On Today's Podcast
‘The Kissing Bug’ And The Story Of A Neglected Disease
Journalist Daisy Hernández chronicles the history of Chagas disease, also known as kissing bug disease, and how it changed her family’s story.
Listen NowJanuary 9, 2026
One year after the LA fires, the Community Brigade is equipping residents to prepare for, fight, and recover from wildfires. Plus, journalist Daisy Hernández chronicles the history of Chagas disease, also known as kissing bug disease, and how it changed her family’s story. And, recent studies on raccoons and dark-eyed juncos investigate how urban wildlife is evolving.
Printing Solar Panels in the Backyard
A Kickstarter-funded project aims to build a machine to print micro solar panels.
What the Doctor Ordered: Building New Body Parts
Spray-on skin, made-to-order muscle, and print-out kidneys aren’t just science fiction anymore.
The SciFri Book Club Visits ‘Flatland’
Mathematician Ian Stewart joins the September book club meeting for a look at Edwin Abbott’s ‘Flatland.’
Printing Solar Panels in the Backyard
Imagine what you might do if you could print your own solar panels. That’s kind of the dream behind Shawn Frayne and Alex Hornstein’s Solar Pocket Factory.
Wind Power Plentiful, Study Says
A paper finds wind energy could provide hundreds of terawatts, if enough turbines are installed.
Amateur Astronomers Spot a Jupiter Explosion
Could a comet or an asteroid be to blame for the fireball on Jupiter?
Mars Rover May Be Contaminated with Earth Microbes
If microbial stowaways did hitch a ride to Mars, how will Curiosity’s mission be affected?
Field Trip to a Fungi Foray
This convention is for mushrooms and the people who love them.
Detecting the ‘Artful Dodge’
How likely are voters to notice when a politician dodges a question? Not very, says one study.
Microbes Benefit More Than Just the Gut
Sinuses, too, are healthier when populated by a diverse colony of bugs.
Fungi Fans ‘Felt’ the Love
At the Northeast Mycological Federation’s 36th Annual Foray, some 15 crafty people learned how to use wool roving to create a mushroom-themed felt pillow.
Seeing Through the Smoke—The Secrets in a Cigarette
Many cigarettes are only two-thirds tobacco, and contain hundreds of additives, such as antifreeze, cocoa shells, and liquorice.
Study May Link Pro Football, Brain Decline
A new study suggests that pro football players are more likely to develop neurodegenerative diseases.
Tracking Viruses from Animals to People
Researchers discuss West Nile, hantavirus, and other diseases that cross from animals to people.
Oregon Power Project Needs the Motion of the Ocean
A generator that makes electricity from wave power is being prepared for installation off the Oregon coast.
Tour A Bat Cave
Nickolay Hristov uses a long-range laser scanner and portable thermal cameras to see bats in new ways.
The Importance of Strange Science
Science doesn’t have to be serious—you can always learn from it.
To The Bat Cave!
Bat biologist Nickolay Hristov, of UNC’s Center for Design Innovation and Winston-Salem State University, develops new techniques for filming and visualizing bats.
Meet Your Ancient Relatives — The Denisovans
Scientists sequenced the genome of a Denisovan—a distant cousin to modern humans and Neanderthals.