On Today's Podcast
Sci-fi thriller combines aliens, robots, and Cherokee culture
The sci-fi thriller “Hole in the Sky” imagines an alien first-contact scenario set in the heart of Cherokee Nation.
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.
6:11
Worried About Fading COVID-19 Antibodies? Not So Fast.
Why a new study is not necessarily bad news for your COVID-19 immune response. Plus the Moon’s moisture, and new successes for livestock ‘super daddies.’
5:52
Pennsylvania’s Voters Are Concerned About Climate Change
Despite President Trump’s rhetoric, fracking remains controversial in Pennsylvania.
9:21
How To Detect Disinformation And Fake Election News
How do unverified stories and other false claims take hold during the election process? An expert explains.
7:52
Checking Science On The Ballot
Presidential candidates aren’t the only ones vying for votes. Here are the science propositions and STEM candidates on your ballot.
17:22
Vampire Bats Just Want To Be Friends
They’re creepy and they’re kooky… and also pretty cute. Meet the newest entry to our Charismatic Creature Corner.
16:58
Shipping Nuclear Power Out To Sea
A decades-old idea for “floating nuclear power plants” in the U.S. comes around again.
29:30
Pushing Boundaries In Fantastical Fiction
In our finale of this fall’s SciFri Book Club, author and editor Nisi Shawl leads a conversation about how science and science fiction can be re-imagined.
What The Brain Inherits
A neuroscientist shares her pursuit to understand the brain and how our parents’ experiences live on in us.
Breakthrough: The Slime Minder
Discover how Audrey Dussutour is breaking new ground in our understanding of animal cognition from an unexpected source: slime molds.
What It’s Like To Be A Science Teacher In A Pandemic
STEM educators across the country share their strategies, challenges, and experiences teaching during the COVID crisis.
12:02
Google Is In Legal Trouble
The tech giant faces a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department, and early COVID data from New York City public schools are encouraging.
17:03
Why COVID Dreams Are Weirder Than Normal
A dream researcher has been collecting dreams since the pandemic began. Here’s what she’s learned.
12:10
Can Trauma Today Affect Future Children?
Researchers are studying whether severe stress can have an epigenetic effect, altering how genes are turned on and off in an organism’s offspring.
17:29
Even In A Pandemic, Science Class Is In Session
The return to school hasn’t been easy, but STEM educators are finding creative ways to teach science to kids—online and in-person.
17:08
Making Peace With The End Of Your Species
The SciFri Book Club reads about a planet where the aliens wear human faces. Plus, what it means to be ‘sentient’ in science fiction.
17:24
Should We Stop Paying Attention To Election Forecasts?
We’ve been trying to predict the outcomes of elections for a long time, and that might be a problem.
The Legend Of Death Walking
In this excerpt of the short story ‘The Shadow We Cast Through Time,’ a mysterious entity on a far-off planet transforms human colonists into demonic creatures.
Read People’s Strange (And Similar) Pandemic Dreams
Dream researcher Dierdre Barrett has been collecting COVID dreams since March. Find out about the surprisingly common themes in dreams during the pandemic.
How This Astronomer Discovered A New Type Of Galaxy
Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil talks how she got into astronomy and the path that led her to getting a new type of galaxy named after her.
Breakthrough: The Lake Sentinel
Discover how earth scientist Africa Flores-Anderson uses satellite data to help underserved communities.