On Today's Podcast
Why are we changing the way we keep time?
Timekeeping scientists around the world voted to stop using leap seconds, but what does this mean for us?
Listen NowOctober 23, 2026
CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna discusses the evolution of gene-editing technology and what it takes to be a good scientist. Timekeepers around the world voted to stop using leap seconds, but what does that mean for us? Plus, how "problem bears" help test engineers evaluate consumer products, author Kazuo Ishiguro on emotional truth in our age of AI, and the science of apple varieties.
23:15
The Long Quest to Make Machines Talk
Brad Story, a professor of speech, language, and hearing sciences, walks us through the history of talking machines, and computer scientists Alan Black and Rupal Patel talk about making computerized voices more personal and engaging.
9:02
Sea Turtles Guided Home by Magnetic Sense
Female turtles return to the coastlines where they hatched using the earth’s magnetic fields as a navigational tool.
11:31
The SciFri Book Club Reads ‘The Lost City of Z’
The SciFri Book Club cracks the cover of our winter book pick: David Grann’s non-fiction tale of Amazonian exploration, “The Lost City of Z.”
11:57
Does the ‘Innate Genius’ Stereotype Widen the STEM Gender Gap?
In a new study, academics rated philosophy—where women are earning less than 35 percent of the Ph.D.s—as a field where candidates need raw talent for success.
13:38
Spinning Theories on Planet Rotation
Scientists modeled how an exoplanet’s atmosphere could keep its rotation from locking up.
11:56
Tablets and Smartphones Might Be Sapping Your Sleep
Researchers say using tablets and smartphones before bedtime can shift your circadian rhythms.
The SciFri Book Club Searches for Lost Cities
Journey into the Amazonian jungle with David Grann’s “The Lost City of Z.”
The Green Comet
You might be able to spot this bright, verdant comet with the naked eye.
Engineer A ‘Filter Feeder’
Build and test a water filter inspired by marine filter feeding organisms.
11:53
CES 2015: Smart Mirrors, Autonomous Cars, and Safer Home Security
Re/code reviewer Lauren Goode gives her rundown of the best tech at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show.
17:20
Can Diet and Exercise Affect Your Genes?
Researchers are examining how exercise, diet, and your environment play a role in gene expression.
6:27
Sifting Soils for New Approaches to Antibiotics
Researchers report that they’ve isolated a new type of antibiotic compound from soil-dwelling bacteria that previously couldn’t be cultured.
10:13
A Broadway Hit, With an Autistic Math Whiz at Its Center
Actor Alex Sharp talks about playing a 15-year-old math whiz on the Autism spectrum in the hit Broadway play, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”
6:28
The Cold Virus Seeks Safety in the Nose
One out of five people harbors a cold virus in their nose at any one time.
11:44
Diet Pill Mimics the Effects of Eating
The “imaginary meal” pill helps mice lose weight—but can it do the same in humans?
10:58
Mapping White-Nose Syndrome’s Lethal Course In Bats
Bats infected with white-nose syndrome use up twice as much energy during hibernation as uninfected bats.
16:59
Bill Nye on the Origins of Evolution
When it comes to evolution, Bill Nye the Science Guy won’t be denied.
Talking Darwin Over Dinner
An excerpt from the Science Guy’s new book, “Undeniable.”
SciArts: Exoplanet Art
Artist Helena Kauppila imagines and paints her vision of what it would be like stand on the surface of another planet and look up at the stars.