Why is the female orgasm notoriously difficult to study? On The Gist, guest host Andrea Silenzi avoids tarnishing her browser history by asking Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker about new research into the effects of la petite mort on the brain. For the Spiel, the one thing over-the-air radio has over podcasts—it looks good on TV. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus.

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