LED Lighting Contest: We'll check in on the progress of a government-sponsored competition to develop a better light bulb. (first broadcast Friday, November 6, 2009)

Sylvia Earle: 'The World Is Blue': Ira talks with ocean explorer Sylvia Earle about the state of the world's oceans, and what actions need to be taken to protect them from catastrophic damage. (first broadcast Friday, November 6, 2009)

Synthetic Biology Competition: We'll get the results of a recent student competition centered around the design and construction of living machines. (first broadcast Friday, November 6, 2009)

Concussions: We'll hear about research into the long term health effects of concussions, and about what can be done to minimize damage from brain trauma. (first broadcast Friday, November 6, 2009)

Health Care and Values: Equality, justice, fairness -- in this segment, we'll talk with bioethics experts about the values Americans hold dear, and how those values influence out health care policy decisions. (first broadcast Friday, November 6, 2009)

Lunar Impact Mission Update: Friday, NASA scientists announced that they had found 'a significant amount' of lunar water through the recent LCROSS lunar impact mission. (first broadcast Friday, November 13, 2009)

Solar Sail Spacecraft: The Planetary Society plans to power a spacecraft using the pressure of sunlight reflecting off huge solar sails. (first broadcast Friday, November 13, 2009)

Two Personalities, One Brain?: We'll talk about the condition known as dissociative identity disorder. (first broadcast Friday, November 13, 2009)

Science Through Graphic Novels: We'll take a look at two graphic novels that approach science from a different direction. (first broadcast Friday, November 13, 2009)

One-Woman Show Presents Voices of the Health Care Debate: We talk with Anna Deavere Smith about her one-woman show that gives a voice to patients and doctors around the country. (first broadcast Friday, November 13, 2009)

Tropical Medicine Update: We'll check in on the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene annual meeting and talk about highlights from the conference. (first broadcast Friday, November 20, 2009)

Living and Working In Space: Last week scientists reported definite signs of water hidden in darkened craters on the moon. Does that find change human plans for the exploration of space? Should it? (first broadcast Friday, November 20, 2009)

Chemistry And Personal Solar Power: We'll talk with an MIT chemist working on ways to improve solar energy. (first broadcast Friday, November 20, 2009)

New Mammography Guidelines: New guidelines published this week by a government advisory panel suggest that women delay the start of routine mammograms until they're 50 years old. (first broadcast Friday, November 20, 2009)

Smallpox: We'll talk about the history of the international effort to eradicate smallpox worldwide. (first broadcast Friday, November 20, 2009)

Big Bang Theory: We'll talk with the executive producer of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory about packing science into a television comedy. (first broadcast Friday, November 20, 2009)

2009 Ig Nobel Prizes: It's time for our annual broadcast of highlights from the Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony, recognizing the strange, silly, and stupid in the world of science. Ten Ig Nobel awards were given out this year in early October by the editors of the science humor magazi (first broadcast Friday, November 27, 2009)

The Cheese Chronicles: Author and cheese expert Liz Thorpe explains the science of cheesemaking. (first broadcast Friday, November 27, 2009)

They Might Be Giants: Here Comes Science: The band They Might Be Giants presents a new album of science-themed music. (first broadcast Friday, November 27, 2009)