On Today's Podcast
Why Astronomers Are Excited About Comet 3I/ATLAS’ Close Approach
Comet 3I/Atlas is just the third known object to visit us from outside our solar system. So yes... we'll be talking about aliens.
Listen NowDecember 19, 2025
A newly identified amoeba can survive at the temperature of a medium-well steak. Plus, a distant lava planet shows signs of an atmosphere. And, this Christmas Bird Count, we salute the fabulous, underappreciated, common species. Here’s to you, house sparrow.
Opening the Memory Bank
The New York Public Library just made it easier for the public to access thousands of digitized high-resolution items as part of an effort to preserve our cultural history in the Internet Age.
11:54
HIV Prevention With PrEP, an Ancient Microbiome, and Freezing Fat
A new study shows that nearly two-thirds of new HIV infections in gay and bisexual men in the Netherlands could be prevented with pre-exposure prophylaxis.
17:02
Tending to Your Winter Garden
Tips for guarding your garden against the winter chill.
4:57
These Outmoded Scientific Instruments Are Also Things of Beauty
Steve Erenberg collects early scientific and medical instruments that are also things of beauty.
12:10
Will a ‘Godzilla El Niño’ Put a Dent in the Drought?
Despite the big splash recent precipitation has made with residents of the West, current snowfall numbers are just about average, says JPL snow hydrologist Tom Painter.
Why We Need Body Fat
Body fat is a highly specialized organ, critically important for health and longevity.
17:11
Always Hungry? Your Fat Cells May Be To Blame
Certain diets cause fat cells to suck up too much fuel, says David Ludwig, author of the new book “Always Hungry,” leaving the rest of the body hungry.
28:37
Viewing the Road Ahead for Self-Driving Cars
Imagine a future in which all cars can drive themselves. What might that do to our cities, towns, and society?
High Pressure In The Deep Ocean
Pressure is a huge challenge for deep ocean explorers. Learn how pressure changes with depth and explore its effects on compressible solids in this series of experiments, demonstrations, and real-life data collected aboard the E/V Nautilus.
10 Questions for Alan Guth, Pioneer of the Inflationary Model of the Universe
The theoretical physicist discusses the expanding universe and the infinite possibilities it brings.
The Week-After Science Friday Quiz! 1/5/16
How much do you know about the early days of the personal computer?
Things of Beauty: Scientific Instruments of Yore
Brimming with Victorian medical masks, surreal anatomical models, and futuristic test prostheses, Steve Erenberg’s store/museum in Peekskill, New York offers a tour of long-forgotten devices.
21:06
From the Origin of Art, to the End of Humanity
In 2011, a novelist, a filmmaker, and a physicist joined Ira for a wide-ranging conversation about art, science, and the mysterious place where they intersect.
17:25
Two Cosmic Explorers Investigate the World Within Us
In this archival interview from October 9, 1992, Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan talk about their book “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors: A Search for Who We Are.”
29:27
A Look Back at the Future of Personal Computing
Tech industry observer Esther Dyson looks back at predictions she made about the future of personal computing, circa 1992.
25:42
SciFri Live: Superhero Quiz
Physicist James Kakalios tests the superhero science smarts of teams from 3M and the CONvergence sci-fi convention.
Catching A Break
How a self-taught meteorologist turned a call-in surf forecasting company into a global enterprise.
12:17
Stalking The Wilds Of Mexico For A Christmas Classic
Clemson University floriculturist Jim Faust arrived in Manzanillo, Mexico, with an unusual mission: to stalk a population of wild poinsettias growing in their native habitat.
17:17
‘Findings’ Collects Science’s Best One-Liners
Harper’s magazine’s Findings column is a news ticker for science’s most fascinating—and flummoxing—facts.