On Today's Podcast
How Conservation Efforts Brought Rare Birds Back From The Brink
The merlin, sandhill crane, and pileated woodpecker were once rare in North America. Environmental conservation fueled their resurgence.
Listen NowSeptember 19, 2025
Dr. Mary-Claire King was the first to link a gene to hereditary cancer risk with the identification of BRCA1 in the 1990s. She was just getting started. Plus, sooner or later, a sizable asteroid could impact a populated area on Earth. How are we preparing? And, the merlin, sandhill crane, and pileated woodpecker were once rare in North America. Environmental conservation fueled their resurgence.
12:02
The Why Of Vocal Fry
Vocal fry has been around for ages. Why are people suddenly so bothered by it?
10:09
Tribal Concerns Grow As Water Levels Drop In The Colorado River Basin
Historically excluded from negotiations, Indigenous communities want to make sure they have a seat at the water-distributing table.
24:22
Space Tourists, Asteroids, And Anti-Satellite Tests, Oh My!
A trio of stellar space reporters round up 2021’s out-of-this-world headlines.
Michael Pollan On Plants That Change Our Minds, From Tea To Peyote
In a new book, Michael Pollan explores why some psychoactive plants are socially acceptable, which aren’t, and how those norms are changing.
A Tour Through Maria Ferreira’s Crystal Gardens
Blending chemistry, physics, and animation, artist Maria Constanza Ferreira grows tiny gardens of crystals to create dazzling images.
Vocal Fry: Why I’m Not Getting A Voice Coach
Vocal fry has been around for ages. So why are people suddenly so bothered by it?
10:18
Travel Bans Do Little To Slow Spread Of Omicron
As cases of the new variant appear globally, vaccination is a key strategy to prevent future mutations.
1:44
Alvin Lucier, Composer At The Intersection Of Science And Sound, Dead At 90
A giant figure in experimental music, who composed with brain waves, room resonances, and a curiosity about the world around us.
26:09
Ralph Nader Reflects On His Auto Safety Campaign, 55 Years Later
Over the last half-century, auto safety has drastically advanced, thanks in part to Nader’s groundbreaking investigation.
8:09
New Drug Reverses Paralysis In Mice With Spinal Cord Injuries
After receiving an injection of “dancing molecules,” paralyzed mice were able to walk again.
17:10
Decoding Quantum Computing
The disruptive technology of quantum computing could be a game-changer.
9:54
Diving Into The Strange World Of Xenobots
Structures designed by an algorithm transform frog embryo cells into structures that can swim.
7:09
A 30th Anniversary Edition Of SciFri Trivia
SciFri Trivia host Diana Montano quizzes Ira on stories he’s talked about over the past 30 years on the show.
12:07
What We Do—And Don’t—Know About Omicron
There’s still a lot of uncertainty about what the Omicron variant might mean for the global pandemic.
Donate To Science Friday For #GivingTuesday!
Want to help support Science Friday for the next 30 years? Make a gift today, for #GivingTuesday. All donations are matched $1 to $1.
12:10
New Cold Storage Method Solves Freezer Burn—And Saves Energy
Scientists are working on an ice-free method for preserving food at cold temperatures, avoiding freezer burn. And it could save energy too.
15:00
The Bacteria Behind Your Favorite Blues, Bries, and More
Microbiologist Rachel Dutton discusses the bacterial battle behind the tastes and textures of cheese.
1:59
The World According To Sound: When Your Wine Bottle Sings
Named after the 19th-century physicist and physician Hermann von Helmholtz, this phenomenon of sound is more than just a party trick.
12:11
A More Delicious COVID Screener
Researchers are learning more about how COVID affects taste and smell with candy.
34:27
Laugh And Learn With The Ig Nobel Prizes
The evolutionary history of beards! The communications of cats! And more at the 31st first annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony.