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.
4:28
Does More Sand Always Mean A Better Beach?
Adding sand to beaches is a longstanding coastal tool. But are there any downsides?
6:19
If You Give A Maggot A Cookie…
Researchers are digging into the eating habits of maggots to help solve the food waste problem.
17:10
More Options For Cancer Immunotherapy
We can teach the immune system to kill tumors. But how will researchers get past autoimmune side effects and other challenges in cancer immunotherapy?
11:33
These Eyebrows Speak Volumes
New research suggests our brows evolved to be something other than looking fierce.
16:47
A Look At Unconventional Bird Calls
Some bird calls come from an unexpected source—it’s not just males that perform calls, and some hummingbirds use their tail feathers to create chirps.
27:00
How To Talk With Aliens
A meeting of the minds talk about how we might write messages to intelligent extraterrestrial beings—and if it’s ethical to send them.
7:24
How Facebook Makes Scam Artists’ Jobs Easier
Medical falsehoods go unchecked on the platform and harmful “miracle cures” attract a cult following.
4:31
The Maine Lobster Industry Is Entangled With Endangered Whales
Declining numbers of endangered right whales has sparked a debate about the impact of Maine’s lobster industry on the dwindling numbers.
7:16
Meet The Bowhead Whale, The Jazz Singer of the Deep
Scientists recorded a population of bowhead whales singing 184 different melodies over a span of three years.
11:35
Unequal Levees Could Leave Some Towns To Drown
Some districts along the Mississippi River have built their levees above government-authorized heights, shifting the risk of flooding to less-protected towns.
9:15
Do Our Brains Keep Growing As We Age?
More research finds evidence of new cell growth in aging brains. So why do our minds slow down as we get older?
25:05
The Internet Asks “Does It Fart?” And Science Answers
There’s more to flatology once you get a closer whiff.
26:47
50 Years Ago: The Odyssey To Craft ‘2001’
A look back on Arthur C. Clarke, Stanley Kubrick, and the science fiction masterpiece they wrote as they went along.
Full Of Stars
How a mechanical limitation forced “2001: A Space Odyssey” to slow down.
Cómo capturar un aroma
Separa y captura moléculas de aroma mediante vaporización por calor.
6:56
What Happened The Last Time Earth Got Hot Quickly?
Plus, 13,000-year-old footprints, the James Webb telescope is delayed, and a rogue satellite makes a timely landing.
4:59
Climate Science Goes To Court In California Oil Case
A judge requested a climate science tutorial in a federal lawsuit where two California cities are suing the oil company Chevron.
7:56
Is There A Cell Phone Link To Cancer? A Definite Maybe
A government study found a possible link to a rare type of cancer in rats. A peer review panel met this week and endorsed the findings.
Death And Thievery In The Colony
Cleptoparasite female bee, in the nest, with the manacles.