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April 26, 2024
For her new book, Aarathi Prasad spent years researching the past and future of silk—and even grew her own silkworms. Plus, an array of new products monitors users’ brain waves using caps or headbands. That neural data has few privacy protections. And, bonobo males may not live up to their reputation as calmer, more peaceful great apes.
15:58
How You Explained the Sun
Science Friday’s Science Club has been on a month-long exploration of the sun: what it is, how we see it, and its effects on our lives.
17:33
What Is Sleep? A ‘Superpower,’ a ‘Power Cleanse’
In his latest “Flame Challenge,” Alan Alda asked people to answer the question: “What is sleep?” We talk with the winning respondents.
11:37
Koala Chlamydia, Pluto’s Moons, and Bad Science Search Results
Rachel Feltman of The Washington Post talks about the week in science, and Christina Warren of Mashable joins to talk about science search results gone wrong.
7:59
We’re at Least a Little Like Yeast
Scientist swap out yeast genes for human ones, with an almost 50 percent success rate.
25:55
The Limits of Artificial Intelligence
Scientists have unveiled a robot that can sustain injury to one of its six legs, think for a few minutes, and devise a more efficient way to walk.
11:59
How Did the Beefsteak Tomato Get So Beefy?
Biologist Zach Lippman describes the genetics behind the oversized beefsteak tomato.
24:16
One Year Aboard The Space Station
Astronaut Scott Kelly—aboard the International Space Station—and his Earth-bound twin brother, Mark, talk about the effects of living in space for one year.
10:24
Chew on This: Jaw Fossils Provide Evidence of New Hominin
Scientists uncover evidence of new hominin species in the Afar region of Ethiopia.
11:52
The Thirty-Meter Telescope, A Cancer-Killing Virus, and a Fossil Find
Hawaii Public Radio reporter Molly Solomon talks about a new proposal for Hawaii’s Thirty-Meter Telescope, and reporter Rachel Feltman sums up the week in science news.
16:37
App Chat: Apps to ‘Smarten Up’ Your Car
Damon Lavrinc, an editor at Jalopnik, talks about driving apps and gadgets.