On Today's Podcast
Sitting all day is terrible for us. Moving a little can help
Modern life involves a lot of sitting and staring at screens, and that takes a toll. Can moving for 5 minutes make a difference?
Listen NowAugust 7, 2026
Modern life involves a lot of sitting and staring at screens, and that takes a toll. Can moving for 5 minutes make a difference? Plus, DNA signatures of plant and animal species remain behind even after they’ve been eaten, digested, excreted, and flushed down the toilet. And, physician Masao Tomonaga reflects on a lifetime treating fellow survivors of the Nagasaki bombing.
Sitting all day is terrible for us. Moving a little can help
Modern life involves a lot of sitting and staring at screens, and that takes a toll. Can moving for 5 minutes make a difference?
Reclaiming health and humanity in a tech-filled life
“Body Electric” examines what technology and screens are doing to our minds and bodies, and how we can reclaim our well-being.
A Nagasaki survivor and physician recounts his life’s work
Dr. Masao Tomonaga was 2 when Nagasaki was bombed. In August 2025, he spoke with Ira Flatow about a lifetime caring for fellow survivors.
What do people eat? Plant and animal DNA in sewage provide clues
DNA signatures of plant and animal species remain behind even after they’ve been eaten, digested, excreted, and flushed down the toilet.
3D images of galaxies will rock you (ft. Queen)
In March 2026, astronomer and Queen guitarist Brian May and astrophysicist Derek Ward-Thompson discussed how they brought the cosmos to 3D.
The evolution of an enzyme engineer who changed chemistry
In a March 2026 story, Frances Arnold discusses her technique of “directed evolution” that creates enzymes with unusual abilities.
Dragonflies fly like fighter jets + Lake flies that dive like subs
What do a fighter jet and a dragonfly have in common? Plus, how lake fly larvae in Lake Malawi dive 600 feet deep without imploding.
Why is brain cancer so hard to treat?
A pioneer of cancer neuroscience explains how brain cancer develops, the role of the nervous system, and what might lead to new treatments.
Solve a cephalopod puzzle to win this escape room-style game
The chambered nautilus takes center stage in a puzzle adventure game from Science Friday and Grand Gamers Guild.
How can astronaut food be better?
As NASA plans for longer spaceflights to the moon and Mars, a better menu is important both nutritionally and psychologically.
The reality of living with extreme heat in India
Extreme heat is hitting India hard. One physician is trying to understand the health impacts, and help Indians prepare for future heat waves.
Tracking shark populations, one shark at a time
A Florida research team catches and releases about 600 sharks a year to monitor their populations and study the health of marine ecosystems.
The Black women codebreakers of the Cold War
A new book tells the story of Black women cryptologists who deciphered Soviet telegrams intercepted during the early days of the Cold War.
Joining the NSA’s hidden team of Black codebreakers in 1950
In “Decoding the Devil,” a woman named Iris joins a hidden NSA unit of Black codebreakers decoding Soviet messages during the Cold War.
What do we know about SSRI antidepressant withdrawal?
We revisit a 2025 conversation with two psychiatrists about what we know, and what we don’t, about SSRI antidepressant withdrawal.
Asha de Vos’ journey from deck hand to marine science leader
In a 2025 story, Asha de Vos tells how she became the first Sri Lankan to earn a PhD studying marine mammals, then built a biology program.
Why worry about my data If I have nothing to hide?
In a story from February, how companies collect your personal data and compile it into a profile for advertisers, ICE, and other agencies.
Peering through dust clouds to the center of the galaxy
Andrea Ghez developed a way to peer through dust clouds and observe stars orbiting the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
How do you piece together what life was like in Pompeii?
Archeologists are piecing together the lives of ordinary Pompeii residents, from a fish sauce entrepreneur to an enterprising businesswoman.
Before its catastrophic end, Pompeii was full of life
In “The Lost Voices of Pompeii,” ordinary people live their lives and seek to be remembered in the turbulent years before Mt. Vesuvius erupts.