Flora has produced science media for 20 years across many formats. She got her start right here at Science Friday, working her way up from intern to fill-in host, and resident videographer. From there, she worked as a video producer for The New York Times, co-creating an Emmy-nominated film series that dramatized scientific discoveries using… paper puppets. She also was nominated for an Emmy for her writing on Bill Nye’s Netflix show “Bill Nye Saves the World.” She has created and launched a number of podcasts in various roles, including hosting Gimlet’s beloved “Every Little Thing,” which connected listeners to experts who could answer their burning questions. The show ran for five years and published over 200 episodes.
Making science accessible, relatable, and human has been a focus of Flora’s career. Some of her inspiration comes from her own experience in science: Long, long ago, she worked at a NATO oceanographic lab in Italy. For the lab’s research expeditions, she lived on a ship where apertivi were served on the top deck, hoisted there via pulley by the ship’s chef.
You can find her @flichtman on social media platforms.
12:15
In Search Of The Best Tail For Balance
The bone and joint structures in mammal tails help them keep their balance. Could those benefits be adapted for robots?
16:57
Why Are Flu And Other Viral Infection Rates So High This Year?
Flu infections are the highest they’ve been in nearly 30 years, and flu deaths this winter have surpassed COVID deaths. What’s going on?
9:22
Bindi Irwin Encourages Kids To Become ‘Wildlife Warriors’
In her first children’s book, conservationist Bindi Irwin takes little readers on a journey through Australia Zoo.
7:52
Why The Internet Was Captivated By A Hideous Fish
A video of a gloriously creepy anglerfish inspired tears and poetry online. But why was this deep-sea dweller near the surface at all?
16:49
Making Sense Of Federal Cuts To Science—And What Comes Next
The CEO of one of America’s oldest scientific societies discusses the recent cuts to scientific institutions, and how scientists can respond.
12:15
Can Men and Women (Baboons) Really Just Be Friends?
Just like in “When Harry Met Sally”, the answer isn’t so simple for Kinda baboons, which form long-term friendships between the sexes.
5:42
The Best Bear Deterrent May Be Drones
New research found drones to be more effective than dogs, cars, or loud noises at convincing bears to avoid human areas.
17:02
What Happens To Your Body When You’re Grieving
In a new book, Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor explores the ways grief affects the body, from the heart to the immune system.
12:08
How Lucy, Our Famous Ancestor, Runs On A Virtual Treadmill
Scientists determined that Lucy, a human ancestor from 3.2 million years ago, couldn’t have beaten modern humans in a foot race.
16:07
Managing Wildfires Using A Centuries-Old Indigenous Practice
The Karuk Tribe in Northern California has stewarded its home using prescribed burns for millennia. Now, they’re training others on the skill.