Podcasts Science Quirks and Quarks May 30: Swearing makes pain more tolerable, Mt. St. Helens 40 years later, turning plants into carnivores and COVID reopening speedbumps

May 30: Swearing makes pain more tolerable, Mt. St. Helens 40 years later, turning plants into carnivores and COVID reopening speedbumps

Published: May 29, 2020, 4:10 a.m.

The science of why bad words feel so good during painful moments (1:40). 40 years ago Mount St. Helens blew its top, here's how it got green again (10:05). Recycling spare genes was how some plants turned into carnivores (27:48). COVID reopening: hoping it goes right — watching carefully how it might go wrong (35:53).