On Today's Podcast
Reconnecting with the night sky and reining in light pollution
Writer Craig Childs biked from the brightest sky to the darkest in our Book Club pick "The Wild Dark." Plus, the latest on light pollution.
Listen NowJuly 10, 2026
Two experts at the forefront of untangling the gut-brain connection explain its role in IBS, Parkinson’s, and depression. Plus, writer Craig Childs biked from the brightest sky to the darkest in our Book Club pick "The Wild Dark." And, while fog itself is not alive, researchers found that it can contain an ecosystem, including bacteria that eat pollutants.
05:31
Diary of a Snake Bite Death
This week’s Macroscope video follows the detailed diary of herpetologist Karl P. Schmidt as he was dying from the venom of a snake bite.
‘Monster In A Barrel,’ And Other Haunting Ocean Drifters
Some predatory plankton appear innocent enough—until they go in for the kill.
Diary Of A Snakebite Death
Karl P. Schmidt, famed snake expert and herpetologist, made a detailed scientific account of the effect of venom from a snake bite in the human body—his body.
12:08
Sexually-Transmitted Ebola, Space Mining, and Cashless Countries
The public health implications of sexually transmitted Ebola and the move toward cashless societies.
17:24
Did Dark Matter Doom the Dinosaurs?
Physicist Lisa Randall explores the theory that a disc of dark matter could have been responsible for the catastrophic collision that extinguished the dinosaurs.
15:23
It All Started With a Hoverboard: How Back to the Future II Envisioned 2015
Academy Award-nominated visual effects art director John Bell talks about how he imagined the then-distant world of 2015 for “Back to the Future II.”
11:53
The Mysterious Flicker Behind Star KIC 8462852
Astronomers explore theories behind a distant star with a mysterious glow, including swarming comets and alien megastructures.
17:27
Government Glitches: What Happens When IT Projects Fail
Bob Charette reflects on a decades-worth of IT fails in government and what can be done to improve the outcome of these projects.
Cosmic Connections: Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs
An excerpt from “Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs.”
16:32
Build A Cabinet Of Curiosities
In his book “Cabinet of Curiosities,” nature writer Gordon Grice shares tips for building your own natural history collection.
The Hunt for Dark Matter
Deep in an abandoned gold mine in rural South Dakota, a team of physicists are hunting for astrophysical treasure.
This ’70s Artist Painted Our Future In Space
Forty years ago, artist Rick Guidice teamed up with NASA scientists to envision the space civilizations of the future.
Build A Cloud Chamber
Observe the radioactive particles all around you by building a cloud chamber using a clear container, dry ice, and a little rubbing alcohol.
Science Friday Goes to St. Paul
On November 3rd, Science Friday will join Minnesotans to talk the science of superheroes.
12:09
Sexual Harassment Allegations, Doggie Dementia, and Cuban Internet
BuzzFeed News science reporter Azeen Ghorayshi talks about the sexual harassment accusations against astronomer Geoff Marcy, as well as other selected short subjects in science.
22:40
Can Science Help Build Happier Cities?
Cognitive neuroscientist Colin Ellard studies how our streetscapes shape our bodies, brains, and behavior.
11:07
The Hunt for Dark Matter
In this week’s Video Pick, scientists hunt for dark matter deep below the Earth’s surface.