1261: ‘Project Hail Mary’ brings a new kind of alien to the big screen
Move over, Ryan Gosling: Rocky the alien is the breakout star of the big-budget movie adaptation of "Project Hail Mary."
25m Mar 20
25m
1260: Building a digital ant gallery, from the ground up
How a particle accelerator, a robot, highspeed cameras, and 2,000 ants came together to paint a picture of biological diversity.
13m Mar 19
13m
1259: The heaviness and (not) hope of climate change
Elizabeth Kolbert has been writing about the environment for decades. And right now, she isn't feeling optimistic.
18m Mar 18
18m
1258: Could a ‘digital twin’ help you get better health care?
Scientists are working to create "digital twins" of patients that they can test treatments on, in hopes of delivering personalized health care.
18m Mar 17
18m
1257: Who uses Farmers’ Almanacs? + Zebra finch home design
Have climate change and weather apps made Farmers' Almanacs obsolete? Plus, home decorating tips from zebra finches.
19m Mar 16
19m
1255: Slow Breaking News: A Giant Tortoise Revival
With science and good luck, 158 young tortoises were reintroduced to Floreana Island in the Galapagos. Plus, an ancient sea turtle stampede.
13m Mar 13
13m
1256: How Is AI Being Used In The Iran War?
The Pentagon has given AI a powerful role in the Iran war. We dig into the DOD conflict with Anthropic, and the state of autonomous weapons.
14m Mar 12
14m
1253: Is There Science Behind The ‘Nervous System Reset’?
What's the science behind the much-hyped idea that you can "reset" your nervous system by stimulating the vagus nerve?
18m Mar 11
18m
1252: AI Music Is On The Charts. Where Does It Go From Here?
AI-generated songs are breaking onto the charts, and music labels are pivoting from lawsuits to partnerships with AI startups. What comes next?
21m Mar 10
21m
1251: The Surprising Science Of Why Sneakers Squeak
The forces that cause sneakers to squeak also create mini-earthquakes (shoe-quakes, if you will) and tiny lightning bolts.
14m Mar 09
14m
Can ‘Suggestion-Box Science’ Make Public Health More Useful?
An epidemiologist’s visit to her hometown helped her understand how to put positive community impact at the center of public health research.
18m Mar 07
18m
1250: Fixing Society's Toughest Problems? ‘It’s On You’
How did we come to think of society's toughest problems as something for individuals to manage rather than governments to regulate?
18m Mar 06
18m
1249: 3D Images Of Galaxies Will Rock You (Ft. Queen)
Astronomer and Queen guitarist Brian May teams up with astrophysicist Derek Ward-Thompson to bring the cosmos to 3D.
22m Mar 05
22m
1248: Slow Release Of Federal Science Funds Holds Up Research
Some money allocated for scientific research has been restored to the federal budget, but the White House OMB has been slow to release it.
13m Mar 04
13m
1247: The Evolution Of An Enzyme Engineer Who Changed Chemistry
Frances Arnold's game-changing technique of "directed evolution" creates enzymes with unusual capabilities. Her own evolution made it possible.
30m Mar 03
30m
1246: The Art And Science Of Staving Off Cognitive Decline
A new comedic play and a 20-year neurology study explore what we can do to prevent dementia and cognitive decline.
17m Mar 02
17m
1245: Into the Woods, From Chestnut Genetics To Tiny Forests
Genetic research could speed the restoration of the American chestnut tree. Plus, "rewilding" small spaces with fast-growing miniforests.
19m Feb 27
19m
1244: EPA Repeals The Legal Basis For Regulating Greenhouse Gases
The endangerment finding forced the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Now, the agency says it doesn’t have the authority to do that.
12m Feb 26
12m
1243: How One Gene Affects Alzheimer’s Risk
An epidemiology study finds variations in one gene, APOE, play a major role in determining the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
12m Feb 25
12m
1242: Are My THC Gummies Going Away?
A federal law aims to close the legal loophole that lets stores sell THC products from hemp. Why are laws around cannabis so confusing?
19m Feb 24
19m
1241: Why Aren’t There Biomarkers For Mental Illness?
Despite major advances in neuroscience, there are no blood tests or scans to confirm the diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder. Why not?
12m Feb 23
12m
1240: Autism Rates Appear To Be Even Across Sexes. Diagnosis Is Not
Autism has long been thought of as a condition that mostly affects boys—but data suggest that’s not true.
18m Feb 21
18m
1239: AMA Joins Effort To Launch Independent Vaccine Review Panel
The American Medical Association and Vaccine Integrity Project are partnering to create a vaccine review process independent from the CDC.
12m Feb 20
12m
1238: What A Snow Drought In The West Means For The Rest Of 2026
States like Utah and Colorado have had abysmal snow totals this winter. It’s not a good sign for a region struggling to maintain its water.
18m Feb 19
18m
1237: Jump, Spin, Glide: The Science Of Figure Skating
What’s the secret to landing a quadruple lutz, or speeding your death spiral? A figure skating researcher weighs in.
18m Feb 18
18m
1236: How Are State-Run Psilocybin Therapy Programs Going?
How are the first state-run psilocybin therapy programs going? Plus, psilocybin clinical trials for cancer patients dealing with anxiety.
20m Feb 17
20m
1235: A Little Grime Can Boost Kids’ Health. But What Kind?
Researchers are homing in on how kids reap long-term health benefits from getting dirty, whether cuddling furry pets or playing with friends.
18m Feb 16
18m
Mating, Marriage, And Monogamy In The Age Of Apps
An evolutionary biologist weighs in on mating and dating in the age of the apps. Is pair bonding passé? Is single the new married?
18m Feb 14
18m
1233: What A Tea Party With A Bonobo Taught Us About Imagination
Is the capacity to imagine unique to humans? Scientists thought so—but a pretend tea party with a bonobo named Kanzi suggests otherwise.
13m Feb 13
13m
1232: How Is Screen Time Affecting My Kid?
Researchers have correlated brain and behavioral changes in kids to increased time on phones and other screen devices.
24m Feb 12
24m
1231: Who Wants To Smell An Ancient Embalmed Mummy?
Chemists and perfumers are using new techniques to bring ancient scents back to life, from mummies to a 5,000-year-old incense burner.
19m Feb 11
19m
1230: Stressed About The World? Take A Cue From Cyanobacteria
In turbulent times, it helps to hear stories of resilience. What can we learn from 3.5 billion-year-old bacteria that eat light?
18m Feb 10
18m
1229: The Largest US Particle Collider Stops Its Collisions
The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC, has ceased operation. What’s next for particle physics?
13m Feb 09
13m
1228: Olympic Ski Mountaineering, And Mountain Goat Climbing Feats
The mountaineering history behind "skimo," a new Winter Olympic event. Plus, research into a true alpine champion, the mountain goat.
19m Feb 06
19m
1227: Why Worry About My Data If I Have Nothing To Hide?
It's easier than ever for companies to collect your personal data and compile it into a profile for advertisers, ICE, and other agencies.
16m Feb 05
16m
1226: Should Ultraprocessed Foods Be Off The Menu?
New USDA dietary guidelines tell us to “eat real food.” Should policymakers get highly processed foods out of our stores and school lunches?
30m Feb 04
30m
1225: The Growing Experiment Of Putting Solar Panels On Farmland
Agrivoltaics combines solar panels and agriculture on the same land. It’ll be an uphill battle for it to hit the mainstream.
23m Feb 03
23m
1224: We’re All Being Played By Metrics
A new book explores what we lose when we’re always keeping score—at work, in life, even within ourselves. Can games help set us free?
29m Feb 02
29m
The Middle + SciFri: How Can Trust In Science Be Restored?
SciFri Host Flora Lichtman joined Jeremy Hobson on “The Middle” to talk about how trust in science can be restored.
20m Jan 31
20m
1222: Untangling The History Of Dog Domestication
A new study suggests dogs began to diversify about 11,000 years earlier than we thought. Plus, a long-running experiment to domesticate foxes.
18m Jan 30
18m
1221: Are These Unprecedented Times for Science, Really?
A science historian looks to the past to understand our current moment, and how ghostwriting in scientific papers is harming public trust.
20m Jan 29
20m
1220: How China Is Driving Down Electricity Costs With Renewables
China is reshaping its energy economy with renewables like wind and solar—and flooding the world with affordable solar technology.
13m Jan 28
13m
1219: Managing The Risks Of Spaceflight, 40 Years After Challenger
As we enter a new age of space travel, a former NASA astronaut says that rather than accepting risk, we should try to control risks.
18m Jan 27
18m
1218: How A Mutation Made This Year’s Flu Season So Bad
A flu variant called subclade K emerged too late to be fully covered by this year's vaccine. But the flu shot can still help protect you.
12m Jan 26
12m
1217: Tracking The Toxic Fallout Of The LA Fires
An urban fire can release all kinds of chemicals. One year after fires hit Los Angeles, scientists are trying to understand the toxic fallout.
17m Jan 23
17m
1216: Deepfakes Are Everywhere. What Can We Do?
X’s AI chatbot Grok is undressing users, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg with fake imagery online. How does it work and what comes next?
23m Jan 22
23m
1215: Looking Beyond Statins For New Ways To Lower Cholesterol
When it comes to “bad” cholesterol, most cardiologists say lower is better. But what’s the best way to get that number down? Can diet and exercise alone do the job? Cardiologists Kiran Musunuru and Neha Pagidipati join Host Ira Flatow for a look at the latest in cholesterol-lowering treatments (https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/new-cholesterol-treatment-crispr/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=...
30m Jan 21
30m
1214: States Expected To See More ‘Anti-Science’ Bills This Year
In 2025, more than 420 bills were introduced to weaken public health measures for vaccines, milk safety, and fluoride. What will we see in 2026?
17m Jan 20
17m
1213: What’s Happening On The Slippery Surface Of Ice?
Conventional wisdom is that ice is slippery because it has a thin layer of water on top, but new research suggests something else is at play.
13m Jan 19
13m
1212: Teasing Apart The Causes And Early Signs Of Parkinson’s
Some Parkinson’s patients may experience strange symptoms, like smell loss and sleep disorders, decades before diagnosis.
19m Jan 16
19m