On Today's Podcast
‘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."
Listen NowMarch 20, 2026
Move over, Ryan Gosling: Rocky the alien is the breakout star of the movie adaptation of "Project Hail Mary." Plus, how a particle accelerator, a robot, and 2,000 ants came together to paint a picture of biological diversity. And, a mathematician analyzed 150 years of women’s fashion to understand 20-year trend cycles, and how “optimal distinctiveness” dives change.
How You Can Dive Into Cephalopod Week 2019
Like a cuttlefish emerging from its sandy hideaway, Cephalopod Week is back for its sixth year.
The Distributed Mind: Octopus Neurology
In a highly-anticipated experiment, researchers are attempting to decode how the octopus controls its multi-armed mind.
Science Comics: A Creative Gateway Into Literacy and STEM
Use student-created comics to summarize learning, report experimental outcomes, and assess prior knowledge.
Capture The Iridescence Of Camouflaging Cephalopod Skin
Explore the deep, color-changing iridophore and leucophore layers of cephalopod skin to see they use light to camouflage themselves.
11:56
What Are The Presidential Candidates’ Climate Plans?
The differing presidential candidates climate agendas include the Green New Deal, increased spending, and executive action.
11:51
A Tiny Twisted Protein, A Big Problem For Wildlife
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal illness affecting the brains of deer, moose, and elk.
34:14
The Best Science Books To Read For Summer 2019
From historical nonfiction to graphic novels to poetry, we’ve got plenty of recommendations for science books.
33:54
Hot Enough For You? Cooling The Worsening Urban Heat Island
Cities have always been hotter than their surroundings. Meet the people trying to cool off the urban jungle even as the globe warms.
7:36
A Ban On Fetal Tissue Research
Trump administration officials announced that a ban on the use of fetal tissue for government scientists working under the National Institutes of Health.
4:03
Data From Destruction
Researchers in Missouri are examining the after-effects of recent tornadoes to engineer stronger homes.
17:30
A Trip To The Coldest And Most Remote River Of Antarctica
The Onyx River is the site of the longest ongoing climate record in Antarctica. Science Friday followed the researchers monitoring the flow.
11:44
A New View On Quantum Weirdness
New research says it may be possible to anticipate when a ‘quantum leap’ is about to take place—and even prevent it from happening.
17:27
Making Cancer Drugs Available For A Wider Pool Of Patients
There may soon be more treatment options for patients living with stage four cancers.
16:32
Now Playing: The (Real) Secret Life Of Pets
Researchers are using “catcams” to study the real secret lives of your feline friends.
16:36
Outdated Gender Stereotypes Are Harming Science
For half a century, most neuroscience experiments have ignored female study subjects.
The Continental Outlier
In the world’s coldest, most remote desert, keepers of Antarctica’s longest melt record have detected a recent and dramatic shift.
Children Of Invention
From a worry shredder to an odd sock sorter, Little Inventors brings kids’ ideas to life.
SciFri Extra: Remembering Murray Gell-Mann
A 1994 conversation with Nobel physicist Murray Gell-Mann, who died recently at the age of 89.
John Urschel Learns The ‘Secret Code’ Of Calculus
Calculus helped retired NFL player John Urschel “move from a world that was static to a world that could move and flow.”
6:38
What’s Whipping Up The Strong Tornado Season?
Blame the jet stream and climate change. Plus: More stories in this week’s News Roundup.