September 30, 2022
How Bangladeshi farmers found a way to save massive amounts of water. Plus, how (and why) NASA successfully caused a collision between a small spacecraft and an asteroid. And how do you vaccinate a wild racoon? Hint: Fish-flavored candy, and a few helicopters.
17:22
What You Need To Know About Monkeypox
Following the declaration of a new public health emergency, experts answer SciFri listener questions—and clear up misinformation.
A New Tell-All Memoir Written By The Milky Way
Astronomer and folklorist Moiya McTier’s new book is a saucy memoir that shows why our galaxy needed to tell its own story.
Expert Q&A: How To Manage COVID Risk As New Variants Emerge
You asked updated questions about staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. We compiled answers from expert epidemiologists.
The Never-Ending Flipbook Machines
This Queens-based artist created a way to turn flipbooks of fluttering hummingbirds and butterflies into moving sculptures.
12:15
White House Declares Monkeypox Outbreak A Public Health Emergency
A public health emergency designation can open up additional resources to combat the growing number of monkeypox cases in the United States.
17:16
Engineering and Infrastructure In A Collapsing Climate
Our infrastructure isn’t ready for extreme heat or rising floodwaters. An engineer on what needs to change.
17:23
New Steps Toward A Vaccine For Cancer
Progress in understanding the immune system is offering hope for promising new cancer treatments in the form of vaccines.
5:47
Restoring A Sensitive Ecosystem, One Wildflower At A Time
Protecting important habitats, like the sandplain grasslands of the Atlantic Coast, is critical in a changing climate.
10:38
A Fish By Any Other Name: Inside The Effort To Bring ‘Copi’ To Dinner
This invasive fish has a new moniker, one that experts hope will encourage more restaurants to place it on their menus.
10:28
A Teen Inventor Builds A Fingerprint Scanner for Gender Equity
16-year-old Elizabeth Nyamwange’s fingerprint scanner uses blockchain technology to make proof of identity more accessible worldwide.
6:07
Remembering Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s Pioneering Lieutenant Uhura
The actress broke new ground on television, and inspired many viewers to enter science and technology careers.
12:14
What’s Inside A Sudden, Second Chance At A Climate Bill
A political scientist who advised for the Inflation Reduction Act explains the bill’s goals, and the politics that led to its creation.
Menstruation: Another Way Humans Are Unique In The Animal Kingdom
From this SciFri Book Club pick, a peek inside the vast—and still relatively under-researched—part of the human body: the uterus.
12:19
Decades Of Alzheimer’s Research Could Be Based On Fraudulent Data
Plus, the moon may have pockets of pleasant temperature, and why a space vacation would be terrible for global warming on Earth.
16:38
Higher Temperatures Are Bad For The Body
As the world heats up, the human body will be put under increased strain.
12:03
Protecting Piping Plovers Isn’t A Walk On The Beach
Piping plovers face a myriad of threats: predators, flooding, and human development. But volunteers are intervening to help them survive.
4:58
This Glove Takes Inspiration From An Octopus’ Arm
When a team of engineers were designing a glove that could pick up objects underwater, they turned to octopus’ arms for inspiration.
12:07
For The Love Of Volcanoes
“Fire of Love,” a new documentary by director Sara Dosa, charts the career and relationship of volcanologists Katia and Maurice Kraft.
17:35
A Blind Researcher Making A More Accessible World
Joshua Miele, a blind scientist, uses his own experience to design new and accessible technologies driven by the needs of disabled people.
17:07
What You Might Not Have Known About The Vagina
A new book explores the history of human genitals and how researchers are finally making breakthroughs in our understanding of how so-called female reproduction works.