July 4, 2025
In this archival show, undersea archaeologist Robert Ballard shares adventures from beneath the waves and his love for deep-sea exploration. Plus, research suggests that we share parts of our microbiome with people in our social networks beyond family members. And, a book uses science and the benefit of hindsight to figure out how to survive some of history’s biggest disasters.
Curiosity 2.0? NASA Announces New Mars Rover Plans
NASA officials weigh in on the flurry of planetary science news from the past week.
Blue Whale Barrel Roll
Blue whales can grow to 90 feet—that’s longer than a tennis court. To understand how they get so large, Jeremy Goldbogen studies their dining habits. And he found that blue whales do underwater acrobatics while they eat.
What Obamacare Means for Patients — And Their Docs
The law has many protections for patients—but could it cause higher premiums and doctor shortages?
Perhaps Another Reason to Spike That Eggnog?
A perennial holiday mystery: will alcohol kill bacteria in homemade eggnog?
Photographer James Balog on Climate Change and ‘Chasing Ice’
A new documentary explores how climate change is affecting the world’s glaciers.
SciFri Book Club Has ‘The Right Stuff’
Join the SciFri Book Club regulars for a look back, er…up, at ‘The Right Stuff.’
Ig Nobel Prizes Celebrate Somewhat Suspect Science
Ponytail physics, the sloshing in a coffee cup, and an opera about the universe feature in this year’s Ig Nobel Prize ceremony.
Steven Strogatz: The Joy Of X
Did you know some infinities are bigger than others? Or that one is equal to .99999999999 repeating? Just a few of the math mysteries in The Joy of X, a new book by Steven Strogatz.
Waste Not: The Ugly Truth About Food Waste in America
Food waste is a growing problem in the U.S., so what can we do to fix it?
Heavy Metal: The Physics of DIY Instruments
Composer and instrument builder Paul Rudolph makes music from garbage. John Powell, physicist and author of How Music Works, chimes in with an explanation of how Rudolph’s modifications to the instruments helps transform noise into notes.
Are We Getting Dumber? Maybe, New Research Suggests
A provocative new study suggests humans are slowly becoming less intelligent and emotionally stable.
The Double Helix and Beyond: Catching Up With James Watson
Nearly 60 years later, James Watson reflects on the legendary race to solve the structure of DNA.
Desktop Diaries: Temple Grandin
“I’m pure geek, pure logic,” says Grandin, an animal scientist at Colorado State University.
Looking Back on 2012 Election Technology
Despite a national push to electronic voting, why did it take days to tally the vote in some states?
Searching for ‘The Particle at the End of the Universe’
Physicist Sean Carroll of Caltech talks about the search for the Higgs boson, and what comes next.
A Millipede That (Almost) Lives Up to the Name
No millipede has 1000 feet—but the species Illacme plenipes comes closest, with up to 750.
Desktop Diaries: Temple Grandin
“I’m pure geek, pure logic,” says Temple Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University. We spent an afternoon with Grandin in her office in Fort Collins.
With Budget Cuts Looming, Is Science a Lame Duck?
If Congress fails to act, some $15 billion will be cut from science funding in January 2013.
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Oliver Sacks: ‘Hallucinations’
In his latest book, neurologist Oliver Sacks explores the strange world of hallucinations, and documents his own experiments with psychedelic drugs.
Scientists Solve Mystery of Earth’s Shifting Poles
A look beneath Earth’s surface at what may be causing the planet’s poles to wander back and forth.