Shows / Science Friday
Science Friday
Science Friday, as heard on PRI, is a weekly discussion of the latest news in science, technology, health, and the environment hosted by Ira Flatow. Ira interviews scientists, authors, and policymakers, and listeners can call in and ask questions as well.
Episodes
Science Friday952: Trump Administration Cancels Meetings, Freezes Hiring At NIH | What Is A Meme Coin?
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health say the move has sent fear and confusion throughout the agency. Plus, what's the technology behind meme…
Science Friday951: Why Editors At Scientific Journals Are Resigning En Masse
Editors at scientific journals are quitting in droves. According to Retraction Watch, a watchdog publication, there have been at least 20 mass resignations…
Science Friday950: This January, See A ‘Planet Parade’ In The Night Sky
Rejoice, amateur and professional astronomers: This January is a fantastic time for looking up at the sky.The flashiest event of the season is also one of the…
Science Friday949: ‘Orbital’ Imagines The Inner Lives Of Astronauts On The ISS
From down here on Earth, life on the International Space Station seems magnificent: floating through the day, enjoying stunning views out your window, having…
Science Friday948: Fire Risk To Homes Where Cities And Wildlands Meet
Since January 7, wildfires have been devastating the Los Angeles area. In the span of 10 days, several different fires, including the Palisades and Eaton…
Science Friday947: 2 Private Lunar Landers | Cervical Cancer Deaths Plummet, Experts Credit HPV Vaccine
The SpaceX rocket carries lunar landers from companies based in Texas and Japan. They could arrive at the moon in the coming months. HPV can cause a variety of…
Science Friday946: ‘Artificial General Intelligence’ Is Apparently Coming. What Is It?
For years, artificial intelligence companies have heralded the coming of artificial general intelligence, or AGI. OpenAI, which makes the chatbot ChatGPT, has…
Science Friday943: NASA Considers Cheaper Ways To Retrieve Mars Samples | How Does A Hula Hoop Stay Up?
Scientists investigated how the shape of the human body makes hula hooping possible—and what hips and a waist have to do with it. And, the decision for how to…
Science Friday944: Surgeon General Highlights Link Between Alcohol And Cancer
Alcohol poses many risks to our health, including liver damage and driving under the influence.Now, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has highlighted…
Science Friday945: First U.S. Bird Flu Death Raises Concerns About Preparedness
On January 6, the U.S. reported its first human death from the bird flu. According to the CDC, more than 60 people were diagnosed with bird flu in the US last…
Science Friday942: Meet Flora Lichtman | Los Angeles Wildfires Stoked By Santa Ana Winds
After her SciFri internship 20 years ago, Flora went on to become a beloved science journalist, video producer, and podcaster. Now she’s back! Also, several…
Science Friday941: What Lichen Tell Us About Ecology, Air Quality, And More
Last October, Ira Flatow took a trip to the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon, for a daylong exploration of lichen—the fuzzy growths often found on…
Science Friday940: Biologists Call For A Halt To ‘Mirror Life’ Research
You’re probably familiar with the concept of handedness—a glove made for your left hand looks basically like the one for your right hand, but won’t fit—it’s a…
Science Friday939: The Breakthrough Technologies To Watch In 2025
Each year, the journalists at the MIT Technology Review publish a list of 10 breakthrough technologies: these are things poised to hit a tipping point, and…
Science Friday938: What Scientists Have Learned From 125 Years Of Bird Counts
This winter marks the 125th year of Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count, in which bird nerds across the Western Hemisphere venture outside to record all the birds…
Science Friday937: Scientists Predict Loss Of Deep Snow In Most Of U.S.
Researchers have projected that by the end of the century, days where snow covers the ground will virtually disappear in the United States, except for in very…
Science Friday936: Jane Goodall On Life Among Chimpanzees
Few living scientists are as iconic as Dr. Jane Goodall. The legendary primatologist spent decades working with chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe National Park…
Science Friday935: The Science That Captivated SciFri’s Reporters In 2024
Today, we’re taking time to reflect on all that 2024 brought us in the world of science, from the total solar eclipse in April to the demise of the Ingenuity…
Science Friday934: Health, Astronomy, And Climate Experts On 2024’s Coolest Science
It’s been an exciting and hectic year in science discovery and innovation. We’ve reported on stories from across many fields of science—from city climate plans…
- Science Friday
933: Meet Leaders Of 3 Local Conservation Projects | Preserving ‘Space Junk’ Left On Mars
What makes three very different conservation projects so successful? These experts say it’s getting the community involved. And, archaeologists make a case for…
Science Friday932: The Top Dino Discoveries Of 2024 | Can Spiking Eggnog Kill Bacteria From Raw Eggs?
To wrap up 2024, science writer Riley Black shares her favorite paleontology discoveries of the year. And, if treated properly, even old-fashioned eggnog made…
Science Friday931: Parker Solar Probe Will Make Closest-Ever Approach To Sun
On December 24, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will make the closest-ever approach to the sun by a spacecraft. Parker has made more than 20 close approaches to the…
Science Friday930: If ‘Interstellar’ Were Made Today, What Would Be Different?
For its 10th anniversary, the science advisor for “Interstellar” discusses the film’s impact and how new information about gravitational waves could have…
Science Friday929: Farewell, Murder Hornet | What FAA Regulations Tell Us About Mysterious Drone Sightings
Officials say the invasive Asian giant hornet, with its menacing nickname, has been eradicated from the United States. Also, with drone sightings in the news…
Science Friday928: How Blind Women In India Detect Early Breast Cancer | Web-Slinging Silk Becomes Real
A program trains women as tactile medical examiners to identify tumors before they show up on imaging scans. And, in a materials science discovery, scientists…
Science Friday927: 8.5 Hours Of Daily Sitting Linked To Higher BMI And Cholesterol
Sitting is a big part of modern life. Many people work at a desk all day, have long commutes, or at least enjoy some time relaxing on the couch at the end of…
Science Friday926: The Accidental Discovery That Gave Us ‘Forever Chemicals’ | A Pregnancy Play Inspired By Mushroom Research
The Accidental Discovery That Gave Us ‘Forever Chemicals’When it comes to PFAS chemicals—known as “forever chemicals”—we often hear that they’re used in…
Science Friday925: How Empire and Environmental Destruction Go Hand-In-Hand
“The Burning Earth” examines over 800 years of history to demonstrate how violence against people and the planet are one and the same. Also, the host of the…
Science Friday924: The Universe Is Expanding Faster Than Expected | Are Food Recalls Actually On The Rise?
The effect, known as the Hubble Tension, has been confirmed by James Webb Space Telescope observations. Also, despite near daily warnings of food recalls, 2024…
Science Friday923: You Share Your Gut Microbiome With Your Friends
The microbiome, the network of tens of trillions of microbes that live in and on our bodies, helps us digest food and protects us from diseases. And depending…
Science Friday922: Marie Curie And The Women Scientists Who Became Her Legacy
When you consider someone’s legacy in science, you might think about their biggest discovery, their list of publications, or their titles, awards, and prizes…
Science Friday921: Protecting Against Poison Exposure This Holiday Season
There are a lot of holiday gatherings at this time of year, and families getting together can mean that kids are in places that don’t normally have a lot of…
Science Friday920: 2024’s Best Science Books For Kids
It’s that time of the year when you’re making your list, checking it twice, for gifts that spark a love of science for the kids in your life. Ira talks with…
Science Friday919: Supreme Court Case On Regulation Of Vapes | Predicting Lithium-Ion Battery Explosions
The Supreme Court hears a case centering on the FDA’s denial of applications for nicotine-based vapes containing flavored liquid seen as addictive for young…
Science Friday918: A Theatrical Tribute To Unexpected Science
The Ig Nobel awards are a salute to achievements that, in the words of the organizers, “make people laugh, then think.” Each year, the editors of the science…
Science Friday917: 'They Might Be Giants' Sings About Science
As part of Science Friday’s 33rd anniversary show, we’re revisiting our listeners’ favorite stories, including this one from 2009. In the album “Here Comes…
Science Friday916: What Was It Like To Witness The End Of The Dinosaurs?
As part of Science Friday’s 33rd anniversary show, we’re revisiting our listeners’ favorite stories, including this one from 2022.66 million years ago, a…
Science Friday915: A Nobel Prize For Chemistry Work ‘Totally Separate From Biology’
In 2022, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi of Stanford University, Dr. Morten Meldal of the University of Copenhagen, and Dr. K. Barry…
Science Friday914: Alan Alda Reflects On Life With Parkinson’s
In 2018, actor, author and science communicator Alan Alda spoke publicly about his diagnosis for Parkinson’s Disease. Alda, who is best known for his role in…
Science Friday913: A Horn Of Potato Plenty | Adding Marbling To Fake Meat For An Extra-Realistic Bite
Just in time for Thanksgiving, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts. And, irregular, fatty marbling…
Science Friday912: A Nutritionist Clarifies Some Common Health Claims
We recently asked our listeners which dubious health claims they’ve been seeing in their social media feeds or being circulated by friends and family…
Science Friday911: Restoring Drinking Water After Hurricane Helene | Oyster Shell Reefs And Sea Level Rise
Fifty-three days after Hurricane Helene, residents of Asheville can safely drink their tap water without boiling it. Why did it take so long? And, tribes’…
Science Friday910: 50 Years Of Science With Lucy, Our Famous Early Ancestor
On November 24, 1974—50 years ago this November—a pair of paleoanthropologists made the discovery of a lifetime: a set of 47 bones, hidden in the dusty, rocky…
Science Friday909: SpaceX’s Starship Completes In-Orbit Engine Test | Resuscitating Shipwrecked Rye Seeds
This was the sixth test launch of the Starship vehicle, which could eventually carry humans and cargo to the moon. It was extremely loud. Also, divers have…
Science Friday908: Chef Jack Bishop Breaks Down ‘The Science of Good Cooking’
What’s the secret to making a fluffy omelet or the perfect pie dough? In this interview from 2012, Jack Bishop, now senior content advisor at America’s Test…
Science Friday907: Bacteriophages Lurk In Your Bathroom, But Don’t Worry
It sounds like something from an advertisement for bathroom cleaner: Researchers found over 600 different viruses, most of which are new to science, in samples…
Science Friday906: Managing Invasive Plants And Ticks Together | Clue Into The Evolution Of The Bird Brain
Researchers are connecting two ecological problems in the Northeast in hopes of reducing the risk of tick-borne illnesses. Also, a “one-of-a-kind” fossil of…
Science Friday905: The Gurgling, Growling History Of The Gut
Despite advances in scientific research, the stomach remains a subject of mystery and intrigue. After all, it’s nearly impossible to ignore its gurgles and…
Science Friday904: At COP29, The World’s Top Polluters Are No-Shows | Walking Pneumonia Is Spiking
Leaders from the top-polluting countries, like the US and China, aren’t showing up to the UN’s big climate conference in Azerbaijan. And, walking pneumonia…
Science Friday903: Oliver Sacks Searched The Brain For The Origins Of Music
Today, November 8, 2024, marks Science Friday’s 33rd broadcast anniversary. One of the most beloved interviewees on Science Friday over the years was the late…
Science Friday902: CAR-T Cell Therapy For Autoimmune Diseases | Measuring Early Life Adversity—In Marmots
In a Chinese study, donor CAR-T cells sent autoimmune diseases into remission. There’s hope that the therapy is scalable. And, scientists used decades of…
Science Friday901: Your Arm Position Can Make Blood Pressure Readings Inaccurate
Think back to the last time you went to the doctor’s office. Chances are, at the start of the visit, they took your temperature, pulse, and blood pressure—your…
Science Friday900: Why Do We Keep Widening Highways If It Doesn’t Reduce Traffic?
Have you ever been stuck in traffic and thought, if only this highway was a little wider so it could fit more cars? You aren’t alone.Many states have been…
Science Friday899: Ballot Measures Passed To Protect Abortion Rights | New Largest Prime Number
Abortion was on the ballot in 10 states, and seven of them passed constitutional amendments defending abortion rights. Also, this ginormous number has a…
Science Friday898: Chickens Have Friendships And Reputations | Tourist Photos May Help Map Penguin Colonies
Author and naturalist Sy Montgomery discusses chicken intelligence and her experience raising a flock in New Hampshire. And, snapshots from over the years…
Science Friday897: The Clean Air Act Has Saved Millions Of Lives—But Gaps Remain
In the 1960s, the urban air pollution crisis in America had reached a fever pitch: Cities were shrouded in smog, union steelworkers were demanding protections…
Science Friday895: How Does Long-Distance Running Affect Your Body?
On Sunday, more than 50,000 athletes are expected to compete in the New York City Marathon, one of the largest, and most elite marathons in the world. Running…
Science Friday896: Gender-Affirming Care Is On The Line In This Election
Gender-affirming care is on the ballot in this presidential election. These treatments, which can include hormone therapy and surgeries, can be lifesaving for…
Science Friday894: Maine Offshore Wind Auction Draws Few Bids | An Artist Combines Indigenous Textiles With Modern Tech
Two years ago, energy companies scrambled for offshore wind contracts. At a recent auction, the demand was significantly lower. Plus, artist Sarah Rosalena…
Science Friday893: After A Park Fire, Milkweed Bloomed | The ‘Creepy’ Procedure That Taps Into Young Blood
Great news for the nearly-extinct monarch butterflies, which will pass through the area as they migrate back to Mexico. Also, to find out how blood affects…