685: Brain ‘Organoids’: Lab-Grown Cell Clusters Model Brain Functions
Scientists can coax stem cells into clusters that mimic the functions of brain regions, which could help us understand brain disorders.
14m Jan 17, 2024
14m
687: The Lasting Allure Of Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’
In a conversation from March 2023, the maritime archeologist who found the storied wreck discusses the mission and his new book. There are few stories about heroic survival equal to Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic rescue of his crew (https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/shackleton-endurance-beneath-the-ice-book/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri) , which turned disaste...
20m Jan 16, 2024
20m
684: How Close Are We To Answers About Aliens?
Dr. Adam Frank discusses the human fascination with extraterrestrial life—and the scientific search for it—in his new book.
35m Jan 15, 2024
35m
686: NASA Delays Crewed Moon Missions | Top Technologies To Watch In 2024
With this week’s delays to Artemis II and III, astronauts likely won’t walk on the moon until 2026 at the earliest. Also, weight-loss drugs, AI, clean-energy tech and more: digging into MIT Technology Review’s annual list with executive editor Amy Nordrum. NASA Once Again Delays Artemis Crewed Missions To the Moon This week, NASA announced that it was delaying two of its planned crewed missio...
25m Jan 12, 2024
25m
683: To Get Ready For Mars, NASA Studies How The Body Changes In Space
Spending time in space affects everything from eyesight to bone health. NASA’s CIPHER program will measure these changes and more.
19m Jan 11, 2024
19m
682: Science Journalism Is Shrinking–Along With Public Trust In Science
In 2023, a flood of science journalists lost their jobs. At the same time, public trust in science continues to decline. Last year was a tough one for science journalism. National Geographic laid off all of its staff reporters (https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/science-journalism-trust-in-science/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri) , and Wired laid off 20 people. And ...
18m Jan 10, 2024
18m
680: (Part 2) Endangered Species Act At 50: Orchids And Red Wolves
It's been 50 years since the Endangered Species Act established protections for plant and animal species at risk of extinction. Conservationists discuss ongoing efforts to protect orchids and red wolves.
19m Jan 09, 2024
19m
679: (Part 1) Endangered Species Act at 50: Hawaiian Land Snails
It's been 50 years since the Endangered Species Act established protections for plant and animal species at risk of extinction. Two conservationists discuss the effort to save Hawaiian land snails.
18m Jan 08, 2024
18m
681: Solar Activity Flares Up In 2024 | Underground Hydrogen Reserves And Clean Energy
Look out for a total solar eclipse, more solar flares, and the Parker Solar Probe’s closest approach to the sun. Also, underground hydrogen stores have raised renewable energy hopes, but can the industry overcome the logistical hurdles of distributing it? Solar Activity Flares Up In 2024 Look out 2024—this is going to be the sun’s year (for science, at least). There will be a total solar ecli...
26m Jan 05, 2024
26m
678: SciFri Reads ‘The Alchemy Of Us’
In November 2023, the SciFri Book Club met with author Ainissa Ramirez to talk about how our values are baked into our creations—and the people who helped bring them into reality.
38m Jan 04, 2024
38m
677: SciFri Reads ‘The Kaiju Preservation Society’
In August 2023, the SciFri Book Club talked with author John Scalzi about what it takes to write a believable monster onto the page.
48m Jan 03, 2024
48m
676: Star Trek’s Science Advisor Reveals The Real Astrophysics On Screen
In a conversation from May 2023, astrophysicist Dr. Erin Macdonald talks about consulting on the famous series and the real (and fictional) science on screen.
30m Jan 02, 2024
30m
675: A Mathematician Asks ‘Is Math Real?’
When math is based on abstract concepts, how do we know it’s correct? Dr. Eugenia Cheng takes on that question in a new book.
35m Jan 01, 2024
35m
674: Unmasking Owls’ Mysteries | Why It Feels So Good To Eat Chocolate
Jennifer Ackerman’s 2023 book delves into these fascinating avian predators, including their supersonic hearing, quiet flight, and complex communication. Also, an artificial tongue helps researchers understand how texture impacts what people like about chocolate.
21m Dec 29, 2023
21m
673: SciFri Reads ‘The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023’
Earlier this year, the SciFri Book Club met to reflect on our favorite stories from last year and the future of scientific discovery and journalism.
55m Dec 28, 2023
55m
672: The Unseen World Of Seaweeds | Should 'Dark Fungi' Species Get Names?
A new book celebrates the beautiful and underappreciated seaweeds shaping coastlines around the world. Also, scientists have recovered the DNA of thousands of new species of fungi from the environment, but they aren’t eligible for scientific names.
31m Dec 27, 2023
31m
672: How 'Panda Diplomacy' Led To Conservation Success
For decades, panda policy has guided conservation advancements. Now, pandas in the US are being returned to China.
31m Dec 26, 2023
31m
671: Music’s Emotional Power Can Shape Memories—And Your Perception Of Time
Researchers used music to elicit different emotions, then looked at how shifts in emotion influenced participants’ memory formation.
17m Dec 25, 2023
17m
670: Top Science News Stories of 2023 | Solar Panels In Historic Cape Cod
This year brought us new vaccines, a highly anticipated asteroid sample, and an update to T. rex’s smile. Also, local historic committees in Cape Cod are blocking some residents from installing solar panels, citing visual impact on the neighborhood.
19m Dec 22, 2023
19m
669: Pennsylvania Drug Laws May Limit Syringe Services | These Romance Novels Represent Black Women In Science
Pennsylvania will receive more than $1.6 billion in opioid settlement funds. But state laws may prevent that money from going to syringe services. Also, Dr. Carlotta Berry writes romance novels about Black women in the sciences to encourage more people to go into the field.
19m Dec 21, 2023
19m
668: Flame Retardant From Cocoa Pod Husks | The Oozy Physics Of Oobleck
Scientists are using leftover cocoa pod husks to extract lignin, an organic polymer that can become flame retardant, foam, or a straw. Also, Non-Newtonian fluids challenge our ideas of what’s liquid and what’s solid. We now have a better understanding of how they work.
19m Dec 20, 2023
19m
667: The Military’s Carbon Footprint Is A Hidden Cost Of Defense
A recent report estimates that climate reparations of the US and UK militaries would reach $111 billion.
18m Dec 19, 2023
18m
666: High Energy Cosmic Ray Detected | These Penguins Are The Masters Of Microsleeping
While they’re nesting, chinstrap penguins take thousands of seconds-long naps a day. It adds up. Also, powerful cosmic rays like the “Amaterasu” particle are typically caused by celestial events. This one’s source is unknown.
21m Dec 18, 2023
21m
665: COP28 Climate Conference Ends | Why Are Some People Affected By Seasonal Affective Disorder?
COP28 ended with an agreement calling for a transition away from fossil fuels, but critics say it’s too little, too late. Also, some people are more prone to develop seasonal depression. A researcher discusses the most effective treatments.
23m Dec 15, 2023
23m
664: A Celebration Of The 2023 Christmas Bird Count
Birders across the world band together to record the number of birds in their communities from Dec 14 to Jan 5.
35m Dec 14, 2023
35m
663: Surfing Particles Can Supercharge Northern Lights
In a conversation from 2021, Ira and a researcher discuss how the physics of plasma, particles, and the Earth’s magnetic field combine in dazzling displays of aurora.
18m Dec 13, 2023
18m
662: The (Not So) Easy Guide To Getting To Space
In a new book, astronaut Mike Massimino reflects on his time in space, and what it taught him about succeeding on Earth.
34m Dec 12, 2023
34m
663: The Women Astronomers Who Captured the Stars
In a conversation from 2016, Ira and Dava Sobel discuss a team of women astronomers at the Harvard College Observatory who worked to classify the stars at the beginning of the 20th century.
19m Dec 11, 2023
19m
662: Quercetin May Cause Red Wine Headaches | Worsening Wildfires Are Undoing Air Quality Progress
A new theory pins the throbbing pain of a red wine headache on quercetin, an antioxidant in grape skins. Plus, wildfires in the Western US have not only lowered air quality, but led to increased deaths between 2000 and 2020.
27m Dec 08, 2023
27m
661: Speaking Multiple Languages Changes The Way You Think
Speaking more than one language has the power to shape memory and cognition–and perhaps even delay the onset of Alzheimer’s.
19m Dec 07, 2023
19m
660: Social Connections Keep Us Physically and Mentally Healthy As We Age
Long-term research tracking adults over 50 shows that social activity, intimacy, and personal connections are key to good health.
18m Dec 06, 2023
18m
661: Women Were Also Skilled Hunters In Ancient Times
New analysis of remains and burial items suggests women and men did both parts of hunting and gathering in the Paleolithic era.
13m Dec 05, 2023
13m
658: An AI Leader’s Human-Centered Approach To Artificial Intelligence
Dr. Fei-Fei Li of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI discusses the promise and peril of the ground-breaking technology.
25m Dec 04, 2023
25m
659: COP28 Host Had Plans to Promote Oil and Gas | Researchers Detected Cicada Emergence With Fiber-Optics
The United Nations climate summit will happen for the next two weeks in Dubai—a city known for its oil money. And, in 2021, an electronics and communications lab accidentally detected the mass emergence of Brood X with fiber-optic sensors.
24m Dec 01, 2023
24m
656: Ralph Nader Reflects On His Auto Safety Campaign, 55 Years Later
In a conversation from 2021, Ira discusses how auto safety has drastically advanced, thanks in part to Nader’s groundbreaking investigation.
28m Nov 30, 2023
28m
654: What’s That Smell? An AI Nose Knows
In a conversation from September 2023, Ira discusses a computer model can map the structure of a chemical to predict what it probably smells like.
13m Nov 29, 2023
13m
655: Jane Goodall On Life Among Chimpanzees
In an interview from 2002, the primatologist gave Ira a lesson in how to speak with chimps.
37m Nov 28, 2023
37m
654: The ‘Wet-Dog Shake’ And Other Physics Mysteries
From 2018: In his book 'How to Walk on Water and Climb Up Walls,' David Hu explores the wonders of the animal world.
23m Nov 27, 2023
23m
657: Ig Nobel Prizes | Stop Flushing Your Health Data Down The Toilet
Counting nose hairs and licking rocks: Highlights from the 33rd First Annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. Plus, in a conversation from March 2023, Ira discusses smart toilets powered by AI to give users more insight into their health.
27m Nov 24, 2023
27m
653: The West’s Wild Horses | Artist Explores History Of Humans Genetically Modifying Pigs
Reporter Ashley Ahearn bought a wild horse from the federal government for $125. Also, with opera and visual art, an exhibit looks at modern genetic engineering of pigs. The Captivating Story Of The West’s Wild Horses Wild mustangs are an icon of the American West, conjuring a romantic vision of horses galloping free on an open prairie. But in reality, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) says...
18m Nov 23, 2023
18m
650: Moon Rock Research | Science of Unraveling Sweaters
Research on crystals brought back by the Apollo 17 mission shows that the moon is 40 million years older than we thought. And, a textile professor and knit expert explains why many sweaters today are of poorer quality than sweaters in the past.
21m Nov 22, 2023
21m
652: 2023’s Best Science Books For Kids
An editor and a children’s author weigh in on this year’s best STEM books for kids. Plus, listeners share their own favorites.
27m Nov 21, 2023
27m
649: How AI Chatbots Can Reinforce Racial Bias In Medicine
Researchers examined four popular chatbots and found they perpetuated debunked, harmful ideas from race-based medicine.
19m Nov 20, 2023
19m
651: An Exoplanet Where It Rains Sand
Astronomers are calling the exoplanet “fluffy.” Plus, an update on a possible volcanic eruption in Iceland.
14m Nov 17, 2023
14m
648: Ask A Chef: How Can I Use Science To Make Thanksgiving Tastier?
Chef Dan Souza from Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen answers your holiday cooking questions.
19m Nov 16, 2023
19m
645: Monumental And Invisible: How Infrastructure Works
An engineering professor and author explains how modern life depends on vast, complicated systems you probably never think about.
30m Nov 15, 2023
30m
647: Everything You Never Knew About Squash And Pumpkins
It’s squash, pumpkin and gourd season. An expert answers listener questions about these colorful fall favorites.
20m Nov 14, 2023
20m
644: How A University Is Adjusting One Year After ChatGPT
An English professor discusses how AI is transforming education, and how students and faculty alike can use it responsibly.
13m Nov 13, 2023
13m
646: Euclid Telescope’s First Images | A Black Hole That Came From Gas
A new ESA telescope could help us understand how dark matter and dark energy influence the structure of the universe. Also, using both JWST and the Chandra Observatory, astronomers discover the oldest known black hole. Euclid Telescope’s First Images Unveiled This week, the European Space Agency unveiled the Euclid space telescope’s first full-color images of the cosmos. (https://www.sciencef...
19m Nov 10, 2023
19m
642: How Five Elements Define Life On Earth
Is the secret to life really just wrangling carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus? Author Stephen Porder explains in a new book.
18m Nov 09, 2023
18m