Kathleen Davis
Producer
Kathleen Davis is a producer and fill-in host at Science Friday, which means she spends her weeks researching, writing, editing, and sometimes talking into a microphone. She heads the show’s State of Science project, bringing local science stories to a national audience.
Before joining the Science Friday team in 2020, Kathleen reported on tech and breaking news at WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR station. One time, her coworkers made her a dinosaur themed birthday cake, complete with a Rice Krispy meteor.
Kathleen is originally from the great state of Michigan, and is always eager to talk about freshwater lakes and Coney Island diners. She can often be found taking long walks to run errands that would be done much faster by other modes of transportation.
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17:00
Understanding Sunscreen Ingredients And Which Ones You Need
Picking a sunscreen can be overwhelming. We’ll break down what to look for, and what ingredients matter.
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17:00
You Can Whistle While You Work—But How Does A Whistle Work?
Whistling requires attention to your mouth, muscles, and breath. Here’s how it works, and how to get better at it.
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12:14
Bedbugs Have Been Bugging Us Since Before Beds
New research follows a distinct lineage of bedbugs that lived alongside humans for thousands of years, suggesting they might be the first human pest.
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17:15
Turning The Binoculars On Birders
Lace up those comfortable sneakers, and get out your bug spray and field guides, because we’re about to go birder-watching.
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The Science Of That Big Stunt From The New ‘Mission: Impossible’
How the “Final Reckoning” crew used science to bring an underwater stunt to life. Plus, the psychology behind thrill-seeking.
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Tracking The Hidden Dangers Of Fighting Fires
How well do we understand the long-term health risks to firefighters? Plus, researchers across the country are breeding pest-resistant trees.
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Designing Hyperrealistic Body Parts, From Eyeballs To Placentas
On-screen and in hospitals, fake body parts are getting more and more realistic. That helps medical students practice for real procedures.
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How Do Bacteria Talk To Each Other?
Bacteria are not as simple as their reputation suggests. Understanding how they communicate may lead to better disease treatments for us humans.
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15:27
Two Steps Forward For Meat Alternatives
Scientists bring us a lab-grown chicken nugget and texturally accurate, plant-based calamari. We’ll bite.
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8:00
Does Taping Your Mouth Shut Help You Sleep?
Social media influencers are claiming that taping your mouth shut during sleep has life-changing effects. But the evidence isn’t airtight.