On Today's Podcast
Harnessing the superpowers of silk
From lassoing prey to designing cutting-edge sensors, both spiders and humans are using silk in astounding ways.
Listen NowMarch 27, 2026
A young macaque at a zoo in Japan has a fan base that can’t get enough of him. Why are we so invested in the social life of one cute monkey? Plus, a few years ago, ChatGPT couldn’t do simple arithmetic. Now, some experts say that AI could make mathematicians obsolete. And, as local reports of dead birds rise, the greatest human risk of avian flu continues to fall on farmworkers.
7:48
Tracking Killer Tornadoes
The massive tornado that struck Oklahoma this week was the product of specific atmospheric conditions—and bad luck.
12:19
Studies Question Potential Alzheimer’s Treatment
A skin cancer drug shown to lessen Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice may not work as originally claimed.
27:28
Reinventing Farming for a Changing Climate
Climate change may increase pests and turn dry soil to dust. Farmers are already on the offensive.
6:51
‘Crazy Ants’ Spreading in the Southeastern U.S.
Tawny crazy ants, recent arrivals to the country, are able to drive out even the imported fire ant.
This Dinosaur Is Made From Balloons, Not Bones
A project for the Virginia Museum of Natural History is more than a bunch of hot air.
Predicting Storms, Electroshock Therapy, Germaphiles, and More
A roundup of science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our fancy.
The Perils of Plankton
An artist magnifies an overlooked environmental problem in sculptures that are larger than life.
20:07
Researchers Report Cloning Advance for Producing Stem Cells
Through cloning techniques, researchers created a source of embryonic stem cells genetically identical to a patient.
20:36
Insects May Be the Taste of the Next Generation, Report Says
Can entomophagy, the eating of insects, help improve the world’s food resources?
6:02
Desktop Diaries: Daniel Kahneman
A visit with psychologist Daniel Kahneman, who won the Nobel Prize in economic sciences in 2002.
20:37
Resetting the Theory of Time
Physicist Lee Smolin explains his theory of time, and why the future of physics depends on it.
25:53
When Great Scientists Got It Wrong
In Brilliant Blunders, Mario Livio explores colossal errors by science’s greatest minds.
Desktop Diaries: Daniel Kahneman
“I have always emphasized the willingness to discard,” says psychologist and Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman. That philosophy works on two levels—forget desk trinkets, Kahneman doesn’t have a desk—and he doesn’t hoard ideas either he says.
Brilliant Blunders
Were the theories of illustrious minds such as Linus Pauling and Albert Einstein free of serious blunders? Absolutely not!
Three Insect Recipes to Help the Arthropods Go Down
Insects pack a protein punch. Get the most of your meal with these recipes.
Help SciFri Make a Summer Reading List
Recommend your favorite science-themed books, and SciFri will compile a list of the top 15.
What Lies Beneath
Using a scanning technology called terahertz imaging, scientist J. Bianca Jackson searches for hidden artwork behind paint and plaster.
Alien Invaders, Baby Seal Brains, and More
A roundup of science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our fancy.
Are We Alone in the Universe?
It seems incredible that earthlings could be the first technological society. So where is everyone?
46:30
Exploring an Ever-Expanding Universe
Saul Perlmutter discusses his Nobel Prize-winning work measuring the accelerating expansion of the universe.