Episodes

The Endangered Species Act established protections for plant and animal species at risk of extinction. It’s still working 50 years later. Plus, NASA’s CIPHER program will measure how the human body changes in space. And, underground hydrogen stores have raised renewable energy hopes, but can the industry overcome the logistical hurdles of distributing it?

An artificial tongue helps researchers understand how texture impacts what people like about chocolate. Plus, astrophysicist Dr. Erin Macdonald talks about consulting on the famous series and the real (and fictional) science on screen. And, when math is based on abstract concepts, how do we know it’s correct? Dr. Eugenia Cheng takes on that question in a new book.

For decades, panda policy has guided conservation advancements. Now, pandas in the US are being returned to China. Plus, scientists have recovered the DNA of thousands of new species of fungi from the environment, but they aren’t eligible for scientific names. And, researchers looked at how shifts in emotion influenced participants’ memory formation.

Powerful cosmic rays like the “Amaterasu” particle are typically caused by celestial events, but this one’s source is unknown. Plus, while they’re nesting, chinstrap penguins take thousands of seconds-long naps a day. And, Dr. Carlotta Berry writes romance novels about Black women in the sciences to encourage more people to go into the field.

Birders across the world band together to record the number of birds in their communities. Plus, a new theory pins the throbbing pain of a red wine headache on quercetin, an antioxidant in grape skins. And, astronaut Mike Massimino reflects on his time in space, and what it taught him about succeeding on Earth.

Dr. Fei-Fei Li of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI discusses the promise and peril of the ground-breaking technology. Plus, research tracking adults over 50 shows that social activity, intimacy, and personal connections are key to good health as we age. And, new analysis of remains and burial items suggests women and men did both parts of hunting and gathering in the Paleolithic era.

In an interview from 2002, Jane Goodall gave Ira a lesson in how to speak with chimps. Plus, highlights from the 33rd First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony, which celebrate the silly side of science. And, stories that share the research of a few Ig Nobel winners.

An editor and a children’s author weigh in on this year’s best STEM books for kids. Plus, researchers examined four popular chatbots and found they perpetuated debunked, harmful ideas from race-based medicine. And, a textile professor and knit expert explains why many sweaters today are of poorer quality than sweaters in the past.

Chef Dan Souza from Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen answers your cooking questions. Plus, how AI is transforming education, and students and faculty alike can use it responsibly. And, an engineering professor and author explains how modern life depends on vast, complicated systems you probably never think about.

Carl Sagan introduced the world to the idea of nuclear winter caused by nuclear weapon fallout. Is it still a threat? Plus, a deaf advisory group worked with a hospital to improve how it cares for them. And, is the secret to life really just within five elements? Author Stephen Porder explains in a new book.