May 2, 2025
An astronomer explores the cosmos and the limits of what science can test. Plus, how the mysterious properties of pasta—like how it bends, coils, and breaks—have been tested by physicists for decades. And, millions of years ago, iguanas somehow got from North America to Fiji. Scientists think they made the trip on a raft of fallen vegetation.
How To Save Oregon’s Salmon? Maybe With A Giant Vacuum.
A $1.9 billion plan to suck up salmon and truck them around dams on the Willamette River raises questions.
A Climate Change Exhibit Asks ‘What If We Get It Right?’
A new exhibit at Brooklyn’s Pioneer Works museum explores the possibility of a hopeful climate future.
40 Years Of Sounding The Alarm On Nuclear Winter
In October 1983, Carl Sagan introduced the world to the idea of nuclear winter caused by nuclear weapon fallout. Is it still a threat?
How Carbon Fuels Life And Warms The Planet
Humans rely on altering the flow of elements. Author Stephen Porder sees a world where we manage Earth’s elements more wisely.
The Science Of Boredom And Daydreaming
Daydreaming is harder for adults, who often require a prompt to think about something pleasant.
Why Beech Leaf Disease Is Easy To Spot But Tough To Treat
In just a decade, this unusual disease has spread from Ohio across the Northeast. Scientists are testing treatments, but answers come slowly.
RSV Drug For Infants In Short Supply
The illness has reached seasonal epidemic levels in the southern US.
How Poisons Have Shaped Life On Earth
Poisons fill our pantries and gardens. The new book ‘Most Delicious Poison’ explores how common toxins have shaped life on Earth.
A Common Cold Medicine Ingredient Doesn’t Work. What Now?
Twenty years ago, scientists found that phenylephrine, listed as a decongestant in many cold medicines, didn’t work. What can you use instead?
Beech Leaf Disease Is Spreading Rapidly in Massachusetts
Scientists are working to understand the new tree disease, which is caused by a microscopic worm.
Diving Into Elon Musk’s Mind
Walter Isaacson’s latest biography peers into the life and mind of entrepreneur Elon Musk.
Placenta Research May Help Explain Pregnancy Loss
By studying placentas from lost pregnancies, one doctor hopes to provide answers that are so often lacking after a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Digging In To Nature’s Poisons
Caffeine is a natural pesticide. If you’re a human, it’s also a great way to start your morning.
11:52
Department Of Energy Announces ‘Clean Hydrogen Hub’ Awardees
Seven “clean energy hubs” will receive a total of $7B to develop forms of hydrogen production with minimal carbon emissions.
5:02
In Wyoming’s Mountain Lakes, Stocked Trout Are Evolving Quickly
Humans have long stocked alpine lakes with fish for anglers, but research shows some rapidly evolving trout are altering aquatic ecosystems.
12:08
Formula One Cars Are Stripping Off Paint To Save Weight
Ahead of the US Grand Prix, an aerodynamicist breaks down the recent engineering changes to F1 cars.
12:16
Hyper-Apex Predators: Colombian Fossils Reveal Big Reptilians Atop Ancient Marine Food Chain
Paleontologists pieced together a food chain from Paja Formation fossils, showing an additional level of apex predators with no modern equivalent.
17:30
Unlocking The Mysteries Of A Metal-Rich Asteroid
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is on a six-year voyage to an asteroid largely made of metal. It may help us understand how planets form.
16:59
When Studying Ecology Means Celebrating Its Gifts
Bestselling author Robin Wall Kimmerer discusses the role of ceremony in our lives, and how to celebrate reciprocal relationships with the natural world.
16:56
Finding Meaning In The Cosmos
In her new memoir, astrobiologist Dr. Aomawa Shields describes how a quest for life in the cosmos helped her find meaning on Earth.