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.
8:57
Sacre Bleu! Some French Cheeses At Risk Of Extinction
A lack of diversity in the microbes that make Camembert, brie, and some blue cheeses could mean we bid adieu to some French varieties.
12:16
Faraway Planets Could Have Oceans Of Magma
Hycean planets were thought to be covered by oceans of water, but a new study suggests it could be magma instead.
12:07
Colorectal Cancer Rates Are Rising In Young People
It used to be rare for people under 50 to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. It’s increasingly common among adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.
10:12
What An AI Learns From A Baby’s-Eye View Of The World
Associating images from a child’s daily life with the sounds they were hearing helped teach a computer model a set of basic nouns.
7:07
The Art And Science Of Trash Talk
Author Rafi Kohan explains the psychological and physiological responses to trash talk, ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.
17:16
A Black Physician’s Analysis Of The Legacy Of Racism In Medicine
In a new book, Dr. Uché Blackstock reflects on her experiences as a Black physician and the structural racism embedded in medicine.
12:09
Syphilis Cases Are Up 80% Since 2018
There has been a boom of syphilis cases, including a 180% increase in congenital syphilis cases, despite other STI levels staying stable.
7:20
In This Computer Component, Data Slides Through Honey
Honey could be the secret ingredient in building a more eco-friendly “memristor,” which transmits data through malleable pathways.
17:07
‘Mysterious’ Canine Illness: What Dog Owners Should Know
Veterinary experts discuss what is known about the potential respiratory pathogen—or pathogens—and which dogs are most at risk.
10:08
Using AI To Help Find Ancient Artifacts In The Great Lakes
Researchers in Michigan modeled a prehistoric land bridge and used AI to predict where caribou–and humans–might have traveled along it.