On Today's Podcast
‘The Kissing Bug’ And The Story Of A Neglected Disease
Journalist Daisy Hernández chronicles the history of Chagas disease, also known as kissing bug disease, and how it changed her family’s story.
Listen NowJanuary 9, 2026
One year after the LA fires, the Community Brigade is equipping residents to prepare for, fight, and recover from wildfires. Plus, journalist Daisy Hernández chronicles the history of Chagas disease, also known as kissing bug disease, and how it changed her family’s story. And, recent studies on raccoons and dark-eyed juncos investigate how urban wildlife is evolving.
17:28
How New Rules and Smart Tech Are Reinventing the Grid
After Superstorm Sandy, there was a lot of talk of a more distributed smart grid—a more resilient system. But how far have we come?
15:58
A Web of Doubt
Author Charles Seife spots the falsehoods and fakes that make their way onto the information super highway.
A Glowing Volcano
This Indonesian volcano burns blue at night, but that’s not lava you’re seeing.
Sock Puppets on Steroids: The Internet’s Fake Personalities
An excerpt from “Virtual Unreality: Just Because The Internet Told You, How Do You Know It’s True?”
In a Flash: Firefly Communication
Fireflies communicate with a “language of light” that scientists still don’t completely understand.
The Chemistry Behind How Fireworks Get Their Colors
Investigate what colors metal salts can make as you burn them and discover how chemical reactions make brilliant fireworks colors.
Physics Secrets for Hula Hooping
In this activity from Science Buddies, kids will create their own hula hoops and investigate how the hoops’ masses affect how they spin. Which do you think will spin better, a heavy hoop or a lighter one?
12:03
Shedding Light on the Science of Sunscreen
How does sunscreen protect our skin from harmful radiation, and what is the meaning behind SPFs?
20:39
Food Failures: Avoiding Grilling and Barbecue Pitfalls
Marinade myths, charcoal chemistry, and the elusive “smoke ring”—the science behind barbecue and grilling.
13:24
Getting A Grasp On The Clever Cephalopod
The nautilus, the “living fossil” of cephalopods, can uncover the origins of the complex brain of modern cephalopods.
12:21
3-D Mammography Detects More Cancers, But Will It Save Lives?
A new study suggests that 3-D mammography detects more cancers than traditional digital mammography. But the technology is expensive, and there’s no indication yet that it catches more dangerous cancers, or is saving more lives.
31:02
Making Art From the DNA You Leave Behind
Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg calls attention to genetic surveillance with artworks made from strangers’ DNA.
3:05
Arnold Relman, Health System Critic, Dead at 91
Relman called the American health care system a “new medical-industrial complex.” We remember him here with two archival clips.
Behaviors of the Venomous, Blue-Lined Octopus
This venomous octopus packs a punch, but it’s more likely to hide than launch a poisonous attack.
How Does an Octopus Change Its Body to Blend In With Its Environment?
Watch footage of a live octopus to model different ways that these animals can camouflage themselves by changing their body’s texture, shape, size, and color.
How Tails Help a Kite to Fly
In this activity from Science Buddies, you will experiment with how a kite’s tail affects how it flies.
29:38
Reinventing How City Dwellers Get Around
Portland, Oregon, is a hotbed for transit innovation. Will other cities catch on?
16:13
What Happens After the Robot Apocalypse?
In “Robogenesis,” sci-fi author Daniel H. Wilson imagines the world post-robot uprising.
17:23
Untangling the Web of Spider Science
Arachnologist Greta Binford traces the evolution of spiders by examining their venom.
12:03
At Reed College, Nuclear Education That’s Really ‘Hands-On’
At Reed College, undergraduates keep a nuclear reactor running.