On Today's Podcast
mRNA Vaccine For Pancreatic Cancer Continues To Show Promise
In the wake of funding cuts to mRNA vaccine research, we revisit a February story about a promising vaccine for pancreatic cancer.
Listen NowAugust 22, 2025
Humans drove wolves nearly to extinction in the American West. Reintroducing them in 1995 was, and still is, controversial. Plus, the FDA and HHS plan to eliminate petroleum-based food dyes as part of the MAHA agenda. What does science say about their effects on health? And, astronomers found a supernova whose lighter outer layers had been stripped away, revealing an inner shell rich in silicon and sulfur.
Science Diction: Vaccine
The origin of the word ‘vaccine’ stretches back to a disease, a test subject, and… a cow.
Science Diction: Meme
The word ‘meme’ has more to do with evolutionary biology than the internet.
Subscribe To Our New Podcast ‘Science Diction!’
Calling all word nerds! Science Friday has a new podcast called ‘Science Diction.’ Subscribe and listen to the trailer now!
8:00
A Human Trial For CRISPR Gene Therapy
The clinical trial was performed on cells inside a human eye. Plus a satellite rescue mission, parrot probability, and more in this week’s News Roundup.
3:46
What You Don’t Know About Well Water Could Hurt You
Residents in Kansas who use private wells face uncertainty about what’s in their water.
9:57
All Thumbs: A New Trick For Dexterity In Prosthetic Hands
Surgery and AI are teaming up to make artificial limbs more intuitive and user-friendly—and expanding the capabilities of the next generation of prosthetics.
6:22
Name That Call: Test Your Animal Sound Trivia
Can you guess the chirp, squeak, and growl? Put your knowledge to the test in our quiz with Google Earth.
12:05
Could A “Marsquake” Knock Down Your House?
What studying seismic activity on mars tells us about the red planet.
17:07
Do You Have The ‘Right Stuff’ To Be An Astronaut?
NASA is accepting applications for a new class of astronaut candidates. Do you have what it takes?
16:22
New Insight Into Whales On The Go
Researchers found a link between whale strandings and solar storms that may hint at magnetic navigation. Plus, the answer to whale migration may lie in skincare.
17:18
Looking To The Genome To Track And Treat The New Coronavirus
Scientists have sequenced the genome of the new coronavirus from two patients in Washington state.
Science Friday Live In Phoenix
Ira Flatow and the SciFri gang are headed down to Phoenix on Saturday, September 12, 2020 for a special, one-night-only live event. Get your tickets here!
Science Friday Live In Charlotte, North Carolina
Ira Flatow and the SciFri gang are headed to Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, August 8, 2020 for a special, one-night-only live event. Get your tickets here!
11:33
Why Aren’t We Talking About (And Debating) Climate Policy?
Plus Bezos’ billions, a retreat from an oil sands project, and more in this week’s roundup of climate news.
22:20
How To Prepare Your Healthcare System For A New Coronavirus
If COVID-19 spreads in the U.S., hospitals have ways to prepare. Public health experts explain why more testing and protecting healthcare workers will be key.
23:20
The Evolution Of Facebook
Journalist Steven Levy chronicles Facebook from college room-social media site to the present-day tech powerhouse.
33:56
How The World Of Building Materials Is Responding To Climate Change
‘Mass timber’ receives praise for its carbon sink potential, while concrete and steel reinvent themselves to curb emissions.
How Facebook’s News Feed Became A Political Propaganda Machine
In his new book, journalist Steven Levy unpacks how Facebook’s news feed influenced a presidential election in the Philippines—and how it was a symptom of the rise of fake news.
7:12
East Africans Battle A Plague Of Locusts Brought On By Climate Change
As swarms the size of cities devastate food supplies, both residents and experts in East Africa are looking for solutions to the locust pest problem.
4:33
Why Coal Country May Be Going Solar
A new bill passing through the West Virginia state legislature would increase the state’s solar capacity by 5,000%.