On Today's Podcast
How do clinical trials work, and who can participate?
A bioethicist walks us through the complexity of clinical trials, from their core scientific questions to patient selection to FDA approval.
Listen NowMay 22, 2026
Low-frequency noises that humans can feel, but not hear, may be behind the spooky feeling of old houses. Plus, a processing plant in Mississippi is leaking massive amounts of the herbicide paraquat into the air. Its biological link to Parkinson’s is becoming clear. And, a bioethicist walks us through the complexity of clinical trials, from their core scientific questions to patient selection to FDA approval.
Subvisual Subway: The Art of New York City’s Bacterial World
Typographer and illustrator Craig Ward sampled the bacteria on subway lines around New York City and photographed his findings.
The First ‘Nigerian Prince’ Scam
As humans, our desire to seem nice can lead us to being conned.
11:48
Signs of the Anthropocene, Chimp Trust, and a Twitter Expansion
Researchers say that that the Anthropocene—the human-influenced epoch that we now live in—is “functionally and stratigraphically distinct from” the previous epoch.
15:26
A Microbiome Is Born
Researchers are trying to sort out what effect factors like an infant’s delivery method and early diet have on its community of microorganisms.
17:14
Deep Space Design: The Search for Future Space Construction Materials
In the future, space habitations could be constructed out of concrete made of Martian sulfur and inflatable materials.
23:39
The Grifter’s Real Game? Psychology
In “The Confidence Game,” Maria Konnikova explains how human psychology predisposes us to take the grifter’s bait.
12:05
An Invisible Leak, With Glaring Consequences
Natural gas has been spewing out of California’s Aliso Canyon since late October, so why hasn’t it been plugged yet?
8:58
For the Lowly Incandescent Bulb, a Ray of Hope
Physicists have been able to “recycle” some of the incandescent light bulb’s wasted heat and emit it as visible light, boosting efficiency.
The Week-After Science Friday Quiz! 1/12/16
How much do you know about El Niño and self-driving cars?
Opening the Memory Bank
The New York Public Library just made it easier for the public to access thousands of digitized high-resolution items as part of an effort to preserve our cultural history in the Internet Age.
11:54
HIV Prevention With PrEP, an Ancient Microbiome, and Freezing Fat
A new study shows that nearly two-thirds of new HIV infections in gay and bisexual men in the Netherlands could be prevented with pre-exposure prophylaxis.
17:02
Tending to Your Winter Garden
Tips for guarding your garden against the winter chill.
4:57
These Outmoded Scientific Instruments Are Also Things of Beauty
Steve Erenberg collects early scientific and medical instruments that are also things of beauty.
12:10
Will a ‘Godzilla El Niño’ Put a Dent in the Drought?
Despite the big splash recent precipitation has made with residents of the West, current snowfall numbers are just about average, says JPL snow hydrologist Tom Painter.
Why We Need Body Fat
Body fat is a highly specialized organ, critically important for health and longevity.
17:11
Always Hungry? Your Fat Cells May Be To Blame
Certain diets cause fat cells to suck up too much fuel, says David Ludwig, author of the new book “Always Hungry,” leaving the rest of the body hungry.
28:37
Viewing the Road Ahead for Self-Driving Cars
Imagine a future in which all cars can drive themselves. What might that do to our cities, towns, and society?
High Pressure In The Deep Ocean
Pressure is a huge challenge for deep ocean explorers. Learn how pressure changes with depth and explore its effects on compressible solids in this series of experiments, demonstrations, and real-life data collected aboard the E/V Nautilus.
10 Questions for Alan Guth, Pioneer of the Inflationary Model of the Universe
The theoretical physicist discusses the expanding universe and the infinite possibilities it brings.