Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From the Radiolab podcast: We break the thermometer, watch the mercury spill out and discover that temperature is far stranger than it seems. Five stories that run the gamut from snakes to stars.
We first ran this episode in 2021: Five stories that run the gamut from snakes to stars. We start out underwater, with a species of snake that has evolved a devious trick for keeping warm. Then we hear the tale of a young man whose seemingly simple method of warming up might be the very thing making him cold. And Senior Correspondent Molly Webster blows the lid off the idea that 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit is a sound marker of health.
EPISODE CREDITS:
Reported by Lulu Miller and Molly Webster
Produced by Becca Bressler, Lulu Miller and Molly Webster
with help from Carin Leong
Fact-checking by Emily Krieger
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Photo illustration by Mikey Burton
Video by W. Harry Fortuna
From the Radiolab podcast: We break the thermometer, watch the mercury spill out and discover that temperature is far stranger than it seems. Five stories that run the gamut from snakes to stars.
We first ran this episode in 2021: Five stories that run the gamut from snakes to stars. We start out underwater, with a species of snake that has evolved a devious trick for keeping warm. Then we hear the tale of a young man whose seemingly simple method of warming up might be the very thing making him cold. And Senior Correspondent Molly Webster blows the lid off the idea that 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit is a sound marker of health.
EPISODE CREDITS:
Reported by Lulu Miller and Molly Webster
Produced by Becca Bressler, Lulu Miller and Molly Webster
with help from Carin Leong
Fact-checking by Emily Krieger
🎧 Subscribe to Radiolab wherever you listen to podcasts: lnk.to/radiolab!youtube
🔎 Subscribe to Radiolab on YouTube: bit.ly/3I9KI53
🖋 Subscribe to Radiolab’s Newsletter: radiolab.org/newsletter
🌱 Check out Radiolab's Starter Kit Playlist: bit.ly/3sX8f4P
👍 Like this video ✏️ and leave us a comment!
Follow Radiolab:
Instagram — instagram.com/radiolab
X — https://x.com/Radiolab
Facebook — facebook.com/Radiolab
Threads — threads.net/@radiolab
TikTok — tiktok.com/@radiolab
Our newsletter includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up here: radiolab.org/newsletter
Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab today: radiolab.org/the-lab
Photo illustration by Mikey Burton
Video by W. Harry Fortuna
