Episodes

How strong is the human-robot bond? How do you know how to relate to a mechanical device? We talk robot relationships. Plus, how do we navigate our work-life boundaries?

NASA is exploring a deep-sea volcano near Hawaii as a test run for human and robotic missions to Mars and beyond. Plus, how technology is changing our relationship with death.

The SciFri Book Club closes the book on the Stephen Hawking classic, “A Brief History of Time.” Plus, research into real-time tracking of viral infections, and a look at probiotics.

The Army is investigating sea barriers to protect New York from a future Sandy. But others have doubts. Plus, the discovery that a methane-burping microbe was not a bacterium added a new branch to the tree of life: The Archaea.

Each year, we use nearly 50 billion tons of sand and gravel worldwide. Is that sustainable? Plus, a statistician developed an algorithm to figure out who wrote disputed Beatles songs.

Physicists are still trying to prove decades-old theories, but some argue the best answers may not from beautiful math. Plus, Alan Alda discusses his diagnosis with Parkinson’s.

Just how and why do city mice and country mice diverge? Plus, scientists found that a gene plays a role in determining what ant becomes a queen in a colony.

What does heredity actually mean? Carl Zimmer brings up to speed. Plus, scientists simulated a prehistoric atmosphere to deduce how much dinos actually ate.

This summer, we’re remembering the late Stephen Hawking and diving into his landmark work on black holes, the Big Bang, and the nature of the universe. Plus, a look at the psychology of happiness.

How a 19th-century surveyor’s view of climate was ahead of his time. Plus, new simulations look at a possible ancient impact that was enough to knock the planet Uranus on its side.