On Today's Podcast
Investigating 'Flow State' With The Bassist From Phish
Phish bassist Mike Gordon is teaming up with neuroscientists to try to understand the transcendent experience of musical flow state.
Listen NowNovember 7, 2025
Two new studies suggest that, contrary to longstanding belief, dinosaurs were not on the decline before the Chicxulub asteroid impact. Plus, a giant infrastructure project aims to block invasive carp from entering Lake Michigan, but Chicago’s polluted water already keeps them out. And, Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City is the only place where axolotls live in the wild, and they face growing threats.
8:43
Arctic Science, Put On Ice
After a research vessel runs into trouble in the Arctic Ocean, science gets put on hold—for now.
25:28
A Deep Ocean Dive Is Training NASA For Space
NASA is exploring a deep-sea volcano off the coast of Hawaii as a test run for human and robotic missions to Mars and beyond.
22:47
Order And Disorder In The Human Brain
Neuroscientist Eric Kandel tells us what schizophrenia, PTSD, and other disorders can reveal about the workings on the human brain.
22:17
Tech Changes The Face Of Death
From environmentally-friendly funerals to the act of grieving, technology is changing our relationship with death.
Design For Disaster Relief
Engineer disaster relief housing that is lightweight, packs flat, and structurally sound.
Celebrating ‘A Brief History Of Time’ With Cocktails, Physics, And Poetry
For the 30th anniversary of ‘A Brief History of Time,’ SciFri threw a party.
The Origin Of The Word ‘Cocaine’
It’s a tale of a leaf, a graduate student, and alkaloid science.
The 2018 Science Friday Educator Collaborative
This year’s cohort are creating cephalopod skin, measuring x-rays, and more for the classroom.
Cephalopod Camouflage: A Beauty That’s Skin Deep
It’s a rock, it’s seaweed, it’s an…octopus? Using this hands on activity, learn how crafty cephalopods are well adapted to hide in an ocean full of predators.
7:17
Hurricane Lane Aims For The Hawaiian Islands
A strong Pacific hurricane, fueled by unusually warm waters, has Hawaii in its sights.
4:53
Why You Shouldn’t Flush Your Contacts Down The Drain
The little pieces of plastic are polluting our waterways.
12:05
A Better Method For Stopping Ebola And Yellow Fever
Could real-time tracking of viral infections put a stop to future epidemics?
17:28
A Squishy Border Dispute, Deep Below Texas And Mexico
The waters of the Rio Grande are closely regulated. But what about the water hidden in aquifers deep below the Mexico-Texas border?
16:54
Are Probiotics Good For You? Not Always
New study suggests too much ‘good bacteria’ could poison your brain.
34:18
A Book Club At The End Of Time
Closing the book on Stephen Hawking’s ‘A Brief History of Time.’
Presenting The ‘Brief History Of Time’ Artist Challenge Winners
We challenged artists to interpret Hawking’s classic book. They did not disappoint.
7:38
After A Bridge Collapse, Questions About Engineering Safety
A sudden bridge collapse in Italy has sparked interest in the safety of structures worldwide.
4:18
Traffic Poses A New Threat To Yosemite’s Famous Bears
Bear sightings at Yosemite National Park are down, but the park’s infamous traffic poses a new threat.
8:40
How A ‘Zombie Gene’ Helped Elephants Evolve Protection From Cancer
Researchers have identified a gene in elephants that can detect and kill cells that have damaged DNA.