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May 9, 2025
Some car designers are turning from touchscreen controls back to physical buttons. Two researchers explain why that could be better. Plus, geneticists used CRISPR gene editing to grow bigger fruits without sacrificing flavor. And, an executive order could change the political tides for deep sea mining.
12:05
Scientists Engineer Bacteria With Genetic ‘Kill Switch’
Genetic engineers have designed strains of E. coli that can survive only in the presence of a compound that doesn’t exist in nature.
7:54
Behind the Scenes of the Explorers Club
The Explorers Club houses artifacts from research expeditions over the last century, including the first exploration to the North Pole to the Apollo 11 moon mission.
8:39
Conserving Cuba’s Coral Reefs
Since 1970, Caribbean coral have declined by more than 50 percent, according to the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network.
17:20
Remembering the Moment Black Holes Went Mainstream
Forty-five years ago, a collaboration between Roger Penrose and Stephen Hawking transformed perceptions about black holes and the beginning of the universe.
11:59
Lasers Help Metal Resist Rust and Ice
Scientists use lasers to create super water-repellent metals.
11:56
Tablets and Smartphones Might Be Sapping Your Sleep
Researchers say using tablets and smartphones before bedtime can shift your circadian rhythms.
13:38
Spinning Theories on Planet Rotation
Scientists modeled how an exoplanet’s atmosphere could keep its rotation from locking up.
11:57
Does the ‘Innate Genius’ Stereotype Widen the STEM Gender Gap?
In a new study, academics rated philosophy—where women are earning less than 35 percent of the Ph.D.s—as a field where candidates need raw talent for success.
11:31
The SciFri Book Club Reads ‘The Lost City of Z’
The SciFri Book Club cracks the cover of our winter book pick: David Grann’s non-fiction tale of Amazonian exploration, “The Lost City of Z.”
9:02
Sea Turtles Guided Home by Magnetic Sense
Female turtles return to the coastlines where they hatched using the earth’s magnetic fields as a navigational tool.