On Today's Podcast
Can The Rise In Solar Power Balance Out Clean Energy Cuts?
Solar power adoption has been rising fast. Amid recent federal efforts to limit clean energy, will it make a dent in our climate impact?
Listen NowAugust 15, 2025
This year marks the 100th anniversary of two papers that sparked the field of quantum mechanics. Plus, a science journalist documents his quest to understand his own cluster headaches in the new book “The Headache.” And, what the cancelation of nearly $500 million in funding means for the future of mRNA vaccine research.
What to Expect From Trump’s Environmental Policy
Two environmental law experts discuss threats to the EPA and other agencies.
Gourmet Cooking With Humble Roots
Chef and author Mads Refslund approaches cooking through a low-waste lens.
7:31
Synthetic Yeast, Fake Science News, and the Tully Monster
Researchers have now synthesized over a third of the yeast genome.
27:53
Trump Versus the EPA
How the president and Congress have been quietly and successfully tearing down U.S environmental and climate change policy.
4:37
Making Social Interaction More Like a Game
Apps like Snapchat encourage interaction with features such as “streaks.” But is there a downside to gamifying communication?
12:08
The Microbiome of the Clouds
Certain types of bacteria in the atmosphere can play a role in rain and snow.
6:38
The Science of Tuvan Throat Singing
Tuvan throat singers have developed a technique that allows them to produce two notes at one time.
17:01
Scrap Your Dinner Plans
In their book Scraps, Wilt & Weeds, Mads Refslund and Tama Matsuoka Wong describe creative ways to use the parts of produce that we usually toss away.
17:21
The Invisible Humans Who Sanitize the Internet
Content moderators work behind the scenes to keep graphic content off your feed. But they still have to view it.
Three Recipes for Leftover Produce
Here’s what you can do with kale scraps, carrot tops, and grapefruit peels.
The Highs And Lows Of Tuvan Throat Singing
The Tuvan throat-singing band Alash Ensemble can sing low and high notes simultaneously, inspiring wonder and a deep appreciation for their craft.
A Farmer and His Super Soil
Author Miriam Horn describes how a Kansas farmer works for his soil to keep it working for him.
7:20
The Oldest Fossil, Colon Cancer Rates, and Foodie Fads
Researchers discovered what seem to be fossilized bacteria that are 3.77 and 4.28 billion years-old.
4:47
A Sweet Way to Test for Pee in the Pool
Testing pools for an artificial sweetener can reveal if swimmers peed in the water.
16:17
A Thumb Drive Made of Genes?
We keep talking about storing our data in DNA. How soon will it happen?
12:06
Back When the Planet Had Just One Plate
Geologists are trying to construct a picture of an ancient Earth, before the continental plates split apart.
17:38
Modern Farmers on the Frontline of Conservation
Some farmers are using techniques that conserve natural resources, like no-till and dry irrigation, as a way to cultivate crops according to the biology of the soil and land.