Audio
Listen to Science Friday live on Fridays from 2-4 p.m. ET, or listen to our daily podcast
May 16, 2025
The Department of the Interior seeks to remove the endangered species designation from the lesser prairie chicken. Plus, how well do we understand the long-term health risks to firefighters? And, highlights from SciFri’s live show in Columbia, Missouri.
15:27
Two Steps Forward For Meat Alternatives
Scientists bring us a lab-grown chicken nugget and texturally accurate, plant-based calamari. We’ll bite.
8:58
The Physics Of Noodles And Other Spaghetti Science
The mysterious properties of pasta—like how it bends, coils, and breaks—have been tested by physicists for decades.
8:00
Does Taping Your Mouth Shut Help You Sleep?
Social media influencers are claiming that taping your mouth shut during sleep has life-changing effects. But the evidence isn’t airtight.
11:45
And The Oscar Goes To … Science
The Sci-Tech Awards honor behind-the-scenes technologies that bring movies to life, from car flippers to safe burn gel for fire stunts.
8:33
Ancient Iguanas Floated 5,000 Miles Across The Pacific
Millions of years ago, iguanas somehow got from North America to Fiji. Scientists think they made the trip on a raft of fallen vegetation.
9:03
Meet Fiona, The Pregnant Ichthyosaur Fossil
The marine reptile’s fossilized fetus is cluing paleontologists into the lives of ancient sea creatures.
5:21
This Ancient Wasp Might’ve Used Its Butt Flaps To Trap Prey
Taking a cue from a Venus flytrap, this prehistoric wasp had a creative way of getting its meal.
10:31
Anal Teeth And Deadly Farts: The World Of Invertebrate Butts
In this story from 2022, we meet the scientists and illustrators who spread joy and knowledge about the backends of the backbone-less.
17:18
Are There Things That We Know We Can’t Know?
In “Into the Unknown,” an astronomer explores the mysteries of the cosmos and the limits of what science can test.
12:13
$8 Billion Of Climate Tech Projects Were Canceled In 3 Months
How will market uncertainty and a lack of federal support for climate efforts affect the future of clean energy in the United States?