On Today's Podcast
What a trapped antimatter particle could tell us about reality
Researchers have trapped a positron and held it at extremely cold temperatures for months, allowing them to measure its quantum properties.
Listen NowOctober 30, 2026
When, and where, did bats first take to the sky? Online clinics are prescribing GLP-1 microdoses formulated by compounding pharmacies. Are they safe and effective? Terence Tao says mathematics is about understanding, not just right answers, and quick AI solutions are forcing soul-searching in the field. Plus, how chatbots are changing language, and what life was like for T. rex.
Science Friday Live In San Antonio
On Saturday, August 10, we’re heading to San Antonio, Texas to learn about local science.
Do Ice Baths Work?
Long story short, they may reduce pain, but they don’t speed the healing process.
6:15
From Atoms To Airplanes And Polymers To Planets
The spring 2019 meeting of the American Chemical Society in Orlando included transparent wood, VR labs, and medicinal nanoparticles.
5:49
Missouri Looks To Regulate Coal Ash Ponds
Toxic coal ash is contaminating groundwater around the state. Will proposed new regulations be enough?
16:31
How The Sap Runs
Scientists tap into how trees move gallons of fluids from the ground to the atmosphere every day. Plus, the freeze-thaw secrets of sugar maple trees.
9:24
Fertile Soil, Washed Away
Lost topsoil may be the biggest long-term damage to this year’s flooded Midwest farms.
7:43
How Will These Long-Lived Trees Adapt To Climate Change?
Bristlecone pines—one of the longest living tree species—has to adapt and change its habitat in the face of climate change.
11:52
Right-To-Repair Would Let You Fix Your Own Devices
As our phones and cars include more software, advocates say we should have the right-to-repair our own devices.
17:02
What’s The Best Way To Recover After A Workout?
It turns out, there’s no right answer. Science writer Christie Aschwanden debunks our most commonly held beliefs about sports recovery with science.
Now Screening: Cephalopod Movie Night!
Cephalopod Movie Night returns! From June 21 to 28, celebrate our favorite undersea creatures with Science Friday at 10 cities across the nation.
16:57
Is America Ready For A Climate Change Candidate?
Presidential candidate Jay Inslee has staked his bid for the White House on fighting climate change. But is that issue enough to get people to the polls?
Science Friday Live In Boulder
On Saturday June 15th, Ira Flatow and the Science Friday crew are heading to Boulder, Colorado.
Fifth Annual Science Friday Trivia Night!
On Wednesday, May 29, our fifth annual Science Friday Trivia Night returns to Brooklyn.
The Origin Of The Word ‘Mercury’
From ancient alchemists to Lewis and Clark, mercury has a storied history.
Tough Times for the World’s Oldest Trees
The bristlecone pine tree can live up to 5,000 years. Will these ancients continue to survive under climate change?
First Take With Science Friday In Huntsville
On May 21, enjoy “First Take With Science Friday,” live from Huntsville, Alabama!
6:50
NASA Is Making Some Big Promises. But Can It Deliver?
NASA’s all-female space walk is cancelled the same week the Trump administration announces a shorter timeline for a manned lunar mission.
The Language Of Calculus
Mathematician Steven Strogatz argues that “humans have used calculus to remake the world.”
5:15
A Glacier Grows In Greenland (For Now)
Scientists report cooler Arctic waters have temporarily thickened the ice at the edge of Jakobshavn Glacier in Greenland.
17:10
One Constant, Two Answers
Astronomers are trying to figure out how fast the universe is expanding. But two approaches are giving different answers.