September 22, 2023
Climate scientist Michael Mann talks about how important it is to take action before we see climate change’s worst consequences. Plus, research suggests that comedy is a powerful way to mobilize people. And, marine biologists are scrambling to help protect the rapidly dying reef in the Florida Keys.
Solar Toilet Disinfects Waste, Makes Hydrogen Fuel
Caltech’s solar toilet took top prize in the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge.
Working Towards a Universal Flu Vaccine
Vaccine researcher Gary Nabel discusses the ongoing quest to develop a universal flu vaccine.
Actress Danica McKellar Helps “Girls Get Curves”
Actress and math education advocate Danica McKellar tackles geometry in her latest book.
Massive “Phoenix Cluster” Supersizes Star Creation
Astronomers have found a massive galaxy cluster that’s making stars at a record pace.
Arbiter of ‘Interestingness’ Navigates the ‘Net
Internet “curator” Maria Popova describes her brand of “combinatorial creativity.”
Poop and Paddle
This toilet floats. It’s an outhouse and sewage-treatment plant in one.
Attacking Alzheimer’s with Antibodies, Hormones
Researchers are using an arsenal of techniques to cure Alzheimer’s, some with disappointing results.
Amidst Rocky Peaks, Physicists Ponder the Universe
The Aspen Center for Physics, a mountain retreat for theoretical physicists, turns 50 this year.
Catching Up with Tom Swift a Century Later
A look back at the fictional boy inventor and his 100 year legacy.
With ‘Terror’ in the Past, Mars Scientists Plan for Exploration Ahead
Mars Science Laboratory project scientist John Grotzinger describes plans for the Curiosity rover, now in Gale Crater on Mars.
Martian Lab Made in Manhattan
What’s it like to build tools for Curiosity? Intense.
SciFri Book Club Talks ‘Monkey Mind’
Peer into the anxious mind of writer Daniel Smith with the SciFri Book Club.
Changing Views About a Changing Climate
Former climate change skeptic Richard Muller describes his evolving views on climate change science.
Planning for ‘Curiosity’ on Mars
NASA scientist John Grunsfeld gives a preview of the Mars Curiosity mission, from the landing’s ‘seven minutes of terror’ to the plans for the exploration ahead.
Tech Giants Gear Up for Patent Battle
Apple and Samsung enter the courtroom in a battle over the way their mobile devices work, look, and feel.
Making Movies That Zoom into Foreign Worlds
The stars of these films usually have only one cell.
One Doc’s Prescription For Hassle-Free Healthcare
Dr. Jay Parkinson envisions more efficient healthcare for his patients’ and it starts with an email.
Spending the Holidays at a Toxic Waste Site
Where the typical tourist sees putrid wasteland, writer Andrew Blackwell sees magnificent scenery.
Microscopic Movie Stars
In the 1950s-1970s, Roman Vishniac made educational science films, featuring footage he shot through his microscope.
Why Science Is a Non-Issue in the Election…Again
How science stacks up against other issues discussed and debated on the campaign trail.