On Today's Podcast
What is the Kelvin wave on the West Coast?
El Niño is driving a Kelvin wave up the West Coast, raising sea levels. What is it, and how does it work?
Listen NowOctober 9, 2026
A new mRNA flu vaccine promises a closer match to circulating flu strains. An estimated 2 billion tons of dust are lofted into the air each year, affecting ecosystems, the atmosphere, and the weather. Plus artist David Byrne sits down with Flora for a conversation on why some ideas go dormant, and then reawaken. And, a Cephalopod Week finale featuring death spirals, cannibalism, and more.
16:38
Dance and Physics Collide in “Quantum”
Choreographer Gilles Jobin took inspiration from the movements of physics for his piece “Quantum.”
7:00
A Whiff of What’s to Come: What Sense of Smell Says About Health
Older adults’ sense of smell might be a strong indicator of their risk of mortality within a five-year span.
22:34
Community Labs Practice Do-It-Yourself Biology
In DIY biology labs across the country, citizen scientists take the tools of synthetic biology into their own hands.
16:58
Catching a Glimpse of an Eclipse
This month, North America will be under the skies of a full lunar eclipse on October 8 and a partial solar eclipse on October 23.
Is MSG Bad For Your Health?
Monosodium glutamate has gotten a bad rap for causing allergies, but is it justified?
Here’s What A Slice Of Mouse Eye Looks Like
A special imaging technology peers inside a mouse eye, revealing the distinct roles that cells play in maintaining retinal health.
The Science Friday Crossword Puzzle, Solved
Find out the answers—and backstories—to the SciFri-themed crossword puzzle.
Who’s Got the Biscotti? Mingling at the Ig Nobel Awards After-Party
The man of the hour is an octogenarian who claims more than 3,500 patents.
Science Club #ObserveEverything
Go out and observe something interesting! Submit your in-depth observations with the hashtag #ObserveEverything.
12:08
MAVEN Maneuvers Into Mars’s Orbit
MAVEN makes into Mars’s orbit in time to meet a comet and begin unraveling mysteries of the Martian atmosphere.
17:22
‘Internal Medicine’ Gives a Resident’s Eye View of the Hospital
A writer-doctor’s stories reveal the hospital through the eyes of a resident.
5:43
Sprouting a Forest in the City
Foresters are piecing together the complicated ecosystem of the urban forest.
11:04
Plant Emissions: How Do Trees Interact With Pollution?
Certain tree species can add to pollution if they’re planted in certain locations.
11:34
Water on Earth Is a Million Years Older Than the Sun
The cloud of gas and dust that eventually condensed to form the Sun contained “thousands of oceans of water,” says astronomer Ted Bergin.
17:26
Stories to Make You Think BIG
With his new story about a 20-kilometer-high skyscraper, sci-fi author Neal Stephenson hopes to get engineers thinking big.
16:54
Science Friday Science Club: Observe Everything
The Science Club embarks on its next project and explores observation.
Picking Up Where We Left Off
An excerpt from Neal Stephenson’s story in “Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions For a Better Future.”
Art Bots and Talking Blenders: A Stroll Through Ars Electronica
Every September, the Ars Electronica Festival draws artists, scientists, and technologists to Linz, Austria, to swap ideas and show off cutting-edge artworks.
A Resilient Hybrid: Fused Staghorn Coral
This hybrid coral could withstand climate change better than its relatives.