Black Box

Black Box

From Radiolab by WNYC Studios

February 27, 2026 · 1h 6m · Episode 682

About this episode

This episode explores the concept of black boxes through various lenses, including metamorphosis and consciousness.

In this episode, first aired in 2014, we examine three very different kinds of black boxes—spaces where we know what’s going in, we know what’s coming out, but can’t see what happens in-between. From the darkest parts of metamorphosis to a sixty-year-old secret among magicians, and the nature of consciousness itself, we shine some light on three questions. But for each, we contend with an answerless space, leaving just enough room for the mystery and magic, always wondering what’s inside the Black Box. EPISODE CREDITS: Reported by Tim Howard and Molly WebsterProduced by Tim Howard and Molly Webster EPISODE CITATIONS:Radio Show: ABC's Keep Them Guessing (https://tinyurl.com/9r9zmftr)LATERAL CUTS:Last year we shared a story on our feed about butterfly researcher Dr. Martha Weiss, and how she befriended a little boy on the other side of the world who wanted to do his own caterpillar memory study. Martha’s daughter Annie Rosenthal captured the whole adventure on tape and produced a gorgeous audio feature, “Caterpillar Roadshow,” which was first published in the audio magazine Signal Hill. You can find it on our feed (https://zpr.io/xPdAYXFUMr4s)–or on Signal Hill’s website…

People in this episode

Hosts: Tim Howard, Molly Webster

Topics covered

  • metamorphosis
  • magic
  • consciousness
  • mystery
  • black boxes

Keywords

  • black box
  • metamorphosis
  • consciousness
  • magic
  • mystery

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ABC, Signal Hill

Books & works: Caterpillar Roadshow

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