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” drives change.
12:04
The Race to Contain, Rather Than Cure, Ebola
With production of experimental treatments slow-going, rapid diagnostic testing could be the best bet for containing the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
7:23
How Did the Violin Get Its Shape?
From its role in biological systems to cultural products, “shape is information that can tell us a story,” says biologist Dan Chitwood.
10:10
Your Home, Your Bacteria
The surfaces in a home reflect the distinct blend of bacteria that inhabit the people that live there.
17:08
Is MSG Bad for Your Health?
Four decades of scientific studies suggest the food additive MSG may not deserve its toxic reputation.
#ObserveEverything: Staff Picks, Week #2
A celestial event, citizen science, and a variety of natural wonders drew observations in week 2 of Science Friday’s Science Club.
How to Make Quark Soup
Using massive feats of engineering, Brookhaven National Laboratory has devised a recipe for cooking up tiny ephemeral batches of this quark-gluon soup, a fluid which physicists Paul Sorensen say is the most “perfect” fluid ever discovered.
Fukang Pallasite: One of the Rarest Types of Meteorite
This rare type of meteorite offers insight into asteroid formation, as well as earth’s geologic processes.
#ObserveEverything: Staff Picks, Week #1
We observe: you’re amazing! Staff picks from the first week of Science Club’s #ObserveEverything
12:08
Do Chimps Have Culture?
Researchers say a real-world case of ‘monkey see, monkey do’ might model the origins of human culture.
16:59
Mining the Internet for Clues to Chinese Censorship
Protests continue in Hong Kong, but only glimpses of the activity make it into mainland China due to censorship.
16:38
Dance and Physics Collide in “Quantum”
Choreographer Gilles Jobin took inspiration from the movements of physics for his piece “Quantum.”
7:00
A Whiff of What’s to Come: What Sense of Smell Says About Health
Older adults’ sense of smell might be a strong indicator of their risk of mortality within a five-year span.
22:34
Community Labs Practice Do-It-Yourself Biology
In DIY biology labs across the country, citizen scientists take the tools of synthetic biology into their own hands.
16:58
Catching a Glimpse of an Eclipse
This month, North America will be under the skies of a full lunar eclipse on October 8 and a partial solar eclipse on October 23.
Is MSG Bad For Your Health?
Monosodium glutamate has gotten a bad rap for causing allergies, but is it justified?
Here’s What A Slice Of Mouse Eye Looks Like
A special imaging technology peers inside a mouse eye, revealing the distinct roles that cells play in maintaining retinal health.
The Science Friday Crossword Puzzle, Solved
Find out the answers—and backstories—to the SciFri-themed crossword puzzle.
Who’s Got the Biscotti? Mingling at the Ig Nobel Awards After-Party
The man of the hour is an octogenarian who claims more than 3,500 patents.