On Today's Podcast
Who Wants To Smell An Ancient Embalmed Mummy?
Chemists and perfumers are using new techniques to bring ancient scents back to life, from mummies to a 5,000-year-old incense burner.
Listen NowFebruary 6, 2026
The mountaineering history behind "skimo," a new Winter Olympic event. Plus, new USDA dietary guidelines tell us to “eat real food.” Should policymakers get highly processed foods out of our stores and school lunches? And, it's easier than ever for companies to collect your personal data and compile it into a profile for advertisers, ICE, and other agencies.
From Stem Cells to Eggs (and Beyond)
Stem cells can be turned into heart, liver, and brain cells—but what about a whole new organism? A study in Science explains the transformation from stem cell to egg to mouse pup.
Why Online Maps Sometimes Lose Their Way
Mapping streets is easy. The trick is pinning down businesses and giving accurate turn-by-turn directions.
This Beetle Puts the ‘Extreme’ in Extremity
The horn of a Japanese rhinoceros beetle (Trypoxylus dichotomus) can grow to be two-thirds the length of the rest of its body. And size matters.
Analyzing the Evidence on DNA
“All DNA evidence is not created equal,” says Greg Hampikian, Director of the Idaho Innocence Project. He’ll tell us why DNA ‘evidence’ sometimes leads to the wrong conclusion.
Fires and Invasive Grass Threaten American West
Cheatgrass, an invasive weed, chokes out native sagebrush—and sets the stage for massive blazes.
Ice Age Co-Stars: Horses, Camels, and Cheetahs
Move over mammoths—many lesser-known beasts roamed North America during the Ice Age too.
The Biology of Birds of Prey
We’ll check in with biologists studying American kestrels, prairie falcons, red-tailed hawks, and other raptors that nest in Idaho’s Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. Plus, bringing back the California condor.
Wild California Condors Made Here
By 1982, fewer than two dozen California condors lived in the wild. By 1985, only one wild breeding pair was known to exist.
Can Government Bans Tackle Obesity?
Experts debate whether government regulations are an effective way to fight the obesity epidemic.
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.
