On Today's Podcast
Endometriosis Is Common. Why Is Getting Diagnosed So Hard?
A scientist diagnosed with endometriosis is working to answer fundamental questions about the disease and pave the way for better treatments.
Listen NowOctober 31, 2025
Why do we find joy in the scary and the macabre? Two psychology experts weigh in on humans’ affinity for horror and desire to get spooked. Plus, tales of the amazing capabilities of bats, spiders, and snakes. And, a guided tour of some of the world’s spookiest lakes.
‘Instant’ Looks at Polaroid’s Land
Edwin Land, the inventor behind Polaroid, is the subject of a new book by Christopher Bonanos.
Super-Sized Snapshot
Meet a Polaroid camera that weighs 235 pounds and takes 2-foot-tall instant snapshots.
No Joke — Why Even Tragedy Gets a Laugh
A comedian and a neuroscientist walk into a bar… er, nevermind. Tig Notaro and Robert Provine talk about why we laugh at even the grimmest of subjects.
‘Escape Fire’ Exposes Flaws of American Healthcare
The film tells the stories of a soldier addicted to painkillers, and a doctor with no time for her patients.
Blue Whale Barrel Roll Caught on Camera
Biologists are using data tags and a National Geographic Crittercam to study the dining habits of the largest animal on the planet.
Unlocking a Lake’s Bacterial Secrets, Beneath 20 Meters of Ice
Bacteria locked under Antarctic lake ice may shed light on life’s limits, and the possibility of life on other worlds.
Ask an Astronaut: Don Pettit and Jeff Hoffman on Spaceflight
Two astronauts answer your questions and discuss the many curiosities of living in space.
Curiosity 2.0? NASA Announces New Mars Rover Plans
NASA officials weigh in on the flurry of planetary science news from the past week.
Blue Whale Barrel Roll
Blue whales can grow to 90 feet—that’s longer than a tennis court. To understand how they get so large, Jeremy Goldbogen studies their dining habits. And he found that blue whales do underwater acrobatics while they eat.
What Obamacare Means for Patients — And Their Docs
The law has many protections for patients—but could it cause higher premiums and doctor shortages?
Perhaps Another Reason to Spike That Eggnog?
A perennial holiday mystery: will alcohol kill bacteria in homemade eggnog?
Photographer James Balog on Climate Change and ‘Chasing Ice’
A new documentary explores how climate change is affecting the world’s glaciers.
SciFri Book Club Has ‘The Right Stuff’
Join the SciFri Book Club regulars for a look back, er…up, at ‘The Right Stuff.’
Ig Nobel Prizes Celebrate Somewhat Suspect Science
Ponytail physics, the sloshing in a coffee cup, and an opera about the universe feature in this year’s Ig Nobel Prize ceremony.
Steven Strogatz: The Joy Of X
Did you know some infinities are bigger than others? Or that one is equal to .99999999999 repeating? Just a few of the math mysteries in The Joy of X, a new book by Steven Strogatz.
Waste Not: The Ugly Truth About Food Waste in America
Food waste is a growing problem in the U.S., so what can we do to fix it?
Heavy Metal: The Physics of DIY Instruments
Composer and instrument builder Paul Rudolph makes music from garbage. John Powell, physicist and author of How Music Works, chimes in with an explanation of how Rudolph’s modifications to the instruments helps transform noise into notes.
Are We Getting Dumber? Maybe, New Research Suggests
A provocative new study suggests humans are slowly becoming less intelligent and emotionally stable.
The Double Helix and Beyond: Catching Up With James Watson
Nearly 60 years later, James Watson reflects on the legendary race to solve the structure of DNA.
Desktop Diaries: Temple Grandin
“I’m pure geek, pure logic,” says Grandin, an animal scientist at Colorado State University.