On Today's Podcast
Are new treatments for celiac disease on the horizon?
More than 3 million Americans suffer from celiac disease, an illness with no current treatment. Is help on the way?
Listen NowSeptember 25, 2026
Concerns about AI safety are growing. Two researchers explain the unintended consequences of training AI models and what questions remain. Underwater archaeologists are uncovering artifacts from early human settlements that were inundated by glacial meltwater at the end of the last ice age. Plus, research on concussions, and new treatments in the works for people with celiac disease.
16:53
Satellite Snapshots Help Pinpoint and Protect The Past
Undiscovered tombs and pyramids can be found right on your iPad—if you know what to look for.
26:12
Telling the Story of Climate Change — In Fiction
Writer Paolo Bacigalupi is using fiction to help us imagine our climate change future—and he’s not alone.
The Search for Peru’s ‘Boiling River’
This Peruvian river in the Amazon had long been considered a sacred healing spot for local shamans, but it hadn’t been scientifically explored until recently.
In a Lawless Desert, a Fight Over Water
In his science fiction book, author Paolo Bacigalupi describes a hellish American Southwest that yearns for water.
The Humble Seed, Waiting to Grow
Author Hope Jahren explains how all seeds, seen or unseen, wait patiently for their chance to flourish.
Craig Venter: Biologist and Minimalist Artist
Creating a bacterial cell with the minimal amount of genes.
This Art Installation Pokes Fun at NASA and Space Exploration
New York sculptor Tom Sachs built “A Space Program” entirely out of materials bought from Home Depot.
Poetry and Science: Can Our Eyes Fool Our Taste Buds?
Engage young learners in science with this poem and simple experiment from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science for Kids by Pomelo Books.
Need to memorize your science vocab? Try poetry.
Discover entertaining and creative ways to remember important science vocabulary words and understand scientific inquiry by using poetry.
Welcome To The Emotion Arcade
A new generation of video games engages complex emotions like empathy, complicity, and grief. Game researcher Katherine Isbister gives a newbie gamer a tour of the “Emotion Arcade.”
17:17
Sorting Out Social Media Feeds
Why did Instagram’s announcement of a new way of filtering its photos set off a public outcry?
07:54
Spot the Spoof Science Study
How good are you at picking out an authentic research study from a spoof?
12:09
Antarctica May Accelerate Global Sea Level Rise
A new study suggests a melting Antarctica could pump up global sea levels much more than previously predicted.
16:33
Springtime Brings Unexpected Blooms
Noah Fierer, a microbial ecologist, says he swoons for the scent of springtime’s bacterial bloom.
11:51
Universal ‘Not Face,’ Alien Laser Defense, and Traffic Control for Robot Cars
A look at the universal “not face,” and what the future might be like with no stop lights.
25:51
How Games Move Us
Some of today’s video games are pushing players into new emotional territory, engaging complex feelings like complicity, empathy, and grief.
‘Sackboy’ Solidarity: An Emotional Gaming Experience
Gamers playing “Little Big Planet” engage in a friendly and comical shared emotional experience.
Faces Of The Moon
Images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera reveal a moonscape wrought by geologic forces and celestial bombardment.
The Week-After SciFri Quiz! 3/29/16
How closely did you listen to last week’s show?