On Today's Podcast
After CDC Director Is Ousted, More Senior Officials Resign
Former CDC scientist Demetre Daskalakis left his post, citing political interference and a lack of science in decision-making at the agency.
Listen NowSeptember 5, 2025
A sand dune is much more than just a big pile of sand. But how do sand dunes work, and what else do scientists want to know about sand? Plus, candles, hairstyling products, and other common items can produce toxic air pollution that lingers in our homes. And, former CDC scientist Demetre Daskalakis left his post, citing political interference and a lack of science in decision-making at the agency.
The Perils of Plankton
An artist magnifies an overlooked environmental problem in sculptures that are larger than life.
20:07
Researchers Report Cloning Advance for Producing Stem Cells
Through cloning techniques, researchers created a source of embryonic stem cells genetically identical to a patient.
20:36
Insects May Be the Taste of the Next Generation, Report Says
Can entomophagy, the eating of insects, help improve the world’s food resources?
6:02
Desktop Diaries: Daniel Kahneman
A visit with psychologist Daniel Kahneman, who won the Nobel Prize in economic sciences in 2002.
20:37
Resetting the Theory of Time
Physicist Lee Smolin explains his theory of time, and why the future of physics depends on it.
25:53
When Great Scientists Got It Wrong
In Brilliant Blunders, Mario Livio explores colossal errors by science’s greatest minds.
Desktop Diaries: Daniel Kahneman
“I have always emphasized the willingness to discard,” says psychologist and Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman. That philosophy works on two levels—forget desk trinkets, Kahneman doesn’t have a desk—and he doesn’t hoard ideas either he says.
Brilliant Blunders
Were the theories of illustrious minds such as Linus Pauling and Albert Einstein free of serious blunders? Absolutely not!
Three Insect Recipes to Help the Arthropods Go Down
Insects pack a protein punch. Get the most of your meal with these recipes.
Help SciFri Make a Summer Reading List
Recommend your favorite science-themed books, and SciFri will compile a list of the top 15.
What Lies Beneath
Using a scanning technology called terahertz imaging, scientist J. Bianca Jackson searches for hidden artwork behind paint and plaster.
Alien Invaders, Baby Seal Brains, and More
A roundup of science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our fancy.
Are We Alone in the Universe?
It seems incredible that earthlings could be the first technological society. So where is everyone?
46:30
Exploring an Ever-Expanding Universe
Saul Perlmutter discusses his Nobel Prize-winning work measuring the accelerating expansion of the universe.
24:20
Hello…Is There Anybody Out There?
The SETI Institute’s Jill Tarter talks about her career searching for intelligent life beyond Earth.
4:54
Experts Percolate on How to Brew Coffee
Brewmasters discuss how to get the most out of your grinds.
23:10
Microexpressions: More Than Meets the Eye
By studying split-second facial expressions, psychologists hope to uncover hidden emotional cues.
18:12
The Myth Of Multitasking
Psychologist Clifford Nass says multitasking may be killing our concentration and creativity.
Gear for Your Coffee Grounds
Coffee experts percolate over how to get the most from your grounds. From the chemex to the wood neck, the brewmasters filter out reasons to choose one brewing device over another.
Science Standards for the Next Generation
Newly released science standards expect students to be capable of designing experiments and making evidence-based arguments.