On Today's Podcast
What A Tea Party With A Bonobo Taught Us About Imagination
Is the capacity to imagine unique to humans? Scientists thought so—but a pretend tea party with a bonobo named Kanzi suggests otherwise.
Listen NowFebruary 13, 2026
An evolutionary biologist weighs in on mating and dating in the age of apps. Is pair bonding passé? Is single the new married? Plus, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC, has ceased operation. What’s next for particle physics? Add, researchers are homing in on how kids reap long-term health benefits from getting dirty, whether cuddling furry pets or playing with friends.
Cephalopod Inc.
Will cephalopods one day be as ubiquitous in labs as mice and fruit flies?
7:06
Waiting For Opportunity To Call
The little Mars rover that could is sleeping through a massive dust storm. Will it have enough power to wake up again?
4:43
Water Fountains Everywhere But Fewer Drops To Drink
The Chicago Park District may shut down nearly half of its water fountains due to lead contamination.
17:37
A New Story For One Of The Planet’s Oldest Creatures
The history of the dinosaurs is being rewritten by young scientists digging up new discoveries in the golden age of dinosaur fossil hunting.
16:34
SciFri’s Tentacled Spectacle Cephalopod Week Returns
Like a kraken rising from the depths, Cephalopod Week is back!
11:42
A Possible Dark Side To Gene-Editing Technique CRISPR
New research indicates that for some cell types, CRISPR could lead to cancer.
24:42
A Hue Of A Different Color
There’s a whole spectrum of science that explores how light and matter interact to give us the rainbow. Chemists and biologists alike are seeking new ways to make shades we take for granted.
‘The Dinosaur Looked Just Like A Bird.’
On average, a new species of dinosaur is discovered every week. Meet the paleontologists who are uncovering them.
Earth’s History In A Column Of Coral
Take a look back in time by examining x-ray images of the insides of corals.
Kelp: It’s What’s For Dinner
Meet the farmers who want to make cheap, environmentally friendly kelp America’s next favorite vegetable.
Lost And Found In A Museum’s Archive
Specimens from a voyage in 1906 sat in a jar for more than a century, until one scientist named them.
7:20
Breast Cancer Advances, Slower Hurricanes, and Peacock Problems
New research finds that not all women with breast cancer need chemotherapy. Plus, more stories in this week’s News Round-up.
4:50
Marine Habitats Are Protected—But Are They Effective?
Ten percent of the world’s oceans are on track to be protected by 2020. But do they need to be?
11:39
Curiosity Digs Up Clues To The Early Martian Environment
What do organic molecules on Mars tell us about how the planet works and the possibility of life on the planet?
23:56
Want To Find A New Species? Start In A Museum
These brand new species were hiding in plain sight—in the vast, but incompletely catalogued collections of natural history museums.
10:12
Riding The Wave Of Kelp Farming
The kelp revolution has reached the U.S. and it could change everything (including how cows fart).
34:56
Dark Matter Eludes Particle Physicists
Most of the “stuff” in the universe is invisible “dark matter,” if our theories are correct. So why is it so hard to find?
How To Grow Coral
Corals have long been at risk of bleaching. At Georgia Aquarium, a team of biologists are helping restore coral in the wild—by cultivating them in the lab.
SciFri Extra: Marking 40 Years Since Apollo 11
In this archival interview, Alan Bean, Harrison Schmidt, and more remember the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon.
7:43
The Best Studied Volcano On The Planet
Plus, researchers uncover the reproductive trickery of stick bugs and a high stakes game of “Pandemic” gets real.