On Today's Podcast
Are These Unprecedented Times for Science, Really?
A science historian looks to the past to understand our current moment, and how ghostwriting in scientific papers is harming public trust.
Listen NowJanuary 23, 2026
An epidemiology study finds that variations in one gene play a major role in determining the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Plus, X’s Grok AI is undressing users, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg with fake imagery online. What can we do about deepfakes? And, Louisiana communities continue collecting data on industrial pollution, despite a law restricting its use.
12:11
App Chat: Cutting Clutter From Your Inbox
Ellis Hamburger, a reporter for The Verge, talks about a few of his favorite mail-managing apps.
25:05
Forty Years Of The Endangered Species Act
Currently, there are 2,142 U.S. and foreign species protected under the Endangered Species Act.
8:27
Extracting Data From Photos of Our Eyes
Researchers used photographs to recover reflected images 30,000 times smaller than the actual subject.
22:28
Why Do Insects Bug Us?
Author Jeffrey Lockwood dissects our complicated relationship with insects.
43:28
Can Plants Think?
Plants can hear, taste and feel, as Michael Pollan writes in his latest piece for The New Yorker. But is any of that evidence of intelligence?
Out Of The Bottle: Tricks Of The Trade
Gavin Sacks of Cornell University translates popular wine jargon such as ‘breathing,’ ‘corked,’ and ‘wine tears’ into chemistry you can understand.
30:00
Carl Sagan: ‘Science Is a Way of Thinking’
In this 1996 interview, Carl Sagan talks about pseudoscience, UFOs, and the origins of the universe.
17:13
Temple Grandin: ‘My Mind Works Like Google Images’
In this 2006 interview, Temple Grandin explains how her autism helps her understand animal behavior.
46:44
Oliver Sacks And The Search For The Giant Squid
In this 1997 conversation, neurologist Oliver Sacks describes the island of the colorblind, then chats with a researcher searching for giant squid.
A Christmas Tree Grows In Oregon
The country’s Christmas tree capital is Oregon, where Douglas and noble firs reign thanks to accommodating climate and soil.
11:46
Unpacking DARPA’s and Google’s Robotics Interests
Google has purchased eight robotics companies in the last half-year.
27:26
Christmas Bird Count 2013
An update from the annual birding holiday tradition: the Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
6:35
Out of the Bottle: Wine Flavor
A researcher from Cornell details the chemical composition of wine’s diverse flavor profiles.
46:26
A Year of Ups and Downs for Science
Ira Flatow and a panel of editors and bloggers discuss the year’s biggest science stories.
Out of the Bottle: Wine Flavor
A researcher from Cornell details the chemical composition of wine’s diverse flavor profiles.
Holiday Gift Idea: Offbeat Science Books
From Rube Goldberg devices to jet packs, these books cover subjects that won’t disappoint.
6:50
Fixing ‘Misfolded’ Proteins for New Drug Treatments
Researchers were able to restore the function of incorrectly folded proteins in mice.
22:40
This Doc’s Miracle Drug? Exercise
Doctor Jordan Metzl says specific cardio and strength training regimens can treat a variety of ills.
16:28
In a New Play, Trusty Sidekick Is a Supercomputer
Madeleine George’s new play explores our dependency on technology—and each other.
22:35
The Best Science Books Of 2013
Journalist Deborah Blum and Maria Popova of Brainpickings.org share their top science books of 2013.