On Today's Podcast
A Startling Plan To Save Spotted Owls—From Barred Owls
To save spotted owls in the Pacific Northwest, one plan suggests killing thousands of barred owls. Conservationists and activists are at odds.
Listen NowNovember 28, 2025
The Ig Nobel Prizes celebrate unusual scientific research—this year including lizard pizza preferences and fingernail growth. Plus, in a conversation from August, exercise researchers discuss what physical activity does to mental health. And, in a story from February, a journalist explains the afterlife of our trash, and why most “recyclable” plastic actually isn’t.
11:55
Gold King, and Other Abandoned Mines Plague Colorado
The EPA accidentally triggered a blowout at the Gold King mine in Colorado, releasing three million gallons of wastewater into the Animas River.
17:26
How Big Blazes Shape Landscapes
Scientists are closely monitoring how forest vegetation shifts after catastrophic fires, and discovering a few surprises.
17:32
A Candidate’s Voice Might Sway Your Vote
Voters tend to prefer politicians with deeper voices—a sign of strength and competence, says political scientist Casey Klofstad.
16:53
App Chat: Assistive Technology
For people living with disabilities, smartphones present both unique challenges and benefits.
SciFri Book Club Meetup
Meet the author of “The Soul of a New Machine” at Google’s New York City headquarters.
Quiz: Is This Panda Pregnant?
Take our Panda Pregnancy Test to see how much you know about panda reproduction.
A Drone’s-Eye View Of An Algae Bloom
This picture, shot by a drone, reveals the verdant fingers of a blue-green algae bloom.
The Origin Of The Word ‘Thermometer’
The term first appeared in an early “puzzle book” full of scientific brainteasers.
12:11
Venomous Frogs, a Polar Bear World Record, and Printing Pills
A polar bear dives longer than ever before, and researchers in Brazil discover two venomous frogs.
9:10
The SciFri Book Club Reads ‘The Soul of a New Machine’
This August, the SciFri Book Club reads Tracy Kidder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning account of the creation of a new computer.
11:43
Rats on the Job
The average rat sleeps all day and eats garbage all night…but some of them have jobs to get to.
17:20
Keeping Cool (Without Making Global Warming Worse)
The global demand for air conditioning isn’t sustainable, so what other options do we have?
10:08
Can Babies Take A Joke?
Researchers say toddlers can figure out when their parents are joking.
6:17
Video Pick: The Unlikely Tale of a Tenacious Snail
For over 70 years, no one had seen the oblong rocksnail, until one spring day in 2011.
Join the SciFri Book Club This Summer
This August, the SciFri Book Club reads Tracy Kidder’s love letter to computer engineers, “The Soul of a New Machine.” Here’s how to participate.
The Curious Case Of The Blue Morpho Butterflies
Biologists are using the medley of blues and browns in these wings to help them understand butterfly wing development.
The Unlikely Tale of a Tenacious Snail
For over 70 years, no one had seen the oblong rocksnail, until one spring day in 2011.
12:13
Polio-free Nigeria, Ant Cooperation, and Tweet Takedowns
Brooke Borel, of Popular Science and the blog Our Modern Plagues, shares this week’s top science news.