On Today's Podcast
Maine nearly became the first state to ban data centers
Maine shows how public mobilization is making a difference in determining where data centers go, and how they impact local communities.
Listen NowApril 24, 2026
The LuSEE-Night mission would place a radio telescope on the far side of the moon to listen for signals of the cosmic “dark ages.” Plus, the design and layout of ancient temples, plazas, and cities provide clues about how societies were governed. And, everyday DNA mutations can help us understand immune function and aging—and even mitigate harm caused by some inherited diseases.
Kitchen Math: How To Eat π Pies
Methodically slice up four pies to reach the irrational number pi.
11:52
As Ebola Infection Rates Decline, Will Vaccine Search Continue?
Will momentum for developing an Ebola vaccine and treatment stay on track as infection rates decrease?
10:01
Puzzling Polio-like Paralysis Baffles Doctors
Doctors are trying to piece together a puzzling polio-like paralysis that might be associated with a respiratory illness.
7:11
When a Seven-Foot-Long Arthropod Swam the Seas
Fossils found in Morocco might help explain how modern-day insects, crustaceans, and other arthropods got their shapes.
15:36
‘ResearchKit’ Taps iPhone Users for Clinical Trials
Apps on the new platform allow iPhone users to enroll in clinical trials on heart health, Parkinson’s, or asthma. But critics say the smartphone-driven studies have flaws.
22:48
Rise of the Bot Author
Algorithms already write financial and sports news articles. Could they break into fiction?
14:52
SciFri Celebrates π
This year holds an unusually special treat for enthusiasts of the constant π: March 14, 2015 approximates π not just to the usual three digits (3.14) but to five: 3.14.15.
6:45
Food Failures: Crafting Pie Crust
The science behind baking the perfect pie crust.
0:35
How An 11-Year-Old Named A (Dwarf) Planet
Venetia Burney, age 11, came up with the name “Pluto” for a newly-discovered planet 85 years ago this week.
The Art of Scent in Los Angeles
A nonprofit in Los Angeles opens the door on the secretive world of perfuming.
Beauty and the Brain: Understanding Our Responses to Art
The field of neuroaesthetics uses techniques of neurology to understand our response to art.
There Is Such a Thing As Too Much Medical Care
An excerpt from “Less Medicine, More Health.”
22:06
One Hundred Years of General Relativity
Albert Einstein published his theory of general relativity on December 2, 1915.
9:03
Dawn Arrives at Ceres
Mission director and chief engineer Marc Rayman gives an update on the Dawn mission, scheduled to arrive in orbit around dwarf planet Ceres this week.
14:31
Avoid the Doctor—For Your Health
How much medical care is too much medical care?
17:27
The Interstellar Tourist’s Guide to Exoplanets
Exoplanet hunter Sara Seager explains how biosignature gases could help identify life on exoplanets, and The Takeaway’s John Hockenberry takes Ira on a futuristic tour of exoplanet vacation destinations.