May. 17, 2013
Desktop Diaries: Daniel Kahneman
A visit with psychologist Daniel Kahneman, who won the Nobel Prize in economic sciences in 2002.
May. 10, 2013
Experts Percolate on How to Brew Coffee
Brewmasters discuss how to get the most out of your grinds.
May. 03, 2013
Living Inside the Box
Brooklyn residents Michele Bertomen and David Boyle designed and built a house made of shipping containers.
Apr. 19, 2013
The Bird That Struts Its Stuff
Every year at this time, the greater sage-grouse performs a striking dance routine each morning at dawn.
Apr. 05, 2013
Building Synthetic Tissues from Water Droplets?
Researchers turned tiny water droplets into cooperating networks that can change shape and pass electrical signals.
Mar. 15, 2013
Physicists Tie Water Into Knots
If you thought a smoke ring was fancy, check out these fluid knots.
Mar. 08, 2013
Behold the Mighty Water Bear
Water bears, a.k.a. tardigrades, can withstand boiling, freezing, and the vacuum of space.
Mar. 01, 2013
Rap Nerdy to Me
MC Frontalot makes a living rapping about data encryption, rare diseases, video games and the nerd life.
Feb. 22, 2013
Surprise: Cockroaches Are Fastidious Groomers!
Why do cockroaches spend so much time cleaning themselves?
Feb. 22, 2013
The SciFri Book Club Visits “Gorillas in the Mist”
Dian Fossey’s classic account of her fieldwork is on the reading list this month.
Feb. 15, 2013
Art Meets Geek at Toni Dove’s Studio
"This is geek central," says artist Toni Dove of her New York City studio.
Feb. 01, 2013
How Owls Turn Heads
How do these birds turn their heads 270 degrees without damaging their blood vessels?
Jan. 25, 2013
Months After Sandy, Mucking and Gutting
Mold has become a concern for residents of a Sandy-damaged neighborhood in Queens.
Jan. 25, 2013
The Book Club Catches 'The Andromeda Strain'
The Science Friday book club chats about Michael Crichton's 1969 classic sci-fi thriller.
Jan. 04, 2013
Science Looked Good in 2012
Catfish eating pigeons, water travelling uphill, a blue whale barrel roll -- and other science cinema highlights from the year.
Dec. 21, 2012
Shooting Stars: Capturing the Night on Camera
Photographer Colin Legg makes time-lapse movies of celestial scenes.
Dec. 21, 2012
The SciFri Book Club Tours 'The Planets'
The book club reviews Dava Sobel’s 2005 homage to the solar system.
Dec. 14, 2012
‘Instant’ Looks at Polaroid’s Land
Edwin Land, the inventor behind Polaroid, is the subject of a new book by Christopher Bonanos.
Nov. 30, 2012
Perhaps Another Reason to Spike That Eggnog?
A perennial holiday mystery: will alcohol kill bacteria in homemade eggnog?
Nov. 30, 2012
SciFri Book Club Has 'The Right Stuff'
Join the SciFri Book Club regulars for a look back, er...up, at 'The Right Stuff.'
Nov. 16, 2012
Desktop Diaries: Temple Grandin
“I’m pure geek, pure logic,” says Grandin, an animal scientist at Colorado State University.
Oct. 26, 2012
Plunging Into the Science of BASE Jumping
The physics and neuroscience of jumping off cliffs.
Oct. 26, 2012
The SciFri Book Club Falls For Mr. Feynman
The Science Friday Book Club discusses the classic book “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”
Oct. 12, 2012
Enter an Optical Illusion
Gravity doesn't behave as expected in a new art exhibition in New York City.
Sep. 28, 2012
The Biology of Birds of Prey
We’ll check in with biologists studying American kestrels, prairie falcons, red-tailed hawks, and other raptors that nest in Idaho's Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. Plus, bringing back the California condor.
Sep. 21, 2012
Printing Solar Panels in the Backyard
A Kickstarter-funded project aims to build a machine to print micro solar panels.
Sep. 21, 2012
The SciFri Book Club Visits ‘Flatland’
Mathematician Ian Stewart joins the September book club meeting for a look at Edwin Abbott’s ‘Flatland.’
Sep. 14, 2012
Field Trip to a Fungi Foray
This convention is for mushrooms and the people who love them.
Sep. 07, 2012
Tour a Bat Cave
Nickolay Hristov uses a long-range laser scanner and portable thermal cameras to see bats in new ways.
Aug. 31, 2012
Unwinding the Cucumber Tendril Mystery
Researchers use time-lapse photography and a prosthetic plant to understand why cucumber tendrils twist.
Aug. 10, 2012
SciFri Book Club Talks ‘Monkey Mind’
Peer into the anxious mind of writer Daniel Smith with the SciFri Book Club.
Aug. 03, 2012
Making Movies That Zoom into Foreign Worlds
The stars of these films usually have only one cell.
Jun. 29, 2012
Meet the Energy-Saving Gadgets of the Future
Floors that generate electricity from footsteps. A GPS that outsmarts traffic jams. Innovations like these could be the next big thing--and we have student inventors to thank.
Jun. 22, 2012
Field Trip! Can You Stomach It?
Philadelphia’s Mütter Museum has a lot of heart, and other organs too.
Jun. 15, 2012
Desktop Diaries: Sylvia Earle
A moray eel, a flock of geese, and a shrunken head are just a few of things found in and around Her Deepness’ office.
Jun. 08, 2012
The Winning Answer to a Burning Question
The winner of Alan Alda’s ‘Flame Challenge’ draws on animation, song and a physics background.
Jun. 01, 2012
Lightning Bug of a Different Color
Forget the fireflies, some millipedes glow in the dark too.
May. 18, 2012
From Rooftops and Abandoned Lots, an Urban Harvest
How about some rooftop honey or dandelion flower jelly? A look at city harvests.
May. 04, 2012
Cracking the Egg Sprinkler Mystery
When a hard-boiled egg is spun in a pool of milk, the milk will wick up the sides of the egg and spray off at the equator.
Apr. 27, 2012
Designing the Pied Piper of Fish
Maurizio Porfiri designed a robotic fish that attract real fish. Now he’s trying to understand why.
Apr. 20, 2012
Untangling the Hairy Physics of Rapunzel
Kelly Ward, of Walt Disney Animation Studios, was tasked with bringing Rapunzel's locks to life.
Apr. 13, 2012
How Humans and Insects Conquered the Earth
E.O. Wilson discusses evolution and natural selection in The Social Conquest of Earth.
Apr. 06, 2012
Coyotes Come to the Big Apple
Wildlife biologist Mark Weckel is documenting coyote immigration through camera traps in city parks.
Mar. 30, 2012
No Joke: Science Is A Laughing Matter
Ira Flatow and guests share science funnies and discover an element of humor (pun intended).
Mar. 30, 2012
Why Don’t Spiders Get Stuck In Their Webs?
A sticky question that has plagued arachnologists for decades is finally untangled.
Mar. 23, 2012
Picture An Embryo
Why does looking a picture of a human embryo elicit strong feelings?
Mar. 16, 2012
Teenager Launches LEGO Shuttle Into Space
Raul Oaida sent the payload to space by way of a large helium balloon.
Mar. 09, 2012
Studying Locomotion With Rat Treadmills, Wind Tunnels
For some scientists, a regular day at the office is training a guinea fowl to run on a treadmill.
Mar. 02, 2012
Neil deGrasse Tyson On Exploring Cosmic Frontiers
In Space Chronicles, Tyson argues that space exploration is vital to human progress.
Feb. 24, 2012
Secret Life Of Ice
Photographer Edward Aites zoomed in on ice and found a beautiful and foreign landscape.
Feb. 17, 2012
Where’s The Cuttlefish
Biologist Sarah Zylinski studies how cuttlefish see the world by looking at their skin.
Feb. 10, 2012
Valentine’s Day Special: Look Of Love
Our pupils change size in response to light, and thoughts.
Jan. 27, 2012
Ode To Ice
Two experts--an ice sculptor and an ice researcher--explain why ice is cool.
Jan. 20, 2012
Seeing Super-Fast Animals
A high-speed video camera is a must for biologist Sheila Patek.
Jan. 13, 2012
Making A Computer From Bubbles
By directing bubbles through etched pathways, bubbles can act as bits and be used to solve computations.
Jan. 06, 2012
Levitating Fruit Flies To Learn About Space Travel
Using a powerful magnet, physicists are levitating insects to study the effects of zero gravity on biological systems.
Dec. 23, 2011
Searching For A Ghost Bird
Tim Gallagher’s expedition to save a woodpecker became a trip about his own survival.
Dec. 16, 2011
What Makes Wings Work?
With a speaker and homemade paper aircraft, researchers are studying the mysteries of flight.
Dec. 09, 2011
Engineers Give The Jump Rope A Spin
A pickup basketball game inspired a mathematical exercise.
Dec. 02, 2011
Flight Of The Wild Pigeon
Researchers at Harvard caught pigeons in a parking garage and filmed them with high speed cameras.
Nov. 25, 2011
Giant Pumpkin, But Forget About Pie
Robert Sabin grew a 1000-pound pumpkin in his Long Island backyard.
Nov. 18, 2011
Balloon Scientists Prepare For Thanksgiving Day Parade
With the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade less than a week away, it’s crunch time for the balloon technicians.
Nov. 11, 2011
Hunt For A Vanishing Woodpecker
In 1956, a dentist and amateur ornithologist captured the Imperial woodpecker on 16 mm color film. It’s the only known photo-documentation of the bird.
Nov. 04, 2011
How An Elegant Moth Stays Aloft
Hawk moths feed like hummingbirds. Ty Hedrick wants to know how they hold steady in the air.
Oct. 28, 2011
Brian Greene Explains ‘The Fabric Of The Cosmos’
With no shortage of special effects, a new four-part TV series looks at big questions in cosmology.
Oct. 21, 2011
Video Pick: Jack-O-Lantern 2.0
Master carvers share tips on how to bring your pumpkin to the next level this Halloween.
Oct. 07, 2011
Video Pick: Mapping Flames
Two engineers are videoing fire with high speed cameras to try to make a 3D reconstruction of a flame.
Sep. 16, 2011
Video Pick: Growing A Wastewater Treatment Plant
The “algal turf scrubber” uses algae to boost water quality.
Sep. 09, 2011
Rainfall Brings Bumper Crop Of Fungi
Record-breaking rain in the northeast means more mushrooms, mycologists say.
Aug. 26, 2011
Water Striders Don’t Stride, They Row
Mechanical engineer David Hu filmed water striders gliding on food coloring and built his own robostrider.
Aug. 12, 2011
Video Pick: Flywheel Bicycle
Maxwell von Stein, a 22 year-old Cooper Union grad, built a bicycle that uses a flywheel to store energy.
Aug. 05, 2011
Squid, Octopus, Cuttlefish: Masters Of Camouflage
In less than a second, cephalopods can change the color, pattern and shape of their skin.
Jul. 29, 2011
Video Pick: Designing A Green Roof
A rooftop farm in Brooklyn, NY does more than produce food.
Jul. 22, 2011
Video Pick: Engineering Artificial Cilia
Physicists fabricated a simple version of cilia that will flap spontaneously and even synchronize their movements.
Jul. 15, 2011
In Battle Of The Bulbs, It’s Watts Vs. Lumens
How will energy efficiency standards affect light bulb design?
Jul. 08, 2011
Probing The Secret Life Of Compost
Composting-pioneer Malcolm Beck explains the art and science of fertilizing organically.
Jul. 01, 2011
Video Pick: Blowing Bubble Nets
Underwater digital tags show humpback whales use bubbles to trap schools of fish.
Jun. 24, 2011
Student Inventors Dream Up A Better Wheelchair
High school engineering students describe their award-winning invention.
Jun. 10, 2011
Video Pick: Growing Hearts and Bones
When it comes to engineering tissues, the cells are doing the work, says bioengineer Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic.
Jun. 03, 2011
Probing The Sun’s Spots
High resolution images from the Swedish Solar Telescope gives scientists a new view of a sunspot’s penumbra.
May. 27, 2011
Examining The Hummingbird Tongue
Hummingbird tongues are long, forked, muscle-less and excellent at grabbing liquid.
May. 20, 2011
Office Hours with Michio Kaku
Theoretical physicist and futurist Michio Kaku takes Science Friday on a tour of his office.
May. 13, 2011
The Physics Of Setting Leaves Aflame
Even if cheap pyrotechnics isn't your thing, the physics behind how this works is relevant to anyone with eyes.
Apr. 29, 2011
Annoying Book Probes The Science Of Irritations
From the psychology of trash talk to frustrated magnets, a new book asks if science can explain life's annoyances.
Apr. 29, 2011
Bug News Roundup: Ant Rafts To Robot Caterpillars
The pick of the week turns to insect engineers.
Apr. 22, 2011
Video Pick: Space Favorites
Science Friday celebrates the shuttle with some of our favorite space videos.
Apr. 15, 2011
Physics Of The Riderless Bike
A well designed bicycle traveling at the right speed will steer itself--no rider required.
Apr. 08, 2011
Video Pick: Seeing The World Through Whiskers
Rats don't have sharp vision, relying on whiskers to help them navigate.
Apr. 01, 2011
Video Pick: Springtime Bug Out
How do bees know when to emerge from hibernation? And what do they do all winter?
Mar. 18, 2011
Deception, Sex, Aeration: The Secret Life Of Orchids
Orchid-growing tips from a master orchid grower.
Mar. 11, 2011
Robot Invades NYC Bookstore
This week's video pick looks at a robotic printer that can produce books to order.
Mar. 04, 2011
Brian Greene on The Hidden Reality
Why some physicists think there can be more than one universe.
Feb. 25, 2011
Pick of the Week: Looking At What The Eye Sees
We move our eyes three times a second, over 100,000 times each day. Why isn't life blurrier?
Feb. 18, 2011
Creature Feature: Jumping Fleas, Burrowing Owls
It's a mystery that has bugged flea experts for decades.
Feb. 04, 2011
Plumbing The Depths Of Aquarium Science
Bring the ocean into your living room with a coral reef aquarium.
Jan. 28, 2011
Digital Sampling and Remix Culture: Creativity or Criminality?
How much of someone else’s work should artists be able to use? How much should they pay for it? Is copyright law stuck in the age of analog?
Jan. 21, 2011
Pick of the Week: Young Filmmakers Make Litter Scary
High school students from Miami Beach film a cautionary tale about trashing the beach.
Jan. 14, 2011
Video Pick: Reconstructing a Dino Find
We'll take a look at Eodromaeus, a newly-discovered small predator that lived about 230 million years ago.
Jan. 07, 2011
Video Pick: Printing in 3D
3D printers allow rapid prototyping of designs, and computer-aided construction of complex shapes.
Dec. 31, 2010
Video Pick: The Toiling Ant
Leaf-cutter ants rely on their razor sharp mandibles to snip leaves to pieces. What happens when the ants can't cut it?
Dec. 24, 2010
The Eggnog Diaries
It's holiday news you can use - a holiday rebroadcast of our research into alcohol content and eggnog food safety.
Dec. 17, 2010
Taxidermy and 'A Kingdom Under Glass'
A new book profiles the life of Carl Akeley, a pioneering taxidermist responsible for the look of natural history museum displays around the country.
Dec. 10, 2010
Video Pick: A Snowflake Solution
It's the time of year when people think about snow. We'll tell you how you can grow your own snowflakes. Well, sort of.
Dec. 03, 2010
Oliver Sacks and 'The Mind's Eye'
Neurologist Oliver Sacks talks with Ira about vision, the brain, and how the two can work together -- or can work against each other.
Nov. 19, 2010
Video Pick: Rapunzel Hair Physics
It's a question that's kept many a physicist and beautician up at night (well, maybe not.)
Nov. 05, 2010
Video Pick: The Precocious Brush Turkey
A new study looks at the early-flying brush turkey.
Oct. 22, 2010
Video Pick: The Physics of the Great Pumpkin
How big does YOUR pumpkin grow? And, more importantly, how does it get so big?
Oct. 15, 2010
Video Pick: The March of the Immune Cells
New research looks at the twisted paths the immune system uses to clear diseased cells.
Oct. 08, 2010
Video Pick: Ira Drives the Leaf
Ira goes for a spin in Nissan's upcoming electric car.
Oct. 01, 2010
Video Pick: Mark Twain’s Scary Sci-Fi
A look at the pioneering science fiction of...Mark Twain?
Sep. 24, 2010
Video Pick of the Week: Composite Sketch
How do police artists get accurate depictions of a suspect, based on the hazy recollections of a handful of witnesses? Our video looks at the artistry -- and psychology -- of creating a good composite sketch.
Sep. 17, 2010
Video Pick: Crows Use Tools Too
People use tools. Other primates use tools. But... crows?
Sep. 10, 2010
Video Pick: Gotta Dance
New research tackles a difficult subject: what makes a man a good (or bad) dancer?
Sep. 03, 2010
Video Pick of the Week: A Stocky Predator
We meet a newly discovered dinosaur that researchers describe as a 'stocky dragon' -- with claws that could pack a real punch.
Aug. 27, 2010
Bedbugs
They come out at night to hunt for blood. We'll talk about the science and psychology of bedbugs.
Jul. 23, 2010
Video Pick of the Week: Robot Fish
It swims and can lead a school of fish -- but it's a robot.
Jul. 02, 2010
Sun Activity
The sun has been in a relatively quiet period in recent years -- but astronomers say that's going to change soon.
Jun. 25, 2010
Video Pick of the Week: Webb Telescope
The upcoming James Webb Telescope is set to go on beyond Hubble.
Jun. 25, 2010
Geek Update - What's the Word?
Listeners react to last week's suggestion that it's time to rebrand the 'geek.'
Jun. 18, 2010
The Geek Dad on Father's Day
This weekend is Father's Day - but instead of wrapping up tools or a tie, how about sharing a geeky family activity?
Jun. 11, 2010
Video Pick of the Week: Bubble Physics
High-speed, high-definition video reveals the secret world of popping bubbles.
May. 28, 2010
Video Pick of the Week: Robot Joins the Navy
Naval researchers are at work on a humanoid robot named 'Octavia.'
May. 21, 2010
Video Pick of the Week: Frogs Shake it Up
How do tree frogs get the word out? New research published this week says male red-eyed treefrogs communicate with one another in aggressive contests by using vibrations they send through their plant perches.
May. 14, 2010
Video Pick of the Week: Boulder Field
A trip to a geologic attraction: a boulder field.
Mar. 26, 2010
Tracking an Amphibious Caterpillar
Several newly-discovered species of caterpillar in Hawaii function equally well in water or on land.
Jan. 29, 2010
Rotifers, Reproduction, and the Red Queen
New research tackles the question of how one species of aquatic microorganism has managed to survive without the benefit of sexual reproduction for millions of years.
AVAILABLE IN ITUNES
Michael Pollan Talks Plants and Food
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Age of Wonder
Ira talks with Richard Holmes, author of 'The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science.'
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