On Today's Podcast
Into the Woods, From Chestnut Genetics To Tiny Forests
Genetic research could speed the restoration of the American chestnut tree. Plus, "rewilding" small spaces with fast-growing miniforests.
Listen NowFebruary 27, 2026
A new simulation shows large amounts of hydrogen in our planet’s core. Scientists report on what they found in 290-million-year-old vomit. Plus, a comedic play and a 20-year neurology study explore what we can do to prevent dementia and cognitive decline. And, a federal law aims to close the legal loophole that lets stores sell THC products from hemp.
17:27
Kurt Vonnegut in the ‘House of Magic’
“The Brothers Vonnegut” reveals how Bernard Vonnegut’s research on cloud seeding influenced his brother Kurt’s fiction.
16:48
Do-It-Yourself Liquid Smoke, and Other Kitchen Hacks
Jeff Potter, author of “Cooking for Geeks,” explains how to make sour cream, chocolate bars, rolled oats—and even liquid smoke—from scratch.
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Make Your Own Sour Cream and Bittersweet Chocolate
Peel back the layers of how-it’s-made with these recipes from Jeff Potter.
The Land of Volcanoes, Glaciers, and Mars-Like Deserts
Photographer Feodor Pitcairn ventured through serene and volatile landscapes to piece together a geological portrait of Iceland.
The Week-After Science Friday Quiz! 11/30/15
How closely did you listen to the Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony?
17:04
Randall Munroe’s Thousand-Word Challenge
In “Thing Explainer,” XKCD’s Randall Munroe explains nuclear power, continental drift, and the periodic table, using only the thousand most common English words.
28:59
These Science Students Learn to Think on Their Feet
Science students at New York’s Stony Brook University have an unusual offering on the class roster: “JRN 503: Improvisation for Scientists.”
47:47
Somewhat Silly Science Earns Ig Nobel Prizes
The Ig Nobel Prizes honor scientific research that first makes you laugh, then makes you think.
The Tragic Mystery Of The Mushy Apple
In this experiment, you’ll explore the influence of apple cell structure on the crunchiness and juiciness of an apple by measuring apple tissue tensile strength.
The Space Car on the Red World
Comic artist Randall Munroe describes the Curiosity Rover, in not so many words, in this excerpt from “Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words.”
The Week-After Science Friday Quiz! 11/23/15
Can you crack the science behind cider and transit maps?
12:19
Antibiotic Awareness, Bee Blunders, and Barbie Becomes a ‘Chatty Cathy’
The World Health Organization launches Antibiotic Awareness Week, and Hello Barbie raises privacy concerns.
27:50
Why Machines Discriminate—and How to Fix Them
Big data sets can perpetuate the same biases present in our culture, teaching machines to discriminate when scanning resumes and approving loans.
05:43
Hard Cider Science
For cidermaker Alejandro del Peral, the process is “about 50 percent chemistry, and the other 50 percent is art.”
11:37
Cracking Open the Encryption Debate, Post-Paris Attacks
What role does encryption play in surveillance, security and privacy?
22:49
Can Science Untangle Our Transit Maps?
Scientists are taking lessons from psychology and cognitive science to figure out what works—and what doesn’t—in transit map design.
10:38
How YOU Solved the Science Club Message Challenge
The Science Club meets to discuss your innovative methods for getting a message from one place to another.
Cider Science
Making a hard cider is about 50 percent chemistry, and 50 percent is art.
Hard Cider, Easy Sipping
For one New York cidermaker, a variety of flavorful blends keeps the drink interesting.