Jess has the details on some recent UCS victories in the real world, and gives a preview of what you can expect for the second season of This Is Science.

Season 2 Is Coming!

24 days ago 32s

Thank you to all of our listeners for a fantastic first season of This Is Science with Jess Phoenix! We are grateful for your support, and stay tuned for the start of Season 2 in just a few weeks.

War Of The Words

May 1st, 2024 29m

Dr. Jo Lukito of the University of Texas, Austin has made using science to understand political language her life’s work. She joins Jess for the third episode in our ongoing series about the science of democracy in the 2024 election cycle.

Earth Day Two Ways

Apr 16th, 2024 29m

Jess hosts a conversation between climate scientist Dr. Brenda Ekwurzel and environmentalist and actor Eric Balfour about climate solutions and the future of humanity and our planet.

Feet To The Fire

Apr 3rd, 2024 29m

Jess talks with California's Attorney General Rob Bonta about a historic lawsuit he filed against Big Oil to hold them accountable for the devastating effects of climate change caused by their fossil fuel products.

What We Need to Make Democracy Work

Mar 19th, 2024 29m

Longtime Washington journalist Jesse J. Holland talks with Jess about changes in journalism and communicating science in the age of social media and “alternative facts,” and what we can expect as the 2024 US election cycle swings into gear. Thi

The Expanse

Mar 5th, 2024 29m

Jess talks about space, science, and the future of humans in our universe with Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, the award-winning authors behind the hit books and critically-acclaimed TV series The Expanse.

Near The Water

Feb 21st, 2024 29m

Hydrologist Dr. Karletta Chief of the Navajo Nation talks with Jess about the unique scientific problems facing indigenous communities in the United States and what role science has in finding the solutions.

The State of the Science

Feb 6th, 2024 29m

Dr. Mindy Romero, founder of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at the University of Southern California, talks with Jess about current election science and what we can expect to see during the 2024 election cycle.

Look For The Helpers - Part 2

Jan 23rd, 2024 29m 1s

In the second part of this special Clean Transportation mini-series Jess visits the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project to talk with co-founder and co-director Ms. Margaret Gordon about local health and environmental impacts of - and

Look For The Helpers - Part 1

Jan 10th, 2024 29m

In the first part of this special Clean Transportation mini-series Jess talks with Adam Browning of Forum Mobility about the future of heavy-duty electric trucks.

Happy Holidays, Science Friends!

Dec 26th, 2023 1m 20s

Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year from all of us at the Union of Concerned Scientists!

The Highest Stakes

Dec 13th, 2023 29m

With the backdrop of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), Jess catches up with lawyer and climate negotiator Hafij Khan about the critical Loss and Damage fund and this year's conference.

Special Episode - This Is Science Thanks

Nov 29th, 2023 18m

Need some pumpkin pi to go with that leftover turkey? Jess highlights her favorite reasons to be thankful for science in this season of gratitude.

What's Science Fiction is Prologue

Nov 14th, 2023 29m

Some science fiction authors have an almost uncanny ability to see what’s coming down the road. Jess talks with Chuck Wendig, whose writing is both wildly creative and oftentimes extraordinarily prescient.

Ep014 SkinDeep Final

Oct 31st, 2023 29m

Happy Halloween! Jess talks with UCLA librarian Megan Rosenbloom about the spooky science of uncovering what makes some old books extra rare.

Dust To Eat

Oct 17th, 2023 28m 49s

Jess digs into the science of soils and farming in the century of climate change with Dr. Rick Cruse of Iowa State University.

Science Fiction

Oct 3rd, 2023 29m

Science fictions are widely held dangerous beliefs that are not supported by science. Jess explores a few of these in anticipation of the continued propagation of science myths during the next US election cycle.

Ungulates, Overlords, and Uprisings: Artificial Intelligence Unleashed

Sep 19th, 2023 58m

Jess talks with artificial intelligence experts Chris Mattmann of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Meriem Bekka of vmWare about the technological, social, and environmental aspects of our A.I. future.

Wet Hot American Summer

Sep 5th, 2023 29m

Hurricanes pounding both coasts, heatwaves and smoke from fires across the country, and temperature records falling left and right…Jess talks with UCLA climate scientist and Weather West blogger Dr. Daniel Swain about this summer of extremes.

Something Strange In Your Neighborhood

Aug 22nd, 2023 29m 1s

Jess tells the stories of three invisible threats harming residents of major US cities with help from Julie McNamara and Darya Minovi of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The New Dark Ages

Aug 8th, 2023 29m

Jess speaks with Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse about the influence of fossil fuel dark money in politics today.

Destroyer of Worlds

Jul 25th, 2023 29m

Jess speaks with Oppenheimer biographer Kai Bird about one of Earth's most influential humans and his scientific and political legacies.

Special Episode - Under Pressure

Jun 30th, 2023 19m

Jess speaks from her experience conducting deep ocean research to answer questions raised by UCS scientists and staff about the recent disasters of the migrant ship sunk in Greek waters and the implosion of the Titan submersible.

Fear in a Handful of Dust

Jun 20th, 2023 29m

Exciting new research allows UCS scientists to gain insight into North Korea’s shadowy nuclear weapons program. Jess talks with UCS researchers Dr. Sulgi Park and Dr. Laura Grego about this work, and the current state of worldwide nuclear affai