On Today's Podcast
What A Snow Drought In The West Means For The Rest Of 2026
States like Utah and Colorado have had abysmal snow totals this winter. It’s not a good sign for a region struggling to maintain its water.
Listen NowFebruary 13, 2026
An evolutionary biologist weighs in on mating and dating in the age of apps. Is pair bonding passé? Is single the new married? Plus, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC, has ceased operation. What’s next for particle physics? Add, researchers are homing in on how kids reap long-term health benefits from getting dirty, whether cuddling furry pets or playing with friends.
5:05
A 40,000-Year-Old Jawbone Reveals Neanderthal Ancestry
Scientists find evidence of a modern human with a recent Neanderthal ancestor in Romania.
12:28
Author Ashlee Vance Explores the ‘Unified Theory of Elon Musk’
In his new book, “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future,” journalist Ashlee Vance gives the inside story behind Musk’s “relentless drive and ingenious vision.”
16:41
Cephalopod Week Wrap-Up
A wrap of highlights from Cephalopod Week, and a check-in with SciFri education manager Ariel Zych and biologist Chuck Fisher aboard the exploration vessel “Nautilus.”
12:02
Move Over E.Coli: DARPA’s Quest for Next-Gen Bugs
Alicia Jackson, deputy director of DARPA’s Biological Technologies Office, says synthetic biology could be the next big thing for military innovation.
17:27
Meet Inside Out’s Emotion Coach
Psychology professor Dacher Keltner helped the filmmakers of the film “Inside Out” navigate the 11-year-old mind.
17:00
Food Failures: I Scream, You Scream…When We Ruin Our Ice Cream
Jeff Potter, author of “Cooking for Geeks” returns to share homemade ice cream hacks.
Science Friday at the Aspen Ideas Festival
Ira Flatow and the SciFri crew will put on a live show in Colorado on June 30th.
A Peek Inside the Mind of Elon Musk
An excerpt from the new biography “Elon Musk.”
The Octopus Whisperer
To keep the brainy creatures healthy in captivity, caretakers employ a variety of tricks, including dog toys.
Meet the Cock-Eyed Squid
This midwater cephalopod sports different-size eyes for different functions.
Take a Selfielopod for #CephalopodWeek!
Print one of our cutouts and take your own selfielopod for Cephalopod Week.
Jet Propulsion Locomotion Of Squid And Octopus
Can you engineer a jet propulsion system that mimics the speed of a squid?
12:00
A Cometary Awakening, a Vaccine Mystery, and Brand New Bacteria
Tariq Malik of Space.com talks about Philae’s unexpected awakening, and Arielle Duhaime-Ross helps decipher a mystery that has plagued scientists for 50 years.
17:36
Science Goes To The Movies: ‘Jurassic World’
Paleontologists Lindsay Zanno and Kenneth Lacovara share what made them clap and cringe while watching “Jurassic World.”
7:14
Could Mars Have a Cold, Icy Past?
The ancient climate of Mars may have been cold and icy, according to researchers.
9:33
Cephalopod Week Is Back
We kick off our second annual Science Friday Cephalopod Week—a celebration of all things tentacled.
5:57
Engineering Evaporation
Researchers at Columbia University design engines powered by evaporation.
15:57
Not All Cooking Oils Are Created Equal
Ever wondered which cooking oil is healthiest? Tom Brenna, a professor of human nutrition at Cornell University, helps us get to the fat of the matter.
24:23
Throw These Science Books in Your Beach Bag
Maria Popova and Lee Billings share their summer reading picks.
Run, Octopus, Run!
Chrissy Huffard explains how and why an octopus might stand up on two tentacles and run backwards.