On Today's Podcast
The Human Obsession With Aliens Goes Way, Way Back
A new book charts the millennia-old history of our fascination with aliens, and how myth transformed into research.
Listen NowSeptember 12, 2025
Octopuses can use their suckers to detect harmful microbes on the surface of objects like crab shells, or their own eggs. Plus, a new book charts the millennia-old history of our fascination with aliens, and how myth transformed into research. And, golden oyster mushrooms have escaped from home growing kits into the wild. Could they affect fungal diversity in North American forests?
17:08
How Do You Solve a Problem Like World Vaccination?
If you thought vaccinating the whole U.S. was hard, the challenges only grow on a worldwide scale.
Reflecting On The Wild With Jane Goodall, Winner Of The 2021 Templeton Prize
A look back on the groundbreaking chimpanzee research and humanitarian career of Jane Goodall.
Saving The American West’s Sagebrush Sea
Once considered a rangeland weed, this cornerstone of America’s desert ecosystems is under threat.
11:45
Fully Vaccinated Can Unmask Often, CDC Says
Plus the WHO details a “lost month” in the pandemic, an update on the Colonial pipeline hack, and research on why cats love sitting in boxes.
14:06
Ever Wonder Why Big Cereal Chunks Are Always On Top?
The science of the “brazil nut effect” has implications from drug manufacturing to avalanche planning.
02:22
This Alaskan Glacier Is Moving 100 Times Faster Than Usual
The Muldrow Glacier is moving 10-100 times faster than usual. Why is it moving so quickly?
12:12
How Novel Is Neuralink?
Experts explain how Elon Musk’s Neuralink fits into the wider field of neurotechnology research.
17:14
What’s Behind The Blockchain-Based Art Boom?
Digital tokens, like NFTs, are opening new opportunities for writers, musicians, and artists.
17:11
Decolonizing And Diversifying The Future Of Food
The Science Friday Book Club explores what a sustainable culinary future might look like.
17:23
Can An Algorithm Explain Your Knee Pain?
Researchers suggest an algorithm can be used as a tool for justice in healthcare.
12:01
Weighing COVID-19 Vaccinations For Teens
Pfizer’s vaccine may soon be available to Americans 12 to 15 years old. Plus, climate change models predict faster sea level rise.
9:48
This Computer Won The 2021 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament
A computer program, Dr. Fill, beat the human competition in the 2021 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in just 49 seconds.
12:08
A Beetle’s Chemical (And Plastic) Romance
3D-printed beetles and some pheromones are helping scientists understand where new insect species come from.
9:41
Nature’s Early Warning Signs For A Bad Wildfire Season
California wildfire researcher Craig Clements explains how landscape and moisture content in plants can give early clues to how smoky a summer might be.
7:39
Arctic Wildfires Are Burning An Important Carbon Sink
Fires in the far north may impact forests’ ability to store carbon.
16:43
Can Woodchips Help The Gulf Of Mexico’s Dead Zone?
Crop scientists are tackling fertilizer runoff with woodchips, bacteria, and a trench.
23:40
Is COVID-19 Herd Immunity Even Possible Anymore?
Between variants and vaccine hesitancy, the U.S. may be a long way from vaccinating our way out of the pandemic.
12:10
India Suffering Under A Deadly Second Wave Of COVID-19
Yesterday, India reported nearly 380,000 new COVID-19 cases in just one day. And the number of deaths has reached nearly 4,000.
17:24
Ask An Expert: What The Heck Are Microplastics?
We create them, we eat them, we breathe them in. But what effect do microplastics have on our bodies and our planet?