Unexplainable

Most science podcasts tell you what we know. Unexplainable focuses on what we do not. The show from Vox takes scientific mysteries, the genuinely unresolved ones, and digs into them without pretending there is a tidy answer waiting at the end. That honesty about the limits of knowledge is refreshing and surprisingly compelling. Hosts Noam Hassenfeld, Julia Longoria, Byrd Pinkerton, and Meradith Hoddinott rotate through episodes, each bringing a different style but sharing the same commitment to careful reporting. Episodes drop twice a week and run about 25 to 40 minutes, a comfortable length for the kinds of questions they tackle. Why do we dream? What is dark matter actually made of? How do migratory birds navigate thousands of miles without getting lost? The show has produced 262 episodes since launching in 2021, earning a 4.6-star rating from over 2,200 reviews. Vox's production values are evident in the sound design and editing, which use music and ambient sound effectively without overdoing it. The writing is sharp and accessible, with plenty of pop culture references that keep things from feeling like a lecture. Unexplainable occupies a unique space in the science podcast world. It is comfortable sitting with uncertainty, which is actually how real science works most of the time. If you are tired of shows that wrap everything up with a neat bow, this one will remind you how much we still have left to figure out.