On Today's Podcast
AMA Joins Effort To Launch Independent Vaccine Review Panel
The American Medical Association and Vaccine Integrity Project are partnering to create a vaccine review process independent from the CDC.
Listen NowFebruary 20, 2026
Autism has long been thought of as a condition that mostly affects boys, but data suggest that’s not true. Plus, an update on the first state-run psilocybin therapy programs, and why the American Medical Association is joining an effort to launch an independent vaccine review panel. And, what record-low snowpack in Utah and Colorado means for the region’s water supply.
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.
17:32
Deconstructing School Discipline
Researchers rethink discipline in an effort to break down the “school-to-prison” pipeline.
8:00
Can Intestinal Bacteria Shape Response to Early-Life Stress?
A new study investigates the link between the gut and the brain in mice.
8:18
So Flashy: The Chemistry Behind a Firefly’s Glow
Scientists work to understand the chemistry and benefit of firefly flashes.
11:37
A Device to Visualize Your Climate Change Future
In Marin County, California, augmented reality binoculars are helping locals visualize sea level rise—and plan for it.
20:18
Wearable Technology Goes Way Back
Google Glass, Fitbits, and the Apple Watch are just the latest products in a long evolution of wearable technology.
7:59
Black-Market Marijuana Farming Is Far From Green
Illegal pot farms north of San Francisco are repeating many of the environmental sins of the logging era, like clear-cutting and road building.