On Today's Podcast
‘Underground Atlas’ Shows How Vulnerable Fungal Networks Are
Underground fungal networks are crucial to life on Earth. But a new map shows that less than 10% of fungal hotspots are in protected areas.
Listen NowAugust 8, 2025
Solar power adoption has been rising fast. Amid recent federal efforts to limit clean energy, will it make a dent in our climate impact? Plus, the mechanisms behind Alzheimer’s disease have eluded scientists for decades. But a new breakthrough points to lithium as a possible explanation. And, Dr. Masao Tomonaga was 2 years old when the US bombed Nagasaki. Eighty years later, he reflects on a lifetime of treating other survivors.
The Legend Of Death Walking
In this excerpt of the short story ‘The Shadow We Cast Through Time,’ a mysterious entity on a far-off planet transforms human colonists into demonic creatures.
Read People’s Strange (And Similar) Pandemic Dreams
Dream researcher Dierdre Barrett has been collecting COVID dreams since March. Find out about the surprisingly common themes in dreams during the pandemic.
How This Astronomer Discovered A New Type Of Galaxy
Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil talks how she got into astronomy and the path that led her to getting a new type of galaxy named after her.
Breakthrough: The Lake Sentinel
Discover how earth scientist Africa Flores-Anderson uses satellite data to help underserved communities.
How Do You Solve A Problem Named Hydrox?
Before Oreo, there was a nearly identical cookie on the market. A much-loved cookie with a terrible name.
12:07
Months Into The Pandemic, Illness Lingers For Some Declared Virus-Free
Sophie Bushwick talks “Long COVID,” reinfection, and how to stay safe from the virus when going to the polls.
16:58
The Monster At The Heart Of The Milky Way
Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Andrea Ghez on her decades of peering at the center of our galaxy—and the supermassive black hole she found there.
17:03
The Marvelous Microbiome Of Shipwrecks
Off North Carolina’s coast, a World War II wreck is teaming with microbial life.
12:07
Across The Country, A Spike In Coronavirus Cases
From Wyoming to Wisconsin, COVID-19 cases are on the rise.
17:07
Science Friday Book Club: Conjuring An Alternate History Of Colonization
This week, SciFri Book Club discusses Alberto Yáñez’s short story ‘Burn the Ships,’ and how a story about the past can still be science fiction.
17:05
Blockchain And Big Tech In China’s Countryside
Big tech companies in China are revitalizing rural areas with blockchain chicken farms and e-commerce villages.
They Burned All Their Ships
In Alberto Yanez’s short story ‘Burn the Ships,’ the Aztec people of Mexico reanimate the dead to fight their conquerors.
11:51
What Is The Status Of President Trump’s COVID-19 Case?
Reporter Umair Irfan discusses the experimental treatments President Trump received and who else in the White House may have been infected.
Breakthrough: The Galaxy Hunter
Learn about how astrophysicist Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil has defied odds—breaking cultural conventions and discovering a completely new kind of galaxy.
6:42
Talking About Black Holes And CRISPR With 2020 Nobel Prize Winners
Scientists awarded for discovering the Hepatitis C virus, the technique known as CRISPR, and black hole formation.
10:19
Doomscrolling? Here’s Non-COVID Science News You Might Have Missed
Stories lost amidst the focus on coronavirus, from a debate discussing climate, to the canniness of crows.
17:28
Science Friday Book Club: Technology, Magic, And Afrofuturism
Join us in reading Andrea Hairston’s short story about the tension between technology and magic, and a discussion about Afrofuturist literature.
17:16
A Breakthrough In A Mollusk Mystery
Freshwater mussels have been in decline for decades. New research shows viruses could be responsible.
29:20
Solar System Smackdown: Mars Vs. Venus
Both Mars and Venus have captured the interest of scientists, but which planet is the best candidate for finding signs of life?
Upgrade Your ‘Dumb House,’ Today
In this excerpt of the sci-fi anthology “New Suns,” Andrea Hairston’s short story ‘Dumb House’ follows a woman who resists upgrading her home with new technology.