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Science Friday is your trusted source for news and entertaining stories about science.
Waiting (And Waiting) For The Big One
Seismologist Lucy Jones explains what makes the San Andreas fault ripe for large earthquakes.
A Yearbook Of Seeds
From the Uncarina seed’s fashionable coat to the flowing orange locks of the Bird of Paradise seed, we present this year’s seed superlatives.
Full Of Stars
How a mechanical limitation forced “2001: A Space Odyssey” to slow down.
Death And Thievery In The Colony
Cleptoparasite female bee, in the nest, with the manacles.
Get Your Future Issue Of ‘Your Martian Daily’
Tips from a NASA astronaut for what to eat, how to dress, and how to manage your modern life on Mars.
Celebrate Spring At The Orchid Social
On April 9 in New York City, join Ira Flatow for a Science Friday garden party.
The History Of Ice Skates
From bones to blades, they just don’t make ice skates like they used to.
The Woman Who Linked The Web In A ‘Microcosm’
Hypertext links one thing to another on the Internet. But, in 1989, computer scientist Wendy Hall invented a specialized linkbase to build a more connected web.
The ‘Murderous’ Medical Practice Of The 18th Century
For centuries, people thought mercury was a safe, easy remedy for everything from melancholy to syphilis.
The Mystery Of The Namibian Fairy Circles
The strange circles that dot the desert in Southern Africa have stumped scientists for decades. But math and ecology might have an answer.
Meet The Father Of Modern Skyscrapers
The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world—but the design techniques that make it possible are more than a century old.
Get In The Love-y, Dove-y, Science-y Valentines Spirit
Share these punny science valentines with the special scientist in your life.
The Real Scientific Revolution Behind ‘Frankenstein’
Mary Shelley’s classic novel was written in a world where the dead twitched.
What You Said: How Does ‘Frankenstein’ Fit Into Your Modern Life?
Mary Shelley’s novel turns 200 this year, but its lessons are far from old.
Science Facts: GMOs
Use these facts when talking with friends and family who don’t believe GMOs can be safe.
What You Said: Was Dr. Victor Frankenstein A Good Scientist?
And what makes a “good” scientist, anyway? SciFri listeners weigh in.
Uber, But For Scientists
The gig economy isn’t just for graphic designers and Uber drivers. Some scientists are forsaking academia—and not always by choice.
How Jellyfish Helped A Marine Biologist Find Her Calling
Juli Berwald recounts not the not-so-straight path that led to her work as a marine biologist.
Science Facts: Vaccines
Use these facts when talking with friends and family who don’t “believe” in vaccinating their children.
What You Said: Frankenstein, Today
SciFri listeners weigh in on Frankenstein, Silicon Valley’s tech monsters, and the ethics of modern inventions.