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Science Friday is your trusted source for news and entertaining stories about science.
Reimagining the Astronomical Objects of Messier
An artist finds inspiration in the celestial frustrations of astronomer Charles Messier.
The Comeback Kits: Saving California’s Island Foxes
Several subspecies of island fox have shown the fastest recovery of any mammal on the Endangered Species List.
Why Do We Use Shock Therapy?
Electroconvulsive therapy is generally a safe and effective treatment for depression and other mental illnesses.
50 Years of Star Trek, and the Influence of Science Fiction
Live long and prosper.
Five Back-To-School Books For Science-Loving Kids
A handful of good reads for the shark fans, budding architects, and other curious kids in your life.
A Look Into the Future With Dean Kamen
The entrepreneur best known for inventing the Segway wants to create better medical devices and health technologies.
Margaret Atwood on Dystopia, CRISPR, and ‘Oryx and Crake’
Listen to a podcast extra: Margaret Atwood live with Ira at Housing Works in NYC.
A Portal to the Multiverse
Author Blake Crouch tells the story of a man who invents a machine that can access multiple realities.
Four Ways ‘Oryx and Crake’ Predicted the Future
Margaret Atwood’s book is fiction, but the cutting-edge research she writes about is real.
The Hottest Pepper in the World
Consuming the Carolina Reaper is “kind of like eating molten lava.”
Do Other Animals Show Handedness?
Humans aren’t the only species where righties outnumber lefties.
The Operation That Created ‘Patient H.M.’
Author Luke Dittrich retells the story of the surgery his grandfather performed on Henry Molaison, which resulted in an unintended, life-changing side effect.
Getting Fundamental With Lisa Randall
The theoretical particle physicist offers advice to aspiring scientists.
The Microbes We Share
Science writer Ed Yong describes the diverse ways that scientists and citizen scientists are studying our microbiomes.
Alone in a Post-Apocalyptic World
Margaret Atwood’s novel “Oryx and Crake” is told from the perspective of the lone human survivor of a mysterious catastrophe.
The Sands Of Earth, And Beyond
Gary Greenberg uses 3D microscopes to inspect the diversity of sand grains.
Frank Drake Is Still Searching for E.T.
More than 50 years later, the renowned astronomer is surprised by the cultural impact of his Drake Equation.
What Does a Rotisserie Chicken Have in Common With the Apollo Spacecraft?
And other facts you may not know from the Apollo missions.
Can I Recycle That? Five Tips for Better Sorting
Pointers for sifting through your paper and plastics.