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.
17:25
A Precisely Pointed Laser Allows People To See New Color ‘Olo’
Researchers isolated one kind of cone in the eye and aimed lasers at it to allow subjects to see a super vibrant teal shade they call “olo.”
7:19
In Louisiana, A Chance To Study A Successful, Growing Wetland
Many wetlands are disappearing, but Louisiana’s “accidental” Wax Lake Delta is growing—and informing coastal restoration techniques.
17:30
Untangling The Mind-Body Connection In Chronic Pain
Research suggests that better understanding the psychological and neurological components of chronic pain may lead to better treatments.
11:34
Possible Signature Of Life Detected On Exoplanet—Maybe
The Webb Space Telescope picked up traces of dimethyl sulfide on planet K2-18b. On Earth, the molecule comes from microbes and phytoplankton.
17:14
A Blind Inventor’s Life Of Advocacy And Innovation
In “Connecting Dots: A Blind Life,” inventor Josh Miele recounts his life story and path to becoming an accessibility designer.
12:10
A Colossal Squid Video? That’s A Big Deal
Researchers captured the first confirmed video of a colossal squid swimming in its natural habitat—almost 2,000 feet deep.
17:24
Advances In Brain-Computer Interfaces For People With Paralysis
With brain-implanted devices, people with paralysis have been able to command computers to “move” virtual objects and speak for them.
17:03
Investigating Cat Behavior Through Genetics
With the help of cat owners, a new project investigates cats’ biology and aims to link some of their behaviors to their genes.
17:31
The Lack Of Science In Road Design Is Deadly
Are traffic engineering decisions based on evidence-based research? Not as much as you might think.
12:17
Trump’s Nominee For NASA Administrator Meets Congress
Nominee Jared Isaacman prioritized a Mars mission in his confirmation hearings, raising questions about the fate of the Artemis lunar program.