On Today's Podcast
Searching for dark matter, deep in the Earth
The SuperCDMS-SNOLAB experiment, located deep in a nickel mine, aims to detect signs of dark matter particles passing through the Earth.
Listen NowMay 1, 2026
Birds are living dinosaurs whose ancestors include T. rex and giant penguins. Understanding their past can help us imagine their future. Plus, an executive order issued by President Trump aims to fast-track research for psychedelics, including ibogaine. What is it? And, measuring microplastics can be hard, partly because they’re everywhere—including the lab. One researcher is working on solutions.
Why We Need Body Fat
Body fat is a highly specialized organ, critically important for health and longevity.
17:11
Always Hungry? Your Fat Cells May Be To Blame
Certain diets cause fat cells to suck up too much fuel, says David Ludwig, author of the new book “Always Hungry,” leaving the rest of the body hungry.
28:37
Viewing the Road Ahead for Self-Driving Cars
Imagine a future in which all cars can drive themselves. What might that do to our cities, towns, and society?
High Pressure In The Deep Ocean
Pressure is a huge challenge for deep ocean explorers. Learn how pressure changes with depth and explore its effects on compressible solids in this series of experiments, demonstrations, and real-life data collected aboard the E/V Nautilus.
10 Questions for Alan Guth, Pioneer of the Inflationary Model of the Universe
The theoretical physicist discusses the expanding universe and the infinite possibilities it brings.
The Week-After Science Friday Quiz! 1/5/16
How much do you know about the early days of the personal computer?
Things of Beauty: Scientific Instruments of Yore
Brimming with Victorian medical masks, surreal anatomical models, and futuristic test prostheses, Steve Erenberg’s store/museum in Peekskill, New York offers a tour of long-forgotten devices.
21:06
From the Origin of Art, to the End of Humanity
In 2011, a novelist, a filmmaker, and a physicist joined Ira for a wide-ranging conversation about art, science, and the mysterious place where they intersect.
17:25
Two Cosmic Explorers Investigate the World Within Us
In this archival interview from October 9, 1992, Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan talk about their book “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors: A Search for Who We Are.”
29:27
A Look Back at the Future of Personal Computing
Tech industry observer Esther Dyson looks back at predictions she made about the future of personal computing, circa 1992.
25:42
SciFri Live: Superhero Quiz
Physicist James Kakalios tests the superhero science smarts of teams from 3M and the CONvergence sci-fi convention.
Catching A Break
How a self-taught meteorologist turned a call-in surf forecasting company into a global enterprise.
12:17
Stalking The Wilds Of Mexico For A Christmas Classic
Clemson University floriculturist Jim Faust arrived in Manzanillo, Mexico, with an unusual mission: to stalk a population of wild poinsettias growing in their native habitat.
17:17
‘Findings’ Collects Science’s Best One-Liners
Harper’s magazine’s Findings column is a news ticker for science’s most fascinating—and flummoxing—facts.
10:37
How ‘Super Mario’ Could Lead to a Super Memory
Scientists find that 3D games boost memory.
6:11
Jump In Jerboas!
What can the long hindlimb of the jerboa (“a fuzzy rodent ‘T-Rex'”) tell us about the evolution of human bones?
46:43
Year in Review: 2015
A panel of science and technology journalists join Ira Flatow to discuss the biggest news in these fields during the last year.
The Best of Science Friday, 2015
SciFri staffers pick their favorite stories and activities from the year.
Jump In Jerboas!
These adorable critters bounce about on long, springy legs—appendages that just might help us better understand and manipulate the growth of human bones.
Boughs Of Folly: Science Blunders In National Lampoon’s ‘Christmas Vacation’
What can we learn from the Griswolds’ many mishaps?