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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.
SciFri Book Club Talks Silent Spring
Silent Spring revisited: Ira Flatow and Flora Lichtman host the first SciFri Book Club meeting.
Peering into the Dark Side of Scientific Discovery
Why scientists have come to blows — literally — over who gets the glory for a discovery.
Relishing the Science of the BBQ
Mayo myth-busters, a ketchup jar that never jams, and a salute to the pickle.
What’s Your IQ on SPF?
A look at the science of sunscreen: how it intercepts the sun’s rays, whether it blocks vitamin D production, and what SPF really means.
At Long Last, The Higgs Particle… Maybe
Physicists have finally discovered the elusive Higgs boson–or at least something a lot like it.
Spider-Man Gets a Physics Lesson
Do the laws of physics apply to superheroes? Sort of, says James Kakalios.
Meet the Energy-Saving Gadgets of the Future
Floors that generate electricity from footsteps. A GPS that outsmarts traffic jams. Innovations like these could be the next big thing–and we have student inventors to thank.
Alan Turing at 100
A look at the man who helped create the modern world–and was promptly forgotten by it.
A Tale of Two Coastlines, Skirted by Swelling Seas
Rising sea levels are swallowing up U.S. coastlines–with a flood of consequences onshore.
Bidding Farewell to Lonesome George
He never spoke, but affected many. We’ll look back on the life of the Galapagos icon Lonesome George.