Flora has produced science media for 20 years across many formats. She got her start right here at Science Friday, working her way up from intern to fill-in host, and resident videographer. From there, she worked as a video producer for The New York Times, co-creating an Emmy-nominated film series that dramatized scientific discoveries using… paper puppets. She also was nominated for an Emmy for her writing on Bill Nye’s Netflix show “Bill Nye Saves the World.” She has created and launched a number of podcasts in various roles, including hosting Gimlet’s beloved “Every Little Thing,” which connected listeners to experts who could answer their burning questions. The show ran for five years and published over 200 episodes. In her previous role as Hypothesis Fund Managing Editor, she told the stories of world-class scientists pursuing bold new ideas in a new storytelling initiative, The Leap.
Making science accessible, relatable, and human has been a focus of Flora’s career. Some of her inspiration comes from her own experience in science: Long, long ago, she worked at a NATO oceanographic lab in Italy. For the lab’s research expeditions, she lived on a ship where apertivi were served on the top deck, hoisted there via pulley by the ship’s chef.
You can find her @flichtman on social media platforms.
‘The Kissing Bug’ And The Story Of A Neglected Disease
Journalist Daisy Hernández chronicles the history of Chagas disease, also known as kissing bug disease, and how it changed her family’s story.
Are Raccoons On The Road To Domestication?
Recent studies on raccoons and dark-eyed juncos investigate how urban wildlife is evolving.
The Community Group Rethinking LA’s Approach To Wildfires
One year after the LA fires, the Community Brigade is equipping residents to prepare for, fight, and recover from wildfires.
What Should Astronauts Do First When They Reach Mars?
A new report lays out the objectives for a crewed mission to Mars. Plus, an update on the NASA mission to survey the asteroid Psyche.
Are Ultramarathoners Just Built Different?
Ultramarathoners can run with what seems like superhuman stamina. But are their bodies much different than the rest of ours?
Your Cells Are Always Building A Whole New You
Over the past year, most of your body has replaced itself cell by cell. What can we learn from other animals’ dramatic feats of regeneration?
How Did Vaccine Policies Actually Change In 2025?
After a year of near-daily headlines about changes to vaccine policy, what has actually changed? And what do we need to know?
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.
‘Fire Amoeba’ Likes It Hot, And A Faraway Lava Planet
A newly identified amoeba can survive at the temperature of a medium-well steak. Plus, a distant lava planet shows signs of an atmosphere.
What’s The Reality Behind The Humanoid Robot Hype?
Humanoid robots are all over social media, doing everything from dancing to serving drinks. But are they really going to show up in our lives?