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May 2, 2025
An astronomer explores the cosmos and the limits of what science can test. Plus, how the mysterious properties of pasta—like how it bends, coils, and breaks—have been tested by physicists for decades. And, millions of years ago, iguanas somehow got from North America to Fiji. Scientists think they made the trip on a raft of fallen vegetation.
11:59
Dementia Takes the Stage in ‘The Other Place’
Laurie Metcalf is a scientist suffering from the dementia she studies in the play ‘The Other Place.’
17:35
How Do You Fend Off the Flu?
Aside from getting the flu shot, how do you outsmart the wily flu virus? Hoard hand sanitizer? Dodge door knobs? Or quietly slink away from a coughing commuter?
17:01
Colossal Quasar Clump Too Huge to Exist, in Theory
Astronomers have discovered a clump of 73 quasars spanning four billion light years at its widest point — that’s like 40,000 Milky Way galaxies lined end-to-end.
12:04
Inventors Design Lamp Powered Entirely by Gravity
The gravity-powered device uses a weight to generate up to 30 minutes of light as it descends.
16:43
Simulating the Red Planet, on the Pale Blue Dot
What’s it like to live—and cook—on Mars? To find out, researchers are simulating Mars missions in Russia and on the slopes of a Hawaiian volcano.
29:43
The Fallacies of Fat
In “Fat Chance,” obesity doc Robert Lustig deconstructs the mythology on fat and exercise.
7:00
Getting a Handle on Why Fingers Wrinkle
Only a handful of researchers (ever) have looked into why fingers get pruney after a water bath.
4:14
How E-Waste Is Becoming a Big, Global Problem
More than 2.5 million tons of electronic waste is produced each year in the U.S.
27:31
Doctors Turn to Genetics to Search for Cancer’s Achilles Heel
Understanding the genetic drivers of cancer may revolutionize treatment options in the future.
7:45
Pap Test May Detect More Than Just Cervical Cancer
Routine pap tests may be capable of spotting signs of ovarian and uterine cancers.