Kathleen Davis is a producer and fill-in host at Science Friday, which means she spends her weeks researching, writing, editing, and sometimes talking into a microphone. She heads the show’s State of Science project, bringing local science stories to a national audience.
Before joining the Science Friday team in 2020, Kathleen reported on tech and breaking news at WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR station. One time, her coworkers made her a dinosaur themed birthday cake, complete with a Rice Krispy meteor.
Kathleen is originally from the great state of Michigan, and is always eager to talk about freshwater lakes and Coney Island diners. She can often be found taking long walks to run errands that would be done much faster by other modes of transportation.
11:44
SpaceX’s Starship Completes In-Orbit Engine Test
This was the sixth test launch of the Starship vehicle, which could eventually carry humans and cargo to the moon. It was extremely loud.
10:51
The Struggle To Restore Drinking Water After Hurricane Helene
Fifty-three days after Hurricane Helene, residents of Asheville can safely drink their tap water without boiling it. Why did it take so long?
5:39
Using Oyster Shell Reefs To Counter Sea Level Rise In Louisiana
Tribes’ historic lands on the Gulf Coast are being lost to the sea. To slow it down, one tribe has turned to oyster shells.
12:28
Michigan-Based Team To Resuscitate Shipwrecked Rye Seeds
Divers have recovered seeds of a long-lost rye variety from a 146-year-old shipwreck in Lake Huron. Scientists hope to bring it back to life.
16:54
A Nutritionist Clarifies Some Common Health Claims
Is seed oil bad for you? What’s the deal with apple cider vinegar? A nutritionist answers your questions about viral nutrition claims.
10:31
A Horn Of Potato Plenty
Just in time for Thanksgiving, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts.
6:55
Adding Marbling To Fake Meat For That Extra-Realistic Bite
Irregular, fatty marbling gives meat a unique texture. Recreating that in plant-based products isn’t easy.
17:24
50 Years Of Science With Lucy, Our Famous Early Ancestor
On the anniversary of Lucy’s discovery, paleoanthropologists reflect on what she means to science, and what she taught us about ourselves.
6:59
Managing Some Invasive Plants Might Reduce Blacklegged Ticks
Researchers are connecting two ecological problems in the Northeast in hopes of reducing the risk of tick-borne illnesses.
11:51
Walking Pneumonia Is Spiking. Here’s How To Stay Safe
The respiratory illness typically affects school-age kids, but the CDC reports a rise in cases in children aged 2-4.