On Today's Podcast
It’s Not Just You—Bad Food Habits Are Hard To Shake
The authors of “Food Intelligence” answer listener questions and discuss how our food systems make staying healthy an uphill battle.
Listen NowOctober 10, 2025
We check in on some exciting space missions and projects from IMAP to LIGO. Plus, in “Dinner With King Tut,” Sam Kean shows how experimental archaeology can recreate the stinky, slimy, and tasty parts of ancient history. And, behind the scenes of the removal of four dams along the Klamath River, and the massive restoration effort that’s followed.
Ex-Spy Telescopes May Aid Hunt for Dark Energy
The spy telescopes are wide-angle and short in length–earning them the nickname “stubby Hubbles.”
SpaceX Dragon May Ferry Astronauts by 2015
After a successful cargo run to the space station, SpaceX is preparing the Dragon capsule for crew.
Why Ignorance Trumps Knowledge in Scientific Pursuit
Neuroscientist Stuart Firestein discusses why ignorance is key to scientific discovery.
The Many Lifestyles of Muck-Dwelling Microbes
From barely-alive to bits of a biocomputer, a look at two different microbes and their unusual stories.
Can Technology Deliver Better Health Care?
Got high blood pressure? There’s an app for that!
Remembering a Son in Immortal Bird
A father reflects on family life, heartbreaking loss, and how he thinks the medical system failed his son.
Lightning Bug of a Different Color
Forget the fireflies, some millipedes glow in the dark too.
Paralyzed Rats Walk, Even Sprint After Rehab
Paralyzed rats regain their footing after rehab forges new connections between brain and spinal cord.
Finding Glow-in-the-Dark Millipedes
Forget the fireflies, check out these lightning bugs of a different color.
Monster Turtle Fossil Discovered In Colombian Mine
The giant reptile lived shortly after the demise of the dinos–and may have snacked on baby gators.
Humans, The World’s ‘Superomnivores’
Gotta have crunch? In The Omnivorous Mind, John S. Allen explains the universal appeal of crispy snacks like tempura and fried chicken.
Tick Talk: Lyme Disease Under The Microscope
A look at Lyme disease, the illness linked to a multibillion-dollar banking blunder.
Breaking Out Of A Web Of Fear
After brief therapy, arachnophobes touch tarantulas and have lasting changes in fear response.
What’s The Secret To Great Tomato Flavor?
Horticulturalist Harry Klee is on a mission to bring great taste back to the supermarket tomato.
Planning for a Solar Sky Show
Want to see a ring of fire? We’ll tell you how to see Sunday’s solar eclipse.
Stroke Victims Think, Robotic Arm Acts
A pill-sized implant turns thought into action for two individuals paralyzed by stroke.
Rerouting Working Nerves to Restore Hand Function
Surgeons bypass a spinal cord injury to build a new hand-brain connection in paralyzed man.
On Eve of Launch, SpaceX Head Talks about Mission
Elon Musk on the Dragon launch, traveling to Mars, and–his other hobby–electric cars.
From Rooftops and Abandoned Lots, an Urban Harvest
How about some rooftop honey or dandelion flower jelly? A look at city harvests.
The Itching Question That’s More Than Skin Deep
A connection between thinking and scratching shows how little we know about the tingles on our skin.