April 25, 2025
Understanding the psychological and neurological components of chronic pain may lead to better treatments. Plus, vocal researchers are learning how death metal singers safely produce extreme vocal distortions, in hopes of improving vocal health care. And, researchers isolated one kind of cone in the eye and aimed lasers at it to allow subjects to see a super vibrant teal shade they call “olo.”
Are We Getting Closer to the ‘Death’ of Cancer?
There have been many exciting developments in cancer treatment in recent years.
Media Guide: HIV Prevention With PrEP
Use this classroom resource to have your students learn about PrEP, an HIV prevention treatment that is the subject of a recent study in the Netherlands. Discuss implications of PrEP on the spread of HIV with this audio segment from Science Friday.
Ched Talks: The First-Ever SciFri Wine and Cheese Night
Come join Ira and members of the SciFri staff for an exclusive night on the science of cheese.
11:45
Forecasting Financial Crises, Thawing Water Bears, and the Pros of a Big Deductible
Economists look to ecology for inspiration. Plus, the good and bad of a high deductible on your health care plan.
25:16
Can Silicon Valley Bridge Its Diversity Gap?
More tech companies are pledging to increase diversity in their workforce, but their employee numbers remain the same.
8:42
3-D Printing Living Cells
Scientists used living cells to 3-D-print ear, bone, and muscle structures.
11:45
When Hospitals Get Hacked
A Hollywood hospital’s computer systems were invaded by malware, encrypted, and taken for ransom. The price? Forty bitcoins, or $17,000 dollars.
7:28
Malnutrition, and a Battle of the Microbiota
Is malnutrition due to more than just a lack of access to quality food? A “battle of the microbiota” taking place in the gut may play a significant role in health.
26:37
What El Niño Means for Other Parts of the Planet
El Niño’s atmospheric influence is global, affecting fish stocks off Peru and potentially driving up malaria deaths in East Africa.
Behold, The Gargantuan Stick Insect
Only three female Ctenomorpha gargantua stick insects have ever been seen in the wild.
The Week-After SciFri Quiz! 2/16/16
Did you listen closely to the big news about gravitational waves?
What Party Affiliation Could Mean for Your Future Marriage or Job
The biggest social divide might not be race or religion, but rather political affiliation.
11:58
Hidden Galaxies, Sigh Science, and Facebook’s Free Basics
Researchers using a radio telescope found hundreds of galaxies hiding behind the Milky Way.
11:51
Launching the Latest OK Go Video in Zero-G
The band OK Go choreographed their latest video in zero-G.
16:48
Could Genetically Engineered Insects Squash Mosquito-Borne Disease?
Scientists have been able to genetically engineer malaria-resistant mosquitoes. But is it ethical to release them into the wild?
26:54
The SciFri Book Club Talks Oliver Sacks’ ‘On the Move’
After three weeks reading “On the Move,” the SciFri Book Club is back to discuss Oliver Sacks’ autobiography.
6:36
Behind the Bouba-Kiki Effect
In study after study, 90 percent of people agree: A pointy shape is named “Kiki” and a rounded shape is “Bouba.”
17:20
Century-Long Search Leads to Landmark Gravitational Wave Discovery
For the first time, scientists have directly detected gravitational waves—the last unproven part of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
What Is Face Blindness?
Face blindness, or prosopagnosia, is more than just “being bad with faces.”