On Today's Podcast
The Human Obsession With Aliens Goes Way, Way Back
A new book charts the millennia-old history of our fascination with aliens, and how myth transformed into research.
Listen NowSeptember 12, 2025
Octopuses can use their suckers to detect harmful microbes on the surface of objects like crab shells, or their own eggs. Plus, a new book charts the millennia-old history of our fascination with aliens, and how myth transformed into research. And, golden oyster mushrooms have escaped from home growing kits into the wild. Could they affect fungal diversity in North American forests?
18:17
What Do The Ingredients In Baby Formula Actually Mean For Infant Health?
Deciding which formula is best for your baby? Here’s what science has to say.
The Eclipse That Proved Einstein’s Theory Correct
In 1919, a team of astronomers presented their findings about warped starlight to the Royal Astronomical Society in London, proving Einstein’s theories.
Rounding Up 2019’s Discoveries At Science In The Headlines
Cheers to another trip around the sun! On December 18th, reminisce the past year in science news with your favorite writers, journalists, and storytellers.
The Rise And Fall Of Earthquake Prediction
How a ‘successfully predicted’ earthquake in China was not so successfully predicted after all.
Químicos PFAS y tú
Conoce al abogado demandando en nombre de todos los estadounidenses que tienen PFAS en su sangre.
6:30
Measles Vaccine Helps Protect Against More Than Just Measles
People infected with measles can develop an immune system ‘amnesia,’ losing antibodies to other pathogens.
5:06
Northeastern Bat Populations Haven’t Recovered From White-Nose Syndrome
And the disease is now popping up on the west coast.
11:58
Cemeteries Offer A Green Refuge For Urban Plant And Animal Life
In cities, where plants and animals compete with humans for space and survival, cemeteries offer an unexpected reprieve.
11:01
Alan Alda On How To Talk About Tough Topics
In his podcast Clear + Vivid, Alan Alda talks with scientists about how to connect with people—and talk about tough topics like climate change.
22:24
Moth Magic: Nature’s Underappreciated Night-Dweller
Do moths deserve their unflattering reputation? A museum curator and moth-lover sets the record straight.
33:40
PFAS Chemicals, And You
Meet the lawyer suing on behalf of all U.S. people with PFAS in their blood.
The Farmer Who Took On One Of The World’s Biggest Chemical Corporations
When the cattle on Wilbur Earl Tennant’s farm began to mysteriously fall ill and die, he suspected it wasn’t what the animals were eating—it was what they were drinking.
The Rare, Native Species Haunting The Appalachian Mountains
While you dressed up as a witch or zombie this Halloween, these North Carolinians took the form of something much scarier: local species at risk.
The Complicated Sex Lives Of Venus Flytraps
How do Venus flytraps survive if they end up eating their pollinators?
Making Space For Black Software
From playing with computers to building networks: How the space for Black Software was made.
6:57
Quantum Supremacy Is Here—Allegedly
Google says its quantum computer has achieved in just 200 seconds what would take a supercomputer thousands of years. But IBM is pushing back.
4:42
Reducing Runoff To Protect The Gulf
A ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf of Mexico has states along the Mississippi working to reduce nutrient runoff.
23:06
The Black Engineers Who Opened Up The Computer Revolution
African American software engineers and entrepreneurs at the forefront of the development of the World Wide Web.
21:58
Mucus: It’s Snot What You Think
Mucus gets a bad rap for its “ick” factor, but this slimy substance supports all kinds of life on our planet.