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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.
26:32
Meet ‘The Innovators’ Who Made the Digital Revolution
Walter Isaacson’s “The Innovators” shows how the digital revolution was a team effort.
12:19
Nerve Transplant Allows Paralyzed Man to Move Legs Again
The pioneering treatment uses cells from the nasal cavity and strips of nerve from the ankle to repair a spinal injury.
15:01
Is Your ‘Priceless’ Painting a Fake? Better Ask a Scientist
Techniques from physics and chemistry can help scientists and art historians sniff out art forgeries.
11:07
The ‘First’ Battle of Gas Versus Electric
As plug-in electric vehicles struggle to carve out a slice of today’s auto market, it’s worth remembering the first such battle—at the turn of the 1900s.
10:38
Environmental Detectives Use Genetic Tools to Track Invasives
A recently developed technique called “environmental DNA” allows invasive species trackers to get a time-sensitive fingerprint of which species are living where—including underwater.
16:44
Forensic Entomologists Hunt Down Insects to Help Catch Criminals
To help piece together a crime scene, forensic entomologists examine the insects found in the area.
20:52
More Than Cornflakes
John Harvey Kellogg and his brother, W.K., are known today for their most famous discovery—corn flakes—but invented many other health foods along the way.
11:43
Rooting Out the Plant Microbiome
Scientists are uncovering the importance of the plant microbiome for fighting off pathogens and increasing crop yields.
17:08
Is MSG Bad for Your Health?
Four decades of scientific studies suggest the food additive MSG may not deserve its toxic reputation.
10:10
Your Home, Your Bacteria
The surfaces in a home reflect the distinct blend of bacteria that inhabit the people that live there.