On Today's Podcast
What cats and dogs hear + A ‘smell map’ of the nose
What do cats and dogs hear that we don't? Plus, what a “smell map” of the receptors in a mouse nose tells us about this sense.
Listen NowMay 1, 2026
Birds are living dinosaurs whose ancestors include T. rex and giant penguins. Understanding their past can help us imagine their future. Plus, an executive order issued by President Trump aims to fast-track research for psychedelics, including ibogaine. What is it? And, measuring microplastics can be hard, partly because they’re everywhere—including the lab. One researcher is working on solutions.
37:05
Biosecurity for the Age of Redesigned Life
Bioethicists—and the FBI—are rethinking biosecurity for the synthetic biology revolution.
7:44
So Far, No Silver Bullet To Stop Lethal Bat Fungus
Scientists say antifungal bacteria could help fight the fungus causing white-nose syndrome.
17:20
India and NASA Home In on Mars
The Mangalyaan orbiter would make India the fourth space program to reach the Red Planet.
24:56
Navigating Dietary Supplement Regulations
Dietary supplements don’t fall under the conventional food or drug FDA regulations.
3:20
The Myth of the Woolly Bear
Can woolly bear caterpillars predict winter weather?
Rainbow in a Tree
This eucalyptus’ kaleidoscopic bark is a photographer’s delight.
30:01
Hurricane Sandy Recovery, One Year Later
A year after Hurricane Sandy, differing visions for the coastline of tomorrow.
16:57
To Learn How Your Camera Works, Try Building One
The Bigshot Do-It-Yourself Digital Camera kit gives tinkerers a view of a camera’s anatomy.
16:51
Einstein’s Real Breakthrough? Quantum Theory
Einstein is best known for relativity, but was his quantum theory more revolutionary?
29:58
Chris Hadfield’s Lessons From Life in Orbit
Retired astronaut Chris Hadfield explores life floating through space and back on Earth.
Einstein’s Monster
An excerpt from “Einstein and the Quantum: The Quest of the Valient Swabian.”
8 Minutes, 42 Seconds to Space
An excerpt from “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth.”
Time Traveling at La Brea Tar Pits
The SciFri staff visited La Brea Tar Pits, which is celebrating 100 years of excavation.
Mavericks Of The Bat World
Mexican free-tailed bats engage in aerial acrobatics reminiscent of the jet maneuvers in “Top Gun.”
Am I A Psychopath?
An excerpt from “The Psychopath Inside: A Neuroscientist’s Personal Journey into the Dark Side of the Brain.”
12:09
The Real-Life Walking Dead
People suffering from Cotard’s syndrome believe they are dead or no longer exist.
17:29
Uncovering the Brain of a Psychopath
Neuroscientist James Fallon’s brain scan matched the patterns in the scan of a psychopath.
12:26
Climate Change Aids Toxic Slime’s Advance
Toxic blooms of cyanobacteria are choking lakes and rivers worldwide, due in part to warmer waters.
3:59
Discover the Inner Beauty of the Naked Mole Rat
How do naked mole rats live to 30 years without getting cancer?