On Today's Podcast
What A Tea Party With A Bonobo Taught Us About Imagination
Is the capacity to imagine unique to humans? Scientists thought so—but a pretend tea party with a bonobo named Kanzi suggests otherwise.
Listen NowFebruary 13, 2026
An evolutionary biologist weighs in on mating and dating in the age of apps. Is pair bonding passé? Is single the new married? Plus, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC, has ceased operation. What’s next for particle physics? Add, researchers are homing in on how kids reap long-term health benefits from getting dirty, whether cuddling furry pets or playing with friends.
Mating, Marriage, And Monogamy In The Age Of Apps
An evolutionary biologist weighs in on mating and dating in the age of apps. Is pair bonding passé? Is single the new married?
A Little Grime Can Boost Kids’ Health. But What Kind?
Researchers are homing in on how kids reap long-term health benefits from getting dirty, whether cuddling furry pets or playing with friends.
What A Tea Party With A Bonobo Taught Us About Imagination
Is the capacity to imagine unique to humans? Scientists thought so—but a pretend tea party with a bonobo named Kanzi suggests otherwise.
How Dating Apps Challenge Our Human Nature
“The Intimate Animal” explores how dating apps cause people to raise their expectations—and walk into first dates with preconceived notions.
How Is Screen Time Affecting My Kid?
Researchers have correlated brain and behavioral changes in kids to increased time on phones and other screen devices.
How Do You Track A Butterfly?
Discover how technology tracks monarch migration across thousands of miles. Learn what dangers butterflies face and why their journey matters.
Who Wants To Smell An Ancient Embalmed Mummy?
Chemists and perfumers are using new techniques to bring ancient scents back to life, from mummies to a 5,000-year-old incense burner.
The Largest US Particle Collider Stops Its Collisions
The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC, has ceased operation. What’s next for particle physics?
Olympic Ski Mountaineering, And Mountain Goat Climbing Feats
The mountaineering history behind “skimo,” a new Winter Olympic event. Plus, research into a true alpine champion, the mountain goat.
Why Worry About My Data If I Have Nothing To Hide?
It’s easier than ever for companies to collect your personal data and compile it into a profile for advertisers, ICE, and other agencies.
Should Ultraprocessed Foods Be Off The Menu?
New USDA dietary guidelines tell us to “eat real food.” Should policymakers get highly processed foods out of our stores and school lunches?
The Growing Experiment Of Putting Solar Panels On Farmland
Agrivoltaics combines solar panels and agriculture on the same land. It’ll be an uphill battle for it to hit the mainstream.
We’re All Being Played By Metrics
A new book explores what we lose when we’re always keeping score—at work, in life, even within ourselves. Can games help set us free?
What’s Lost When We Trade Play For Metrics And Optimization
For C. Thi Nguyen, rock climbing brought joy and satisfaction—until he started chasing scores and focusing on “leveling up.”
Stressed About The World? Take A Cue From Cyanobacteria
In turbulent times, it helps to hear stories of resilience. What can we learn from 3.5 billion-year-old bacteria that eat light?
Untangling The History Of Dog Domestication
A new study suggests dogs began to diversify about 11,000 years earlier than we thought. Plus, a long-running experiment to domesticate foxes.
A Science Historian Tackles Ghostwriting In Scientific Papers
A science historian looks to the past to understand our current moment, and how ghostwriting in scientific papers is harming public trust.
How China Is Driving Down Electricity Costs With Renewables
China is reshaping its energy economy with renewables like wind and solar—and flooding the world with affordable solar technology.
Managing The Risks Of Spaceflight, 40 Years After Challenger
As we enter a new age of space travel, a former NASA astronaut says that rather than accepting risk, we should try to control risks.
How A Mutation Made This Year’s Flu Season So Bad
A flu variant called subclade K emerged too late to be fully covered by this year’s vaccine. But the flu shot can still help protect you.