about blue light from our devices all wrong. Where did we lose the plot? We’re shining a light on blue light in Skeptic Check: Blue Light Special. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

The science around light and circadian rhythms is a relatively new one. We’re tracing the history and turning the spotlight on some famous fictions in the field this week. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

Scrolling on your phone keeping you up at night? The science is less clear than you think. We’re sharing some illuminating science this week in Skeptic Check: Blue Light Special bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

Is it time to toss those blue light glasses? We’re shining a light on fact and fiction in Skeptic Check: Blue Light Special. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

The fascinating science around the biological mechanisms of sleep and wakefulness, what circadian rhythms have in common with your grandfather’s clock, and why scientists no longer think that blue light causes nighttime restlessness: bigpicturescience.org/episodes/ske...

“There is agency in all life, even if that agency is only to persist” Author Melanie Challenger explores how humanity can extend its moral and ethical values to all living creatures in this week’s episode, "Make Space for Animals" bigpicturescience.org/episodes/mak...

“One of my main ideas for this was to put a face to all of these critters. I wanted to show the animals that sacrificed their lives.” Taylor Maggiacomo combines history and artwork to create an informative and empathetic tribute to space program animals. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/mak...

“Pretty much anything you can think of, there’s a good chance we’ve sent it into space by now” says @ajsteg. Hear more about the animal astronauts and cosmonauts who came before us in this week's episode. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/mak...

You may be familiar with Laika, the Soviet space dog, who became the first creature to orbit the Earth. But did you know many other four-legged creatures have also gone into space? This week, we "Make Space for Animals." bigpicturescience.org/episodes/mak...

The sly fox, the selfish dog, the lazy lion. Find out how modern science has corrected these ancient tropes of animals. Eg: one of the most loving family members has been portrayed as a predator in sheep’s clothing. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/mak...