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Science Friday

Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Covering the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.

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96 episodes
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Avg 17 min
English

Episodes 96

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#1437
Yesterday · 12 min
Where does federal science funding stand now?
Sudip Parikh of AAAS joins us for an update on how federal funding for research has changed, and the impact of those changes.
#1436
Wednesday · 18 min
How rapid genome sequencing can help stop outbreaks
Researchers are working to track, and stop, outbreaks like Ebola more quickly by sequencing the genomes of pathogens as new cases appear.
#1435
Tuesday · 12 min
Help! This new dwarf planet needs a name
Scientists using the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory have located a possible new dwarf planet beyond Neptune. What would you name it?
#1434
Monday · 18 min
‘Big Math’ shines a light on the hidden math that runs our world
Mathematician Steven Strogatz discusses the unexpected math in daily life, and how his field is picking up the pieces after AI disruptions.
#1433
November 6 · 19 min
How, and why, to connect with wildlife in your own backyard
The author of ‘The Comfort of Crows’ talks about finding meaning in her own yard, and how the native plant movement inspired her.
#1432
November 5 · 17 min
Meet the tiny, see-through fish that can regenerate its brain
It swims, it buzzes, it regenerates its brain: A tiny glassfish is becoming a model species for scientists. What could it teach us?
#1431
November 4 · 18 min
Why is everyone so obsessed with protein?
A food historian and nutrition researcher dig into the protein-maxxing trend—and explain why you might want to up your fiber intake instead.
#1430
November 3 · 12 min
What a trapped antimatter particle could tell us about reality
Researchers have trapped a positron and held it at extremely cold temperatures for months, allowing them to measure its quantum properties.
#1429
November 2 · 13 min
Why are armadillos moving up north?
Armadillos are turning up in states like Kentucky and Illinois, far from their warm southern habitats. Why are they moving north?
#1428
October 30 · 12 min
When, and where, did bats first take to the sky?
An analysis of bat genomes and fossil records has shown that the flying mammals first took wing in Europe some 60-65 million years ago.
#1427
October 29 · 18 min
People are microdosing GLP-1s for weight loss. Is it safe?
Some online clinics are prescribing GLP-1 microdoses formulated by compounding pharmacies. Are these drugs safe and effective?
#1426
October 28 · 22 min
Terence Tao on how AI math solutions miss the point
Terence Tao says mathematics is about understanding, not just right answers, and quick AI solutions are forcing soul-searching in the field.
#1425
October 27 · 18 min
What was life like for Tyrannosaurus rex?
T. rex may be the most famous prehistoric predator, but life wasn’t always bone-snapping chomps and food chain scaremongering.
#1424
October 26 · 19 min
Isabella Rossellini on how acting connects to animal cognition
Should we anthropomorphize animals or not? An actor and an ecologist share what they’ve learned about animal cognition.
#1423
October 24 · 14 min
Why are we changing the way we keep time?
Timekeeping scientists around the world voted to stop using leap seconds, but what does this mean for us?
#1422
October 23 · 25 min
Kazuo Ishiguro on emotional truth in sci-fi and in our AI reality
Five years after “Klara and the Sun” was published, the film adaptation exists in an entirely different AI landscape.
#1421
October 22 · 18 min
Is that garbage can bear resistant? These bears will find out
In the name of safety, test engineers turn pill bottles over to kids, launch dead chickens through jet engines, and let bears loose on coolers.
#1420
October 21 · 29 min
Jennifer Doudna on what it takes to be a good scientist
CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna on the evolution of gene-editing technology, her own path, and what it takes to be a good scientist.
#1419
October 20 · 15 min
Getting the billion-dollar PRIMA space telescope off the ground
The proposed PRIMA space telescope just entered Phase B of its development. What does that mean?
#1418
October 19 · 12 min
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson on making climate action cool
Climate leader Ayana Elizabeth Johnson reflects on this moment of the climate movement and why climate action should be fun.

Showing 1–20 of 96 episodes