Episodes

Episode

July 26, 2024

NASA’s Curiosity rover discovered pure sulfur on Mars. Plus, monogamous prairie voles may help us understand how our brains respond to love, and how they move on after heartbreak. And researchers developed the first anode-free solid-state battery that’s based on sodium, which is cheaper and more abundant than lithium.

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Episode

July 19, 2024

A noisy bitcoin mine’s cooling fans are so loud they rattle windows. Residents of Granbury, Texas, are experiencing symptoms of noise pollution. Plus, a weather expert decodes the lingo from the new movie “Twisters”—and real-life tornado trends. And, an FDA panel rejects MDMA therapy for PTSD, raising concerns about the study’s methods and failure to address previous instances of research misconduct.

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Episode

July 12, 2024

Rising temperatures shut down some conchs’ impulse to reproduce. So scientists are ferrying them to colonies in deeper, cooler waters. Plus, there are currently 323 ongoing drug shortages in the U.S., leaving patients scrambling for necessary medications. And, new research shows that cats’ tendency to scratch is affected by stress, certain kinds of play, and how active they are at night.

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Episode

July 5, 2024

Discover your science reads for the summer with two authors and science writers familiar with the best books on the shelf. Plus, Ira talks to restoration experts about the science of preserving America’s founding documents. And, from drought-resistant crops to making sure farmers of color thrive, here’s how experts in Iowa are looking at the future of agriculture.

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Episode

June 28, 2024

In an effort to learn from scientific failure, The Journal of Trial Error only publishes “negative” results. Plus, the age of first menstruation trended downward from 1950 to 2005, but more so among low-income kids and kids of color. And, Paris has invested $1.5B in cleaning up the Seine for open-water swimming events, but recent tests indicate it’s not yet safe.

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Episode

June 21, 2024

When the federal government wavered in its commitment to climate action, city sustainability officers stepped up. Plus, a deep-sea squid was filmed cradling large eggs for its body size, which suggests it’s an entirely new species. And, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act expired on June 10, but supporters are still fighting to expand it.

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Episode

June 14, 2024

Happy Cephalopod Week! Squid, octopuses, and cuttlefish use ink to confuse predators and to communicate. But there’s even more to know about inking. Plus, researchers used citizen science observations and machine learning to understand where fireflies are and what they need to thrive. And, psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour helped make “Inside Out 2” more scientifically accurate.

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Episode

June 7, 2024

A new book looks at the history of psychological warfare, its connections to science fiction, and how it’s been adapted to modern politics. Plus, the genome of a little fern has 160.45 billion base pairs—50 times more DNA than a human. And, how will Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo’s leadership shape science policy in Mexico?

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Episode

May 31, 2024

A science journalist discusses plants’ ability to communicate, store memories, and more in her new book, “The Light Eaters.” Plus, how the eerie calls of the common loons have made their way into pop music. And, the growing field of Indigenous data sovereignty demands that Native communities maintain the right to decide how data about their people are collected, owned, and used.

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Episode

May 24, 2024

A van outfitted as a mobile laboratory helps scientists study how legal cannabis products affect users—without breaking the law. Plus, after decades of under-development, spending on high-speed rail projects is ramping up in California, Florida, and the Northeast Corridor. And, for the first time, scientists have recorded how salps form chains and swim in corkscrews to reach the ocean’s surface each night.

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