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.
17:30
The ‘Asteroid Hunter’ Leading The OSIRIS-REx Mission
In a new memoir, planetary scientist Dr. Dante Lauretta takes readers behind the scenes of a mission to secure a sample from the asteroid Bennu.
17:05
The Legacy Of Primatologist Frans de Waal
Dr. Frans de Waal, who died this month, helped humans understand the emotional lives of our closest living animal relatives.
16:54
Botanical Rescue Centers Take In Illegally Trafficked Plants
The U.S. Botanic Garden is one of 62 locations across the United States that rescue endangered species poached in the wild.
The Launch Of A 7-Year Asteroid Mission
In his book, the principal investigator of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission describes the frantic morning of final checks before the launch.
Could Life Exist On A Planet Like Arrakis From ‘Dune’?
A planetary scientist compares Arrakis to real planets and analyzes whether life could exist on such a sandy, scorching-hot world.
What Did Seeing An Eclipse Do For America?
Research from the 2017 total eclipse looked at how the awe of a natural phenomenon brought people closer together.
12:08
Scientists Warn Against Nasal Rinsing With Unboiled Tap Water
A recent study looked into life-threatening infections, and a few deaths, linked to the use of tap water with devices like neti pots.
17:31
Abortion-Restrictive States Leave Ob-Gyns With Tough Choices
Post-Dobbs, ob-gyns and medical students alike must navigate the risk of criminal prosecution associated with patient care in some states.
11:43
How Your Brain Constructs Your Mental Health
In ‘The Balanced Brain,’ Dr. Camilla Nord explores the neuroscience behind mental health, and how our brains deal with life’s challenges.
17:20
What We Know After 4 Years Of COVID-19
Four years ago this week, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Experts say it’s far from over.
17:09
A Strange-Looking Fish, Frozen In Time
A group of fish called gar, dubbed “living fossils,” may have the slowest rate of evolution of any jawed vertebrate.
17:03
Science Unlocks The Power Of Flavor In ‘Flavorama’
In her new book, Dr. Arielle Johnson explains how and what we taste with chemistry.
Neuroscience Can Explain Why We Get Hangry
In ‘The Balanced Brain,’ the overlap between the chemical signals for hunger and anger shows how emotions and bodily states are closely linked.
The Herbs And Molecules That Make Up Bitter Flavors
In ‘Flavorama,’ plants, scents, and science come together in a recipe for deliciously bitter walnut-amaro cake.
From Brooklyn NY To Harvard Med To Health Equity Advocate
On March 28, we’ll chat with Uché Blackstock about her path from daughter of a community-focused Black physician to health equity advocate.
12:06
Could This Be The End Of Voyager 1?
The spacecraft has been sending incoherent data back to Earth, possibly marking the beginning of the end of its decades-old mission.
5:19
How Election Science Can Support Democracy
The Union of Concerned Scientists has unveiled an election science task force led by experts from across the country.
12:13
The Genetic Roots Of Antibiotic Resistance
A survey of soil and animal poop samples from around the world identified 18 new species of Enterococcus bacteria.
12:19
Could A Planet Like Arrakis From ‘Dune’ Exist?
A planetary scientist compares Arrakis to real planets and analyzes whether life could exist on such a sandy, scorching-hot world.
9:55
Preparing Astronauts For The Loneliness Of A Mars Mission
In a new documentary, NASA psychologists try to find solutions for the mental health challenges of a three-year trip to Mars.