Episodes

US Health Secretary RFK Jr. fired an entire panel that recommends vaccines. Plus, the EPA moves to expedite cleanup of Superfund sites amid cuts. Former President Joe Biden’s diagnosis with an aggressive form of prostate cancer has put a spotlight on prostate cancer screening.

A mysterious polio-like disease could challenge our healthcare infrastructure. Plus, zooming in on non-cancerous cells in and around tumors. And, collagen from a fossilized bone fragment can identify the animal it came from, which may help scientists better understand extinction events.

Government cuts have left NSF funding at the lowest level in decades. What does that mean for science research? Plus, recent outages at Newark Airport highlighted the challenges facing air traffic controllers. What’s the science underpinning air safety? And, Scientists used gene-editing technology to create “Peter Pan” tadpoles that would eat the eggs of Australia’s cane toads—and never grow up.

The energy consumption of one AI query may seem small, but they add up. A new analysis calculates the AI industry’s footprint—so far. Plus, super agers are folks who stay fit into their 80s and beyond. What’s behind their unique health and longevity? And, could the NIH plan for a “universal vaccine” really work?

The Department of the Interior seeks to remove the endangered species designation from the lesser prairie chicken. Plus, how well do we understand the long-term health risks to firefighters? And, highlights from SciFri’s live show in Columbia, Missouri.

Some car designers are turning from touchscreen controls back to physical buttons. Two researchers explain why that could be better. Plus, geneticists used CRISPR gene editing to grow bigger tomatoes and eggplants without sacrificing flavor. And, an executive order could change the political tides for deep sea mining.

An astronomer explores the cosmos and the limits of what science can test. Plus, how the mysterious properties of pasta—like how it bends, coils, and breaks—have been tested by physicists for decades. And, millions of years ago, iguanas somehow got from North America to Fiji. Scientists think they made the trip on a raft of fallen vegetation.

Understanding the psychological and neurological components of chronic pain may lead to better treatments. Plus, vocal researchers are learning how death metal singers safely produce extreme vocal distortions, in hopes of improving vocal health care. And, researchers isolated one kind of cone in the eye and aimed lasers at it to allow subjects to see a super vibrant teal shade they call “olo.”

Are traffic engineering decisions based on evidence-based research? Not as much as you might think. Plus, researchers captured the first confirmed video of a colossal squid swimming in its natural habitat. And, with brain-implanted devices, people with paralysis have been able to command computers to “move” virtual objects and speak for them.

We go inside the scientifically accurate ER world created for “The Pitt” with one of its medical consultants. Plus, new research suggests the artificial sweetener saccharin could kill antibiotic resistant bacteria. And, highlights from SciFri’s live show in Salt Lake City.