Episodes

We review the year in science with “Science Vs” host Wendy Zukerman. Plus, Traditional knowledge can help connect young people to both science and Indigenous North American culture. And the Charismatic Creature Corner dives into the weird, beautiful, and amazing world of marine polychaetes.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide is currently as high as it was in the Pliocene Period. Here’s why looking back millions of years can help us understand the next few hundred. Plus, astronomer Janna Levin takes readers on a journey into black holes and their physics.

Gather round for some of the best science books you might have missed this year. Plus, state and local health departments prepare to receive the vaccine. And one year in, how has Europe’s Green New Deal fared?

David Attenborough joins Ira Flatow to call attention to wonder—and peril—in the natural world. Plus, SciFri used to have a community in Second Life. What happened after we abandoned them? And, the long-term health effects of wildfires.

Meet two scientists working to disrupt the meat industry. Plus, the bacterial and fungal dance responsible for your favorite cheeses. And while the Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony might seem different this year, its celebration of strange and silly science remains.

The NSF plans to decommission the giant Arecibo radio observatory after major damage. A look at the loss for science, and for Puerto Rico. Plus, Roman Mars talks about the often overlooked details built into our cities and how our urban environments are adapting to the pandemic.

Less than a week after it became clear he was president-elect, Joe Biden has named the members of a coronavirus task force. Plus, Pfizer’s vaccine candidate passes an important test. But there are many questions left to answer. And dog DNA tests have become a popular quarantine pastime.

Now that we’re a year into the pandemic, what have we learned and how can we plan for next year? Plus, how to weigh the risks of gathering for the holidays. And researchers step up a battle to contain the ‘murder hornet.’

With the election upon us, we take a look at science propositions and STEM candidates in the running. Plus, author and editor Nisi Shawl leads a conversation about when science fiction is fantasy, and vice versa. And vampire bats take the Charismatic Creature Corner.

We’ve been trying to predict the outcomes of elections for a long time, and that might be a problem. Plus, the return to school hasn’t been easy, but STEM educators are finding creative ways to teach science to kids. And we talk about your weird pandemic dreams.