May 10, 2024
Medical researchers are working to better understand—and hopefully mute—tinnitus, a persistent “ringing in the ears.” Plus, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant shares how her lifelong love for the natural world led her to become a nature TV show host. And, the Field Museum has unveiled a new specimen of Archaeopteryx, a species that may hold the key to how ancient dinosaurs became modern birds.
Dune Discussion Question: Week #4
The fourth and final discussion question for this summer’s SciFri Book Club selection, “Dune.”
Salad Dressing Science: Emulsion Lab
In this experiment, you will test a few common household ingredients to see which is the most effective emulsifier for making salad dressing – and you can eat your results!
11:41
Close-Up With a Comet
The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft is the first probe to orbit a comet.
17:29
Is Healthy Soil the Low-Tech Solution to Climate Change?
In her book “The Soil Will Save Us,” writer Kristin Ohlson concludes that the low-cost, low-tech solution to climate change may be directly underfoot—in healthy soil.
5:31
Decoding Secret Communication Between Plants
A new study in Science says that certain parasitic plants spy on their hosts through RNA exchanges.
10:26
App Chat: Being Social Without Leaving a Trace
A growing number of apps allow users to post ephemeral or anonymous messages—and they’re catching on quickly with millennials.
21:44
Concocting Condiments
Culinary scientist Ali Bouzari dips into the chemistry behind condiments, from hot sauce to mustard.
18:06
Sylvia Earle’s ‘Mission Blue’
Oceanographer Sylvia Earle bears witness to troubling changes in our oceans in the documentary “Mission Blue.”
6:37
Bridging the Rift: Oculus’ Answer to Virtual Reality
Technological and design innovations inside the Oculus Rift make virtual reality poised for a mass-market debut.
Stained Glass Conservation
Medieval stained glass reveals a lot about life in the Middle Ages, but keeping these artistic works from falling apart is a detailed process.
Secrets of the Sauce (and Other Edible Liquids)
Culinary scientist Ali Bouzari weighs in on the four ways to change the thickness of any sauce, soup, or liquid.
Bridging the Rift: Oculus’ Answer to Virtual Reality
Technological and design innovations inside the Oculus Rift make virtual reality poised to make a mass-market debut.
Share Your Favorite ‘Dune’ Quote
Record yourself reading your favorite quote from “Dune,” and share it with SciFri.
Is Your Hot Sauce Up to Snuff?
Use science to improve your latest spicy concoction.
An Ephemeral River, Viewed From Space
This ephemeral river may only last a few days a year, but it’s life sustaining.
Dune Discussion Question: Week #3
The third discussion question for this summer’s SciFri Book Club selection, “Dune.”
Build Your Own Radio Telescope to Listen to Meteors
Even if it’s cloudy or you can’t get outside at night, you can still listen to the Perseid meteor shower using a simple FM radio setup or by building a radio telescope at home.
8:19
Listening In on Elephant ‘Mating Pandemonium’
In a ‘mating pandemonium’ event, a group of elephants roar after a pair of elephants mate.
21:23
Behind the Scenes at the City Morgue
Forensic pathologist Judy Melinek’s memoir “Working Stiff” goes behind the scenes at the New York City morgue.
16:08
Giving Viruses a License to Kill…Cancer
Scientists transform common viruses like measles and herpes into potential cancer treatments.