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.
12:08
Formula One Cars Are Stripping Off Paint To Save Weight
Ahead of the US Grand Prix, an aerodynamicist breaks down the recent engineering changes to F1 cars.
12:16
Hyper-Apex Predators: Colombian Fossils Reveal Big Reptilians Atop Ancient Marine Food Chain
Paleontologists pieced together a food chain from Paja Formation fossils, showing an additional level of apex predators with no modern equivalent.
A Mathematician Asks ‘Is Math Real?’
When math is based on abstract concepts, how do we know it’s correct? Dr. Eugenia Cheng takes on that question in a new book.
7:41
A Saltwater Wedge Is Moving Up The Mississippi River
Thanks to a persistent drought, the creeping crisis threatens infrastructure and human health. Reporter Halle Parker answers your questions.
8:58
Kenya’s Geothermal Boom Could Help Power Africa
The geologically active East African Rift System has already helped Kenya become the world’s seventh largest geothermal producer.
12:22
Florida’s Reefs Are Vanishing. Can Scientists Save Them?
With water temperatures higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, coral bleaching is worse than ever.
17:14
Can Earth’s Past Climate Help Us Understand Today’s Crisis?
Renowned climate scientist Michael Mann talks about how important it is to take action now—before we see climate change’s worst consequences.
12:11
Astronomers Find Exoplanet That May Be Covered In Water
Exciting news in the search for extraterrestrial life.
10:35
Waiting for the Bus in Houston is Hot. And Dangerous.
Reporters at Houston Public Media found just how dangerous heat can be for public transit riders.
5:44
The Psychology Behind Wide Receivers’ Jersey Numbers
A new study explains why wide receivers on professional football teams feel slimmer and faster when they wear smaller numbers.