Kathleen Davis
Producer
Kathleen Davis is a producer and fill-in host at Science Friday, which means she spends her weeks researching, writing, editing, and sometimes talking into a microphone. She heads the show’s State of Science project, bringing local science stories to a national audience.
Before joining the Science Friday team in 2020, Kathleen reported on tech and breaking news at WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR station. One time, her coworkers made her a dinosaur themed birthday cake, complete with a Rice Krispy meteor.
Kathleen is originally from the great state of Michigan, and is always eager to talk about freshwater lakes and Coney Island diners. She can often be found taking long walks to run errands that would be done much faster by other modes of transportation.
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Tracking The Hidden Dangers Of Fighting Fires
How well do we understand the long-term health risks to firefighters? Plus, researchers across the country are breeding pest-resistant trees.
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Designing Hyperrealistic Body Parts, From Eyeballs To Placentas
On-screen and in hospitals, fake body parts are getting more and more realistic. That helps medical students practice for real procedures.
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How Do Bacteria Talk To Each Other?
Bacteria are not as simple as their reputation suggests. Understanding how they communicate may lead to better disease treatments for us humans.
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15:27
Two Steps Forward For Meat Alternatives
Scientists bring us a lab-grown chicken nugget and texturally accurate, plant-based calamari. We’ll bite.
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8:00
Does Taping Your Mouth Shut Help You Sleep?
Social media influencers are claiming that taping your mouth shut during sleep has life-changing effects. But the evidence isn’t airtight.
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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.
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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.
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12:04
How A Navajo Plant Researcher Is Reviving A Desert Peach
Bringing back Southwest peach orchards won’t be easy, but researchers are on the lookout for remaining trees—and they need help.
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15:34
Climate Change Has Made Allergy Season Worse. How Do We Cope?
It’s not just in your stuffy head. Seasonal allergies are getting worse as pollen season gets longer and more intense.
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17:15
Microdosing Peanut Butter Could Alleviate Some Peanut Allergies
Food allergies are on the rise. For kids with less severe peanut allergies, one potential treatment could be found in the grocery aisle.