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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How Archaeologists Try To Smell, Hear, And Taste The Past
In “Dinner With King Tut,” Sam Kean shows how experimental archaeology can recreate the stinky, slimy, and tasty parts of ancient history.
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Can Better Equipment Eliminate Concussions In Sports?
Head injuries are considered a normal risk of high-impact sports like football. Better helmets and guidelines aim to make athletes safer.
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How Illinois Volunteers Brought Back The Kankakee Mallow
To save the rare flower from disappearing, a group of volunteers simulated rolling wildfires on a tiny island near Chicago.
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The High-Tech Lab Unlocking Secrets Of Coral Reproduction
At a lab in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, scientists are breeding corals to be more resilient to rising ocean temperatures.
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The Humble Microbe Could Help Us Understand Life Itself
Unlocking the basic science of microbes, especially those that live in extreme environments, could help us find life elsewhere in the universe.
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16:47
Teamwork Between Species Is The Key To Life Itself
“The Call of the Honeyguide” traces the mutualisms found throughout nature, from hunting pairs to the microbes all around us.
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A Delicious But Invasive Mushroom Could Affect Fungal Diversity
Golden oyster mushrooms have escaped from home growing kits into the wild. Plus, the ancient origin story of the humble potato plant.
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12:05
How Have Gray Wolves Fared 30 Years After Reintroduction?
Humans drove wolves nearly to extinction in the American West. Reintroducing them in 1995 was, and still is, controversial.
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17:02
Are Food Dyes Really Bad For You?
The FDA and HHS plan to eliminate petroleum-based food dyes as part of the MAHA agenda. What does science say about their effects on health?
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When Headaches Are Ruining Your Life, Where Can You Turn?
In “The Headache,” a science journalist documents his quest to understand his own cluster headaches.