On Today's Podcast
Why Hasn’t Wave Energy Gotten Its Sea Legs Yet?
It’s hard to convert energy from the ocean into electricity, thanks to a tough regulatory environment and, well, the ocean.
Listen NowOctober 31, 2025
Why do we find joy in the scary and the macabre? Two psychology experts weigh in on humans’ affinity for horror and desire to get spooked. Plus, tales of the amazing capabilities of bats, spiders, and snakes. And, a guided tour of some of the world’s spookiest lakes.
Breakthrough
Meet scientists who are overcoming insurmountable obstacles to pave new paths in STEM.
How Shrinking Sea Ice May Be Shrinking Polar Bears
How is the body mass of polar bears changing as sea ice disappears? The answer may depend on where they live and feed.
7:22
Love On The Surface Of An Eyeball, Life’s First Steps, And Clues From Poop
One woman’s dubious dance with a cow parasite left her rubbing her eyes—and medical experts scratching their heads.
4:35
In Idaho, A Battle Over Climate In The Classroom
The Idaho legislature is debating how to address human-induced climate change in revised science education standards.
24:44
The Reality-Distorting Tools Of The Future
A collection of AI-assisted tools could allow the average person to create videos of anyone saying or doing anything.
9:50
‘Cryptojacking’ Could Turn Your Computer Into A Bitcoin Mining Machine
The latest hacking could be used to steal your computer’s CPU power without you knowing it.
16:51
The Story Of Aerosols: From Spray Can To Ocean Spray
Aerosols do play a role in climate change, but not the one you might think.
7:38
There’s A New Urban Air Polluter On The Block
Volatile organic compounds like wall paints and cleaning agents are becoming our cities’ biggest sources of air pollution.
9:32
How UV Light Could Zap The Flu Bug
A type of UV light could be used to disable proteins in the flu virus.
12:17
The Physics Of Figure Skating
Those leaps and spins are a physics demonstration in action.
Science Friday Live In Oxford, Ohio
On Saturday, April 21, Science Friday heads to Oxford, Ohio to reveal nature’s secrets.
6:56
SpaceX Car Launch And A Hot Getaway By Bombardier Beetles
SpaceX successfully launched the Heavy Falcon rocket with two of the three boosters safely landing back onto the launch pad.
5:01
The Earth’s Ozone Woes Haven’t Gone Away Yet
While the ozone layer above the poles is on the mend, the health of the layer in middle latitudes is less clear.
12:16
Chocolate: Brought To You By Bugs
A menagerie of insects thrive among cacao trees—and that biodiversity might help boost yields.
7:54
Putting The Immune System To Work Against Cancer
A new immune-boosting injection treatment that produces quick results with few side-effects in mice shows promise for human trials.
9:06
The Genetic Mystery Of The Invasive Crayfish Clones
As the marbled crayfish spreads throughout waters in Europe, scientists sequence the genome of the all-female species to try to understand how they reproduce clonally.
16:46
Venomous Or Poisonous—Can You Spot The Difference?
Poisonous and venomous creatures are often misclassified. But it turns out, there’s a big difference between the two.
34:35
Farewell, ‘Frankenstein’
The Science Friday Book Club nerds out about ‘Frankenstein’ one last time.
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.