On Today's Podcast
Pope Leo's encyclical on AI, and the Vatican science advisors
On the release of Pope Leo’s encyclical about AI, we peek inside the Vatican academy that helps inform the Pope’s scientific views.
Listen NowMay 22, 2026
Low-frequency noises that humans can feel, but not hear, may be behind the spooky feeling of old houses. Plus, a processing plant in Mississippi is leaking massive amounts of the herbicide paraquat into the air. Its biological link to Parkinson’s is becoming clear. And, a bioethicist walks us through the complexity of clinical trials, from their core scientific questions to patient selection to FDA approval.
Why I Riffed on Orion
If you really want a space mission to happen, you’ve got to do more than hope. You’ve got to sit down and seriously plan like they did in the ’60s.
Beyond the Butter: Twists on the Same Ol’ Ingredients
Two foodies offer baking ingredient twists—and scientific insight into why they work.
Fungal Freeways
Marcus Roper of UCLA explains how fungal networks function with remarkable efficiency and prevent microscopic traffic jams.
Simulate Net Forces to Predict an Object’s Motion
Use a simulation from PhET Interactive Simulations to model force in a tugging competition and a pushed skateboard.
21:26
Climate Deal or Not, Fight Against Global Warming Has Begun
Last year, for example, new solar plants outpaced coal installations in the U.S., and carbon-trading schemes across state and national borders have already begun.
7:42
How Long Does a President’s Legacy Last?
In 1991, 53 percent of students tested could recall Lyndon Johnson as the 36th president; that number dropped to 20 percent by 2009, according to a new study released in Science.
16:50
Paola Antonelli: ‘Design Is More Than Cute Chairs’
For MoMA curator Paola Antonelli, “design” includes computer interfaces, video games, and maker kits.
12:07
You Are ‘When’ You Eat
In mice, eating within an 8-12 hour window helped to prevent and even reverse obesity and type 2 diabetes.
17:13
Test Launch Marks New Phase for NASA
NASA is in early stage test flights for Orion, its updated crew capsule, but the spaceflight landscape is changing.
7:21
What’s Killing West Coast Starfish?
Scientists have linked an unprecedented starfish die-off along the West Coast to a virus.
9:08
Near City Streets, an Insect Cleaning Crew
Ants and other insects could be able to remove thousands of pounds of food waste from street medians and city parks each year.
Seals Deep Dive for Ocean Data
Seals sporting telemetry tags are providing scientists with data on the ocean environment.
The Design Arcade
Join the Museum of Modern Art’s Senior Curator of Architecture and Design, Paola Antonelli, on an exclusive tour of the video games in their collection.
David Livingstone’s Beetles
A museum curator has discovered a box of beetles containing specimens collected during a famous expedition.
47:30
Ig Nobel Prizes Salute Science’s Strange and Silly
In a Science Friday holiday tradition, we’re playing highlights from this year’s 24th First Annual Ig Nobel awards ceremony.
29:27
Does Your Genome Belong to Your Family, Too?
Should doctors share information about your risky genes with your family, since they, too, might harbor that suspect DNA sequence?
16:55
An Art Movement Where Art and Science Collide
In the new art movement “art-sci,” artists take inspiration from science, use scientific techniques in their artwork, and inspire new science.
How a Bohemian Engineer Helped Blend Art and Science
An excerpt from “Colliding Worlds.”
Cranberries, With A Side Of Science
Some tasty facts about the popular Thanksgiving treat.
Truth, Educated Guesses, and Speculations in ‘Interstellar’
An excerpt from “The Science of Interstellar.”