Ending a pandemic is no small feat. In part one of our series, Leading epidemiologist Larry Brilliant, who helped eradicate smallpox, talks about what it takes to put an end to disease. Time is of the essence, but so is patience: There’s a long road ahead before we can conquer COVID-19.

With the CDC recommending all Americans wear face masks, scientists are in a race to understand how COVID-19 travels through the air. As an expert on the fluid dynamics of disease, MIT associate professor Lydia Bourouiba discusses the implications of airborne transmission.

Octopuses are clever, playful and full of surprises. They're also endangered in many places. Biodiversity scientist Dr Samantha Cheng explains why these creatures – often depicted in mythology and popular culture – are such a source of fascination. And, why they're worth protecting. You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go to stitcherpremium.com and use promo code ‘SCIENCE.’

It's not just the development of a COVID-19 vaccine that the world needs. There are also huge manufacturing and delivery challenges to plan for. Until we can immunize against it, we need alternatives to fight the virus: drugs and therapies. President of global immunization at the Sabin Vaccine Institute, Dr Bruce Gellin, walks us through it all.

Shopping for food is one of the few reasons we can leave the house these days. But advice has been swirling online about the risks of shopping and bringing items back into your home. Associate Professor of Global Health at Boston University Christopher Gill helps us assess the real risks when shopping and bringing food home.

Are we in a recession? What does this stimulus package actually mean? Annie Lowrey, who writes about politics and economics for The Atlantic, talks about the government's response to this pandemic and what financial recovery could look like.

By reprogramming your body’s cells, medical engineers may soon be able to heal a diseased heart or kidney. Biologist and pioneer in the science of aging, Dr. Michael West, discusses the potential for regrowing lost limbs, and even reversing the aging process.

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Who should wear masks? Do they even work? Epidemiologist Dr Celine Gounder returns to Science Rules to take questions from Bill Nye's listener mailbox, and to share her experience from the frontline at Bellevue Hospital in New York.

Hospitalization rates, exponential growth and flattening the curve – all these concepts are now part of our daily vocabulary. But understanding them properly takes some expertise. Bio-statistician Adam Kucharski joins Bill Nye to make sense of the data on COVID-19, and what to watch out for.

How we distinguish between real risks and fake fears is a complicated, but universal human challenge. Author David Ropeik gives listeners the tools to assess their own fears, and the risks they face. You can listen to ad-free new episodes of Science Rules! only on Stitcher Premium. For a free month of Stitcher Premium, go to stitcherpremium.com and use promo code ‘SCIENCE.’