On Today's Podcast
As Companies Build Data Centers For AI, Communities Push Back
A boom in construction of AI data centers is facing backlash over soaring electricity and water usage, and the resulting utility hikes.
Listen NowDecember 5, 2025
A boom in construction of AI data centers is facing backlash over soaring electricity and water usage, and the resulting utility hikes. Plus, to save spotted owls in the Pacific Northwest, one plan suggests killing thousands of barred owls. And, geologist Anjana Khatwa explains how embracing wonder and awe adds to our scientific understanding of the rocks that form our planet.
How Archaeologists Try To Smell, Hear, And Taste The Past
In “Dinner With King Tut,” Sam Kean shows how experimental archaeology can recreate the stinky, slimy, and tasty parts of ancient history.
To Understand Ancient Beer, Try Brewing It Yourself
Author Sam Kean writes about how experimental archaeology engages the senses and offers an intimate look into ancient history.
Moth Survival Strategies And A Rodent Thumbnail Mystery
Moths’ evolutionary split between bright warning colors and subtle camouflage depends on the context. Plus, mysteries of the rodent thumbnail.
Mission Orbital Eats: Engineer Foods For Extreme Environments
Discover how scientists engineer foods for space missions, then design your own solutions for extreme environments on Earth.
12:13
As The CDC Falters, How Do We Fill Public Health Gaps?
Former CDC director Tom Frieden discusses how communities and health systems can move forward as the US public health system is dismantled.
Mission Cosmic Crops: Combat Hunger With Space Technology
Discover space-age technology for growing fresh food and get hands-on as you investigate how hydroponics systems can combat hunger on Earth.
Anthropologists Have A Bone To Pick With New Skull Finding
A reconstruction of an ancient skull suggests that humans could have evolved half a million years earlier than thought. Not so fast, some say.
Misión fuerza tecnológica: robots para un futuro sostenible
Enfréntate a un desafío práctico y de pensamiento crítico en equipo y luego descubre cómo la tecnología en robótica del espacio puede resolver problemas en la Tierra.
Misión rehidratar: agua para un planeta sediento
Descubre cómo los astronautas purifican el agua en la Estación Espacial Internacional, y luego construye tu propio sistema de filtración.
Misión monitorear sensores: enfría tu comunidad
Utilizando imágenes satelitales, investiga la ciencia climática. Después, busca islas de calor y diseña soluciones para enfriar tu comunidad.
Misión salud estelar: entrena como un astronauta
Entérete cómo los astronautas hacen ejercicio en el espacio, y utiliza el diseño de ingeniería para crear soluciones de salud para la Tierra.
Remembering Primatologist Jane Goodall
Trailblazing chimp researcher and conservationist Jane Goodall died on October 1 at 91.
What Do We Know About SSRI Antidepressant Withdrawal?
Without robust long-term data, physicians and patients continue debating the severity and significance of SSRI withdrawal symptoms.
Asha de Vos’ Journey From Deck Hand To Marine Science Leader
Growing up, Asha de Vos didn’t know of any Sri Lankans studying marine mammals. So she became the first.
Can Better Equipment Eliminate Concussions In Sports?
Head injuries are considered a normal risk of high-impact sports like football. Better helmets and guidelines aim to make athletes safer.
17:34
Why Painters Are Obsessed With The Duck Stamp Art Contest
Duck stamps help fund wetland conservation across the country. The art that adorns them is chosen through a beloved (and intense) competition.
Tradition Meets TikTok At The Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest
A new group of social media-savvy wildlife artists is bringing a beloved conservation tradition to TikTok. It’s ruffled some feathers.
Is Tylenol Use During Pregnancy Connected To Autism?
We dig into the details of the science of Tylenol and autism with a researcher who led one of the largest studies on the topic.
How Illinois Volunteers Brought Back The Kankakee Mallow
To save the rare flower from disappearing, a group of volunteers simulated rolling wildfires on a tiny island near Chicago.
Down To Earth: Space Science For Community Change
Use science and innovation from the International Space Station and beyond to solve real-world environmental challenges in your community.