The Rest Is Science
Join Maths Professor, and Celebrity Traitors star Hannah Fry and science creator Michael Stevens (Vsauce) as they dig into the weird scientific questions that often go unexplored. Welcome to The Rest Is Science, a show that sits in the fascinating space between what we think we know, and what we actually know. Why do we assume we understand things like time, randomness, or even gravity? Once you start questioning these familiar ideas, reality becomes astonishingly strange and completely fragile. Whether you're a lifelong science fan or just naturally curious, The Rest Is Science will change your perception of reality, and prove that the biggest questions are always the most fun.
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Recent Episodes
Why Sharks Attack The Internet
Nov 05, 2026Summary Preview
Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens explore the fascinating world of undersea internet cables, revealing how the internet's main arteries are surprisingly thin fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor. Hannah brings a physical sample to show Michael, explaining how these cables work, their vulnerabilities, and the incredible technology that allows them to transmit data at nearly half a quadrillion bits per second. The episode also covers the etymology of planet names, the mathematical beauty of knot theory, and the hosts' personal superstitions despite being science-minded people.
- Introduction and Deep Sea Internet Cables
- Cable Structure and Ocean Floor Reality
Is 100 Better Than 101?
Nov 01, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry celebrate their 100th episode by debating whether 100 or 101 is the better number. The conversation explores mathematical properties, historical context, human psychology, and even Roman numerals, with Michael arguing for 101's superiority due to its prime status and palindromic nature, while Hannah defends 100 as psychologically significant and deeply embedded in human culture and nature.
- The Great Hundred: Historical Origins of 100
- Base Systems and the Arbitrariness of 100
Do You Recognise These Creepy Sounds?
Oct 29, 2026Summary Preview
Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens dive into Halloween-themed unintentionally spooky sounds from history and nature. The episode explores mysterious audio recordings ranging from the earliest known human voice from 1860 to strange underwater noises that puzzled scientists for decades. These sounds aren't actually dangerous or disturbing, but they're eerie enough to score a horror film - from phonautograph recordings that captured voices before Edison's phonograph to whale calls that sound extraterrestrial and icebergs grinding against the ocean floor.
- The Earliest Recorded Human Voice
- Archaeoacoustics and Ancient Sounds
Earth’s Tilt Makes Time Slippery
Oct 25, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry explore why sundials don't match the time on our phones, diving deep into the equation of time, Earth's eccentric orbit, axial tilt, and how these factors create discrepancies of up to 16 minutes. They discuss solar versus civil time, the subsolar point, and fascinating phenomena like Lahaina Noon in Hawaii where shadows disappear when the sun is directly overhead.
- The Sundial Problem: Why Time Doesn't Match
- Understanding Earth's Motion: Orbit and Rotation
A History Of Squatting
Oct 21, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry explore the history of human resting positions, from ancient squatting practices to the invention and proliferation of chairs. They examine how skeletal evidence reveals squatting habits across millennia, discuss the biomechanics of different sitting positions, and answer listener questions about physics phenomena and linguistic quirks.
- The Kenyan Stool and Ancient Squatting Practices
- Skeletal Evidence of Squatting Throughout History
Mathematicians Are The Canary Down The AI Coal Mine
Oct 18, 2026Summary Preview
Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens dive deep into the Navier-Stokes equations, one of mathematics' most famous unsolved problems, exploring how OpenAI's controversial AI-generated proof has sparked debate about the role of artificial intelligence in mathematics, the nature of scientific discovery, and whether technical achievement without deeper understanding has value for humanity.
- OpenAI's Groundbreaking Navier-Stokes Proof
- Understanding the Navier-Stokes Equations and Fluid Dynamics
The Right Way To Open A Shaken Soda Can
Oct 14, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry explore the science of carbonated beverages and how tapping the sides prevents explosions, then dive into deeper questions about faith in science, doubt as a driver of progress, the limitations of mechanical advantage, and how curiosity sustains both individuals and society. The conversation ranges from practical life hacks to philosophical discussions about certainty, thoughtlessness, and maintaining wonder in an increasingly automated world.
- The Carbonation Experiment: Why Tapping Works
- Aircraft Pressurization and Structural Integrity
Something Weird Is Going On With Placebos
Oct 11, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens reveals a surprising medical mystery: placebos are becoming increasingly effective over time, but only in America. The episode explores why sugar pills and fake treatments are working better than ever, how labeled placebos can still be effective, and what this tells us about the power of belief, ritual, and expectation in healing. The discussion covers different types of placebos, the science behind why they work, and fascinating examples of placebo effects in everyday life.
- The American Placebo Mystery
- Understanding Placebos and Verums
What Was A Mammoth Doing At The Bottom Of The Sea?
Oct 07, 2026Summary Preview
Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens explore the lost prehistoric land of Doggerland that once connected Britain to continental Europe, examining how it disappeared beneath the North Sea around 8,000 years ago. They then delve into fascinating discussions about the evolution of 'coolness' as a cultural concept, the science behind 'stank face' reactions to heavy music, and share their current reading recommendations.
- The Discovery of Doggerland Through a Mammoth Bone
- Uncovering Doggerland's Existence
Why Do We Turn on Innocent People?
Oct 04, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry explore the psychology of false accusations, witch hunts, and mob mentality through historical cases and scientific studies. Beginning with Richard Jewell's false accusation as the 1996 Atlanta Olympic bomber, they examine how cognitive biases, social media dynamics, and conformity pressures enable innocent people to be condemned. The discussion covers everything from Nazi Germany's Gestapo tip-offs to the 1980s daycare satanic panic, revealing how suspicion snowballs into certainty and why defending yourself can paradoxically make you look more guilty.
- The Richard Jewell Case: From Hero to Suspect
- Historical Patterns: When False Accusations Serve Personal Gain
Hacking The Kendama With Physics
Sep 30, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry explore the physics of kendama (Japanese cup and ball toy) in this Field Notes episode. Michael brings Hannah a custom kendama made by Adam Savage using physics principles to make it easier to use, demonstrating concepts like gyroscopic stability, angular momentum, and center of mass. The discussion covers how spinning objects resist forces differently than stationary ones, and they answer listener questions about swimming physics, Jupiter's mysterious interior, and recommended mathematics textbooks.
- Introduction to Kendama and Its Physics
- Adam Savage's Physics-Enhanced Kendama
Why Do We Like Staring Into Fire?
Sep 27, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry explore the fascinating nature of fire, from its chemical composition to its profound impact on human evolution and society. They discuss how fire is not a single substance but a complex chemical reaction, examine humanity's ancient relationship with flames, and draw surprising parallels between sitting around a campfire and modern social media consumption, arguing that fire served as humanity's original 'soft fascination' and social gathering point.
- What Fire Actually Is: Chemistry and the Fire Triangle
- Fire's Birthday: The History of Combustion on Earth
The Fluid Dynamics of Fountain Pens
Sep 23, 2026Summary Preview
In this episode of The Rest is Science, Hannah Fry shares her passion for fountain pens with Michael Stevens, exploring the physics and history behind these elegant writing instruments. The discussion covers everything from capillary action and hydrodynamics to vintage designs and the mechanics of how fountain pens actually work. They also answer listener questions about aerodynamics, linguistics, and historical events.
- The Physics of Fountain Pens
- Historical Innovations in Fountain Pen Design
Summary Preview
Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens explore fascinating stories about humans venturing beyond Earth, from the tragic deaths of three Soviet cosmonauts who became the first humans to die in space, to examining whether everyday items like bottled water or our phone numbers are truly 'trapped' forever. The episode weaves together space history, mathematical curiosities about pi, and surprising animal behavior myths.
- The Only Three Humans to Die Beyond Earth
- Modern Space Travel and Risk
How Codes Were Used To Hack The Telegram Business
Sep 16, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry explore the fascinating intersection of communication technology and physics in this Field Notes episode. They dive into the history of telegrams through an 1900s code book that compressed messages into single words to save money, discuss why we rarely dream about our smartphones despite constant use, explain the physics behind water swirling down drains, and calculate what it would take to survive falling from the world's tallest building.
- The 1900s Telegram Code Book
- The Telegraph's Revolutionary Impact on Society
Why Your Body Needs Gravity
Sep 13, 2026Summary Preview
Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens explore what happened when NASA conducted a real-life twin experiment with astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly. While Einstein's theory predicted time dilation effects from space travel would be minimal at ISS speeds, NASA discovered far more dramatic changes from the physical effects of being in space—from gene expression alterations to surprising telomere lengthening and subsequent collapse. The discussion reveals how fundamentally our bodies are adapted to Earth's gravity and environment, with astronauts essentially sacrificing their health for humanity's advancement.
- Einstein's Twin Paradox and the Kelly Brothers Experiment
- Vision Changes and Fluid Shifts in Space
What Is Collagen All About?
Sep 09, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry explore the science behind collagen supplements, examining the marketing claims, manufacturing process, and actual evidence for their effectiveness. Hannah investigates whether these expensive supplements derived from animal byproducts actually deliver on their promises for skin, joints, and overall health, while Michael shares insights about collagen from his barbecuing experience. The episode also features discussion of Ig Nobel Prize winners and listener questions about mathematics and chemistry.
- The Collagen Supplement Industry and Manufacturing
- How Collagen Digestion Actually Works
The Threshold of Human Sensation
Sep 06, 2026Summary Preview
Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry embark on a fascinating journey to answer the question: what's the smallest thing you can feel? They systematically explore human sensory thresholds across taste, smell, hearing, touch, and sight, challenging poetic but unsourced claims found across the internet. Through scientific research and calculations, they progress from emotions requiring trillions of atoms down to the remarkable discovery that humans can detect single photons hitting their eyes, even if not consciously perceived.
- The Challenge of Defining Sensory Thresholds
- Emotions and Hearing: Starting with Trillions
The Scale of the Universe
Sep 02, 2026Summary Preview
In this Field Notes episode of The Rest is Science, Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens explore a stunning visualization that shows how human egg cells sit precisely at the midpoint between the smallest and largest measurable sizes in the universe. They discuss the bizarre lopsidedness of scale, share favorite Wikipedia articles, explain why shower thoughts happen, and correct a previous episode's mistake about historical attitudes toward curiosity.
- The Journey from Planck Length to Observable Universe
- Favorite Wikipedia Articles and Internet Rabbit Holes
Why Loud Chewing Makes You Angry
Aug 30, 2026Summary Preview
Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens explore misophonia - the intense dislike or rage some people experience when hearing certain sounds, particularly eating noises. They discuss the physics of annoying sounds, test theories about why chewing bothers people, examine brain research on mirror neurons, and explore creative solutions to combat the condition, including fascinating experiments with sound-swapped videos.
- The Physics of Universally Horrible Sounds
- Mirror Neurons and the Brain Science of Misophonia