On Today's Podcast
How can astronaut food be better?
As NASA plans for longer spaceflights to the moon and Mars, a better menu is important both nutritionally and psychologically.
Listen NowJuly 24, 2026
Archeologists are piecing together the lives of ordinary Pompeii residents, from a fish sauce entrepreneur to an enterprising businesswoman. Plus, Andrea Ghez developed a way to peer through dust clouds and observe stars orbiting the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. And, what do we know, and not know, about SSRI antidepressant withdrawal?
6:27
Rising Ocean Temps Could Shrink Ocean Habitats
How will increasing global temperatures affect fish and marine habitats?
28:11
‘Beer Can Chicken’ Myths and BBQ Science Tips
Meathead Goldwyn busts ‘beer can chicken’ myths and shares science secrets for a successful backyard barbecue.
5:26
Endangered Sawfish Reproduce Asexually
Female smalltooth sawfish were found to undergo ‘virgin births’ in southern Florida.
5:34
A Potential ‘Missing Link’ Between the Brain and Immune System
Researchers describe previously undiscovered lymphatic vessels in the brains of mice.
A Human Sundial
Why does the length and direction of our shadow change throughout the day? It all comes back to rotation and position of our planet relative to the sun.
The Story Behind That Iconic Milk Drop Picture
An engineer creates a perfect liquid crown using innovative flash photography.
The Origin Of The Word ‘Sun’
You’ve heard of “heliocentric.” So why don’t we call it the “helio?”
The Medical Wonders Of Worm Spit
David Kaplan explains how bioengineers at Tufts University craft silk into a myriad of medical materials.
11:52
The Thirty-Meter Telescope, A Cancer-Killing Virus, and a Fossil Find
Hawaii Public Radio reporter Molly Solomon talks about a new proposal for Hawaii’s Thirty-Meter Telescope, and reporter Rachel Feltman sums up the week in science news.
10:24
Chew on This: Jaw Fossils Provide Evidence of New Hominin
Scientists uncover evidence of new hominin species in the Afar region of Ethiopia.
24:16
One Year Aboard The Space Station
Astronaut Scott Kelly—aboard the International Space Station—and his Earth-bound twin brother, Mark, talk about the effects of living in space for one year.
11:59
How Did the Beefsteak Tomato Get So Beefy?
Biologist Zach Lippman describes the genetics behind the oversized beefsteak tomato.
25:55
The Limits of Artificial Intelligence
Scientists have unveiled a robot that can sustain injury to one of its six legs, think for a few minutes, and devise a more efficient way to walk.
7:59
We’re at Least a Little Like Yeast
Scientist swap out yeast genes for human ones, with an almost 50 percent success rate.
Solar Convection
Use hot and cold water to see how fluids at different temperatures move around in convection currents in this DIY Sun Science Activity from Lawrence Hall of Science.
Limpet Teeth Tell of Daily Grind
The title-holder for strongest biological material goes to a small mollusk.
A Date Palm Named Methuselah
An excerpt from “The Triumph of Seeds,” by Thor Hanson.
12:04
Retracted Research, 3.3 Million-Year-Old Stone Tool, and Panda Guts
In this week’s news roundup, Rachel Feltman of The Washington Post joins us for a roundup of her top science stories of the week.
24:40
The Small But Mighty Seed
Biologist Thor Hanson describes the dizzying diversity of seeds. A new documentary, “Seeds of Time,” portrays the fight to save them.