Dr. Steven Novella
500 episodes listed below
Steven Novella and a rotating panel dissect weekly science news and debunk pseudoscience claims.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is a weekly panel podcast in which Steven Novella and a rotating group of co-hosts discuss recent science news stories and evaluate claims using skeptical and critical-thinking methods. Episodes typically move through several unrelated news items in one sitting — recent examples include NASA's Artemis program changes, CRISPR-edited wheat, AI-designed bacteriophages, fusion energy developments, and cognitive bias research — interspersed with segments debunking specific pseudoscience or misinformation claims, such as a ground-penetrating-radar 'Noah's Ark' finding or hepatitis B vaccine misinformation. The show also regularly examines how science itself is done, covering topics like the replication crisis, p-hacking, and whether AI tools can predict scientific replication. Recurring panelists include Bob Novella, Jay Novella, Evan Bernstein, and Cara Santa Maria alongside host Steven Novella.
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The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is a long-running, weekly panel-format podcast (over 900 episodes) hosted by neurologist Steven Novella. Each episode brings together a consistent group of co-hosts — Bob Novella, Jay Novella, Evan Bernstein, and Cara Santa Maria, with occasional appearances from Shane Novella — who take turns presenting science news items they have each researched. The format is conversational, with hosts building on and sometimes correcting one another's interpretation of a study or claim rather than following a scripted structure. Segments span space exploration and NASA program updates including the Artemis lunar missions, physics and astronomy news such as antimatter transport and dark matter evidence, biology and genetics topics like CRISPR-edited crops and AI-designed bacteriophages, energy technology such as fusion power developments from companies like Helion Energy, and cognitive science topics like confirmation bias and motivated reasoning. A recurring throughline is applying skeptical methodology to specific claims in the news, ranging from outright pseudoscience, such as a ground-penetrating-radar 'Noah's Ark' story, to medical misinformation around vaccine hesitancy. The show periodically turns its skeptical lens on the practice of science itself, discussing the replication crisis, statistical malpractice such as p-hacking, and the difference between relative and absolute risk in reported studies. Guests appear occasionally, generally researchers discussing their own published work, but the panel of regular hosts carries most episodes. The show suits listeners who already have an interest in science literacy and critical thinking and want a weekly roundup of science news filtered through a skeptical framework, rather than a single-topic interview show. Production is a straightforward audio panel discussion without narrative framing, and the hosts reference past episodes and running jokes that reward regular listening.
Made for: Listeners interested in science literacy and critical thinking who want a weekly panel discussion of current science news and pseudoscience claims.
What sets it apart: Applies an explicit skeptical/critical-thinking framework to a wide roundup of unrelated science news items each week, rather than a single-topic interview or narrative format.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is a weekly science podcast discussing the latest science news, critical thinking, bad science, conspiracies and controversies. -The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe: Your escape to reality - Produced by SGU Productions, LLC: https://www.theskepticsguide.org
Based on 5 episodes we listened to · July 2026
A panel that digs into how studies are actually run, so Science listeners learn to judge how much a fresh claim has really earned.
A weekly panel built around skeptical scrutiny of science news, hosted by Stephen Novella with a regular table of Bob Novella, Jay Novella, Evan Bernstein, and Cara Santamaria. The angle is method over headline.
You want smart-drug hype under lab light before it becomes your supplement drawer.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A lively SGU episode on April Fools, p-hacking, and the habit of checking what a claim really means.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe opens this April 2026 episode in familiar form: a loose, funny argument about April Fools' Day, AI, and the growing difficulty of telling a prank from reality.
SGU turns a long cloning experiment into a clear discussion of epigenetics, mutation buildup, and why uncertainty belongs in science.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe #1081 opens in familiar panel mode, with Stephen Novella, Bob Novella, Cara Santa Maria, Shane Novella, and Evan Bernstein turning spring-weather small talk into a science segment with sharper stakes.
A careful SGU pass at a dark matter claim, grounded in gamma-ray news and a clear galaxy-rotation primer.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe treats a dark matter headline as a claim to be tested, not a discovery to be celebrated. Bob Novella introduces a report about gamma radiation data from the center of the Milky Way and keeps the framing cautious: a researcher is claiming…
A skeptical, practical look at why some meetings drag on and how structure can make group decisions less painful.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe takes a familiar annoyance, the meeting that will not end, and treats it as a small problem in applied skepticism.
A fair, skeptical pass at creatine and cognition, strongest when it separates a possible edge case from brain-health hype.
Jet-lagged but game, Stephen Novella turns this Skeptics' Guide episode toward a useful lesson in how plausible science can shrink under scrutiny.
Bob McDonald anchors weekly multi-segment interviews on new research, from cricket courtship to moon missions.
Vox reporters trace how Botox, brain-speech implants, and scientific disputes actually happened.
The cold open starts with a date correction.
March 26, 2026, opens with weather talk.
The hosts discuss an update about a teacher who spread misinformation about the moon landing and the school's inadequate response to correct it.
The hosts discuss listener feedback correcting a claim about medieval bathing habits, exploring the myth and its academic sources.
The hosts discuss NASA's Artemis 3 mission no longer landing on the moon and the technical issues with Artemis 2 involving helium flow interruptions in rocket fuel systems.
The hosts discuss recent winter weather, snow days, and the impact on work and school routines, including reflections on online teaching post-COVID.
The hosts discuss the shocking failure of American figure skater Ilya Malinin at the Winter Olympics, where he was expected to win gold but crashed while attempting a historic Quintuple jump and finished eighth.
The hosts introduce themselves and welcome a guest rogue, discussing his work in IT support.
The hosts discuss being mentioned in the Epstein Files and the context of skeptics being listed in documents.
The episode opens with a pharmaceutical ad for ZepBound, then transitions into the show's introduction and host greetings, setting up a science news discussion.
The hosts discuss a recent incident where a middle school teacher promoted the moon landing hoax conspiracy, and one host's follow-up with the school.
The hosts discuss their recent live events and one host's daughter being taught moon landing denial at school.
Dark matter gets the skeptical-panel treatment.
November 25 opens with bread.
Steve Novella returns jet-lagged from a month-long Dubai AI and skepticism conference to record episode 1063 with Bob Novella, Jay Novella, and Evan Bernstein.
The hosts discuss personal travel experiences and introduce the show's focus on science and skepticism.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe discusses science news, critical thinking, and remembers lost friends in a roundtable format.
The hosts discuss their recent virtual Nexus conference and brainstorm ideas for future in-person meetups.
The episode opens with a discussion of the passing of actress Nichelle Nichols and her impact on Star Trek and representation.
The hosts discuss the latest science news and critical thinking topics, including a behind-the-scenes look at recording an audiobook.
The hosts welcome back Cara after surgery and discuss her recovery, then transition into the show's regular science news and skepticism topics.
The hosts discuss the heatwave, episode number 888, and promote the upcoming Nexus conference on navigating misinformation.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is a weekly science podcast discussing the latest science news, critical thinking, and controversies.
The hosts discuss a nature encounter with a snake and prepare for summer schedule changes.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe discusses science news, critical thinking, and debunks pseudoscience, with this episode covering a stomach bug discussion among hosts.
The hosts discuss the James Webb Space Telescope being hit by a micrometeoroid and its impact on the mission.
The episode opens with the hosts discussing recent TV shows they are watching before transitioning into the main science content.
The hosts discuss the latest science news, including the announcement of an exascale supercomputer, while navigating current events.
The hosts discuss a documentary they made about Weta Workshop and promote their science fiction review show Alpha Quadrant 6.
The hosts discuss the recent lunar eclipse and share their experiences, blending science with humor.
The hosts discuss Apple's decision to discontinue the iPod, reflecting on its legacy and how music consumption has shifted to smartphones and streaming services.
The hosts celebrate the 17th anniversary of The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe podcast, reflecting on its longevity, consistent weekly episodes, and over 140 million lifetime downloads.
The hosts discuss personal experiences with anesthesia recovery after surgery, exploring its effects on the body and brain.
The host Stephen Novella returns from a vacation in Bermuda for his 30th wedding anniversary and discusses the trip with co-hosts.
The hosts of The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe, including special guest George Robb, engage in a lighthearted debate comparing Boston and New York and introduce a fun segment about rating things as overrated or underrated.