On Today's Podcast
A vast whale graveyard + Zombie sea cucumbers
A massive "whale graveyard" contains whale remains dating back 5 million years. Plus, some detached parts of sea cucumbers don’t seem to die.
Listen NowJune 12, 2026
How poison dart frogs deal with their kids asking for snacks, and other parenting inspiration from the animal kingdom. Plus, do sugary drinks really cause more intense hangovers? Is wine both bad for you and good for you? Experts take on the chemistry of happy hour. And, the 2026 World Cup will be infused with AI. How will it change the beautiful game? And, what it takes to get perfect grass into 16 stadiums.
11:58
Strengthening Buildings in Tornado Alley
Improving resistance to tornadoes will require better building materials and techniques, plus political will.
34:00
Whole Genome Scans Could Reveal Too Much
If a patient’s genome scan turns up unexpected genetic risk factors, are doctors obligated to tell?
4:51
Comet Shines Light on Sun Dynamics
Comet Lovejoy grazed the sun’s corona and lived to tell the tale. Its tail movements were the most telling.
12:08
Tracing The Origins Of French Winemaking
Researchers have used archaeology and biomolecular assays to date the start of viniculture in France.
17:22
How to Survive a Mass Extinction
Writer Annalee Newitz has a plan to help humans survive a planet-wide catastrophic event.
11:25
Promising Results in Early Trial of Novel MS Treatment
A small, early clinical trial shows it may be feasible to alter the immune response that leads to MS.
Comet’s Tail Shines Light on Sun
In 2011, comet Lovejoy traveled through the sun’s corona and lived to tell the tale. But its tail was the most telling.
Surviving the End of the World (As We Know It)
Another mass extinction on earth is inevitable. So let’s get on with life.
Out of This World
Space artist Dan Durda forges into the unknown to create celestial scenery that educates and inspires.
Horseshoe Crab Bandits, Quick Whiskey, Milky Way Map, and More
A roundup of science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our fancy.
A Sculpture Eavesdrops Underwater
A submerged piece of art will grow into an artificial reef while recording surrounding marine sounds.
8:40
With Chemical Tweaks, Cement Becomes a Semiconductor
Researchers explain how a cement can take on some of the properties of a metal.
34:35
Bad Diagnosis for New Psychiatry “Bible”
Many experts say the DSM’s approach to mental illness is outdated, and it’s time to move on.
3:19
Teacher Feature: Ethnobotanist Tom Carlson
A student tells his former professor how much a class meant to him.
12:08
Researchers Revive a Plant Frozen in Time
A plant called a bryophyte survived 400 years frozen beneath glacier ice.
34:45
The SciFri Book Club Takes a Hike
Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” is this month’s book club read.
Teacher Feature: Ethnobotanist Tom Carlson
Science Friday pays tribute to a great science teacher. “Office hours are some of my favorite hours of the week,” says Tom Carlson, a medical doctor, ethnobotanist, and instructor of 1700 students annually at the University of California, Berkeley.
SciFri’s Summer Reading List, 2013
The 15 titles on our list are just the tip of the science writing iceberg.
Mine-detecting Honeybees, Deciphering Teenage Sounds, and More
A roundup of science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our fancy.