We’re making our list and checking it twice: It’s the best science books of 2015. Plus, why failure is key to successful science, and photos reveal Pluto’s icy plains and deep, layered craters.

Will the UN Climate Conference create a binding agreement? Plus, gun violence as a public health issue, and Kurt Vonnegut’s connection to cloud seeding.

Why are science students at Stony Brook University learning improv? Plus, Randall Munroe explains the periodic table, using only the thousand most common English words. And highlights from this year’s Ig Nobel Prize ceremony.

Algorithms aren’t impartial—they often have bias baked in. In this episode, a look at how we can ensure that machines scan our resumes and loan applications with a fair eye. Plus, the hard science in a bottle of hard cider, and the design challenge in improving hard-to-read transit maps.

We take a look at the commercial trade in illegal and rare plants, with a stop at the New York Botanical Garden’s plant rescue center. Plus, how gene therapy might improve hearing, an illustrated account of weather, hairy insects, and more.

Wearable technology goes way beyond smartwatches—think slim, skin-tight spacesuits and seams that prod you about your posture. We took a look at those concepts during our Science of Superpowers event in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Plus, we present the first in a series on traumatic brain injury.

Some spiders are willing to pay the ultimate price for a chance to mate. Plus, a look at the microbiomes of classic Halloween monsters. And we explore “walking dead syndrome” and other spooky glitches of the brain. It’s our Halloween special—listen if you dare.

We show you how to build your own miniature natural history museum. Plus, what happens when countries go cashless, and a theory about a link between dark matter and the dinosaurs’ demise.

Ira hits the streets of NYC to discover how our cityscapes shape our bodies and brains. Plus, the search for dark matter takes scientists deep underground.

A new book examines how smartphones and social media have crowded out real conversation. Plus, an app that helps kids with math, progress in gene therapy, a most curious museum, and more.