Flora has produced science media for 20 years across many formats. She got her start right here at Science Friday, working her way up from intern to fill-in host, and resident videographer. From there, she worked as a video producer for The New York Times, co-creating an Emmy-nominated film series that dramatized scientific discoveries using… paper puppets. She also was nominated for an Emmy for her writing on Bill Nye’s Netflix show “Bill Nye Saves the World.” She has created and launched a number of podcasts in various roles, including hosting Gimlet’s beloved “Every Little Thing,” which connected listeners to experts who could answer their burning questions. The show ran for five years and published over 200 episodes. In her previous role as Hypothesis Fund Managing Editor, she told the stories of world-class scientists pursuing bold new ideas in a new storytelling initiative, The Leap.
Making science accessible, relatable, and human has been a focus of Flora’s career. Some of her inspiration comes from her own experience in science: Long, long ago, she worked at a NATO oceanographic lab in Italy. For the lab’s research expeditions, she lived on a ship where apertivi were served on the top deck, hoisted there via pulley by the ship’s chef.
You can find her @flichtman on social media platforms.
The science and politics of the new mRNA flu vaccine
A new mRNA flu vaccine promises a closer match to circulating flu strains. But dysfunction at federal health agencies is complicating rollout.
What is the Kelvin wave on the West Coast?
El Niño is driving a Kelvin wave up the West Coast, raising sea levels. What is it, and how does it work?
The punk rock life of cephalopods
This Cephalopod Week, we’re talking death spirals, cannibalism, and giant squid dissection.
The Nobel winner searching for deep-space neutrinos in Antarctica
In 2013, Francis Halzen spoke with Ira about the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. This week, Halzen won the Nobel Prize.
How important ideas get reawakened, with David Byrne
Why do some breakthroughs go dormant—and then wake up? Watch Flora’s interview with artist David Byrne about these “sleeping beauties.”
The science of the LA Rams’ high-risk, high-reward jet lag strategy
To prepare for an overseas game, the LA Rams tried a Hail Mary jet lag strategy. They lost, but were they onto something?
The tilcayo is the new wild cat on the block
The tiny, 3-pound tilcayo is the first cat species to be described in a century. And yes, it is as cute as you’d think.
Are natural history museums going extinct?
The country’s oldest natural history museum, in Philadelphia, has closed its doors to visitors. Will other museums follow?
A new lunar crater + Searching for signs of alien technology
Scientists are learning more about a recent impact crater on the moon. Plus, hunting for extraterrestrial life through technological clues.
Did the COVID pandemic stunt kids’ development?
The pandemic interrupted the lives of millions of kids. Researchers are studying the impact on their social and emotional development.