Big Picture Science

835
Science #130

The surprising connections in science and technology that give you the Big Picture. Astronomer Seth Shostak and science journalist Molly Bentley are joined each week by leading researchers, techies, and journalists to provide a smart and humorous take on science. Our regular "Skeptic Check" episodes cast a critical eye on pseudoscience.

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Recent Reviews
  • MarkChicagoIL
    Deleted review
    Deleted review
  • Pollyollygayotic
    Love the pod!
    I listened to the episode about the ocean genome and found it extremely interesting and informative! Way to go big picture science, can’t wait to hear more! Shannon rocks.
  • RW&ORR
    BP OIL ADVERTISING
    I have followed BPS for years, but after an excellent show about extreme heat caused by climate change they ran a British Petroleum add explaining how green they are. What a sell out. You should be ashamed!
  • burnbizzle
    One of the best science podcasts, keep up the good work!
    This is one of the best science podcasts available. The hosts are excellent, they are always well versed on the topic, sprinkle their delivery with a tad of natural humor, always ask they key insightful questions, and cover the topics well. It’s not often you get that combination, really exemplary work! Very impressive, keep it up!
  • angryatthispieceofjunk
    UAP episode
    This is an agenda driven episode, mischaracterizing many who have an open mind about UAPs and associated phenomena. Misstates that there was nothing in the public consciousness about UFO/UAPs prior to 1947-please see the airship flap of the late 1890s, and others. Although this may not be an area of SETI's research, perhaps you could examine the work of proper scientists in this area rather than characterize this phenomena, and those interested in it, at the lowest level of application of critical thinking.
  • IamZac
    Filled with ads and ‘recast’ episodes
    Over the years it became rife with ads and each notices seems to be a recast. Finally I get a new episode on its first run and it’s a ‘special’ that’s pushing big pharma propaganda even though other science shows have been identifying issues with the very topic for the last 6 months. We’re watching large groups of scientists rapidly grow all around the world to fight an issue of, not regulator capture, but regulatory Stockholm Syndrome. I’ll change my review when you begin covering the topic and interview the scientists and organizations involved. If you’re too afraid to lose some of those advertisers or perhaps you’re receiving some of the far reaching ‘media grants to educa…’ that dries up the moment you acknowledge what’s happening… well maybe just change your title from “Picture” to “Establishment”. BES does roll off the tongue easier that BPS, you wouldn’t have integrity but at least you’ll have that.
  • tamichawk84
    This is a great balanced science program
    Really like the presentation style. Like the little 2-3 parts in a program that really ties together at the end
  • ~KBee~
    Used to be my favorite.
    Has become rife with embedded ads. More and more rebroadcasts rather than new content. 🥺
  • Gkj777
    SETI
    Nice balance, excellent content. Really enjoy. Grateful for this
  • Danny McVey
    Fantastic
    This is one fine podcast. Thanks SETI!
  • MKULTRA83
    Show for children?
    Or child like intelligence?
  • DeepBlueAU
    Usually great content, but sadly tilts Left
    Not even a religious person but it’s clear there’s a pinch of bias in some content.
  • chris4117
    Every title makes me sad can't get passed it
    Animals in space I can't bear the thought
  • CLKobe67
    Anti-vax episode was abysmal
    As with so much info being disseminated about Covid and vaccines, info is presented in generalizations with no data to back up the assertions. This is neither informative nor helpful. You could do so much better.
  • do you do you do you do do
    Yes
    Yes yes yes yes yeah
  • CT 2020
    Stick to science
    Stick to science and stay out of politics. You are obviously biased. Jan 6 ,This was a protest to save or country from the communist left.
  • Alex Darafeev
    Like learning? This is for you!
    One of my fav podcasts.
  • Jimmy pooooooh
    Very Informative!
    I live this podcast. The hosts are great at questioning guests that help them elaborate on their research, findings, theories, etc. I also enjoy the various topics, for example “Bones”. Not a subject I have ever thought about, critically. I also appreciate the hosts’ own curiosities.
  • Groucho the man
    Each episode is like a roll of the dice
    25% of these are great programs, well presented and easy to understand.the rest have become heavily biased and eventually have to delete them as my anger increases. I like to hear both sides of the coin, but not feel belittled because I don’t feel compelled to follow the leader. Please stay scientific like the earlier programs. Edit: 2020 brought nothing but political BS on this podcast. I can’t take it anymore. I just unsubscribed and deleted all episodes. Good riddance.
  • Tittylover123
    Great Show
    Love listening to these podcasts! Very informative about interesting subjects, especially love the space topics. 🚀
  • SDSfan
    Thanks to you
    I wish I had come across this podcast sooner. Very fascinating and I like the format. Great hosting and guests as well!
  • Paulio Stringcheez
    Always interesting, always entertaining!
    A great variety of topics in science with very entertaining and engaging hosts. Always a joy to listen to!
  • 1GrumpyGal
    Still great!
    Enjoy
  • mondomando🍺
    The interviews make this great
    The hosts are not afraid to challenge their guests with interesting, skeptical, funny and insightful questions. The topics are also more interesting to me than most, and their puns will give you a free groan a week.
  • Undertheknife
    Speaks truth (aka science) to power
    I admire the makers of this podcast for not being afraid to take on tough issues through the lens of science and by presenting objective facts. In a time when we can’t look to our leader to help us understand what’s going on, it’s a breath of fresh air (albeit through an N95) to hear people talk about what’s provable/real and what’s plain old political hucksterism. No apologies to those offended by truth.
  • Biff978
    Devolved
    Sadly, this show, like so much of the science programming out there, has become much more political and a whole lot less scientific. It was once great, but no more.
  • SciKris
    Well researched and entertaining
    Seth and Molly present well researched insightful science based stories that are always entertaining.
  • s.s. minnow
    Uhhmmm
    Max Brooks ? Worse show ever.
  • Circular2023
    Identity politics
    This podcast used to be great but now every other episode is some identity politics diatribe. Stick to science, please.
  • wjm5107
    Best place for Science updates
    Science Friday was my previous go to source for science podcasts, until I discovered Big Picture Science with Seth Shostak et al. Simply the best on interesting topics and great questions and conversation.
  • JakeBraneff
    My favorite science podcast!
    This is my go to podcast for all things science. Entertaining and informative. I do like the humor as well they interject as well, however I am glad they ditched the little side skits they included in older shows - it was often times just a little bit too cheesy and drawn out.
  • idamae poopsnatch
    Rave Fave podcast
    I listen to lots of science podcasts but this is my absolute favorite. I hate the ones with four guys just shooting the breeze about Important Topics. I mean, I can do that myself. Big Pic Sci has great guests, great production values and the best hosts in radio. There. I said it. I think Seth Shostack(sp?) is hilarious and Molly Bentley is warm and witty. They’re a perfect team.
  • Marcus Scaurus Aurelius
    Fun listen, and educationally useful
    As a human who values understanding the world around me, I have enjoyed listening to Bi-Pi-Sci since I discovered it a couple of years ago. I have really enjoyed episodes that connect broad topics where I wasn't aware of the connections, or have provided historical context to topics that I have learned the technicals of already, but not the story of the discoveries. As a science teacher, I have found the "Skeptic Check" episodes to be partcularly valuable for highlighting topics where poor reasoning is on display, and modeling the process of breaking down and examining ideas.
  • Begryphon
    It’s super but ...
    Currently this is my favorite podcast. Nice blend of the hosts chatting with each other and then to interviews with experts on the topic. Super production values. And I cringe when they talk about experiments that are not experiments but are empirical research. There’s no independent variable. A situation is setup and observed—that’s a research project or study. If this podcast is doing science education, and I think it is, then the distinction between experiments and (correlational) research should be scrupulously honored.
  • cerene_siege
    Getting good!
    The Episode “Math’s Paths” made my mathematician heart so happy!
  • NashWill
    Shining Examples
    One of the best podcasts - bar none. These hosts help unfold fascinating new science with casual humor and great interviews. BPS shares with us the joy of discovery through new facts and ideas about our universe. Will Stack Nashville, TN
  • Bkm2
    Great topics, Solid production, excellent guests
    I enjoy the fact that they have a lot of scientists on the front lines as their guests. These are often people working at research institutes or labs. Of course they also have authors and professors, but a lot of the time guests are working scientists. The topics are varied and Seth and Molly do a fine job of balancing the depth of the subjects. Lots of reviews indicate political bias. I’ve noticed it, and although I don’t always agree, I’m an adult so I don’t mind hearing other peoples’ opinions. It certainly doesn’t ruin the show for me. Great podcast!
  • Mccormrm
    Amazing topics and deep insights
    I think this podcast is fantastic, always well researched and presented, full of pithy wonderment. Another gem in a golden age of free content.
  • Snedman3
    Joe Snedeker
    Great podcast with thorough topics in scientific reasoning with fun sprinkled in....just because! Keep them coming!
  • M. Bennett
    Political podcast
    This is a political podcast pretending to be about science. Lots of the scientific history is just factually incorrect. After hearing errors in seven of the eight episodes I listened to, I chose to never listen again.
  • 6he
    THE big picture
    You have a wide-ranging grasp of topics, and a wonderful way of getting the ideas across to novice or professional. So fully worth subscribing-to. I love listening to you, even at 2x speeds
  • OTR Child
    Was great , but now
    I’ve been a listener going on 7 years. However, just like other media, I’ve noticed a political bias in some of their podcasts which I don’t feel belongs here.
  • Will make choice later
    Space: Why Go There
    Did Seth wake up on the wrong side of the bed the day that this podcast was recorded? He was very confrontational towards Sarah Cruddas. He seemed to want to contradict anything she said. He reacted as though any answer she gave was the wrong answer. Normally his interviews are productive and informative, but unfortunately this wasn’t one of them.
  • nothing absolutely
    Great topics, but needlessly dumbed down
    I’d give BPS 5 stars for their excellent subjects and guests if it weren’t for the relentless yuck-yuck, wink and a nod puns and a tendency to reach for greater accessibility by dumbing down the subject matter. I guess this tone is appropriate if their primary audience is children, but this adult finds it all a bit tedious.
  • Octostarr
    Excellent show
    Very enjoyable Seth and Marley are very funny and excellent podcast.
  • PantherBCG
    Disappointing!!
    As a retired physic’s instructor, I’m greatly disappointed in the way, very important scientific topics, are discussed in these podcasts. Too often the topics of the podcasts are presented from a predetermined, bias viewpoint. Pure science is a quest for the truth. It is not a close minded presentation of selected outcomes used to support a particular point of view.
  • booklovertoo
    A must listen for anyone interested in science...
    This show presents fascinating scientific information with humor and very interesting guests. They tackle everything from UFOs to microbes. This is one of the best podcast discoveries I’ve ever made.
  • random estimator
    Lord AldOttEn
    This human endeavor is Pleasant,
  • Samuel Longlegs
    National Treasure
    I listen to a lot of science podcasts and this may be the best! Each episode is broken down into several different segments on a subject which is easy to listen to. More than that though the topics get pretty good depth, historical context, but are approachable and easily understood. I don't know if the government actually funds this podcast but I hope it does.
  • Kim Jong Il (deceased)
    Stellar window into the world of science
    I'm only three episodes in and already can't stop thinking and talking about this podcast. Looking forward to hours and hours and hours of more! BTW, if you're looking to fill a science void due to the decline of radiolab over the last year, this podcast is for you!
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