July 4, 2025
In this archival show, undersea archaeologist Robert Ballard shares adventures from beneath the waves and his love for deep-sea exploration. Plus, research suggests that we share parts of our microbiome with people in our social networks beyond family members. And, a book uses science and the benefit of hindsight to figure out how to survive some of history’s biggest disasters.
Flying In Circles To Discover Adaptations For The Cold
The SciFri team learns what it takes for some creatures to live in extreme cold environments at a cryobiology lab.
6:54
Neolithic People Performed Brain Surgery On Cows
Plus, evidence for 19th-century abortion views and California weather that will make your head spin.
5:02
When Great Lakes Water Is ‘Public’ And When It Isn’t
Foxconn’s Lake Michigan bid raises questions about interpreting a young law.
10:12
Help Us Weigh Galaxies!
Participate in a citizen science project and help astronomers identify gravitational lenses.
11:56
The Yeast Also Rises
The microorganism’s contributions to society, from bread to biotechnology.
17:25
The Frogs And Insects That Freeze
From midge larvae to wood frogs, how extremophiles weather brutal winter temperatures without harm.
16:18
Reconstructing The World Of Our Ancient Ancestors
Paleoecologists use fossils to figure out the environment of early hominins and how those conditions played a role in the evolution of our early ancestors.
23:31
Four Billion Years Of Climate Change
Longtime climate reporter Andrew Revkin discusses the not-so-brief history of Earth’s weather and climate change.
7:21
The Next All-Natural Recycling Solution? An Enzyme
Plus, exploding ants and other science headlines in this week’s News Round-up.
4:33
Drone Radar System Takes Flight In Ohio
A new radar system is being tested that will provide an air traffic control system for drones at a local airport.
17:32
Planning For—And Surviving—‘The Big Ones’
In her new book The Big Ones, seismologist Lucy Jones catalogues devastating earthquakes, eruptions and tsunamis throughout history, and what happened in the aftermath.
12:03
The Tiny Swimmers That May Stir The Seas
Every night, the largest migration on Earth happens underwater. Now, engineers say their collective movement could create ocean-mixing currents.
17:34
Diving Deep To Appreciate The Spleen
Evolutionary adaptations, such as having a larger spleen, have let humans live comfortably in some of the world’s extreme places.
17:21
With Summer Around The Corner, A Guide To The Night Skies
Astronomer Dean Regas gives tips for astronomical sights to try to spot in the months ahead.
17:05
A ‘Fingerprint Scan’ For Earthquakes Caused By Fracking
Can small earthquakes predict where oil and gas extraction can be done most safely?
Waiting (And Waiting) For The Big One
Seismologist Lucy Jones explains what makes the San Andreas fault ripe for large earthquakes.
A Yearbook Of Seeds
From the Uncarina seed’s fashionable coat to the flowing orange locks of the Bird of Paradise seed, we present this year’s seed superlatives.
The Very Hungry Maggot
What happens when you give hundreds of puppies a single bowl of food? This mechanical engineer is trying to solve this problem with physics…and maggots.
7:29
A New Planet-Hunter Takes To The Sky
Plus, a new search for dark matter, a massive ichthyosaur, and the nature of randomness.