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.
Segment
Listen
How do you study microplastics in a plastic-filled lab?
Measuring microplastics can be hard, partly because they’re everywhere—including the lab. One researcher is working on solutions.
Segment
Listen
The long history of birds, from velociraptors to pigeons
Birds are living dinosaurs whose ancestors include T. rex and giant penguins. Understanding their past can help us imagine their future.
Segment
Listen
12:04
Maine nearly became the first state to ban data centers
Maine shows how public mobilization is making a difference in determining where data centers go, and how they impact local communities.
Segment
Listen
How a sound designer gave an alien its voice (and 250 words)
Erik Aadahl, the sound designer behind “Project Hail Mary” and 2014’s “Godzilla,” uses his background in biology to bring characters to life.
Segment
Listen
Can algae help pull microplastics out of our water supply?
Microplastics are everywhere, including in our water. One scientist wants wastewater plants to put bioengineered algae to work for a cleanup.
Segment
Listen
Artemis II test flight heads toward the moon
The Artemis II mission has launched, and its four astronauts are en route to the moon for a lunar flyby.
Segment
Listen
Could bird flu still spark a pandemic?
As local reports of dead birds rise, the greatest human risk continues to fall on some of the most vulnerable: farm workers.
Segment
Listen
‘Project Hail Mary’ brings a new kind of alien to the big screen
Move over, Ryan Gosling: Rocky the alien is the breakout star of the big-budget movie adaptation of “Project Hail Mary.”
Segment
Listen
Who uses Farmers’ Almanacs? + Zebra finch home design
Have climate change and weather apps made Farmers’ Almanacs obsolete? Plus, home decorating tips from zebra finches.
Segment
Listen
Are My THC Gummies Going Away?
A federal law aims to close the legal loophole that lets stores sell THC products from hemp. Why are laws around cannabis so confusing?