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.
34:05
Writing The Fantastic In 2017
From other planets to our own future, writers can take us places we’ve never seen. Authors Cory Doctorow, N.K. Jemisin, and Annalee Newitz are among them.
Long Names And Free Beer At A Communist Party
In this excerpt from Cory Doctorw’s novel ‘Walkaways,’ young adults talk about life in a post-privacy future at a (literal) Communist party.
A Robot Trains For War
A robot gets a painful reminder during a training exercise in this excerpt from Autonomous by Annalee Newitz.
The U.S. Government Has A Mustang Problem
Mustangs carry symbolic weight in the minds of Americans. That makes managing their populations tricky.
SciFri Science Club: #NeatRock Challenge
For this Science Club, we’re challenging you to go out, find a neat rock, and try to learn a little something about it.
7:17
A Nobel Roundup, Rafting Species, And The Odor Preferences Of Bedbugs
This year, the Nobel foundation honored researchers studying circadian rhythms, techniques for imaging proteins, and observations of gravitational waves.
5:02
How Frequent Floods May Uproot Whole Neighborhoods
Reporter Molly Peterson interviewed residents from two flood-prone Louisiana communities, who may be paid by the federal government to move.
24:47
The World Of Bitcoin Economics
This summer, the value of one Bitcoin jumped to $5,000. Who’s investing in the cryptocurrency?
8:58
A Homecoming For The Whales
In New York, one of the world’s largest mammals makes its comeback.
11:48
Got Neanderthal DNA?
Genetic advances are telling us more about how Neanderthal DNA might shape our appearance, behavior, and health.
10:29
Once Dismissed And Hidden, Chronic Fatigue Patients Speak Up
“When medicine has no answers for you, where do you turn?” asks filmmaker and patient Jennifer Brea.
When Mustang Populations Run Wild
When there’s frequent “hanky-panky among the herd,” researchers harness wild horses’ own immune systems as a contraceptive.
5:57
Science Club Challenge: Grab A Neat Rock
That cool rock you found probably has a story to tell about Earth’s past.
17:06
Big Trouble Managing Mustangs
Some 75,000 wild horses roam the sagebrush-lined slopes and basins of the American West—and the government can’t figure out what to do with them.
In NYC Waters, A Whale Of A Tale
After decades of absence, whales are back in New York City waters. Scientists say it could signal a wildlife resurgence.
The Whales Of New York
Just a few short miles from downtown Manhattan, you might see something unexpected—whales feeding.
Smell That? It’s Forensic Entomology At The Body Farm
Try your hand at forensic entomology and use insect larvae to find the age of a rotting corpse in this body farm simulation
The ‘Unbelievable’ Power Of Nuclear Bombs, Caught On Film
Last March, physicists declassified a trove of nuclear test films. Now you can see them for yourself.
The High Cost Of Notifications
The more you’re interrupted, the more likely you are to interrupt yourself. Can we win the war on our prefrontal cortex?
7:32
A Giant Rat, An Octopus City, And Space Life Beyond The ISS
This week, NASA and Roscosmos announced that they would cooperate to build a new space station, closer to the moon.