Overview
439 Episodes
In a first, NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered pure sulfur on Mars. And, we revisit a conversation from 2015 about Alexander von Humboldt and Andrea Wulf's “The Invention of Nature,” which is our August book club pick.
Transcribed - Published: 26 July 2024
As public figures promote raw milk, and sales increase, experts warn about the risks from pathogens like salmonella and avian flu.
Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2024
Researchers developed a prototype of a space suit that could replace the high-absorbency diapers that astronauts wear on space walks. And, a bitcoin mine's cooling fans are so loud they rattle windows. Residents of Granbury, Texas, are having migraines, panic attacks, and hearing loss.
Transcribed - Published: 24 July 2024
In her book, marine biologist Jasmin Graham writes about uplifting young scientists of color and why she pursues research outside of academia.
Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2024
The panel raised concerns about the study’s methods and failure to address previous instances of research misconduct.
Transcribed - Published: 22 July 2024
The foot-long meteor passed through the Earth’s atmosphere near the Statue of Liberty. Don’t worry, it was fine. Also, the follow-up to the 1996 movie “Twister” is a whirlwind of tornado science. A weather expert decodes its lingo—and real-life tornado trends.
Transcribed - Published: 19 July 2024
It’s not just Ozempic. There are 323 ongoing drug shortages in the U.S., leaving patients scrambling for necessary medications.
Transcribed - Published: 18 July 2024
Most gut microbiome research focuses on the colon. But understanding the small intestine might unlock better treatments for GI disorders.
Transcribed - Published: 17 July 2024
Rising temperatures shut down some conchs’ impulse to reproduce. So scientists are ferrying them to colonies in deeper, cooler waters.
Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2024
Congestion pricing increases commuting costs in cities, but it can also mean better air quality and a healthier population.
Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2024
As the James Webb Space Telescope marks two years of operations, NASA unveils a new image of two galaxies interacting. And, new research shows that cats’ tendency to scratch is affected by stress, certain kinds of play, and how active they are at night.
Transcribed - Published: 12 July 2024
Gene variants inherited from Neanderthals can impact pain tolerance and nose shape in modern humans. What else could they influence?
Transcribed - Published: 11 July 2024
From drought-resistant crops to making sure farmers of color thrive, here’s how experts in Iowa are looking at the future of agriculture.
Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2024
At a live event in Washington, Ira talks to restoration experts about the science of preserving America’s founding documents.
Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2024
In this story from 2023, we look back at 80 years of panda conservation, and how “panda diplomacy” paved the way for groundbreaking science.
Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2024
Two science writers and voracious readers have compiled their summer reading recommendations, just for Science Friday fans.
Transcribed - Published: 5 July 2024
In a conversation from 2014, Ira talks marinade myths, charcoal chemistry, and the elusive “smoke ring”—the science behind barbecue and grilling.
Transcribed - Published: 4 July 2024
In “Becoming Earth,” author Ferris Jabr reexamines our relationship to Earth, and makes the case that Earth itself is alive.
Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2024
The age of first menstruation trended downward from 1950 to 2005, but more so among low-income kids and kids of color.
Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2024
In an effort to learn from scientific failure, The Journal of Trial Error only publishes “negative” results.
Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2024
China’s Chang’e 6 return capsule landed in Mongolia, carrying samples from the far side of the moon. Also, Paris has invested $1.5B in cleaning up the Seine for open-water swimming events, but recent tests indicate it’s not yet safe.
Transcribed - Published: 28 June 2024
The larger Pacific striped octopus is unusually social. But it wasn’t recognized by scientists until 2015, despite one man’s efforts. And, a deep-sea squid in the family Gonatidae was filmed cradling large eggs for its body size, which suggests it’s an entirely new species.
Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2024
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act expired on June 10, but supporters are still fighting to expand it.
Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2024
Researchers analyzed photos, videos, and audio from crowdsource platforms to identify bird species that have not been spotted in over a decade.
Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2024
When the federal government wavered in its commitment to climate action, cities stepped up. But goals, and success, are hard to define.
Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2024
Researchers say the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature is a better indicator of heat stress. Also, cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs. A new vaccine has increased survival rates in clinical trials, offering hope for dogs and humans.
Transcribed - Published: 21 June 2024
Two mannequins walk into a science lab, and one’s got a big tick problem. She can teach humans how to check for ticks. Also, researchers used citizen science observations and machine learning to understand where fireflies are and what they need to thrive.
Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2024
Two decades after his book “The Singularity is Near,” Kurzweil is back with more predictions about the future of AI.
Transcribed - Published: 19 June 2024
Squid, octopuses, and cuttlefish use ink to confuse predators and to communicate. But there’s still a lot we don’t understand about inking.
Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2024
Psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour helped make the film more scientifically accurate to how a teenager’s mind works.
Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2024
A new study used machine learning to analyze elephant vocalizations and identified “contact rumbles” that appear to function as names. Also, on a hike in the Badlands, a family found a dinosaur bone sticking out of a rock. It joined the few teenage T. rex fossils ever discovered.
Transcribed - Published: 14 June 2024
In her new book, science journalist Amorina Kingdon explores the astonishing variety of sound in the ocean, and how it affects ecosystems.
Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2024
Plants called “hyperaccumulators” have evolved to absorb high levels of metals. Scientists want to harness them for greener metal mining. And, a little fern from New Caledonia is just a few inches tall, but its genome has 160.45 billion base pairs—50 times more DNA than a human.
Transcribed - Published: 12 June 2024
A new book looks at the history of psychological warfare, its connections to science fiction, and how it’s been adapted to modern politics.
Transcribed - Published: 11 June 2024
The COVID vaccines proved that RNA could be extremely powerful. A new book explores even more medical applications for the tiny molecule.
Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2024
Boeing’s Starliner successfully launched and docked at the ISS, SpaceX’s Starship rocket launched and returned. Also, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo brings scientific expertise to the presidency. How will her leadership shape science policy?
Transcribed - Published: 7 June 2024
Scientists are studying birds’ unique vocal organ, the syrinx, to better understand its evolutionary history. Also, the eerie calls of the common loon have been heard in songs by Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, and more.
Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2024
Indigenous data sovereignty is the idea that Indigenous Peoples should decide how to collect, own, and use their own data.
Transcribed - Published: 5 June 2024
Science journalist Zoë Schlanger discusses plants’ ability to communicate, store memories, and more in her new book, “The Light Eaters.”
Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2024
A growing number of states are adopting laws that force companies to give consumers better options to repair their devices.
Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2024
The much-delayed crewed test flight is back on the calendar, despite a helium leak. Also, researchers used data from the crowd-sourcing nature observation app iNaturalist to rank animals’ tolerance of urban environments.
Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2024
Metabolic markers could eventually result in a test for “biological age,” which considers how things other than time age the body.
Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2024
After decades of under-development, spending on high-speed rail projects is ramping up in California, Florida, and the Northeast Corridor.
Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2024
A van outfitted as a mobile laboratory helps scientists study how legal cannabis products affect users—without breaking the law.
Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2024
For the first time, scientists have recorded how salps form chains and swim in corkscrews to reach the ocean’s surface each night. Also, a wind utility company in Wyoming is trying to make wind turbines more visible to birds by painting just one blade black.
Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2024
An early study found that electrical stimulation could improve hand and arm function in people with spinal cord injuries. Also, for thousands of years, Indigenous communities in Guatemala have used observations and mathematics to track astronomical events.
Transcribed - Published: 24 May 2024
Scientists are breeding wine grapes that will grow in Iowa’s climate in hopes of expanding the state’s wine industry.
Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2024
Scientists have developed a way to recycle rare earth elements found in discarded electronics without using acid or harsh chemicals.
Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2024
Early data from the DESI collaboration suggests that dark energy, which powers the universe’s accelerating expansion, may evolve over time.
Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2024
The latest update moves the recommended age to start mammograms from 50 down to 40. How are these decisions made?
Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2024
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