On Today's Podcast
The decades-long movement to kill FEMA
A new series from “On the Media” traces the mistrust and conspiracy theories that have plagued FEMA since its founding in 1979.
Listen NowMay 1, 2026
Birds are living dinosaurs whose ancestors include T. rex and giant penguins. Understanding their past can help us imagine their future. Plus, an executive order issued by President Trump aims to fast-track research for psychedelics, including ibogaine. What is it? And, measuring microplastics can be hard, partly because they’re everywhere—including the lab. One researcher is working on solutions.
17:37
How We Use Land Contributes To Climate Change
The 2019 IPCC Report explains how proper land management could help or hurt the environment.
17:27
Are Firefly Populations ‘Blinking Out’?
Fireflies are vulnerable to habitat loss, pesticides, and light pollution.
34:04
SciFri Book Club: One For The Birds
A celebration of the tool-users, the problem-solvers, and the songbirds. Plus, can we ever truly understand animal minds?
Make Your Own Sauropod Poop!
How did dinosaurs digest the food they ate? Using modern animals as models, make your own digestive system to learn more.
7:56
The Trump Administration Rolls Back The Endangered Species Act
Regulators will soon consider lost revenue of protecting endangered species, and other stories in this week’s News Roundup.
3:54
Are Electric Scooters Actually Good For The Environment?
Researchers tallied up the carbon emissions in a scooter’s life cycle and found they’re not as green as you’d think.
12:27
Catching A Texas Batnado
San Antonio is home to one of the largest known bat colonies with over 15 million bats.
17:40
Supporting Texas’ Feathered Friends
How human actions—from bird feeders to wind farms—can affect the health of bird populations.
17:37
Welcome To One Of The Deadliest Labs In The World
Take a (safe) peek inside the Texas Biomedical Institute in San Antonio, where scientists study diseases like Ebola.
33:44
Where There’s Thunder, There’s Lightning Science
How researchers probe the mysteries of electricity in the atmosphere, one lightning storm at a time.
Binary, Pixels, And Data, Oh My! Studying How Computers Store Information
In this hands-on classroom activity, students learn how computers actually store and transmit data.
The 2019 Science Friday Educator Collaborative
This year’s cohort of Educator Collaborators are making engaging, free activities for the classroom.
What Did Ancient Civilizations Eat? An Archaeology Lab Experiment
Compare simulated ancient plant remains to real archaeological data to understand the diets of past civilizations.
Questions About Crows? We’ve Got You Covered
Corvid researcher Kaeli Swift answers your questions about funeral practices, grudges, and other feats of intellect.
Use #ScientistsWhoSelfie to Challenge Science Stereotypes
What happens when students “draw a scientist” and then explore how real scientists present themselves in social media? Stereotypes get busted!
12:00
How ‘Moss Piglets’ Invaded The Moon
Tardigrades on the moon, feral hogs on Earth, and more news from this week’s roundup.
17:31
Breaking Through The Northwest Passage For Arctic Science
Scientists and students navigated the Northwest Passage waterways to study how the Arctic summers have changed.
17:28
A Bird’s-Eye View Of Color
Birds don’t see the world quite the way we do. How does that shape the colors—both spectacular and drab—of our feathered friends?
11:38
Bridging The Digital Divide In Texas’ Wide-Open Spaces
High-speed internet access is becoming a necessity of modern life, but connecting over a million rural Texans is a challenge.
34:31
The Not-So-Great Red Spot
The Great Red Spot is shrinking, and other news from the giant planets.