On Today's Podcast
How many plants touch your life every day?
Why a single daisy is a bouquet of flowers, and other plant surprises from the head of the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Listen NowNovember 13, 2026
Scientists using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory have located a possible new dwarf planet beyond Neptune. Researchers are working to track, and stop, outbreaks like Ebola more quickly by sequencing the genomes of pathogens as new cases appear. Plus, an update on the state of science funding, a beetle in trouble, and our connection to the plants in our lives.
This big, bright, corpse-loving beetle is in trouble
Researchers are trying to preserve the carrion-loving American burying beetle. We check in on the effort to reintroduce it to Nantucket.
Why is the misdiagnosis rate for multiple sclerosis so high?
An estimated 1 in 5 patients diagnosed with MS are misdiagnosed. Why is that rate so high, and what happens with a diagnosis changes?
How many plants touch your life every day?
Why a single daisy is a bouquet of flowers, and other plant surprises from the head of the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Where does federal science funding stand now?
Sudip Parikh of AAAS joins us for an update on how federal funding for research has changed, and the impact of those changes.
How rapid genome sequencing can help stop outbreaks
Researchers are working to track, and stop, outbreaks like Ebola more quickly by sequencing the genomes of pathogens as new cases appear.
Help! This new dwarf planet needs a name
Scientists using the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory have located a possible new dwarf planet beyond Neptune. What would you name it?
‘Big Math’ shines a light on the hidden math that runs our world
Mathematician Steven Strogatz discusses the unexpected math in daily life, and how his field is picking up the pieces after AI disruptions.
‘Big Math’ is here, and humans can shape its potential
Machine-powered math can take on huge problems with millions of unknowns. That can be concerning—but also holds enormous potential for good.
How, and why, to connect with wildlife in your own backyard
The author of ‘The Comfort of Crows’ talks about finding meaning in her own yard, and how the native plant movement inspired her.
Trees hold the stories of our lives
In “The Comfort of Crows,” the trees in your own yard and neighborhood can tell the story of people’s lives.
Meet the tiny, see-through fish that can regenerate its brain
It swims, it buzzes, it regenerates its brain: A tiny glassfish is becoming a model species for scientists. What could it teach us?
Why is everyone so obsessed with protein?
A food historian and nutrition researcher dig into the protein-maxxing trend—and explain why you might want to up your fiber intake instead.
What a trapped antimatter particle could tell us about reality
Researchers have trapped a positron and held it at extremely cold temperatures for months, allowing them to measure its quantum properties.
Why are armadillos moving up north?
Armadillos are turning up in states like Kentucky and Illinois, far from their warm southern habitats. Why are they moving north?
You’re absolutely right: Humans are starting to talk like AI
Chatbots’s favorite words and quirks of speech are seeping into human language and changing the way we talk. Is that a bad thing?
When, and where, did bats first take to the sky?
An analysis of bat genomes and fossil records has shown that the flying mammals first took wing in Europe some 60-65 million years ago.
Algebra helps us navigate hard realities by making them abstract
In “Six Math Essentials,” algebra provides a set of tools for solving problems, from ancient Babylonia to household tasks of today.
People are microdosing GLP-1s for weight loss. Is it safe?
Some online clinics are prescribing GLP-1 microdoses formulated by compounding pharmacies. Are these drugs safe and effective?
Terence Tao on how AI math solutions miss the point
Terence Tao says mathematics is about understanding, not just right answers, and quick AI solutions are forcing soul-searching in the field.
What was life like for Tyrannosaurus rex?
T. rex may be the most famous prehistoric predator, but life wasn’t always bone-snapping chomps and food chain scaremongering.