On Today's Podcast
A Look Back At 2025 In Science, From Federal Cuts To Space Junk
There was major science news in 2025. Plus, underreported developments in geoengineering and a triumph for furniture rearrangement.
Listen NowDecember 26, 2025
Physicist Sean Carroll takes on black holes, Schrödinger’s cat, and other big physics concepts. Plus, we revisit some of our top stories of 2025, covering research into how death metal singers safely produce extreme vocalizations, how algorithms and social media are changing language, and what we can learn from people thriving in the coldest parts of the world.
How Poisons Have Shaped Life On Earth
Poisons fill our pantries and gardens. The new book ‘Most Delicious Poison’ explores how common toxins have shaped life on Earth.
A Common Cold Medicine Ingredient Doesn’t Work. What Now?
Twenty years ago, scientists found that phenylephrine, listed as a decongestant in many cold medicines, didn’t work. What can you use instead?
Beech Leaf Disease Is Spreading Rapidly in Massachusetts
Scientists are working to understand the new tree disease, which is caused by a microscopic worm.
Diving Into Elon Musk’s Mind
Walter Isaacson’s latest biography peers into the life and mind of entrepreneur Elon Musk.
Placenta Research May Help Explain Pregnancy Loss
By studying placentas from lost pregnancies, one doctor hopes to provide answers that are so often lacking after a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Digging In To Nature’s Poisons
Caffeine is a natural pesticide. If you’re a human, it’s also a great way to start your morning.
11:52
Department Of Energy Announces ‘Clean Hydrogen Hub’ Awardees
Seven “clean energy hubs” will receive a total of $7B to develop forms of hydrogen production with minimal carbon emissions.
5:02
In Wyoming’s Mountain Lakes, Stocked Trout Are Evolving Quickly
Humans have long stocked alpine lakes with fish for anglers, but research shows some rapidly evolving trout are altering aquatic ecosystems.
12:08
Formula One Cars Are Stripping Off Paint To Save Weight
Ahead of the US Grand Prix, an aerodynamicist breaks down the recent engineering changes to F1 cars.
12:16
Hyper-Apex Predators: Colombian Fossils Reveal Big Reptilians Atop Ancient Marine Food Chain
Paleontologists pieced together a food chain from Paja Formation fossils, showing an additional level of apex predators with no modern equivalent.
17:30
Unlocking The Mysteries Of A Metal-Rich Asteroid
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is on a six-year voyage to an asteroid largely made of metal. It may help us understand how planets form.
16:59
When Studying Ecology Means Celebrating Its Gifts
Bestselling author Robin Wall Kimmerer discusses the role of ceremony in our lives, and how to celebrate reciprocal relationships with the natural world.
16:56
Finding Meaning In The Cosmos
In her new memoir, astrobiologist Dr. Aomawa Shields describes how a quest for life in the cosmos helped her find meaning on Earth.
Looking To Outer Space To Find Meaning On Earth
A quest for life in the cosmos has given astronomer and astrobiologist Dr. Aomawa Shields new perspective on a meaningful life on Earth.
The Alchemy Of Us: Author Livestream And Q&A
On November 20, we talk about how our values are baked into our creations—and the people who helped bring them into reality.
This Poet Turns To Science In Times Of Uncertainty
Poet Jane Hirshfield takes on crises both biological and human in her book “Ledger.”
How Ham Radio Operators Do Eclipse Science
Amateur radio operators are joining forces and using radio waves to understand how eclipses affect the atmosphere.
New Data Support Human Arrival In North America 22,000 Years Ago
A new analysis of ancient footprints in White Sands, New Mexico, adds to the debate about when humans arrived in North America.
The mRNA Vaccine Revolution
The mRNA innovations used to fight COVID-19 could be harnessed for nasal spray vaccines and even protection against other diseases.
The Stories Of The First Six Women Astronauts
You know Sally Ride. But what about the other first women astronauts? A new book from space reporter Loren Grush illuminates their stories.